I have to tell you that I am pretty bold about sharing the good things in LWML. Earlier this month while at the Michigan District LWML convention, I was promoting our wonderful website and what VP of Communication Linda Arnold has termed, The Extreme Makeover, LWML Edition. As part of my report to the convention I shared about the opportunity to sign up for daily Mustard Seed devotions to your inbox. VP Linda was also attending the convention and sent me a note that a woman from Michigan signed up to receive the e-devo right after I finished speaking! How about that?
Also at that convention I talked with a woman named Joan who told me she is “glued to the LWML website and loves all the new changes.” Joan is 72 years old; isn’t that great?
The third related event from that convention was a comment written on a brief survey that we are doing at all the district conventions. A woman in the 50-59 year old age bracket who was attending her very first LWML convention wrote, “I will add the link (for lwml.org) to our church website!”
May we use technology wisely and may God bless the spread of His Word through our e-devotions.
Have you signed up to receive the Mustard Seeds devotions?

This week I had two neat things happened related to prayer. On Thursday when I walked into the Board of Directors meeting at the Michigan District LWML convention, a woman came up to me and said that I didn’t know her, but she wanted me to know that she prayed for me every day. Wow; how humbling is that? Emy is a past president of the Michigan District LWML who continues to serve the Lord with gladness. Thank you Emy, for praying for me.
Earlier in the week I received a message on my Facebook wall from Steve, a pastor who heads up a ministry in the LCMS. He wrote that he keeps me and the work of LWML in his prayers. Thank you, Steve!
I know these are not isolated cases. Many people pray regularly for the work of the LWML and its many volunteer officers. Thank you; it is a blessing that we cherish.

Last weekend I attended the Indiana District LWML convention. While there I was reminded of one of the many blessings of being involved in LWML; the gift of relationships.

I had the opportunity to connect with Elise, a former DP who influenced me over 30 years ago when I lived in Indiana. She often told me that I should become involved in LWML; she thought that I would like it. Elise was a great cheerleader for the organization, and one of the women who encouraged me to see what LWML was all about. How wonderful to be able to visit with her and to see her daughter, Bev, who serves on a district committee. Elise is a woman of influence!

I was also able to touch base with Sandy, another former DP, who also served on the national level of LWML. In fact, she had a great impact on me and my service in LWML. I learned a great deal from her, and she has blessed my life in many ways.

My hostess for the weekend was Betty. Betty and I go way back to the 1991-1993 biennium when we served together on the Member Development  Committee on the national level. We ended up rooming together for the entire biennium. After the 1993 convention in Edmonton, Betty and I took a mini-tour in the Canadian Rockies and were joined by two other committee people; one was Sue, who also was a member of the Indiana District LWML. So we had a mini-reunion and shared laughs about that fun time. Kim (Iowa District West) we missed you!

Relationships: one of the many blessings of LWML involvement, all made possible because God chose to have a relationship with us, calling us His own. We have been privileged to serve Him with gladness as part of LWML.

In my Tuesday time on KFUO I shared the blessing that I received from the theme for the convention, Standing at the Crossroads, and the supporting Bible verse, Jeremiah 6:16. Another great LWML blessing to learn from pastors who share God’s Word in Bible study and in sermons. If you didn’t hear the broadcast, check the LWML website, as most of the broadcasts are archived there; it usually shows up a day later.

May God bless your daily walk, your time in the Word and your relationships in Him; some of the many blessings of being involved in LWML.

