I’m writing this in Pittsburg after having spent several days here attending the NCAA Wrestling Tournament. Our dear Oklahoma State Cowboys finished third this year. Congratulations to all you Penn State and Ohio State fans and athletes for your first and second place finishes.

At the restaurant tonight there were at least 5 basketball games going on at the NCAA Basketball Tournament and the National Invitational Tournament. Teams winning or losing by one or two points. 

All these athletes and coaches have trained long and hard to be where they are today. They’ve followed a game plan, made sacrifices, spent physical and emotional energy for months or even years to reach their goal to win. 

March madness in LWML takes the form of working really hard during the month of March, odd-numbered years, because that’s when our biennium mission goal is finishing up! As of this Friday, the 29^th our “game” will be over. That is the last day to put money in the bank towards our goal. 

We’ve taken the words of our “coach”, Jesus Christ to heart and worked to do what He commanded us in Matthew 28:19. We have all followed our game plan, sending 25% of all Mite Box offerings in for the mission grants chosen by district delegates at the 2017 Albuquerque convention. We have worked hard, doing fund raising activities, educating people about the mission grants, and praying for our grant recipients. Now we are in the final crazy week to see if we will meet our goal.

In the most important game we have already been given the victory. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, has won that for us by His death and resurrection. Everlasting life with Him is ours. We have received, through Jesus, the most valued prize of all – the CROWN of eternal life!

Talking to one of the young wrestlers at lunch one day he was telling us about something Coach John Smith from OSU tells them. After all your training and all the opportunities you are given as an elite college athlete, it’s most important to “give back” to others on your team, your college, and society. 

After all the blessings and God’s grace we’ve been given, all the work we have done to meet our mission goal, all that we’ve learned from God’s Word, it’s time for us to “give back”. With God’s blessings our “LWML March Madness” will end with our mission goal met and our grant recipients fully funded this week! So happy to be on our LWML team! 

Patti