Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 70

Devotion for Monday after Lent 4

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” ~ John 13:34-35

At the end of His life and ministry, Jesus gave a commandment to His followers: to love one another. He said that love will show the world who His disciples are. That commandment is still binding on us today. Elsewhere in Scripture, we are told to love our neighbors as ourselves; here we are told to love our brothers and sisters in Christ so much that the world will recognize Jesus in that love.

Lord, it isn’t always easy to love my brothers and sisters in Christ, but You have commanded me to do so. Help me to love them so much that the world sees You in that love. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Devotion for the Fourth Sunday in Lent

Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming to the upright.

Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;

Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

Sing to Him a new song;

Play skillfully with a shout of joy. ~ Psalm 33:1-3

Today is Laetare (Rose) Sunday, a day in which the austerity of Lent is lessened to encourage us on our Lenten journey. Even if the midst of the penitence of Lent, we sing to the Lord in joy for all He has done for us.



Thank You, Lord, for all the blessings You give me. Help me to remember always to give thanks and to praise You. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/enterlinedesign

Devotion for Saturday after Lent 3

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Paul “received from the Lord” the description of the Last Supper. Paul was not one of the original disciples; He wasn’t with Jesus during His lifetime. Yet he writes in detail about what was said and done at the Passover meal on the night Jesus was arrested. This must mean that it is very important and we should pay attention to it. Not only are we to take the Body and Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion, we are to do in remembrance of Him and to proclaim His death—His sacrifice for our salvation—until His Second Coming.

Father God, forgive me for the times I take the Body and Blood of Jesus without being deeply conscious of and grateful for the sacrifice Jesus made so my sins could be forgiven. Help me through the Holy Spirit to remember always, especially when I take Communion, the great love You have for us and the great sacrifice Jesus made for me. Thank You that He washed away my sin. In His name. Amen.

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Devotion for Friday after Lent 3

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.” So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. ~ John 13:3-17

Many of us are like Simon Peter—independent and self-sufficient, not wanting His Lord and Teacher to see and touch and actually wash his dirty feet. We try to hide our filth from ourselves and from God, but He sees everything. He knows the evil thoughts in our hearts, the things we do that we shouldn’t, and the things we don’t do that we should. Rather than hide our sins, if we confess them and let Jesus wash us in His blood, He will cleanse us of our sins.

Lord God, help me to remember that I can’t hide my sins from Your all-seeing eye. You see and know everything, but instead of seeing my sins, You see the Blood of Jesus that has washed me cleaned. Thank You! I give You my life to do with as You will. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/dima_sidelnikov

Devotion for Thursday after Lent 3

As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me-one who is eating with Me.” They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl. For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. ~ Mark 14:18-26

Jesus not only knew that He would be betrayed, He knew exactly who would betray Him, yet He willingly allowed Judas to be used by Satan. He shared the Last Supper with His betrayer—the Last Supper in which He instituted Holy Communion for His church. Judas partook of the Body and Blood of Christ, then immediately went and betrayed Him. We readily and rightfully condemn Judas for His betrayal, but we all—in smaller, but many ways—betray Jesus daily.

Lord, forgive me for every time I betray Christ by my sins. Purify my heart and mold me into the person You want me to be. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/diego_cervo

Devotion for Wednesday after Lent 3

Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip came and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes. Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. ~ John 12:20-31

Most people, even Christians who expect to be with the Lord for eternity, avoid thinking about death. But Jesus told us that a grain of wheat that doesn’t die remains a single grain of wheat, but a grain that dies sprouts and produces much fruit. In the same way, we must die to ourselves to be reborn as fruitful members of Christ’s Body. We must hate our lives here on earth to gain life eternal.

Heavenly Father, I want to be fruitful and spend eternity with You, yet the temptations of this world draw me away from You. Focus my heart on You and my perspective on Heaven and make me fruitful. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/enterlinedesign

Devotion for Tuesday after Lent 3

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” ~ Matthew 25:31-46

Most of us are very familiar with this passage, but we don’t always practice it. We tend to think people should “pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.” Today, government creates a safety net for those in need, and many of us think this is not the proper role of government. But it is the proper role of Christians to care for the least of our brethren. Perhaps if we did a better job of it, there wouldn’t be so many needs for government to try to meet. Years ago, our tiny church was taking its first steps into helping others. I distinctly remember one member of the congregation loudly protesting our giving to people outside our parish. “If we’re going to help anyone,” she said, “it should be our own people.” Jesus’ words remind us that the least of His brethren are our own people.

