Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 123

Scripure for Saturday after Ash Wednesday 2013

21 They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. 22 They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee. ~ Mark 1:21-28 (NASB)

Lord, the demons as well as the people heard the authority in Jesus’ voice and felt His power. Today, people often think of Jesus’ love and view Him as soft and weak because of His gentleness. Thank You that He is gentle and loving to sinners but strong and powerful against sin. Help me to be gentle and loving to others, and cleanse me of my sin. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Scripure for Saturday after Ash Wednesday 2013 was first posted on February 16, 2013 at 12:52 am.
©2012 "Lillie Ammann, Writer & Editor". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at lillie@lillieammann.com

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Devotion for Saturday after Ash Wednesday 2013

21 They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. 22 They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee. ~ Mark 1:21-28 (NASB)

Lord, the demons as well as the people heard the authority in Jesus’ voice and felt His power. Today, people often think of Jesus’ love and view Him as soft and weak because of His gentleness. Thank You that He is gentle and loving to sinners but strong and powerful against sin. Help me to be gentle and loving to others, and cleanse me of my sin. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Devotion for Saturday after Ash Wednesday 2013 was first posted on February 16, 2013 at 12:52 am.
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Scripture for Friday after Ash Wednesday 2013

16 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19 Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him. ~ Mark 1:16-20, NASB)

Lord, it amazes me that Simon and Andrew and James and John simply dropped what they were doing and followed You the minute You called. They didn’t have the luxury of knowing intellectually who You were, but they knew You in their hearts and followed You without delay or excuse or worry about anything else. I have known You all my life; I have the Bible and a lifetime of church and reading. Yet sometimes I find myself putting something else before You. I think I have to take care of something else before spending time with You. Empower me by the Holy Spirit to drop everything and spend time with You without delay or excuse or worry about anything else. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Scripture for Friday after Ash Wednesday 2013 was first posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:50 am.
©2012 "Lillie Ammann, Writer & Editor". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at lillie@lillieammann.com

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Devotion for Friday after Ash Wednesday 2013

16 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19 Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him. ~ Mark 1:16-20, NASB)

Lord, it amazes me that Simon and Andrew and James and John simply dropped what they were doing and followed You the minute You called. They didn’t have the luxury of knowing intellectually who You were, but they knew You in their hearts and followed You without delay or excuse or worry about anything else. I have known You all my life; I have the Bible and a lifetime of church and reading. Yet sometimes I find myself putting something else before You. I think I have to take care of something else before spending time with You. Empower me by the Holy Spirit to drop everything and spend time with You without delay or excuse or worry about anything else. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Devotion for Friday after Ash Wednesday 2013 was first posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:50 am.
©2012 "Lillie Ammann, Writer & Editor". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at lillie@lillieammann.com

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A Valentine for Jack

After my husband died last September, I heard so many wonderful stories from friends and family. I can’t tell you how many people said he would be their first choice for their “most unforgettable character.” I compiled the stories into a book, and introduced it at a party to celebrate his life when he would have been 80 years old. Here’s some pictures of the party.
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A Valentine for Jack was first posted on February 14, 2013 at 9:20 pm.
©2012 "Lillie Ammann, Writer & Editor". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at lillie@lillieammann.com

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Valentine’s Day 2013

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Today is Valentine’s Day–a day for lovers. A day for flowers and candy and special dinners for two. A day to tell someone you love them. A day for husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends to spend time together—which is the most important thing you can do. It may be soon or it may be decades away, but the day will come when you are no longer together.

This is my first Valentine’s Day without the love of life, my husband Jack, who passed away in September. When one of you is alone, you may not remember the flowers or candy, but you will remember—and cherish the memory—of your time together, focused on each other, apart from the hubbub of the world and distractions, forgetting about rush hour and bills and laundry, remembering when you fell in love, talking about how that love has grown through the years or how you’re looking forward to being together for many years.

I know because my favorite memories are times we were together, doing little or nothing. We often sat on the front porch, watching our century plant bloom and a squirrel running around in the tree. We might be sitting in silence, but totally engaged with one another. Often, Jack would turn to me and say, “We have a really good life, don’t we?” Of course, I agreed.

We were very blessed because I was able to be a full-time caregiver for him. He had  Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart problems, limited mobility, and a long list of other medical conditions. Yet, instead of thinking about his problems, he was positive, upbeat, and so much fun to be with. We enjoyed a lot of laughs together. Now that he’s gone, I look back and thank God for all the time we spent together. I have no regrets—my mission in life for the last couple of years was to take care of Jack and enjoy the time we had together, and that’s exactly what I did.

