Devotion for the Fourth Monday in Advent
December 19, 2011 by Lillie
Luke 1:11-24 (ESV)
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. 24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived.
Lord, we wonder how Zechariah, who was a righteous man and a faithful priest, didn’t believe it when the angel Gabriel that Elizabeth would have a baby. Yet, we harbor our own doubts, and we often forget that You can do all things. We don’t expect miracles, but You have worked miracles throughout history. Give us the faith to believe Your Word and to expect miracles. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Devotion for the Fourth Sunday in Advent
December 18, 2011 by Lillie
Isaiah 40:1-11 (ESV)
1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” 10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
Lord, prepare our hearts for You; make straight a pathway for us to receive You. Reveal Yourself to us that we may behold You in all Your glory and worship You in adoration. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.
Devotion for the Third Saturday in Advent
December 17, 2011 by Lillie
Malachi 3:1-3 (ESV)
1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
O holy Lord, refine us in Your fire, cleanse us with Your soap—the Blood of the Lamb. Make us as pure as the purest gold and silver refined in the hottest fire. Make us ready to stand in the day of Jesus’ return. In His name. Amen.
Mormon Tabernacle Choir: Hallelujah Chorus
December 16, 2011 by Lillie
In this video, one of my favorite choirs—the Mormon Tabernacle Choir—sings some of my favorite music of all time—the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.
Devotion for the Third Friday in Advent
December 16, 2011 by Lillie
2 Timothy 3:7-8 (ESV)
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Heavenly Father, guide us by the Holy Spirit to fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith so that, along with Paul and the other saints, we will be awarded the crown of righteousness. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Devotion for the Third Thursday in Advent
December 15, 2011 by Lillie
Psalm 96:11-13 (ESV)
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.
Lord, too often we think of judgment as something bad. We fear the Judgment Day when You will judge the world. But we know You judge with righteousness and faithfulness, and we know that You forgive the sins of those who accept Jesus as their Savior and who truly and earnestly repent of their sins. With Jesus as our Advocate, we need not fear Your judgment, for He has washed us whiter than snow. We will be glad and rejoice that He is coming to judge the world and the people with truth. In His name. Amen.
Devotion for the Third Wednesday in Advent
December 14, 2011 by Lillie
Luke 12:35-40 (ESV)
35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
O Lord, our God, empower us by the Holy Spirit to be ready when Jesus comes again. Whether he comes early or late, let Him find us awake, dressed, with our lamps burning, waiting for His return. In His name. Amen.
Guest Post: Four Tips for Making the Most of Writing Workshops by Lauren Bailey
December 13, 2011 by Lillie
For fiction and nonfiction writers alike, going it completely alone is a difficult process that takes much longer without the encouragement and support from a group. Of course, enrolling in a writing workshop is by no means a necessary step in becoming a published author, but I feel that every writer can stand to benefit from the experience of learning and honing writing techniques in a group setting, even if you try it only once. It’s certainly an experience that can expand your writing horizons, especially if you approach workshops the right way. While there are various different types of writing workshops, the most useful in my experience has been the critique workshop, in which each writer writes at least one piece, and everyone in the group works together in critiquing the piece constructively. To make the most out of these types of workshops, here are a few tips:
1. Always come prepared.
Most of the work done while participating in a writing workshop is usually completed outside the group meeting itself. There are three main components that most writing workshops share—reading material written by published authors, reading and critiquing participants’ work, and writing one or more pieces to share with the rest of the group. Many first-time workshop participants spend too much time drafting their piece, effectively missing out on developing skills that are just as important like editing and reading published work analytically.
2. When your piece is being critiqued, listen attentively, take notes, and ask questions.
Perhaps the strangest part about attending writing workshops, the one that takes the most getting used to, is being “judged” by a panel of your peers. In most workshops, the group will discuss your writing aloud, but they will not refer to you by name, only “the writer.” Although it may initially seem like an intimidating process, keep yourself busy by taking extensive notes. Remember that a writing workshop is an incredible opportunity to get feedback from other writers, so respect the time everyone put into critiquing your work by honestly considering what everyone has to say.
3. Learn to take good advice and discard bad advice.
Many writers criticize workshops because you are essentially learning from others who are amateurs themselves. Too much conflicting criticism from a diverse group of writers may cause you to change your work so much that it’s no longer uniquely yours. The best way to avoid this scenario is to consider all criticism first. Analyze each person’s critiques carefully, noting which writers share your vision, and which are more prone to pushing their sense of style onto others. It’s also advisable to keep track of the number of comments that you receive criticizing the same problem. If many people see a problem with a particular scene or aspect of a particular character, then you should seriously consider reworking these specific parts with which many have taken issue.
4. Put time and effort into critiquing others’ work. It’ll make you a stronger editor and writer.
When I first attended a writing workshop, I spent the least amount of time critiquing others’ work because I was so engrossed in writing my own short story drafts. What I didn’t know at the time was that this practice eventually backfires in a workshop setting. For one, if you don’t put much effort into critiquing others’ work, your peers won’t put much effort into your work—workshops are definitely a two-way street. What’s more, carefully reading other participants work helps you to develop your eye for common writing mistakes. Since it’s so much easier to find fault in others work than our own, practicing editing others’ work will make you a better editor of your writing eventually.
If you haven’t yet joined a writing workshop, I highly recommend trying it out. Even if you don’t find the experience very helpful, you will have at least met a group of writers that share with you the joys and frustrations of artistic creation.
If you aren’t sure where to find a workshop or critique group, ask your local library, community college, or arts organization. For writer’s conferences and retreats, which involve participants spending several days in a specific setting with writers from around the country, check out this comprehensive listing. If you need guidance on forming your own critique group, be sure to read Lillie Amman’s previous advice here. Good luck!
By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for best online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99@gmail.com.
Devotion for the Third Tuesday in Advent
December 13, 2011 by Lillie
Revelation 19:6-8 (ESV)
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
Heavenly Father, let us make ourselves ready for the marriage of the Lamb. Clothe us in the fine linen of righteous deeds, and lead us in Your way everlasting. In the name of Jesus Christ, who was is, and is, and is to come. Amen.
Devotion for the Third Monday in Advent
December 12, 2011 by Lillie
Isaiah 29:15-16 (ESV)
15 Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?” 16 You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?
Lord God, wash away our pride and arrogance. You made us, and You understand us completely, ye we often act as if we think we know better than You. Remind us that You are the potter, and we are the clay. You formed us, and You have a plan for us. Show us the way You want us to go. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
