FALL 2006

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Message from the Leader Development Committee

It is always great when fall arrives. Routines start again, kids are back to school, and a new year begins for church activities too. As you begin this new season, the Leader Development Committee prays you will find a way to get involved with LWML in your congregation. Invite some new women along also and be sure to share this newsletter with them.

In this issue of Impressions, our first article, From the Heart of a YWR, is in a different format. An experienced and long time LWML member interviewed two Young Women Representatives from Oregon. We know you will enjoy this article as they share their experiences from Tampa and what they have done since returning to their district. Would you consider sharing your experience with us? We'd love to hear from you. You can find our contact information on the Web site under the Leader Development link.

From the Heart of a YWR

To share the experiences of the two 2005 Oregon YWRs, an interview was set up to share with you some of their feelings of the Tampa LWML convention.

The interviewer is a veteran, longtime LWML member who is interested in encouraging young women in sharing her love for this organization.

Interviewer-Dana, just what did the convention in Tampa say to you? Share the main three points.

Dana ­ The convention told me about God's amazing grace. Here I was one in thousands of women singing "Amazing Grace", of course not for the first time. But all of a sudden, I got it. I was sitting next to my wonderful District President, there with me and I leaned over to her in tears and said I finally understand and we hugged, both crying. I enjoyed getting to know my fellow LWML sisters. I thought I was alone in the passion I have for Christ. This convention showed me differently; everyone has their own passion for Christ. Everyone has their own way of telling their story to others. As for me, I love to go up to a complete stranger and say Hi, my name is Dana, and do you have a love for God? Is He in your life today?

Interviewer ­ Naomi, same question to you.

Naomi - Tampa's convention said to me just one thing 'Strong women created by God.' One of the speakers spoke on being handkerchiefs for God. When God created us we were placed on this earth so when a non believer found us they would fall in love with what God sees within us. At Tampa God created hundreds of handkerchiefs for His mission.

Interviewer ­Dana, I know that you especially were involved in Oregon, Washington-Alaska district convention in June, 2006; share briefly what you did to share with the YWRs attending.

Dana -I had such a blast preparing for the convention. I remember, being in Tampa last year. Looking up to the women who were leading us through the convention with admiration and remembering one of them made the comment that 'next year you could be hosting at your district convention.' That thought hung close in my heart as I prepared for this convention. I wanted to make sure that the Young Women that were coming felt the love of Christ. I attended monthly BOD (Board of Directors) meetings, planned with the ladies from Washington-Alaska as to our schedule and amenities. I just wanted the young women to feel the Lord like I did.

Interviewer ­Dana, were you able to share the carry over from your experience so they could see just what you gained?

Dana - The theme was Live Joyfully as Salt and Light. I try to live my life for God and Shepherd His people to Jesus. He does His work through me.

Interviewer ­Naomi, did you bring home Tampa's experience and use it in your society or your local congregation?

Naomi - Yes, I have brought home the Tampa experience to my society and local congregation by sharing the joy that our Mighty Mites had around the world in missions. I also have shared my heartfelt need for starting a Teen LWML within my local church.

Interviewer- Wow, young lady, go girl go, we are so proud of this thought, I will pray for your success.

Interviewer ­Naomi, now that a good year has gone by, what advice would you share with the district in selecting your replacements to represent us in 2007?

Naomi- As the year 2007 approaches, new national YWRS are to be selected. It is exciting to know that new women will be experiencing the joys that God brings through the LWML. It would be nice to see the next national YWR continue to have a heart filled with joy and excitement for Jesus and missions.

Interviewer­ Now that your reign as Oregon's YWR will be coming to an end, what areas of LWML would you like to move on into in our district? You have had an opportunity to meet many and see various activities, what is your next move or wish.

Dana - I will let God decide what He has in store for me. There are many places within our district I'd love to gobut remember I am a young woman. I have plenty of time.

Interviewer ­ Naomi, same question to you.

Naomi - As I end my reign as NYWR for 2005-2006, I am hoping to stay involved in LWML through the YWR committee, to help build this program and to create a Teen LWML as well.

Interviewer - Dana and Naomi, Oregon can be proud of each of you, I am, and I hope our readers will glimpse a bit of you and your love for our Lord in your comments and service in his Kingdom.

Devotion ...
Enough is Enough!

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Have you ever felt like you weren't enough? Not tall enough, not short enough. Not loud enough, not quiet enough. Not big enough, not small enough. Not a good enough friend ... daughter ... wife ... mother. And the one that gets us all - not a good enough Christian? We don't pray enough. We don't read enough. We don't devote enough. We just aren't enough.

