Routines

How do you begin each God-given day? I once heard an interview in which the speaker suggested that making your bed first thing in the morning gives you a sense of accomplishment, thereby encouraging you to tackle the remaining tasks outlined for the day. That thought has stuck in my mind and has produced a feeling of, “Okay, I’m ready for what’s next!”

However, even better is beginning each day with a devotion. A Mustard Seed Devotion? Portals of Prayer devotion? A special daily devotion book? Using a schedule for reading the Bible in a year? No matter what devotion routine you use, it’s the best way to start your day — even better than making your bed.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16).

May your daily routine begin with the Lord. The LWML home page tab “The Word,” the LWML app, and LWML On The Go Podcasts are excellent resources for starting good routines.

Char Kroemer

Vice President of Communication
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Reflecting the Immense Love of God

The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2).

Have you ever looked at your reflection in a pool of water? Imagine seeing the Spirit of God reflected there! God’s Spirit created faith in your heart at Baptism, and you now reflect God to the world. Water is vital to maintain life — without water we all would die. Without faith our soul will perish.

A favorite family photo shows my husband, an LCMS pastor, baptizing our grandchild. What a thrill to witness the Spirit of God creating faith and bringing another child into His heavenly family!

God wants us to help spread the Good News of Jesus throughout the world so all people can be in His family. LWML mission grants we support with our mites and prayers help bring souls to Christ. May we always reflect the immense love of God as we strive to live for Him!

Arlene Naasz

Meeting Manager
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Come, Spend Time with Me

During the last year, life has been turned upside down. Many of us were ordered into isolation as the virus spiked all over the country. I had time at home that I don’t normally have. And here was God saying, “Come, spend time with Me.”

I looked up Bible verses on diseases, crises, encouragement, and hope. A verse that spoke to me loudly was, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you (Jeremiah 29:11–12). Many of us are very familiar with verse 11, but verse 12 is key. God has plans for us, but we also need to call upon Him; pray and He will answer.

As Lutheran Women in Mission, we share God’s Word through LWML Bible studies and devotions, especially in isolation.

Susan Donnelly

Public Relations Director 
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won!

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Victory! That is what today is all about! Sin and death are defeated. Jesus has won the victory and has promised that His victory is ours. Sin cannot beat us down, for Christ has borne it away. The grave cannot hold us because it could not hold Jesus. Life eternal is ours because Jesus lives.

This is especially good news this year since many of us could not celebrate Easter with our church family last year. Today, Christ’s victory seems even more joyful as full-throated “alleluias” will be spoken, Easter lilies carry the smell of the resurrection, and we will partake of the Lamb’s high feast. It is a celebration of Christ’s victory, and it is a celebration of the resurrected life He gives us.

Rejoice, dear saints of God, for victory is ours in Christ. And with the Church, let the world hear it this year: “Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”

Rev. Brian Noack

Junior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Good for Us

and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5c).

It is a day that we have come to call “good” even though it does not seem there is much good about it. The Christ, the Lamb of God, dies on the cross, and it is all our fault. Our sin — yours and mine — put Him there to suffer, bleed, and die.

But without this cross, without these wounds, and without this death, there would be no hope for us. Christ bears our sin upon Himself, but in the wounds made in His hands, feet, and side, we are healed eternally.

That is why today is called “Good” Friday. The innocent Lamb of God is slain for us. By His wounds we find healing for body and soul and, washed in His blood, we are heirs of eternal life. Today is a good day for us, and it is also good for our Lord. In love, He has healed us and secured our place in His kingdom forever.

Rev. Brian Noack

Junior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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There is no greater love than one lay down his life for his friend. We hear about this from time to time. A soldier giving his life to save that of his fellow soldiers. We are amazed at that taking place. We will often wonder, “Would I do that if I was in that situation?”

That great love is shown to us on this day, Maundy Thursday. This is the day that begins the final 24 hours of Jesus’ earthly life prior to His resurrection. It was on this night that He gathered with His disciples in the upper room, where He washed their feet, instituted the blessed Sacrament, and told them what was going to take place later that night. We recall all those events.

The one event that gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect upon what Jesus is doing happens week after week in our churches. Every time the Words of Institution are spoken over the elements of bread and wine, we hear of no greater love. We believe that as we receive the bread and wine in the Sacrament, we also receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Sacrament reminds us of His life, death and resurrection. We have the opportunity to receive the life-giving body and blood of Jesus, to receive the forgiveness of sins, to be strengthened in faith and assured of life eternal. All of this comes from the heart of love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

No greater love than what we see in this Sacrament. We will move from the Table to the Garden to the Trial and then to Calvary. We will shudder when we hear of His death. Even as we do, we will see that there is no greater love than what we receive right there at the altar. The Lord loved us so much, that He gave Himself for us. In the Sacrament, He continues to show us that love as He gives us that life-giving body and blood.

Take eat … take drink … for this is given for you. His love is given to you.

Rev. Mitchel Schuessler

Senior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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A Week of Ups and Downs

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him (Philippians 2:8–9a).

Holy Week moves quickly through numerous ups and downs. From the cheers of Palm Sunday’s “Hosanna!” to the jeers of Good Friday’s “Crucify him!” to the news of Jesus’ resurrection, it is enough to make one’s head spin.

Our lives are like that, as one minute we are up, then down, and back up again. Walking with Christ in Holy Week reminds us that He meets us where we are to make our ups more joyful, and our downs more hopeful. Up or down, we can live confidently because Christ gives us forgiveness, grace, victory over the grave, and unending life.

As we move through Holy Week, may the ups and downs of the events of Christ’s life bring hope to your own knowing that, in the end, our Lord shall bring us into the joy of the resurrected life.

Rev. Brian Noack

Junior Pastoral Counselor
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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