Lord God, touch my heart to care for “the least of these.” Give me discernment in my giving so that whatever financial contributions I make go to organizations that do the most good in the Name of Jesus. Touch my heart to help in other ways—a kind word, a gentle touch, a listening ear—to show Your love and give comfort to those who are hurting. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/belchonock

Five Tips to Increase Freelance Productivity—Guest Post from Carol Williams

Even if working freelance is a strong trend, many freelancers are still in the dark as to how to make the most from their creative freedom. If you’re a freelance writer in need of productivity boost, this post is for you. Here are 5 actionable tips to help you increase—maybe double—your productivity in freelance writing.

1. Schedule your time.

A daily routine is your best strategy for boosting productivity. Start your day by writing on a sticky note all the tasks you must complete. It will help you stay focused on your work. Plus, ticking off an item from your list will feel incredibly satisfying.

For more complex to-do lists, try apps like Wunderlist or Evernote. They synchronize across your devices, helping you to stay on top of your tasks on the go. Develop a clear plan for every day, break your objectives into small tasks, and stick to your routine. You’ll never feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you need to complete and consequently make the most from your time.

2. Set the right focus.

Instead of counting the minutes or hours, set your eyes on your objectives. Even if you spend 3 hours on a project, it doesn’t mean the quality of your work was high—especially if you spent half of that time with eyes glued to your social media feed.

Don’t let hours available to you during a day define your work rhythm. Work enough to accomplish your short term goals and push bigger projects forward. Great articles can be created in a matter of hours, so don’t organize your work by time. This new approach will help you to maximize your output from every minute of work.

3. Take productive breaks.

Not every break will help you relax and return to work with a refreshed mind. If you eat a fatty snack, browse social media, or watch cat videos on YouTube, you’re bound to feel less energetic and motivated. Why not go out, take a walk, or even do some mundane things like organizing your workspace or doing the dishes? All will help your brain to relax and effectively use your time every single day.

4. Switch to a new task when experiencing a block.

Writer’s block is something we all know. How can you deal with it and remain productive? Switch to a completely different task. Don’t stop working, but direct your attention somewhere else. And make sure that the task at hand is completely different—research a different topic, try your hand at turning your post into a Slideshare presentation, or respond to that stack of emails left abandoned in your inbox. This will help you to return to writing with new motivation.

5. Use strategies that work for other freelancers.

Finally, try one of the methods that boost productivity and help freelancers get lots of work done in record time. One such strategy is called the Pomodoro Technique. Take a timer, break down your work into 25-minute intervals, and set off to work. Once your time is up, you can take a short break and then return to your task. During those 25 minutes, you should be completely focused on your task—you’ll see how the time passing will motivate you to enter into a highly productive workflow.

Success in freelance writing depends on your productivity and how fast you’re able to deliver a product to your client. Without anyone supervising your work or motivating you to work harder, it’s up to you to employ smart strategies to give you an instant energy boost and lots of motivation to keep on writing.

About the author: Carol Williams is part of the team behind checkdirector.co.uk – free online check directors tool. She is interested in productivity at work issues and loves to share her insights through writing and lecturing.

Devotion for Monday after Lent 3

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ~ Matthew 25:14-30

The Parable of the Talents is one of the most well-known parables of the Bible. We all want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful slave,” when we stand before the judgment seat. The good slaves weren’t rewarded because they produced five and two talents, respectively. They were rewarded that they used what their master had given them. Sometimes we think that what we have to offer is so little that it’s not worth sharing. We want to do great things for the Lord, but what He wants us to do is to use what He gave us. That may mean helping one person—let’s not avoid helping one person because we can’t help thousands.

Lord God, sometimes my efforts seem so small. I see people around me with so much more to offer than I have, and I wonder if my little can make a difference. But You have called me to use everything You have given me. Help me to use my own talents without comparing them to others. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/lamento

Devotion for the Third Sunday in Lent

Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones,

And give thanks to His holy name.

For His anger is but for a moment,

His favor is for a lifetime;

Weeping may last for the night,

But a shout of joy comes in the morning. ~ Psalm 30:4-5

We all have difficult times in our lives, times of weeping and sorrow, perhaps even times when we feel God is angry at us for something we have done. Praise God, though, these times pass and God gives us joy again.

Thank You, Lord, that joy comes in the morning after a night of weeping. I praise You for Your mercy and grace. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/ginasanders