Out with the Old, In with the New

When Spring finally arrives in the north, I find myself with renewed energy — enough energy, in fact, to tackle the one thing I’ve been ignoring all winter — cleaning my closet.

Because of the long winters where I live, I have sweaters and turtlenecks of every shape and color. They are the staple of my wardrobe — but when Spring finally arrives, I’m ready to switch my closet to lighter weight fabrics and brighter colors. The best part is once I’ve cleaned my closet by sorting and storing my winter clothes, I find I have room for some new items. It’s out with the old and in with the new!

After I’d purged my closet, the LWML Bible study A New Spring Wardrobe caught my eye. It’s a wonderful short Bible study using the analogy of our clothing choices and their connection to our spiritual life. This study is sure to encourage a lot of discussion between you and your friends.

Deaconess Betty Knapp

Vice President of Special Focus Ministries
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Join Together to Celebrate the Lord of the Nations

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man (Psalm 33:12–13).

One of the favorite songs of my Sunday school class includes the words, “Jesus Loves the Little Children. All the children of the world.” This reminds me of the theme verse for the upcoming LWML convention. God sees all the “children of man,” each one of us, when He looks down from heaven. What a blessing it is to be a child of God, one He has chosen as His heritage!

At convention, we will Celebrate the Lord of the Nations and what an incredible God we have to celebrate! Our God loves us no matter where we live, how old or young we are, or what language we speak. We are all His children and we can celebrate the Lord by proclaiming the Gospel message to all we meet.

We invite you to join us in Milwaukee on June 22–25 as we “Celebrate the Lord of the Nations.” You can learn more about the convention activities and how to register here.

Michelle Jenks

Strategic Plan Facilitator
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Spring Cleaning

For those of us living in the northern climates, the season of spring is almost intoxicating! We want color and warmth in our lives. We want to throw open the windows and let that lovely sunshine come in! There is a Bible study resource on the LWML website called A New Spring Wardrobe. Don’t we all want to put away the sweaters and buy some new summery clothes? But what about our “spiritual” wardrobe? Let’s put off our old self and put on the new. We do so by laying aside the dark dreary thoughts that dampen our joy and let God’s words of warmth, love, and light come in! Let your new wardrobe be smiles, love, and acts of service to others. Serve the Lord with gladness with your new look of love!

but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious (1 Peter 3:4).

LaDonna Stanosheck

Structure Committee Chairman
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Silence, Solitude, and Slowing Down

I venture to guess that many of us have days filled with jobs and family responsibilities, and then we squeeze in extra activities and commitments. It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that God is most pleased when we have maximized our schedules and relationships.

I often get asked about how busy I am while serving as an elected officer for LWML. Yes, I am busy but one of the greatest blessings has been making sure I spend time alone with God and His Word. I enjoy reading different devotions including Today's Mustard Seed Devotion and Portals of Prayer. I find when I seek silence, solitude, and slow down I get recharged and refocused on my relationship with God. The LWML website is full of resources to help us get recharged and refocused!

The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD (Lamentations 3:25–26).

Karla Koehler

Treasurer
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Proclaiming the Good News

And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. (Acts 5:42).

Easter celebrations are now a memory. We shared joyous worship services, participated in an Easter breakfast, and gathered with family and friends. The day was full of joy as we proclaimed, “Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia”.

Are you still celebrating and sharing the Easter joy? Maybe you went back to your busy routine and forgot about the resurrection of Jesus and the new life you have in Him. How can you keep sharing the Good News?

As Lutheran Women in Mission, we share Easter joy through our mite offerings in support of national and district grants. Mite offerings have helped to spread the news of salvation to all corners of the world and into places where we cannot physically go. Proclaim the Good News that Jesus is the Messiah by continuing to support national and district mission grants with your generous mite offerings.

Sharon von Qualen

Mission Grants Committee
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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“My Redeemer Lives”

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth (Job 19:25).

We who have been in the church our whole lives can somewhat easily lose the out-of-this-world nature of Christ’s resurrection. Pondering just a bit, two really important theological points pop out at us and then one significant personal point becomes wonderfully known. Jesus’ resurrection proves that He paid one’s sin-debt against God by His death. It also proves that He conquered death. Nothing in all the world is greater than that, nor is anything more important. This means that for each of us personally, the guilt of all sin is removed, and death is conquered for us, too. We can repeat what Job said — with full confidence. No wonder the Easter hymns are so rich and wonderful to sing!

In Christ,

The Rev. Gary Piepkorn

Junior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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“Getting a Sense of Holy Week and Easter”

Holy Week recounts all that our Lord has done for us in His Passion, death, and resurrection. As we move with our Lord from the shouts of “Hosanna!” through the sorrow of Good Friday to the resurrection joy of Easter, we have the opportunity in our churches to hear the story of our salvation. Once again, we see the Passion story before us through palms and candles and crosses, we smell the hope of new life in the lilies of Easter, and we touch the very body and blood of Jesus who has given Himself to death for the life of the world. Jesus, and His salvation hit our every sense this week.

The LWML has great Holy Week and Easter resources, even some items to help engage the senses. Take a look at these coloring pages and perhaps use them to teach your children or grandchildren the story of Holy Week and Easter. Or, color a few of them and use them to invite someone to attend Holy Week and Easter services with you!

The Reverend Brian Noack

Senior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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