No one denies the ups and downs of motherhood! We are called upon to make changes in our lives sometimes daily because of our own mothers and our own vocation as a mother. Changes are hard and we kid about Lutherans having difficulty with change! But let’s face it! We have adapted to changes throughout our lives whether it is as a child with a mother or as a mother ourselves.

When toddlers change from those who want to snuggle to those who at the age of four want independence and then again to adolescents who prefer to walk several steps behind you, we continue to love them and take care of them (although done in secret at times). Then as they morph into adults, we have to change our attitude about how we are seen by them.

As women caring for mothers who may now be dependent on us instead of the other way around we face that change and have to adapt. No longer do they care for us but we are caring for them. These changes coming with aging mothers are very hard to deal with as they are generally thought of as negative. However, this is a chance for us to show our love and care for someone who may not be able to reciprocate as they did before. What a privilege to care for them as they advance in age.

Jesus and Mary at the crossJesus made caring for His mother a priority during his agony on the cross. He not only died for her sins but made provision for her physical care. So we are called to care for our mothers’ physical and Jesus Heals a Childspiritual needs. Just as Jesus wanted the little children to come to Him and healed many children, so we mothers want to provide spiritual and physical care for our children.

Don’t let anyone tell you that we have difficulty with change! As mothers and daughters we do it all our lives! One thing we can depend on through all these changes is our changeless, Triune God who loves us, forgives us and helps us in our daily lives. Together with Him we are able to celebrate and adapt to motherhood and all that it encompasses.

Happy Mother’s Day from me to you!

Love, Patti

[The Lord God] 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.

Isaiah 40:11

This week I wanted to share with you a story that touched my heart and adds reason to why I love LWML so much. Here’s Deborah’s story:

Between the doors of the sanctuary and the welcome center, she stopped me. “Would you want to go to the LWML convention in Des Moines with me?” “Sure,” I responded. Once a month, outside the sanctuary doors , a rectangular table covered with a purple cloth held a large container half filled with change and small purple and white boxes labeled “Mites” and “LWML”. That had been the extent of my LWML knowledge.

Sandy and I took the bus from Green Bay, WI to the convention center in Iowa. I experienced fellowship with other Christian women, sang praises to our Lord, and listened to devotionals—and that was only the bus ride! At the convention center, I observed in awe all the women gathered to celebrate God’s work in numerous mission fields, both in the United States and across the seas. I received communion at the opening service with thousands of others, participated in Bible Studies, Special Interest Luncheons, and Exhibit Hall events, and listened to Mites in Action speakers. I learned the far-reaching impact that small purple and white box had.

Outside the sanctuary doors of Our Savior Lutheran Church, the rectangular table with the purple cloth still greets people the second Sunday of each month. The change container awaits the emptying of Mite Boxes and new boxes are there for the taking. Now, I am there, too, telling people about the missions we are supporting and arranging speakers to give people an inside look at what their mites can do. Sandy’s invitation changed my world.

Deborah Young
Green Bay
Deborah Young

Like Deborah, I hope you all have been impacted positively by LWML. Registration for the LWML Convention is still open www.lwml.org/2017-convention. I hope you can join us!

Many of you do morning devotions faithfully, don’t you? A great way to start the day. If you are rushed and off to work, you may have the Mustard Seed Devotions that come into your work email daily from LWML. Those quick devotions and the ability to click on the Bible verse and be taken into the Bible to read more are a blessing to the start of your day. They are also a way to share God’s message by easily forwarding them to friends or sharing on your Facebook page. Sometimes they prompt you to remember to do something you’ve been putting off or have forgotten about.
Thanks be to God that He has put those into our hands and (into our computers). If you know someone who would benefit from receiving these daily devotions, please tell them about them.
There are some other “morning devotions” I’d like to tell you about. At our 75th Anniversary Convention we are continuing to offer Bible study before convention sessions begin. We call them “Wake up With the Word” and they take place from 6:45-7:45 on Friday and Saturday mornings. There are three each morning. No prior sign-up is required. This will be nice for you who are early-morning people or for you who come from the Eastern Time Zone and are 2 hours ahead of time during convention!
Here are the studies we have planned for you to enjoy.
Friday morning, June 23, 2017
1. An LWML Bible Study, led by Jan Brunette
2. A Spanish language LWML Bible Study, led by Marilyn McClure.
3. A CPH-sponsored Bible Study, led by Deb Burma.