Okay, set that wonderful, uplifting thought aside for a moment and think about this one. Did you know that of all the things Jesus did during his earthly life and ministry, there is only one miracle that is recorded in all four gospels? Can you guess what it is? It is the feeding of the 5,000 ­ that wonderful miracle of God's provision. As children (and as adults) we wonder how he could make such a small amount of food feed such a large amount of people. It just doesn't fit our understanding of how things work.

Now, there's a part of the story that is very important but often gets overlooked. Do you remember what Jesus did with the loaves and fish after he blessed them but before he gave them to the people? That's right ... he broke them. As they were, they weren't enough. They needed to be broken so they could be used for His purposes.

Mmmm ... they weren't enough, but in Jesus' hands they became enough. So it is with us. We look at ourselves and see that we aren't enough, but, in God's hands we have become good enough to receive life in heaven and good enough for service on earth. And the really amazing thing is that to make us enough, God did not break us, but Jesus.

In the ultimate miracle of His provision, God made us enough when He took His only Son and broke Him on the cross in our place. And now each time we receive that broken body and His shed blood, we are reminded that because of Christ we are enough.

The story doesn't end there, however. Once they were made enough, the loaves and fish were given to a hungry and needy crowd. So it is with us. In our "enoughness" God gives us to a world, hungry for His love and in great need of His forgiveness. Though we feel broken and unusable, God sends us out to show the world that, in Christ, He has also made them "enough."

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the amazing miracle You performed on our behalf, allowing Your Son to be broken so that we could be made whole. Use us and the gifts and talents You have given us to reach out to a hungry and hurting world with Your message of "enoughness" in Christ. It is in His name we pray. Amen.

Did you know ...

LWML has its own official publication, Lutheran Woman's Quarterly. It comes out four times a year and is full of wonderful material for ALL women of the church. There are specific pages for teens and young women. These articles are written by women across the country. There are Bible studies and wonderful articles covering life issues, missions, women in our church and more. In every issue there is a Mission Grants update and a President's page with a message from the LWML President. At the end of each issue news and events from across the country are shared. There is also a section highlighting LWML products.

This is a wonderful tool to use with other Young Women in your church. Introduce them to some of the wonderful opportunities available to them in LWML and the awesome things God is doing through these Lutheran Women in Mission.

You can subscribe to Lutheran Woman's Quarterly through the LWML group in your church or individually by logging on to the www.lwml.org Web site and connecting to the Quarterly link. Get yours today!

What's happening ...

The first Sunday in October is traditionally set aside as LWML Sunday ­ a celebration of LWML in our churches. You will find materials for this highlighted in the product promotion section of this newsletter. There are many ways to celebrate LWML Sunday with your church. Wear your LWML jewelry and apparel that day. Ask your pastor if you or another member can speak about a mission grant or be a reader during the service. Invite girls 11-17 to assist that day as greeters. Make this a special day and educate your congregation about the awesome things happening with women in mission.

Product Promotion

This summer the LWML Sunday materials should have arrived at your church. The theme for this year's LWML Sunday is "Let There Be Light." These materials are full of useful resources and wonderful Celebration Activities for LWML Sunday at your church. Specifics items in the materials include a sample of the LWML Sunday worship service bulletin. These can be ordered through the LWML office. Also included is a sermon written by Rev. Dr. Charles S. Mueller. A children's sermon and an LWML Sunday 2006 Banner Pattern are also in the materials.

LWML Executive Committee

When I was in grade school, I had a special friend who let me borrow books from her. She had many stories about missionaries and I would devour them. What wonderful examples of faith, courage and God's provision. Things haven't changed much as I have gotten older. I still am very interested in what is happening with our missionaries out on the field. LCMS World Missions does a very good job of bringing those stories to us so that we can catch the spirit of what is going on as the Gospel is being shared.

As I became a young woman that mission spirit was still there. I finally got involved with Lutheran Women's Missionary League (finding that it was more than a sewing group). What I found was that mission was the main emphasis of this group. I loved going to the retreats and conventions and actually meeting and listening to the missionaries.

What does this have to do with you as a young woman? There are various phases that each of us goes through in our life experiences and God is leading in each of our individual ways. We might be totally involved in our LWML group at church or we might just be too busy with other things like work and children. But LWML offers ways to still be involved in that mission emphasis. One of the best ways is to remember those mites and missions with our mite boxes. And prayer for where those mites will go is always an important element.

Perhaps you can join in a Bible study, a retreat, a servant event or an outreach event that your group is sponsoring. However God is leading you, catch that mission spirit and remember you can be a part of it without necessarily attending formal meetings. The message of God's love can shine in each of us with our various gifts and talents being used.