Scavenger Hunt Stop #31

Welcome to the Autumn 2014 Scavenger Hunt. You have arrived at Stop # 31. The hunt begins at noon (Mountain Time Zone) on October 17, 2014. You may have arrived here before the start which could mean all of the sites aren't ready quite yet. Once the official start has begun, you should go to Stop #1 and then work your way through the sites, gathering clues and entering bonus giveaways, until you reach the final stop which will also be on the site of Robin Lee Hatcher.

The hunt ends on Sunday, October 19, 2014 at one minute before midnight (Mountain). That means you have all of the weekend to finish it, so take your time. Enjoy reading the exclusive content the authors have prepared for you. You will collect a CLUE IN RED at each stop. Write them down as you go. At the end of the hunt, you will enter the clues into a Rafflecopter form. (The answer will make sense, even if you aren't familiar with the quote.)

The hunt is open to international entries. The grand prize is a Kindle Fire HDX. Two runners-up will receive a new release from each of the participating authors.

IN CASE YOU FIND A BROKEN LINK...

Robin Lee Hatcher has prepared a "cheat sheet" with direct links to each author's post in case a site goes down or a link gets broken. We hope there will be no such issues, but just in case, please make note of the URL for the Participating Authors & Stops page so you can check back and be able to complete the hunt.

And now, without further ado, I'd love to introduce you to our friend, Maureen Lang!

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Say Hello to Maureen Lang!

Maureen Lang has loved storytelling ever since she was ten years old and would invite friends over to "write stories." They often preferred playing with Barbies, but Maureen persevered with storytelling on her own. Since then she's published thirteen novels and is introducing her very first novella, The Gift-Wrapped Bride, which is part of the 12 Brides of Christmas collection. The idea of partnering with other favorite Christian authors for a series of romances set during the holiday season reminded her of inviting friends over to write together—what could be more fun?

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Heartland Christmas Brides

Thank you for visiting our Scavenger Hunt and for reading about the first Nativity Scene. A Nativity Drama plays an important part in my novella, The Gift-Wrapped Bride because my hero realizes the intent of every Nativity Scene is to soften hearts toward the miracle of Christ's birth. My hero, a reformed rascal trying to win the love of a woman who knew him only as a schoolhouse bully, tries to convince her he's changed by recruiting young troublemakers for a Christmas Pageant. Once they're transformed by God's grace, she'll see everyone deserves a second chance. God will be glorified, and my hero might just win himself a bride. That is, if the rascals he recruits will let their hearts be softened . . .

My novella is included in Heartland Christmas Brides, available now at your local Walmart, to be followed by Christmas Wedding Bell Brides and White Christmas Brides from a variety of authors offering heartwarming Christmas romances. For more information on the entire collection of the 12 Brides of Christmas, visit our website.

Or if you'd like to purchase all twelve of the novellas in e-book format, one story will be released from online booksellers every week between now and Christmas!

Interested? Check out these wonderful stories at Amazon.com or at Christian Book Distributors!

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History of Nativity Pageants

If you're anything like me, spotting a Nativity scene during the Christmas season is becoming more and more precious as the culture around us becomes increasingly secular. I love the visual reminder of what Christmas is really all about. And guess what? This was exactly what Saint Francis of Assisi thought when he introduced the first Nativity scene way back in the year 1223. He was a man who wanted to live like Christ. So he threw off the material world and, much to the consternation of his friends and family, began roaming the countryside as a beggar. A few years later he heard a sermon that inspired him to take his faith even farther - he wanted to preach the gospel wherever he went. Eventually he founded the Franciscan Order of Friars (Friends).

At midnight mass on Christmas Eve 1223 Saint Francis introduced the first Nativity Scene. Choosing the spot in front of a cave in Greccio, Italy, he brought in people to portray the Holy Family and live animals as their humble companions. Saint Francis wanted to bring the gospel alive for worshippers who were likely illiterate, or at least trusted others to read and interpret the Bible for them. He wanted to stir their hearts so they would marvel over the simple wonder of the greatest miracle ever performed—God becoming man to save us from our sins so we can spend eternity with our perfect Creator. This vision, Saint Francis hoped, would live in their minds long after that one night.

Surely Saint Francis's hopes were blessed. Since then, Nativity scenes have been turned into pageants and dramas seen all around the world.

I know it's early to be thinking of the Christmas season, but when you see a Nativity pageant or manger this year, count it among other miracles that such a tradition has lasted nearly eight hundred years!

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The Scavenger Hunt Skinny

Thanks so much for stopping by my site and participating in the new Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt. Before you move on to Stop #32, which is Maureen Lang's’s site, to pick up your next clue, be sure to write down this Stop #32 clue: SWALLOWED, AND

Also, please note: Many of the authors use Rafflecopter for their giveaways. Rafflecopter requires JavaScript to work. If you can’t see the form, please turn JavaScript on in your browser in order to enter. Rafflecopter sometimes doesn’t work on mobile devices. If you are on a mobile device and can’t see the entry form, then you’ll need to find a computer.

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But Before You Go...

As a special thank you for joining in on the Scavenger Hunt, we have an extra giveaway for you! Enter below and you can win a shiny necklace from the Dragon Lady Shoppe!

There will be TWO WINNERS, a boy and a girl. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway