Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 57

Devotion for the First Sunday in Lent

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

And before you were born I consecrated you;

I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”



Then I said, “Alas, Lord God!

Behold, I do not know how to speak,

Because I am a youth.”



But the Lord said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’

Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,

And all that I command you, you shall speak.

“Do not be afraid of them,

For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.

Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me,

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

“See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms,

To pluck up and to break down,

To destroy and to overthrow,

To build and to plant.” ~ Jeremiah 1:4-10

Just as He knew Jeremiah, God knows each of us. He knew us before He formed us in the womb, long before we were born. And He wants us to serve Him—regardless of our age or our abilities. We may think we’re too young or too old, not smart enough or talented enough. But He may us to serve Him, and if He made us, He equipped us to do what He wants us to do. He gives us what we need. If we rely on Him and not ourselves, we are capable of doing anything He asks of us.

Lord God, sometimes I think I’m too old to be of any use to You. But just as Jeremiah wasn’t too young, I’m not too old. As long as You have me on this earth, You have something for me to do—and You equip me to do it. I want to serve You, Lord, every day of my life. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/AndreyPopov

Devotion for Saturday after Ash Wednesday

The altar in the chapel

For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

“The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them. ~ Deuteronomy 7:6-11

In this passage from the Old Testament, Moses was talking to the Jewish people, God’s Chosen People. Today, followers of Jesus are God’s Chosen People. We are commanded in the New Testament to be holy as He is holy. He loves us not because of our own merit, but because of His abounding grace. He has redeemed us from the slavery of sin and set us free; we should respond with obedience.

Father God, thank You for redeeming me from the slavery of sin. Empower me by the Holy Spirit to live according to Your will, in obedience to You. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/wlad74

Devotion for Friday after Ash Wednesday

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it. ~ Jonah 3:1-10

Sometimes we think it’s not worth sharing the Gospel with certain people because they’re so evil. We don’t believe they will listen—and maybe they will mock us for our beliefs. But the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching (though Jonah had tried to avoid going there in the first place). They were so evil that God had determined to destroy them, but he gave them one last chance and they repented. No one is beyond God’s grace—if the people of Nineveh turned from their wicked ways everyone we know can be saved as well.

Almighty God, forgive me for hesitating to share You with everyone I know. Forgive me for not believing that You can change the blackest heart. Give me the faith to tell others about You and to pray for their salvation. Speak Your words through my mouth. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

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Devotion for Thursday after Ash Wednesday

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,

Who seek the Lord:

Look to the rock from which you were hewn

And to the quarry from which you were dug.

“Look to Abraham your father

And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain;

When he was but one I called him,

Then I blessed him and multiplied him.”

Indeed, the Lord will comfort Zion;

He will comfort all her waste places.

And her wilderness He will make like Eden,

And her desert like the garden of the Lord;

Joy and gladness will be found in her,

Thanksgiving and sound of a melody.

“Pay attention to Me, O My people,

And give ear to Me, O My nation;

For a law will go forth from Me,

And I will set My justice for a light of the peoples.

“My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth,

And My arms will judge the peoples;

The coastlands will wait for Me,

And for My arm they will wait expectantly.

“Lift up your eyes to the sky,

Then look to the earth beneath;

For the sky will vanish like smoke,

And the earth will wear out like a garment

And its inhabitants will die in like manner;

But My salvation will be forever,

And My righteousness will not wane.

“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,

A people in whose heart is My law;

Do not fear the reproach of man,

Nor be dismayed at their revilings.

“For the moth will eat them like a garment,

And the grub will eat them like wool.

But My righteousness will be forever,

And My salvation to all generations.”

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord;

Awake as in the days of old, the generations of long ago.

Was it not You who cut Rahab in pieces,

Who pierced the dragon?

Was it not You who dried up the sea,

The waters of the great deep;

Who made the depths of the sea a pathway

For the redeemed to cross over?

So the ransomed of the Lord will return

And come with joyful shouting to Zion,

And everlasting joy will be on their heads.

They will obtain gladness and joy,

And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

“I, even I, am He who comforts you.

Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies

And of the son of man who is made like grass,

That you have forgotten the Lord your Maker,

Who stretched out the heavens

And laid the foundations of the earth,

That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor,

As he makes ready to destroy?

But where is the fury of the oppressor?

The exile will soon be set free, and will not die in the dungeon, nor will his bread be lacking. For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar (the Lord of hosts is His name). I have put My words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’” ~ Isaiah 51:1-16

In this passage, God is reminding His people that though they have gone through tough times, He has always been with them. He tells them of the great things He has done in the past, but, more importantly, He reminds them His salvation and His righteousness are forever. We have that same promise. We are grafted into Israel’s tree, and God’s promises to the Israelites are also His promises to us. He redeemed us through the Blood of the Lamb, and one day we will reign with Him in the new heaven and the new earth. Let us remember all that God has already done for us, knowing that what comes will be even better.

Thank You, Lord, for everything You have done for me—especially for saving me from my own sin through Jesus’ death on the cross and for the promise of eternal life. When I face temporary setbacks, help me to remember that the difficulties of this life are nothing compared to the glory that is to come. Thank You, Lord. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Devotion for Ash Wednesday

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me. ~ Philippians 1:27-30

Paul tells us that it has been granted for us to suffer for Christ’s sake. Suffering is not something we typically look forward to, something we consider an honor and a blessing. But suffering for Christ is an honor and a blessing—a privilege beyond measure. In many places around the world, Christians are suffering horribly for the sake of the Gospel—many even to the point of death. Yet often we find it hard to handle when someone scoffs at us or ridicules our faith. Many—maybe most—Americans and other Westerners claiming to be Christians would collapse under real suffering, real persecution. Yet the Bible tells us we should welcome suffering if it is for the sake of Christ.

Lord, I want to be strong in my stand for Christ. If Your plan for me includes suffering, I want to welcome it and realize the great honor it is to share in Christ’s suffering. Give me strength to stand, Lord, not only if I face true persecution and suffering, but also when it’s easier to walk away from evil, to ignore difficult situations, to take the easy way out. Help me to stand up for You in every situation. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/akashnaryan

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. 

This evening, I will attend a special service at my church—All Saints Anglican Church of San Antonio.

In lieu of a hymn for the processional, we will chant the Great Litany. Then comes the Penitential Office and Imposition of Ashes, followed by Holy Communion. A solemn, reverent, and fitting way to begin this season of penitence.

Lent is a season of forty days, like the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness.  There are six Sundays, however, that are not counted in the forty days. Every Sunday is a feast day, a little Easter, since the Resurrection happened on Sunday.

Fasting is an important part of Lent for many Christians. For health reasons, it is difficult for me to fast, though I do abstain from meat on Fridays. However, my primary entertainment is reading fiction. I don’t own a television; I don’t go to movies; I don’t participate in sports. I read—a lot (as you can tell from my reviews on Goodreads). During Lent, I abstain from all fiction and read only Christian nonfiction.  Giving up fiction is a fast for me, and reading Christian nonfiction enriches my spiritual life.

During Lent, I do extra Bible reading and journal about my readings. Each year, I post my meditations from the previous year on my blog. I invite you to read my daily devotions throughout Lent.

Whatever your personal Lenten practice, may we all keep a holy Lent. 

 

Choosing Your Niche: A Guide for Beginners—Guest Post from Kate Thora

Becoming a writer always starts with a bit of soul-searching. If you want to make it in the world of creative writing, you need to have something that will make you stand out from the pack. You can either focus on developing a distinctive style or write about controversial topics.

But first of all, you need to find your field of expertise that will best represent your skills and interests. If you are wondering how to get started in creative writing, read on and equip yourself with the most effective tips on finding the right niche and getting passionate about work as an author.

Study time

When you take a closer look at the history of literature, you may notice that world-famous authors are remembered for excellence in one field— Edgar Allan Poe is known for thrilling short stories, Charles Dickens for captivating bildungsromans, Robert Frost for honest poetry, and Susan Sontag for politically involved essays. In order to pick your niche, you need to know what particular fields you can choose from. It is, therefore, recommended to read on the subject of creative writing and learn the genres as well as subgenres of fiction and nonfiction.

Fiction vs. nonfiction

The next big decision you will have to make is to decide whether you are more passionate about fiction or nonfiction. Nowadays, both genres are very competitive, however if you are great at what you do and are able to grab the attention of your readers with unique style and captivating story or comprehensive knowledge and competent analysis, the fans will follow naturally. People are drawn to charismatic writers who are not afraid to voice their opinions through their fiction or nonfiction works.

Three is a crowd

While some people find success in writing about almost anything, most authors, bloggers, and freelance journalists decide to narrow down their field of expertise and focus on the topics they are most passionate about. If you have not written anything yet, you may want to start by listing the disciplines you like talking, reading, and listening about. If you already have a bit of experience in writing, go down memory lane and recall what topics lifted you up and gave you that natural flow most writers desire.