Saturday, June 24, 2017

1. An LWML Bible Study, led by Janice Wendorf.
2. A Bible Study led by the LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces Chaplain Craig Muehler and Chaplain Steven Hokana
3. A CPH-sponsored Bible Study, led by Donna Pyle

Lutheran Women in Mission have always embraced the importance of being in God’s Word as the starting point of our mission outreach and service. I hope you have your favorite times and places where you delve into God’s Word daily.

In joyful service,
Patti

LWML Conventions bring remembrances of all the sisters we have enjoyed knowing and working with in our years of service as Lutheran Women in Mission. That is especially true during this 75th Anniversary Convention June 22-25 in Albuquerque. Our second offering at convention will be for our LWML Endowment Fund. We have used funds from this endowment in the past for leadership training events and planning meetings which bring women from across the United States together for face-to-face engagement, encouragement, and equipping. Wouldn’t it be great if we could build the fund to take more operating expenses from it and thereby channel more money to the mission grants?

LWML has been blessed to receive some wonderful donations and beautiful notes included with these offerings.  I want to share some of these with you and encourage you to share with your daughters, granddaughters, nieces and young women friends. We ask God to help us continue the legacy of LWML with those sisters coming after us!

In Celebration of… being part of this great organization locally, and also in all parts where the LWML shares God’s love; for God’s blessings of a successful liver transplant given to a daughter-in-law; for blessings of children and grandchildren; for being part of the LWML for 53 years; for the wonderful women who serve in leadership positions; of the joy of being active in LWML and in fellowship with other Sisters in Christ sharing the same mission – to help spread the Gospel message.

In Honor of… Elise Saeger Troester who was present at the original organizational meeting in Chicago and the encouragement she gave us young women.

In Memory of… Christian mothers, aunts and grandmothers; of past LWML President, Betty Duda; of faithful friends now with Jesus.

I hope you will participate in the legacy of the LWML by sharing your remembrances along with your offerings.

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness (Psalm 145:4-6).

In joyful service,

Patti

Kay Meyer and President Patti during the Family Shield Ministries interview

Have you ever noticed how when you hear your recorded voice it doesn’t sound the same as how you hear yourself in your head? I always think I’m sounding one way and then when I listen to it it’s like, “Who is that?”

I recently had the opportunity to do a program with Kay Meyer, President of Family Shield Ministries, as she discussed passing the faith from generation to generation. I’m including the interview here on my blog for the next two weeks since it is a little lengthy for what I consider a quick blog read and I will be out of country for one of those weeks.

We talk about several things and I guess I really do sound like that! Thanks to Kay Meyer for inviting LWML to be part of her radio broadcast which is heard on 53 stations nationwide.

Listen to the interview here: http://www.lwml.org/media

 

Noted here are the resources which we reference during the interview:

Balance Bible Study Series from LWML:

Balance Christ Filled Family Living by Coreen Jander

Balance Christ Filled Living by Kay Meyer

Balance Christ Filled Living with Adolescents by Dr. MaryAnn Walton

The Bible study series will be great for your next women’s Bible study. It’s available through Shop LWML.

The Radiant Reflections booklet you’ll have to get at convention in June or have someone buy it for you!

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing (1Thess. 5:11).

 

Sheila Lutz

Sheila Lutz

Do you receive the Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly? That is our LWML magazine published four times a year (quarterly) for all women–not just Lutheran women and not just women participating in LWML. It is a great magazine. It has feature articles, mission grant updates, Bible studies (one is always translated into Spanish), news from LWML groups, a note from the Gifts of Love team and updates on new “witness wear” or resources.

My favorite part of the magazine takes up one column on one page. It’s called “Praying the Psalms”. Christian Living Editor, Sheila Lutz, takes a Psalm each issue and reflects on the text in poetic form. I take out my Bible and read the psalm she has selected and then read her phrasing of the verses. It becomes a study of what the psalmist is saying to us! Above all, it is beautiful to read.

I’ve often told Sheila, who is currently working on the Quarterly and also serving as LWML District President of Central Illinois District, that I love her reflections. She will tell you that she doesn’t always know what she will write but the Holy Spirit guides her as she sets about her task.I strongly urge you to read this part of the Quarterly and see if you will agree with me that it is a wonderful part of a wonderful magazine.

 

Lutheran Woman's Quarterly

Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly

This magazine is available in print or electronically. Every woman should receive a copy and find their own favorite part. Praise God for women who use their unique God-given gifts to encourage the rest of us in our faith walk! This is what LWML is blessed to do.

What is your favorite part of the Quarterly? We’d love to hear from you!

 

Blessed to serve with all of you,

Patti

 

Karen Kolke is a member of Christ Lutheran, Albuquerque, NM. She will be an airport greeter for those of you flying to our June 22–25, 2017 LWML 75th Anniversary Convention. She also enjoys working as an LHM Petal Pusher every December! I have invited her to share her Diving into His Word story here:

My husband Jerry and I were involved in a very serious car accident 25 years ago. There were many prayers said for us. Those prayers were answered according to God’s Will.

The accident left me in a wheelchair, but I don’t let that hold me back! After the accident, I did a lot of water therapy. This gave me strength in my quads to move and stand; however, I don’t have any balance to walk.  In the water you are buoyant and don’t need any balance — what a freedom!

My husband convinced me to learn to scuba dive. This really opened up my world to traveling with my dive buddies and seeing “God’s Amazing Underwater Aquarium!”

I love to scuba dive … it is always an adventure diving into God’s Underwater Aquarium! To drop into the water and be free … free from the world above with its noise and seemingly endless problems and distractions — to be free from anything touching me, namely my wheelchair. When I am underwater there is no difference between me and anyone else. I don’t use regular fins on my feet, but I have webbed gloves that I use for my propulsion. There is no noise, your thoughts go right to the wonder of God and His workmanship. You see the brightly colored fish, the imagination that God had for the shapes, sizes, and beauty of a world that many will never see.

In one coral cave there was a wooden cross placed on a shelf with memorabilia around it. The cross replaced a cross-shaped coral that was broken off during hurricane Wilma. I had seen this cross — it was beautiful! Life changes above the water and below. God is always there through the easy times and the hard times. Changes occur, but God’s love is constant. There is such a peace underwater, I feel closer to God when I am on a dive trip. That freedom and peace fills me up, I take that back with me to the world above. When your focus is on God and His workmanship, the world is an easier place to be.

Imagine slightly claustrophobic me when my husband asked if I would consider taking scuba diving lessons along with our three children! Not a rousing “let’s go” from me, but sounded like an adventure. So began a family sport and 26 years later we are still diving! God has always used my husband, Bill, to push me, encourage me and love me.

So I find myself on a heaving dive boat, strapping on at least 25 pounds of gear, trying to balance on a slippery deck and making my way to the jump off area with fins on! Are we having fun yet? Jump in, try airing up the vest, adjusting mask, salt water in your mouth, fighting wind and sometimes rain, waiting to go down.

Going down takes some effort. Do I have enough weights on, are my ears equalizing, is my mask fogging up? Then at about 35 feet, all is adjusting and it’s clear descent from there on down. Now I am surrounded by the peace and beauty of God’s creation underwater. I focus on the tiny creatures with unique colors, shapes and hideouts. The beautiful shapes and colors of the corals serve as background for turtles and barracuda, while the sandy bottom hides rays and flounder and eels.

At times life feels like being on that rocking boat and being swamped by salty waves, doesn’t it! And working on LWML business can feel like that at times, too! But getting through those times is like being on the dive boat. If you keep going, heavy load and all, and get in, just 35 feet down things are going to be calm and peaceful. The only place you’ll find peace in the midst of life’s storms, is through the in-depth experience with God—a deeper relationship. Diving into His Word, going deeper into your prayer life, can bring peace that “passes understanding”.

Has someone urged you to take on something that puts you in a rocking boat? Feeling unsteady? Keep going and dive deeper into God’s peace that He wants you to enjoy! Experience it and then share it!

Calling on all LWML scuba divers! Let me hear from you!

Last week I joined over 2,000 Lutherans at the Best Practices for Ministry event in Phoenix, Arizona. The three day conference provided engaging and inspiring ideas to help support our missions for God. The keynote speakers provided wonderful Christ-filled messages and reminded us of the importance of love and grace for one another.

As we enter the final month to reach our 2015–2017 Mission Goal, let us be reminded that in addition to your financial support, love and grace are needed for these missions. We are $117,736 away from the financial goal that must be met by March 31, 2017, but let’s also focus on spreading Christ’s love to one another.

Many of the speakers at the Best Practices in Ministry event talked about the challenges of engaging Millennials, those between the ages of 18 and 35. It seems to be a unified concern that the younger generation must be engaged now. Here are some of our ideas for meeting that challenge:

-Develop Podcasts;

-Build social media platforms;

-Be brief, not lengthy, in details and express the need right away; and

-Mentor these young adults to become leaders.

There are lots of good resources out there that offer ideas on how to engage the younger generation. Here’s an article I found helpful:

https://www.vanderbloemen.com/blog/churches-reach-millennials

By the end of the conference, as we reflected and prayed in the closing service, I felt inspired and optimistic about the future of LWML and the other Lutheran groups. Let’s all keep this next generation in our prayers. As long as we continue to support one another with love and grace, our future will flourish.

Pictured above are photos from Best Practices for Ministry from left to right:  Vicar Tim Norton a featured speaker for the LWML Convention and I; Me, Kelley Young, Carol von Soosten, and Ashley Jenkins presented a session on How to Engage, Encourage, Equip, and Enjoy Serving the Lord with Gladness in YOUR Mission Field; My presentation to a group of ladies at Best Practices on How to Engage, Encourage, Equip, and Enjoy serving the Lord with Gladness in YOUR Mission Field.

 

Do you see yourself as called by God to make known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities, and the world? And part of a league that enables Lutheran women to use their gifts in ministry to the people of the world?

I hope you do! Last week I asked the LWML national officers to complete the phrase,  A missionary is … Here are their thoughts

My dream missionary job would be …

… to be in a field that would help the elderly and mothers with young children.

… to go somewhere where I could help make a difference in sharing Jesus’ love with those eager to hear about Him.

… in Turkey … retracing Paul’s steps in the 1st century.

… trusting Christ fully, and love as He loved, knowing that the power of forgiveness and faith comes from God alone. My dream is not a place or a specific culture. My dream is trusting that God will work through me in His way, in His time, every day.

… going to an African or Asian country to work in an orphanage. I would hug and educate the children, teach daily Bible studies and start a church choir. (I might still have my chance on a short term mission opportunity)

… working in a medical mission setting outside the United States.

… locally spending time with women of all ages using visual faith resources to provide opportunities for faith talk, Christian encouragement, and a deeper understanding of their Savior. (Someday I want to go on a MOST mission trip! Or visit my cousins in Costa Rica where they oversee children’s homes.)

… to be a partner in the global mission field through Mission Central.

… to go to a difficult spiritual environment like Israel. Oh wait, God is already calling me to do this in 2019!

… where my husband and  I could work together to help build a community and share the Gospel. Like with Laborers for Christ and Disaster Relief. Travel is a bonus thus the disaster work. We’d even travel abroad rebuilding homes, churches, and schools. Bringing with us Bibles, Bible studies, and devotions to share with people.

And he (Jesus) said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Luke 10:2