This weekend I am at the LWML convention in Indianapolis; drove here yesterday and got checked into our room; it was in the part of the hotel where they hadn’t quite finished their renovations; the bed was pretty worn and uncomfortable, the couch seemed like one that had been used in a college dorm room, and the room was pretty tiny and dark. My husband traveled with me and was spending time in the room, getting more discouraged as the day progressed. He even went and walked around the fashion mall that is attached to the hotel; a man who really does not like to shop! Thinking that he had nothing to lose, he decided to talk to the woman at the front desk and told her we were disappointed in our room. She offered to move us to a different section of the hotel, and then gave him the keys for another room. We decided to go over and take a look at the room and make sure that it was an improvement over our current room. You can imagine our joy when we opened the door and found it was a two room suite, with a separate bedroom, a sitting area with a nice couch and two easy chairs; let’s move was our response!
Well, because we had traveled by car, we (I mainly) used a number of smaller tote bags and all; way more than we could “carry” to our new room. I said that God would have to provide us with a cart. Yesterday when we checked in we were told that guests could not use the carts, the bellmen had to deliver your things to your room. We had a pleasant enough man assist us yesterday, and gave him a nice tip. I really didn’t want to tip a second day. My husband assured me that lots of people were using carts; the influx of the LWML faithful of the Indiana District had over-taxed the bell staff!
So, back to the cart; we entered an elevator to go back to the section where our room was, the next time the elevator stopped a bellman got on with an empty cart; he had just delivered suitcases to someone and was going back to the bell station. We chatted briefly and found out he was going to be making a shuttle run, so I asked if we could use the cart. I think he may have been relieved that he didn’t have to take it back to the bell station! And I knew that God had provided.
Watch for ways that God provides what you need in your daily walk.

On Wednesday, June 16, it was my privilege to present another grant check on your behalf. While visiting in Austin, Texas, I went to the offices of Lutheran Social Services of the South. What a thrill to be able to hand Dr. Kurt Senske, Chief Executive Officer, a grant check for $25,000 in partial payment for grant #4 Psalm 69 Project: Emergency Disaster Aid in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. We also met with some of the staff who are working with the people that will benefit directly from this grant. Dr. Senske shared that much of their work is among the “poorest of the poor,” people who are left with nothing following hurricanes. God’s love is shown to them in tangible ways, meeting their basic needs.
Thank you for continuing to pray for this grant recipient, as well as for the additional 18 grants we are funding in 2009-2011. Your prayers and gifts are making a difference.

Do you ever do what I did this morning? Personally I like to have my daily quiet time pretty soon after waking; for me it sets the pace for my day and gets me started on the right foot. Plus the longer I go into my day, the harder it seems to get back to read the Bible and have my prayer time. Well, that is exactly what happened this morning; I went in my office, checked e-mail, got involved in checking Facebook, and before I knew it, almost an hour had passed since I woke up.
My reading today was in I Samuel 16 where verse 7 spoke to me: “For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Create in me a clean heart, dear Lord, one that follows after You first; one that seeks Your direction and guidance for my day.
I shouldn’t have been surprised when I read the entry for June 15 on the LWML perpetual calendar, taken from Alma Kern’s book, You Are Special: “When love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control are evident in our lives, we will be beautiful– not just to look at but also to live with.”
Lord, work the complete package, the fruit of the Spirit, in me and in my heart. And thanks, too, Lord for bringing it all together for me today, and every day!

Enjoy your time in God’s Word and your walk with The Word made flesh, Jesus Christ!

I was on a flight from Springfield, Missouri, to Chicago, Illinois, where I would catch a flight to Milwaukee, my destination. The Missouri District LWML convention had ended and I was on my way home. The flight attendant came down the aisle offering beverages to the passengers. When he got to me, he said, “Would you like something to drink, Ms. Wendorf?” My initial reaction was that I had forgotten to take my name badge off when I was finished at the convention, but that was not the case! He knows my name!

Some background information: our flight had been delayed several hours due to severe weather in the Chicago area; had the flight attendant wiled away the time memorizing the seating chart for the flight? Or did he have a paper on his cart with the names listed? I won’t know for sure.

One thing that I do know for sure, and that is He knows my name! And that is a capital “H” for He. My dear Lord Jesus knows my name; I have been called by name in the waters of baptism. The background information for that fact is in His Word, the Bible.

Thank You, Lord, for Your Word; thank You that You know my name.

This afternoon I was attending the Executive Committee meeting of the Missouri District LWML. We had just talked about the grants on the national level; the print out that they had was dated April 12, 2010. I was able to tell them that checks had been mailed out earlier this week, and to check our LWML website for the latest update.