In spite of all his difficulties, Jack was happy and knew how much he was loved. He had seen my father have such memory loss with Alzheimer’s that he no longer knew my mother. I know Jack feared that happening to him. When he could still get around on his own, he would walk into the room I was in and say, “No matter what happens, I want you to remember how much I love you.” He wanted to make sure he told me as often as possible while he was able.

The other thing he dreaded was going into a nursing home. I promised to keep at home and hired extra help, but I knew if his condition deteriorated enough, he might need care that couldn’t provided at home.

But God is good all the time; all the time God is good. Jack was home with my sister and me at his side when he breathed his last, and he knew me to the end. I miss him terribly, but I know he is now pain-free, healthy, and happy in the presence of the Lord. In fact, I think he made sure I understood that. A couple of weeks after he died, I had a dream or a vision. I was standing at the kitchen sink, and a noise or something caught my attention. I looked over my shoulder and there stood Jack—young, healthy, happy. More than happy. He was radiant with joy and wore the biggest smile I’ve ever seen. And he smiled a lot in life. So many friends and family shared wonderful memories of Jack, I compiled them all in a book, Jack Stories: Favorites Memories of Jack Jordan Ammann Jr

So today on this Valentine’s. give the one you love a gift more valuable than three dozen roses, the best chocolate in the world, or the most luscious meal at a fabulous restaurant. Give the gift of your presence, your time, your attention.

I’m thinking about romantic love between a husband and wife as I write this because for the first time in 46 years, I’ll be alone on Valentine’s Day. But love isn’t limited to romantic love. Perhaps your parents or siblings need to know how much you love them. Maybe a friend who is estranged from her family needs to know someone cares. You might have a lonely elderly neighbor down the street who would be thrilled if you paid him a visit.

Valentine’s Day is a good time to express love, but it’s not the only time. The best time to express your love may be when your loved one is most unlovable. Be patient with the one who is angry. Encourage the one who is depressed. Hug the one who is frustrated. And tell everyone you care about how much you love them as often as you can. If you lose someone you love, you want to say, “She knew how much I loved her.” You don’t want to think, “I’ve been meaning to give her a call but just never got around to it.  I sure wished I’d seen her more.”

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV)

Happy Valentine’s Day to all my readers!

May your day be filled with love—love you give and love you receive.

 

photo by:


terren in Virginia

Valentine’s Day 2013 was first posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:28 am.
©2012 "Lillie Ammann, Writer & Editor". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at lillie@lillieammann.com

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Devotion for Thursday after Ash Wednesday 2013

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; 11 and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” 12 Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. 13 And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him. (Mark 1:9-13, NASB)

Lord, it is hard to comprehend that Jesus was fully man and fully God. Even though He came to earth to save us all from our sins, He was baptized by John the Baptist. Then He spent forty days in the wilderness being tempted by the Satan. He understands our human suffering and our temptations because He experienced both suffering and temptation when He was on the earth. Yet He suffered willingly without complaint, and He never yielded to temptation. Help me to accept the bad with the good in life—to experience pain and suffering without complaint, and help me to resist temptation and live the way You want me to live. In Jesus’ name. Amen.  

 

Devotion for Thursday after Ash Wednesday 2013 was first posted on February 14, 2013 at 1:50 am.
©2012 "Lillie Ammann, Writer & Editor". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at lillie@lillieammann.com

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Devotion for Ash Wednesday 2013

Each day during Lent I will paste a Scripture from the Gospel According to St. Mark and prayer. I hope these short readings and prayers will bless you during this season of penitence.

4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. 8 I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” ~ Mark 1:4-8 (NASB)

Heavenly Father, today at the beginning of Lent, I confess my sins—the things I do that I should not do, the things I should do that I don’t, the things I try to hide from myself, and most of all, the sin of allowing the busy-ness of life to put the mundane duties of life ahead of spending time with You. You are Jehovah, and You command me to put You first in my life. I want to use this time of Lent to grow closer to You, to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, to love Jesus more. Let this Lenten season be a time of repentance and remission of my sins, a season of spending time with You. This I ask in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Devotion for Ash Wednesday 2013 was first posted on February 13, 2013 at 4:32 am.
©2012 "Lillie Ammann, Writer & Editor". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at lillie@lillieammann.com

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Ash Wednesday 2013

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the penitential season of Lent. The video below gives a quick overview of Ash Wednesday and Lent. While most Christians recognize Lent and observe it in similar ways, different Christian denominations have some variations in the significance they attach to the season and the ways of observing it. If you aren’t from a religious tradition that observes Lent, you will get an idea from the video of why liturgical Christians go around with ashes on their foreheads.

