The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).
This confession of St. Peter is one of the most succinct and powerful confessions of the Christ in all of Scripture. Our Lord is no mere friend or rabbi or miracle worker. He is the Christ, the Son of God, and our Savior and Redeemer. So great was this confession that Jesus goes on to say that He will build His Church upon that very confession. It is a confession that can be on our lips as we interact with the people of the world. One of the great gifts that you can leave your family is not monetary or even of earthly value. By crafting a Christian preamble, you can leave behind a confession of your faith and your hope. This can be a tremendous comfort to family members and serve as a witness to your hope in Christ to those who may even be disconnected from the Church. Our gift planning counselors can help you with crafting such a preamble, along with discussing how you might bless your family or charitable organizations like LWML. Simple statements and simple gifts can have a big impact, pointing loved ones to Christ as our hope and salvation and life eternal.
Posted on
August 27, 2023 5:00 AM
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System Administrator
The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David” (Matthew 15:22a).
The Canaanite woman is surely a wonderful example of faith in our Lord’s ability to deliver mercy. As a sort of outsider, she was not held in high regard in society. And yet, she knew that Jesus could do something about her situation, for she called Him Lord. We all have moments where we find ourselves helpless and simply want to throw up our hands. For the faithful, we know that such times call for us to pray for the Lord’s mercy to come to us too. But what about those who do not know the Lord or His merciful inclination toward us? The LWML seeks to connect people to the Lord of mercy by supporting missions and encouraging women toward lives of service where mercy can be given to those in need. Gifts of Love is a ministry which helps individuals and families find ways to support LWML or other charitable organizations through a legacy gift or other kinds of donations in the present time, so that the Lord’s mercy and Word may continue to reach those who need it most. Contact our counselors and see how you might support Gifts of Love and help bring mercy to those who are on the fringes, so that they may look to Jesus for divine help and aid.
Posted on
August 20, 2023 5:00 AM
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System Administrator
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27).
What a frightful time this must have been for the disciples! They were straining at the oars and beaten by the waves, and now they were terrified by what they thought was a ghost. In the midst of this terror, the voice of Jesus cuts through: Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid. Such words were spoken to assure the disciples that they were not alone, that things would be okay, and that Jesus would be with them to bring calm and peace. In many ways, this is what the work of LWML is all about. Our mission is to bring the Gospel to people and places where fear rules the day and where unrest abounds. Through support of missionaries and mercy work, the voice of Jesus also cuts through the chaos and calls people to see the peace which only Christ can bring. By your gift to LWML through Gifts of Love, you can aid us in continuing this important work for generations to come. There are many more people who sit in fear and are in need of hope. Together, we can point people to Jesus and to His assurance in all things: Do not be afraid.
Posted on
August 13, 2023 5:00 AM
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System Administrator
The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish” (Matthew 14:17).
The story of the feeding of the five thousand is one of the most beloved stories in Scripture. While the disciples wanted to send people away because they didn’t think they had enough to be helpful, Jesus had compassion on the crowd. Out of meager resources, our Lord fed the multitudes with plenty left over. When it comes to considering things like estate planning or other charitable contributions, some might think that they don’t really have enough to make much of an impact. Yet as our Lord shows us again and again, he can do a lot with just a little. In fact, LWML itself is a powerful witness to our Lord’s work, for out of our mite offerings we have been able to support mission work in ways that have made a great impact. It is not the size of the gift that matters, for God can use anything to accomplish greatness. Contact one of our gift planning counselors today and see how even a small gift can have a lasting impact on the work of Gospel proclamation and feeding the masses on the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.
Posted on
August 06, 2023 5:00 AM
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System Administrator
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32).
Tucked away in this passage that is usually reserved for funerals are these amazing words. God has already given us His Son Jesus — gave Him up to death on the cross — and so how will He not give us everything else as well? In other words, we are already inheritors of everything that God can give, so we do not need to be concerned about our daily bread or our eternal salvation. This is the kind of gracious God we serve, and the very gracious God we seek to proclaim into all the world. Gifts of Love seeks to connect people with opportunities to support the LWML with charitable gifts so that its mission of proclaiming Christ and supporting missions may carry on in future generations. Your support of Gifts of Love either through a current donation or an estate gift, can be a blessing in pointing many more to the gracious God who has given everything to save us in His Son. He also promises us His very kingdom and a life that knows no end. God certainly has given us all things!
Posted on
July 30, 2023 5:00 AM
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System Administrator
The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).
Struggles with sin, illness, facing our mortality, the loss of a loved one. These are the kinds of things that bring suffering into our lives, and to experience them is usually not fun and to endure them is difficult. As Christians, however, we live in hope. Whatever the Lord allows us to suffer in this life is nothing in comparison to the glory He will bring us to eternally. Again, while facing our mortality is not fun, part of the reason for thinking about it and establishing a charitable gift plan is so that when our loved ones are going through a time of mourning for us, they will have guidance as to our wishes, lessening the burden upon them. Our gift planning counselors can help walk you through a step-by-step process to consider your options and help to ensure that your desires are carried out through this plan. Your family can be blessed in knowing you have cared for them, and charitable organizations like LWML can also be blessed when you include them in your plan as well. What a comfort it is to know that, despite the sufferings of the present time, we have a glory that Christ is ready to reveal to us when He calls us home!
Posted on
July 23, 2023 5:00 AM
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System Administrator
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him (Romans 8:16–17).
This is one of the beautiful promises for every child baptized into Christ. We become children of God and coheirs with Christ in the kingdom of God. This is why we refer to our fellow Christians as brothers and sisters in Christ — we are altogether heirs of God! Oftentimes, when it comes to thinking about estate planning, it is our heirs that we are most concerned about. While we may be able to leave them with things or an inheritance of some kind, there is no greater treasure to leave than a witness to our eternal inheritance in Christ. Did you know that you can include a Christian Preamble to your will? This is an opportunity to declare how important your heavenly inheritance has been for you so that your family may hear of it after you are with the Lord. Our gift planning counselors can you help in crafting a Christian preamble that is ready to include in your will. This is a wonderful opportunity to bear witness to your hope by proclaiming the inheritance our Lord gives us, securing us a place as heirs in His kingdom forever.
Posted on
July 16, 2023 5:00 AM
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System Administrator
