Back to School

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

Although I am retired from teaching, my heart remains with teachers preparing classrooms, students purchasing school clothes and backpacks, parents filling calendars with sports and music schedules, and pastors and volunteers prepping for Sunday School and Midweek classes to begin again after summer break! These are exciting times!

Lutheran Women in Mission can support students and teachers with items available from the LWML store. Teachers can use a “Sticky Prayer Pad” and middle school and high school students will enjoy reading “Text Messages from God.” Encourage Sunday School classes to use the “Children’s Mite Box” to gather offerings for the 2023–2025 mission grants, including grants for at-risk children in North Dakota, special needs students in Wisconsin and Nebraska, high school youth in New Orleans, street children in Kenya, and for children’s homes in Tanzania. Donate to support these grants through your own Districts.

Happy teaching, learning, and serving!

Brenda Piester

Recording Secretary
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Never Alone!

Do you ever feel overwhelmed in the role your Heavenly Father has given you? You are not alone!

In 2020, I said yes to having my name placed on the candidate ballot. In June 2021, I was elected as Vice President of Gospel Outreach. The past two years were a rollercoaster. Ups. Downs. Highs. Lows. Much to learn — mostly by trial and error — with error not being my favorite way to learn. Now, I am one month into the second half of my four-year term, hopefully more experienced and wiser.

Remember, I am not alone! El Shaddai, or God Almighty, is ever present! Matthew 28:20b tells us, “I will be with you always, to the end of the age.” Take a breath. Close your eyes. Feel His presence there beside you. Read or listen to this Not Alone devotion. Raise your hands in praise because He brought you to this role and walks with you every step of the way. You are never alone!

Karen Morrison

Vice President of Gospel Outreach
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Harvest Season

Across the nation it is summer harvest season; farmers are looking to hire extra workers to help them get their crops out of the field and to the market. Farmers make up only 1.5% of the population in the United States, but the need to feed people is always growing.

Matthew 9: 37-38 says this, Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Jesus tells His followers specifically that the harvest is plentiful. There are people out there longing for a Jesus that they don’t yet know; longing for hope and peace. What will you do? Will you answer His call to the fields? Will you go out and labor in His name to the hearts that are ripe for the harvest?

Pray about it. Seek His guidance and His will. Answer God’s call, because the laborers are few. How can you serve God’s people through the LWML? You can find ideas how to get involved here.

Are you looking for a devotion for the harvest season? Pray for a Bountiful Harvest is available as a free download at lwml.org or listen to this devotion as a podcast here.

Molly Dixon

Christian Life Committee
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Vacation Time

Last Wednesday was the first day of summer. Many of us take vacations at the end of June or the beginning of July. My husband and I normally spend the first two weeks of July at our cottage in Canada and that is our plan for this year, too!

The break from the day-to-day routine is needed to rest, relax, and refresh. God knows we need to rest as He tells us, 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).

Vacation also includes spending time in God’s Word each day to refresh us as we rest and relax. As you prepare for your vacation, take along some printed devotions from the LWML website or have the daily Mustard Seed Devotions sent to your email by signing up here.

If you are vacationing away from home or having a “stay-cation,” please take time to rest, relax and refresh — especially in God’s Word!

Kathy Pavelock

Vice President of Communication
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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It’s Time 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).

The 40th LWML Biennial Convention will be in session this week! We pray for the organizers and the Host Committee as they handle all the final details. We pray for all those traveling to Milwaukee and for those who will be at home watching for news of new mission grants to support and new officers who will lead Lutheran Women in Mission over the next four years.

If you are in Milwaukee or at home, bookmark LWML Convention Central and be sure to check this webpage often throughout the week. In addition to the “Blessing of the Convention Participants,” you can find pre- and post-convention devotions, issues of “The Celebration Chronicles” convention newspaper, links for the convention livestream, and convention videos as they become available.

Celebrating the Lord of the Nations with you and all Lutheran Women in Mission!

Kathy Pavelock

Vice President of Communication
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Making Memories

Convention is almost here! It’s a place where you will find thousands of women celebrating the Lord of the Nations while attending Bible studies, listening to missionaries, and making many memories with each other.

It is hard to describe the mountain top experience of our convention if you have never been there. I want to encourage you to find a way to attend at least one national convention. For those who are unable to join us in Milwaukee, check out the convention page of the LWML website. There will be live video streaming of all convention sessions and worship services and they will also be available for viewing with your sisters in Christ.

And don’t forget to start making plans for the 2025 Lutheran Women in Mission Convention to be held in Omaha, Nebraska. I hope to see you in Milwaukee and/or Omaha where I plan on making many more memories and new friends! See you there!

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

Karla Koehler

Treasurer
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Come

It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me (John 6:45).

Sam, our two-year-old grandson, lets us know when he wants us to come and follow him. He motions with his arm, opens and closes his hand, and says “come.” As a dutiful grandmother, I go where he motions – usually to read a story or play with blocks.

Our heavenly Father invites us to come and learn more about Him and His love for us. The LWML has many Bible studies available to use. As a grandma, one I enjoyed doing was Let the Little Children come to Me. This study encourages you to pray for those you know – and those you don’t know – that they may learn of Jesus and His love for them. We have the privilege of sharing the Good News with the next generation; may God continue to bless our efforts to do His will.

Arlene Naasz

Meeting Manager
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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