For more information about Lent, check out the following:

All Saints Anglican Church: Lent
Busted Halo: Roman Catholic Lent
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: Lutheran Lent
Wikipedia: Lent

Ash Wednesday 2013 was first posted on February 13, 2013 at 12:24 am.
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Interview with Christian Author Diana Brandmeyer

[image error]My guest today is Christian author Diana Brandmeyer. I first met Diana online when both of us had ebooks published Awe-Struck, a publisher that is now part of Mundania Press. We’ve actually met in person a couple of times at EPIC conferences. Diana graciously read and critiqued Dream or Destiny and gave me helpful feedback before it was published. Her latest book, Mind of Her Own, has just been released. See my review in my last blog post.

Lillie: Welcome to A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye, Diana. Let’s begin with a little about you, including how you got started writing and how your Christian faith has impacted your writing.

Diana:  My journey started with my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Rombleman. She read something I wrote to the class and said it was excellent. Mrs. Rombleman was not a teacher that handed out praise so it meant something to me. She opened the window to writing for me but it took several years to fly through it.

Without my faith I have no writing, even if it’s a nonfiction article about pet sitting. Most of the time my faith is expressed in some manner through my characters; if not, it’s behind the scenes asking God for the right words to put on paper.

Lillie: It seems there was a gap of several years between your first published novel and the next published book. Then in the last couple of years, you’ve had several books published. Share with us a little about your writing/publishing journey. 

Diana:  There is a gap in the publishing part but not in the writing. I spent a lot of time taking writing classes and then there were graduations, weddings, and losing some very loved relatives that took me away from sending out my work.

Lillie: As my review showed, I loved Mind of Her Own. I’ve read a lot of romance novels in which the heroine has amnesia, but Mind of Her Own is different because Louisa wakes up with memories—but her memories aren’t real. How did you come up with idea? Did you do a lot of research on amnesia? Tell us about the story behind the story of Mind of Her Own.

Diana: I have three boys and they were racing around the kitchen when I was trying to get dinner started. I kept the grill on the top shelf of the pantry and when I pulled it out it slipped. It didn’t hit me on the head, but I thought, “What if it had hit me and I woke up as someone else?”

I have a friend who is a licensed psychologist, Marty C. Lintvedt (she was my co-author on We’re Not Blended—We’re Pureed, a Survivor’s Guide to Blended Families) so I asked her what that diagnosis would be. Soon I was reading articles on retrograde amnesia and working the pieces into my story.

Lillie: Where can readers learn more about you and your books? 

Diana:  My website/blog has a lot of information www.dianabrandmeyer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianalesirebrandmeyerauthor

Twitter: @dianabrandmeyer

Lillie: Though A Mind of Her Own is fiction, do you have a message that you would like readers to take away from the novel.

Diana: Yes, Lillie, I do. Secrets—the kind that hurt you—need to be shared. It takes a step of faith to tell someone, and if you are pushed away know that you need to tell the secret again. It’s also a good idea to seek professional help.

Lillie: I know there are many people who need to hear this message. The book is entertaining for everyone, but those who need this message will find it both helpful and enjoyable.

Diana: Thank you, Lillie, for having me on your blog today. It’s always a pleasure to be interviewed by you.

Lillie: Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing about your writing and A Mind of Her Own. Readers will probably have more questions for you. Will you check in during the day to respond to comments and answer questions?

Diana: I’ll be checking in several times day. I’d love to ask your readers this question—What do you like about yourself?

Lillie: Great question! If you would like to answer this question publicly or if you have questions for Diana, leave a comment below.

===================

AUTHOR BIO

Christian author, Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, writes historical and contemporary romances. Author of A Bride’s Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee and We’re Not Blended-We’re Pureed, A Survivor’s Guide to Blended Families. Once widowed and now remarried she writes with humor and experience on the difficulty of joining two families be it fictional or real life.

BLURB FOR MIND OF HER OWN

Who knew making dinner could change your life? Louisa Copeland certainly didn’t. But when the George Foreman grill fell out of the pantry onto her head, resulting in a bump and a mighty case of amnesia, Louisa’s life takes a turn for the unexpected. Who was this Collin fellow, claiming she was his wife? And whose kids are those? Her name couldn’t be Louisa. Why, she was the renowned romance writer Jazz Sweet, not a Midwestern mom of three. Struggling to put the pieces together of the life she’s told she had, Louisa/Jazz may realize that some memories are better left alone.

Interview with Christian Author Diana Brandmeyer was first posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:04 am.
©2012 "Lillie Ammann, Writer & Editor". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at lillie@lillieammann.com

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