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Fabulous Feature: Lisa Phillips-Writing Like a Worship Leader

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Today we welcome author:
Lisa Phillips

Two commenters will win a copy of
Lisa's book:

 Easy Prey

Scroll down to see how.

 International Readers Are Invited to Enter!


Mary here. I'm so happy to welcome Lisa to Let's Talk this weekend. What I appreciate the most about her post was reading how God used two callings in her life to work together. I asked Lisa to tell us how God led her on her writing journey. Here is what she said: 



How to Write...Like a Worship Leader

A few years back, right after the birth of my first child (who is now eight) I was struggling with my identity. Probably something a lot of new moms can identify with. All of a sudden, you aren’t just you—and your whole life is taken up with this tiny, helpless being.

Except that was the time when I really felt God was telling me I was a writer.

Fast forward five years.

Summer 2012 I participated in a Speed Date Pitch for Love Inspired Suspense. Out of that 100 word pitch (which you can read about here) I was offered my first book contract. Since then I’ve written six LIS books, four published and the last two coming next year, and also independently published four full length novels and four short stories…

About which time I became a worship leader.

I don’t know if God just doesn’t want me to get comfortable, or what. But it seems like every time I settle into something, He begins to do something new in my life. Which I’m fine with. I really don’t like being stagnant, or anything that even resembles a rut!

So far, leading worship and writing have overlapped in so many ways. It seems like the things I’m learning in worship, things like dying to myself and keeping that spirit of worship through my whole day and not just Sunday mornings, translate into my writing. My characters are having to learn how to love like Jesus does, how to overcome the difficulties they see in other people that cause conflicts. Sure, there aren’t many spies or bad guys in worship leading, but the principles are the same.

I have to trust God in everything, and I have to trust Him to work through me to do what He wants so that He will be glorified. One of my favorite songs right now is called Broken Vessels. It’s a version of the hymn Amazing Grace that Hillsong rearranged. The first part goes like this:

All these pieces, broken and scattered
In mercy gathered, mended and whole
Empty handed, but not forsaken
I’ve been set free, I’ve been set free.

It’s like the spiritual premise of every book I’ve ever written: I was broken, and Jesus put me back together.


You can listen to the song here, but don’t forget to comment below! I’d love to know what God is teaching you right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Lisa Phillips is an ex-pat Brit who crossed the pond to attend Bible College. She and her husband have two kids and an all-black Airedale who goes by the name Vator (short for “The Dark Lord Elevator” which is what happens when a 4yr old boy names your dog).
Lisa got her start writing while waiting for her employment authorization card to come through, and studied the craft with the Christian Writers Guild. She can most often be found with a cup of proper tea and her nose in a book.


Lisa loves to connect with readers. You can find her at her:
  
Website | Twitter
Facebook
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Easy Prey

While Investigating a murder at Rikki Allen's house, detective Blain Kent realizes the victim looks a lot like Rikki. Could the secretive widow have been the target? When the killer comes after Rikki at a safe location, Blain finally gets the truth out of her: she's the daughter of Franco Alvanetti--the notorious crime kingpin. A by-the-book former marine, Blain has made it his life mission to put the Alvanetti family out of business. Yet he has to trust Rikki to protect her from a killer who wants her dead by Christmas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enter the contest to win a copy of Lisa's book:
Easy Prey
International Readers are welcome to enter!
here is how:
leave a comment (and email address)

AND sign up to receive my newsletter -in the right column
(subscribers to my newsletter will receive a special Christmas gift)

AND/OR sign up to receive posts by email if you aren't already
Thank you, Lisa, for joining us this weekend!

We enjoy chatting with you, Reader, and look forward to reading your comments and questions. Or at least your hi, hello, or hey.


Thanks for stopping by!
Don't forget to comment!

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Comments

Kim Hampton said…
God has been giving me very clear signs that I need to practice forgiveness. He's trying to tell me that since He has forgiven my sins, I need to forgive others. I was hurt very badly by family members and my husband and I have cut them out of our lives, but I need to let go of the anger and hurt and forgive them.
Kim Hampton
imaclogger23 at yahoo dot com
I receive the newsletter and posts by e-mail.
16:20
Mary Vee Storyteller said…
I totally understand where you're coming from, Kim. When family or close friends let us down, offend us, or take out issues on us it forms a lasting hurt. It isn't until we let God handle the situation that we ourselves can find peace. Been in your shoes. Praying for you.
16:41
Mary Preston said…
Lovely to meet Lisa here. A thought provoking post.


marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
02:14
Virginia Winfield said…
Would love this book.
Thereadmaster(at)me(dot)com
06:35
Unknown said…
I had an interesting experience a few weeks ago when God clearly was telling me not to do a certain thing. I am glad I paid attention. Thank you for the opportunity to win a book have a nice day. l.bergh@sbcglobal.net
08:17
kim hansen said…
Sounds like a good read. kamundsen44ATyahooDOTcom
08:32
Unknown said…
Mary, Before I forget Merry Christmas! Thank you for a another interview and giveaway.
08:57
Unknown said…
redeemed1ruatcomcastdotcom oops forgot to leave that.
09:01
Connie Porter Saunders said…
During the past eight months I have been reminded, over and over, that God has a plan, He is in control and He will see me through the valley. I say reminded because I do believe this but I had let doubts creep in.
Thank you for a thought provoking interview and I wish both if you a very Merry Christmas!
Connie
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
13:14
Kim Hampton said…
Thank you so much for the prayers. I really appreciate it.
15:21
Trixi said…
I'm not sure what God is teaching me right now, but I do know one verse that keeps coming to mind and that's Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." I'm still trying to wrap my head around that scripture! I know there's a lesson He wants me to learn, something deeper than the surface knowledge (if that makes sense). I know He loved me even when I was so far away from Him, and that He sent Christ in my place to die for my sins, but I want to go deeper in this verse. His love is SO amazing and His grace so vast...it's hard to fathom. So I've been asking Him to show me what He's telling me through this. Or maybe it's just a reminder of His love for me no matter what or where I slip-up, that His love covers all my sin. Who knows, I'll just trust that He has something to tell me & He'll reveal it as necessary. :-)
I really enjoyed this interview. I love that whatever you are lead to do in worship, God is using in your writing too and to teach you in your personal life. Isn't He good at doing that :-) What an amazing God we serve! Thanks for taking time to come talk to us today, Lisa. you encouraged through it. I'll just keep listening to His voice and be open to what He wants to teach me in every day!

teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
Mary, I do both. Receive your newsletter and post by email. Thanks for another great author post. I sure do enjoy them :-)
17:07
Mary Vee Storyteller said…
Good morning, Mary. I must admit I've been rather singularly focused and had considered how God's marvelous plan connected dots like Lisa pointed out. This is why hearing God's blessings in other people's lives can actually help us...and this is why these posts benefit me ever so much as they do you all. Thanks for chatting with Lisa and me, Mary. :)
05:01
Mary Vee Storyteller said…
I totally agree. I love suspense stories and the fact that they are from Love Inspired lets me know they will be nice stories. Great to see you here today, Virginia!!
05:02
Mary Vee Storyteller said…
Good morning, Laurie.
You were so wise. I think when these situations happen to me I sometimes ponder longer than I should. Should I do this. Is this God speaking to me. I tumble back and forth. The end goal though is to follow his urgings...right? Yeah. I'm so glad you came to chat with us today, Laurie!!
05:04
Mary Vee Storyteller said…
I totally agree! I think the twists and turns set up in this story. Definitely looks like a page turner. Thanks for chatting with us today, Kim!
05:05
Mary Vee Storyteller said…
Ann,
You are so sweet, Thanks for saying that. And a very, very Merry Christmas to you, too. One of the great parts of my day is chatting with you all here.
05:06
Mary Vee Storyteller said…
Oh, Connie....those doubts are such a pain, right? They pull us this way and that...making life so troublesome. Some times I get so frustrated I tattle to God. Seriously! I say, God, I need help!!! Satan is picking on me!! I find when I let go of the situation like that and put it in God's control....the situation seems to work itself out. phew! We are so blessed to have a Shepherd who loves us.
05:08
Mary Vee Storyteller said…
Trixi, your words are so awe inspiring. One of the blessings that even the great Bible scholars have shown is that studying God's word is a life time event. God will show us a verse and reveal Himself in our current circumstances..then show us the same verse years later and reveal something completely new. He always knows what we need right now and chooses to reveal Himself in that circumstance. I agree, God is good and amazing.

I'm so glad you shared today. Lisa and I enjoyed chatting with you!
05:13
Lisa P said…
Wow, very powerful. Hurts can tie us up, even when the immediate situation has passed. I'll be praying for you, Kim!
09:42
Lisa P said…
Thank you Mary!!
09:42
Lisa P said…
Thank you Virginia!
09:43
Lisa P said…
You're so welcome, Laurie. Obedience is kinda boring (sometimes!) but it's soooo good for us. How wonderful that you listened! God bless you.
09:44
Lisa P said…
Thanks! :-)
09:45
Lisa P said…
MERRY CHRISTMAS ANN!
09:45
Lisa P said…
Merry Christmas Connie. God's plans are so good! Hard, but always good. Prayers :-)
09:46
Lisa P said…
I LOVE that verse. It's one of my favorites! God bless you, Trixi. And Merry Christmas.
09:47
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