Write for yourself

After you have established the basics, it’s time to get cracking. The best way to find out if you’re good at what you do is to write for yourself and evaluate your work. Let go of your fear of failure, forget the worries and struggles of publishing process, don’t think about sales charts—just focus on writing. I’m aware that it’s easier said than done, but remember that the good things come straight from the heart. No one can pressure you to do things you don’t want to do or write stories that aren’t right up your alley. After all, you are your best and harshest critic, so write something that you would enjoy reading for years to come.

Write regularly

Many beginning writers struggle with a so-called writer’s block. This condition is associated with a lack of creativity followed by an inability to produce good content. If you feel like you have run out of ideas, it’s always good to go for a walk, exercise, or call a dear friend. Many writers also recommend to create some routines around writing. One of them is writing regularly, at similar times, in similar conditions. Choose the place that inspires you, but at the same time lets you summon your ideas.

Choosing the right niche can take some time, but finding your true field of expertise is a rewarding and freeing feeling that will give you a powerful dose of motivation to complete your work. Good luck!

 

Kate Thora is a Senior Content Specialist for Uphours, an online resource with information about businesses worldwide. Aside from her passion for writing, Kate’s artistic soul manifests itself also in her love for singing and dancing, especially to traditional Indian music. Follow her on Twitter @katethora1.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/feedough

Happy Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a day for lovers, and I was so blessed to share an incredible love with Jack, my husband of forty-five years. The poems that follow are some I wrote for him early in our relationship, and our love grew even stronger through the years. I wish that kind of love for everyone.

But we also share many kinds of love other than romantic love. My mother’s birthday was on Valentine’s Day, so I always think of family love on this day, as well.

May your life be filled with love of all kinds.

Love is not an accident;

Man is not wise enough to plan it—

Therefore, it must be ordained of God.

I Believe

I believe in beauty,

for I have seen the beautiful;

I believe in truth,

for I have known the truth;

I believe in faith,

for my faith has been restored;

I believe in hope,

for my hope has been fulfilled.

I believe that life is good,

for life has been good to me;

I believe that wishes do come true,

for my wishes are coming true;

I believe that miracles do happen,

for miracles have happened to me;

I believe that love is real,

for my life is filled with love.

The beauty I have seen is in our love;

The truth is in it too.

You have restored my faith, My Love,

And my hopes are fulfilled by you.

The goodness of life you have shown me;

My wishes are all about you;

The miracles I know are you and our love;

And the love that we share is true.

Promise

I’ll love you forever—

From now until eternity;

Darling, I’ll be true.

A devoted help-mate ever,

Your constant companion I’ll be,

For I love you.

My soul fills with emotion,

Tears of joy down my cheeks flow,

For your love.

Time lessens not my devotion;

Daily my love will grow,

For you I love.

Because of You

Because of you, my world is filled with kindness;

Because of you, my life is filled with joy;

Because of you, my dreams are filled with hope;

Because of you, my heart is filled with love.

Life is beautiful, because of you;

Joy is eternal, because of you;

Dreams are attainable, because of you;

Love is real, because of you.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/doroshin

Gambling with God

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Once Upon a Tee by William Willis

Once Upon a Tee: A Golf Story by William Willis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First, I must say that I edited this book and oversaw the publication for my client, so you would expect me to give it five stars. However, I didn’t give it five stars because I edited it–I gave it five stars because it deserves it. I am selective about books I edit, and I loved this one from the time I read the first chapter. I had already worked with the author on his first book, Base Jumping: The Vagabond Life of a Military Brat, and knew he was a good storyteller.

Even though I’m not a golf fan, I found the golf history intriguing. Boudreaux and Johnny fascinated me, and the story of their imprisonment in a Japanese prisoner of war camp and the aftermath touched my heart.

I could visualize the scenes, whether it was Boudreaux in the Bataan Death March, Boudreaux and Johnny caring for each other in the camp, or Boudreaux playing golf in the US Open at Medinah Country Club with Johnny alongside as his caddy.

The secondary characters added color to the story–young Mickey was a special favorite.

Boudreaux and Johnny survive the horrors of the camp and overcome their physical and emotional wounds to follow their dream.

If you enjoy chronicles of individuals triumphing over adversity, inspiring tales of innovation and creativity, and beautiful stories of love (brotherly and romantic), you’ll enjoy Once Upon a Tee.

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