Friday, March 15, 2013

Really Rare Rabbits


Ten years ago I began writing. Through our mission, we self-published the nine-book series Rumi Rancho Tails, and then another four-book series PegTales. Both children's series were well received by our ministry contacts. People began asking when I would write another series. The encouragement I received spurred me to continue writing. While pursuing a traditional publisher for my three-book series, Really Rare Rabbits, God led me to Tracy Ruckman, owner and editor of Pix-N-Pens Publishing. In her first email to me after reading my book she said, "This is wonderful"––what writer doesn't want to hear those words? I signed a three-book contract with Pix-N-Pens Publishing. It is a joy working with Tracy on this wonderful journey of publishing.

Tracy posted this blurb on Friday March 1st about my book...

We're celebrating Friday in a big way today! Our latest book is now available on Amazon! Peggy Cunningham has written a book called Really Rare Rabbits: Giant Ghost Rabbits Guarding the Inca Treasure Fires. Chi Chi and his sister Fi Fi are part of a family of giant rabbits. The young rabbits live on a mountain in Bolivia where their ancestors landed with their owners, the Quechua Indians, when they escaped from Peru. You won't see them on the mountain unless you look very close, but you will hear them giggling. A very old legend tells of their unbelievable size and their unusual job, protecting a treasure of gold left behind on the mountain by their owners of long ago. Every night they sit by the fires, near where they think the treasures are buried. But, one day they hear of a new Light on the mountain that never burns out. Even though Chi Chi and Fi Fi are supposed to stay well hidden during the day, they decide to venture down the mountain to peer in the missionaries' windows. That is when their dangerous adventure begins.

Really Rare Rabbits is available at:  http://amzn.to/ZHPz2H

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Out of Darkness


"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19 (NIV) This past Christmas, we shared God's love in remote areas of Bolivia.

There were few smiles on the children's faces when our group arrived in their village, but they were all smiling after hearing about our "Reason" for being there.

Last December, our church group went into an area of darkness. Arriving near nightfall, the traditional festivities of the season were underway. Loud music, intoxicated people, and pouring rain were the welcome mats our group encountered. At first, some questioned if this was the place God intended us to be this Christmas season.


After problems on the road, and darkness falling, the ambience in the village didn't exactly shout welcome to our group or the gospel. Miles from civilization, it was evident that God intended for our group to be in this place to share the Good News.


Earlier that morning, supplies of food and gifts were loaded in a truck to be shared with the village. Now it was time to unload and begin the three day ministry of sharing Jesus with the unreached people of the remote parts of the Andes Mountains.



A sound system was set up and Christian music was heard throughout the area. The youth helped in the kitchen as they fried Bolivian donuts to share with the community. Soon there was a crowd eating donuts and listening as the gospel was being shared.



The next day the mood changed. The medical team began attending to the needs of the people and children. Many received hair cuts and pedicures, and many heads were washed and teeth were pulled. Some received medicines for their ailing bodies.



All the while, the gospel was shared. Peace flowed throughout the village this day. There was a different mood from the night of arrival.


The Bible says, "that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

Many children and some adults accepted the Lord. The people commented that no one had ever come to wash their hair or give them gifts before. They understood our reason for being there. Jesus was the reason, He had led us to them.

Bolivians have caught the vision and are taking the gospel to their own people. What a privilege to be part of God's work in Bolivia. This past Christmas in a remote mountain village, children received gifts and food, and people's needs were met. But above all, they now have The Light and aren't in darkness anymore.

I'm sure they would all send their thanks to those who made it possible for them to hear the Good News. Someday in heaven, they will be able to say thank you face to face to all who helped spread the gospel to their area of the mountains. God is doing great things throughout the mountains and valleys of Bolivia.


A Deserted PLace



Life seems to be on fast forward for me lately, and I'm loving it! Heart Bouquets released last week and is having great reviews and ratings, and my children's book, Really Rare Rabbits, is being released by Pix-N-Pens Publishing in March. God is working in our ministry in marvelous ways, and we are seeing many come to know the Lord, through our churches and through Rumi Rancho.

When life gets so busy, it's easy to not spend time with the One who gives us all those blessings. This last week, I daily asked the Lord for so many things--understanding in all I'm learning, health to do it all, and provision for our ministry and us––along with all those prayers for family, friends and safety. And, I kept telling the Lord I wanted to spend more time with Him––but, I had Him on hold, so to speak. Yes, I had devotions, and yes, I meditated on scripture, but had I really blocked out everything so I could hear His voice. Not really!

But this morning, God gave me that time. I hadn't made time for Him, so He arranged a deserted place to be with Him. He said to them [me],"Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." Mark 6:31(NRSV)

Our Internet server's tech guy finally arrived to find and fix the problem we were having with our speed. They had to cut our service to work on the problem. No Internet and so many things to do. After pleading with God that He hurry those men along so I could get to the things I had to do, I heard Him say, "Come with Me."

I closed my computer and opened my Bible. I began reading in Psalms where I had stopped yesterday, and this is what it said...

"Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." Psalm 144:1(NIV) I have been in a battle. Any time we are giving God's Word out, we engage in that battle, and it is a war. The enemy will do anything to keep God's Word from spreading. Now I am writing to get God's Word out, and I feel that opposition. Never before have we had so many Internet problems that can't seem to be resolved. And, some days I feel like my head is going to explode from all the new things I am putting into it. But God is training my hands and fingers so that I can write His message.

After spending time in God's Word, I wasn't up tight because it was taking so long to get my Internet up and running again. I took a walk with God up the mountain behind our house. There were no camels there in my desert, only two ponies and what seemed like thousands of birds singing to Him––a little bit of heaven, a little time with my Creator. I didn't have to travel to an exotic far away place to get away from it all  (I already live in one), I just needed refreshed by His presence.

I know God will teach me what I need to know in order to accomplish the work He has for me. He is training my hands and my fingers to write for Him. He told me that today, when I walked with Him.