We went on to the next order of business when I “happened” to reach into my purse and get my cell phone out; it was on silent mode, but I noticed the screen showed an incoming call from Dr. Tom Zehnder, Executive Director of LCMS World Mission. I slipped out of the room to take the call; when he calls it is something important!

Dr. Zehnder shared with me what had just happened in the offices of LCMS World Mission; there is a large bell that is rung whenever there is news to share with the staff. The bell was rung, and the staff gathered round to hear the news…which was  LCMS World Mission had just received a check from LWML for over $160,000, in partial payment of four grants on the national level! They were praising God for His timing in this gift, which by the way had been requested in December 2009, and it was only this past week that the funds were available to pay some grants!

Those of you who know me can imagine the tears welling up in my eyes as I realized the celebration in St. Louis was going on while we were talking about the updates and grants being paid; Missouri District President Janice Rose was gracious enough to allow me to interrupt the agenda, put Dr. Zehnder on speaker phone and have him share with those at the meeting what he had just told me.

Wow; can you tell why I love this position that the Lord has called me to serve in as president? Thank You Lord, for your perfect timing! And thank you for supporting the mission grants with your prayers and your gifts.

Today I traveled to Springfield, Missouri, for the Missouri District LWML convention, which meant waking up at 4 a.m. for my flight to Chicago. How exciting it was to be at O’Hare airport the day after the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. Seeing the newspaper headlines and people decked out in Blackhawks shirts was fun. Couldn’t help but think of the time when all who are in Christ Jesus will receive their crown of glory; much better than any earthly crown or treasure.

I was waiting in the gate area for my flight to Springfield when I received a phone call; the woman who called me decided that the call should wait until I am back from the convention next week. Good thing, as I hung up the phone I herd the announcement, “Final call for boarding American flight to Springfield, Missouri.” If I had continued on that phone call, I might well have missed my flight; thank You Lord, for directing every aspect of my trip!

Friday morning, June 4, I had the opportunity to meet someone who has a long-standing connection with LWML, Mr. Nicholas Salifu. Mr. Salifu is currently studying at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and will graduate in December. He is from Ghana, and will return there to serve as a pastor. Mr. Salifu was at the airport when I arrived; Pastor Troxel was driving both of us to the Central Illinois District Convention.

We in the LWML first heard about Mr. Salifu in a video that was shown at the LWML convention in Fort Worth in 1987. The LWML had funded the production of a video that highlighted his life,  serving as an interpreter for LCMS missionaries where God’s Word was planted in His heart. The Lord found Salifu and he was converted, leaving the Muslim doctrine that his father had embraced. Salifu went back to his home village, led Bible studies and meetings in his home, sharing what he had learned about Jesus Christ. The result was documented in the video, Salifu’s Harvest, which showed large numbers of villagers being baptized, by the missionary, in the name of the Triune God.

Now I wasn’t at that convention; I was home with three young children. I did talk with Alberta Barnes who was president at that convention. She told me that everyone was so encouraged by the video; the lights went up and standing at the podium was a man who said, “I am Salifu!” She described it as an electrifying moment. Only a few people knew that he was going to be there, it was a top secret. I guess it was quite an experience for those who were there. I do know that there were quite a few of the women from the Central Illinois District who were at Fort Worth; they were eager to see Salifu again and hear his story.

What a delight it was to see his presentation and hear of how the Lord has used him to spread the gospel and to study further, culimnating in attending the seminary.So here we are some 23 years later, seeing the results of mite money that was given to support LCMS missionaries and projects in cooperation with LCMS World Mission. It doesn’t get much better than this! God allows us to get a glimpse into the work that He is doing through our gifts and prayers.

My weekly radio interview on KFUO this past Tuesday, June 8, was all about Salifu; often the programs are archived on KFUO and then also available on our LWML website, under the news section.

Thank you Lord, for faithful missionaries who share your Word; thank you for those who provide funding so missionaries can go where you are calling; thank you for letting us see You at work n our world. Thank you for the ministry of Nicholas Salifu; bless him in the final preparations for becoming a pastor in Your church.