“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 LWML has been blessed to help spread the Gospel to the nations for over 80 years. As Lutheran Women in Mission, we support missions all over the world. One of the most uplifting things at our conventions is to hear the mission grant recipients share the impact of the grants they received. These are heart-warming and tear-bringing stories that just make you say, “Thank You, Lord, for what You have done through the LWML!”

Are you coming to Milwaukee to listen to their stories? Come and hear how God is at work. Not only will mission speakers address the convention body, but many are also speaking during lunch times, too, on Friday and Saturday, June 23–24! Come proclaim His message to the nations with your sisters and brothers in Christ. Register Here!

Susan Donnelly

Public Relations Director
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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God’s Valentine to Us

Do you remember giving and receiving Valentine’s cards when you were in grade school? I remember making a mailbox in art class to receive cards from our friends. Construction paper, glue, paper doilies, and markers were used to build a large envelope that would clearly show my name and my creative abilities. At home I filled out cards with the names of my friends that said simple messages like “Be Mine Valentine,” “BFF — Best Friends Forever,” or simply “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

We have a message that has been given to us all — the message of love shared through the words of Scripture. This message is God’s Valentine to Us which is also the title of an LWML single-session Bible study focusing on the loving relationship between Naomi and Ruth.

When you gather this month as Lutheran Women in Mission, reflect on God’s abundant love for you and how you can reflect His love to others through your words and actions. Many suggestions for living out your faith this month can be found in Sharing God’s Love on Valentine’s Day.

Deaconess Betty Knapp

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

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Partnership in the Gospel

One of the greatest joys I’ve experienced as a member of the LWML Board of Directors was delivering your mite offerings to Lutheran Braille Workers (LBW), one of our 2021–2023 mission grant recipients. What a blessing it is to know that the women of the LWML have been in partnership in sharing the Gospel with this incredible organization for almost 80 years!

For 80 years, LWML women (and men) have been proclaiming Christ through their support of ministries and mission projects around the world. From sharing the Gospel with those who are blind and visually impaired to sharing His story with those who are orphaned, LWML has used their mighty mite offerings to God’s glory.

I encourage you to learn more about one of our 2021-2023 mission grant recipients and keep those reached by the missions LWML supports in your prayers. Just as Paul shared his thankfulness for his partnership in the Gospel with the people of Philippi (Philippians 1:3–5), the LWML and missionaries around the world are blessed because of your partnership in the Gospel!

Michelle Jenks

Strategic Plan Facilitator
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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What’s Your Why?

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

LWML is something I’ve known about for a very long time, but I wasn’t directly involved in it until 13 years ago when a co-worker invited me to a meeting. However, it wasn’t until I attended a national convention that I truly understood this organization and felt so strongly about supporting it. Hearing from Mites in Action speakers, seeing the mission grants video, and hearing the Doxology sung over and over stirred something in my heart.

How did you come to be involved in the LWML? What do you love most about this organization? These are questions we occasionally get asked, but how often do we truly think about them? Consider having the ladies in your group complete the What’s Your Why? Reflection Tool. Discuss your answers and listen to the enthusiasm in your voices. How can you use your stories to engage more women in the work of the LWML?

Brianne Stahlecker

Group and Leader Development Committee Chairman
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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A New Year — A New Beginning

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Have you found yourself waiting till the new year to start dieting, exercising, reading your Bible every day, or any other healthy habit? I think we long for a clean slate so that everything feels new, fresh, and exciting.

All too often this desire leads us to focus on what the world desires for us – a new and improved version of ourselves. But God’s Word reminds us otherwise. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10). The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23). Wow! Did you catch that? God renews us and His mercies are new every day!

The LWML website can connect you to God’s Word. It is full of materials that help us to be refreshed and renewed. New Beginnings is one of the many devotions to help us stay focused on God’s Word.

Karla Koehler

Treasurer
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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TRUST IN THE LORD

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Is the path for me to attend the LWML convention in Milwaukee, Lord?

Here is my checklist, Lord:

• Be in His Word daily.
• Pray for God’s guidance in my decision.
• Read about the convention: theme (Celebrate the Lord of the Nations!), Scripture verse, goal statement, and convention objectives.
• Pray for the convention, planners, and volunteers.
• Review travel options.
• Invite friends to join me.
• Find a hotel roommate.
• Pray for God’s work through LWML, the 2023–2025 Mission Goal, and the 2023–2025 Mission Grant Proposals that are on the ballot.
• Pray for God’s love and mercy to be spread through the grants to people of many nations.

I think I am ready to register for Your convention Lord, if it is in Your plan!

Register for convention   Learn more.

See you there!

Leslie Colligan

Gospel Outreach Committee, Chairman
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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My Soul Rejoices

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy… (Psalm 5:11a)

With a toddler in our family last Christmas, it was fun to see the excitement and joy as he discovered the wonder of Christmas lights, cookies, gifts and caroling. He probably didn’t totally understand the deeper meaning or how those traditions relate to the birth of Jesus Christ as the one who saves us from our sins, but, he did catch on that there was joy in each activity. His wiggly little dances and singing along, even thought the words weren’t quite right, remind us that we have much to be joyful about all year long. Our soul rejoices that we are free from the slavery of sin because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

The 2023 LWML Prayer Service, My Soul Rejoices was written by former LWML Pastoral Counselor Rev. Dr. Mitchel Schuessler of Clarinda, Iowa. Singing familiar hymns, joining together in the Word, and spending time in prayer individually and corporately, will make your soul rejoice. You can look forward to a joyous and uplifting worship service whether it is used in the congregation or the LWML district, zone, or group.

The 2023 LWML Prayer Service is available at www.lwml.org/prayer-service.

Susan Brunkow

Vice President of Christian Life
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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