Have you ever noticed how adding an element of movement, fun, music, or service to a daily routine can make it more enjoyable? Like dancing while you dust, leaving notes when you pack lunches, singing as you check emails, or praying as you fold laundry?

Have you ever noticed that getting someone to move, play, sing, or serve along with you can also make it more enjoyable?

I would say most Lutheran Women in Mission already find great joy in giving to mission grants, but it sure doesn’t hurt to add an element of joy to the process. This month, consider using – and sharing – the monthly mite challenge calendar. It contains an idea each day to both bless your mission giving and the lives of others through prayers and acts of kindness.

Are you ready to find joy by adding something new to your daily routine?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23a).

Eden Keefe

Vice President of Gospel Outreach
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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And [the angel] said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here” (Mark 16:6a).

Our hosanna changes. No longer do we cry out, “Save us!” Instead we join our voices with countless believers around the world and cry out, “He is risen! Alleluia!” The Jesus that we hailed as the Son of David on Palm Sunday and that we watched die on Good Friday, is alive! He has risen from the dead.

In that resurrection we are given the wonderful assurance that we are saved. He dies to pay the full price of our sins. In His resurrection, He destroys the power of the grave. He lives, and because He lives, we know that we shall live as well. Death does not have any power over us. The grave shall not hold us. Believing in the living Christ, we know that we will rise on the Last Day and live eternally with Him in heaven.

That is the message that the LWML proclaims as it supports the work of the Gospel around the world through the various mission grants. Working together, we can proclaim, “He is risen! Alleluia!”

Rev. Mitchel Schuessler

Senior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done (Genesis 2:2). After creating everything, God rested from His work. At this point, everything was perfect and very good. Perfection was quickly undone as Adam and Eve gave in to temptation and thrust the world into sin, but our gracious God promised that One would come to crush the head of the serpent and bring life back to our fallen world.

Today, this promise has been fulfilled. God’s Son has fulfilled the Law, borne our sin, and laid down His life to win us forgiveness and put an end to Satan. Now, for the work that He has done in His creation, Jesus is at rest, lying in a tomb, having accomplished all that the Father had sent Him to do. On Easter morning will come the day of the new creation when Jesus will rise from the dead and restore life to our world. Jesus now brings new life to you. Sin is gone, death is overcome, and life eternal with God is ours once again!

Rev. Brian Noack

Junior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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[Jesus] said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (John 19:30b).

Holy Week comes to a screeching halt as we stand at the foot of Jesus’ cross and watch this event play out. Jesus has been crucified. He has suffered physically. He has carried the tremendous spiritual burden as He hung on the cross. Then He dies. He dies!

Let the tears of sorrow flow. Our Lord dies upon that cursed cross. But wait a moment, is not that what we cried out on Sunday? “Hosanna! Save us!” Did we not ask the Lord to save us from eternal damnation? Did we think it did not come with a price?

The price was beyond what you and I could ever pay. Never in our life could we fulfill the demands of the law. So we cried out, “Hosanna!” In order to save us, the sinless Son of God goes to the cross. He suffers and dies upon that cross in order to pay the price that we are unable to pay. His response to our “Hosanna” was to give up His life for us. There, on the cross, we see our salvation. Thank You, Jesus.

Rev. Mitchel Schuessler

Senior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Today, the Church begins three holy days of meditation on Christ’s Passion and the gifts He leaves for His Church. These days begin with the Last Supper as Jesus celebrates the Passover one last time, and establishes a memorial meal that will continue to be celebrated until Christ returns in glory. Jesus gives the disciples bread saying, “Take, eat; this is my body.” He then gives them the cup saying, “Take, drink; this is my blood.” This meal is Jesus’ last will and testament. It is His gift to the disciples and to the Church, and one that God’s people still gather around to remember our Lord’s grace toward us.

Maundy Thursday is a blessed day to recall the ongoing feast that Christ sets before us of His body and blood, given for the forgiveness of sins … given “for you.” Your sins are forgiven in this meal, for it is you that Christ had in mind as He made his way from this table to the cross, dying to save you and rising to secure your place at the banquet table of heaven!

Rev. Brian Noack

Junior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (John 12:13).

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. The people cry, “Hosanna!” We join with them, crying out, “Hosanna!” Save us! Save us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Save us from ourselves. Save us from our sinfulness. Save us from eternal damnation. “Hosanna!”

Yes, we cry out with those words on this day and every day. The joy which we have is the knowledge that our Lord does save us. He gives His life for us, for our salvation.

Unfortunately, there are many people in the world who still cry out, seeking someone or something to save them. The mission that we have been given is to share the Gospel with all people. Through its many mission grants, the LWML continues to support the mission of the Church, which is to reach the lost with the message of the Gospel.

As you go into Holy Week, lift up your voice and sing, “Hosanna!” As you do so, remember to place that coin in your Mite Box to support the work of reaching out to others in response to their great need.

Rev. Mitchel Schuessler

Senior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14).

Next week is Holy Week. As we prepare to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection, we remember His ultimate sacrifice. Fulfilling His Father’s will, Jesus died on the cross to save us from sin, death, and the devil. He redeemed us and because of Him, we know, without a doubt, that heaven will one day be our home … our true home. What an awesome God we have!

Sadly, there are many people in our world who do not yet know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. What can we do? How can we share His Gospel truth? In grateful prayer, we ask that our mite offerings be used as blessings as they fund mission grants throughout the world. Click here to discover more about how the pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and paper currency we put in our Mite Boxes multiply LWML’s outreach to others.

God bless you as you share His love,

Char Kroemer

Vice President of Communication
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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