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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It’s spring! The vernal equinox on March 20th marks the time when we have days and nights in equal proportions — exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.

When spring arrived in Northwest Missouri where I grew up, it was marked with sprouts of early flowers — crocuses, hyacinths, and daffodils. As the flowers broke through the winter-hardened soil, they brought new life to what had seemed so dead and lifeless just days before.

In the northern climate where I currently live, ground-breaking plants are nowhere near ready to pop up their colorful heads. We still have many feet of snow waiting to be melted by the warm sunshine. It will be another month before we will enjoy seeing spring flowers.

Nancy Kohrs’ devotion, “New Growth — Again” (on the LWML website), brings the message that “new growth” in God’s kingdom is all His doing. What a wonderful reminder of the many blessings God has given — especially new life in Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Deaconess Betty Knapp

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

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As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem (Luke 9:51 NIV).

We have been anxiously awaiting many things in the past year — vaccinations to be administered, schools to open, jobs to resume, and hugs to be given. We wonder what the future holds.

Can you imagine what the waiting must have been like for Jesus as the time was drawing near for Him to suffer and die? He knew exactly what was ahead for Him, and yet He resolutely set out for Jerusalem (Luke 9:51b). Nothing would deter Him from the mission that was His from the time the world began. Jesus knew He would suffer in terrible ways — but His love for us would not allow for anything less than taking the punishment for our sins upon Himself, so that we would be redeemed and have eternal life with Him in heaven.

Our world desperately needs to know about the love that Jesus has for us. In using the LWML Toolkit Kits, we have real ways to bless our neighbors’ physical needs, as well as sharing God’s message of love through Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Mary Smith

Chairman, Structure Committee 
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Who are we? What do we do? Why do we exist? These were the questions that were asked of the LWML Visioning Committee when tasked with revising the LWML mission statement.

Our committee’s discussions came down to one central theme: the LWML is who we are because of Whose we are — we belong to Christ. His love enables us to use our gifts, time, and treasure to proclaim His love and to serve others. This is what makes the LWML “who we are.” What a great blessing it has been to work with the incredible members of the Visioning Committee who developed the following mission statement:

As Lutheran Women in Mission, we joyfully proclaim Christ, support missions, and equip women to honor God by serving others.

Learn more about the mission and vision of the LWML; go to our website and click the Who We Are link under the “About” tab. Here you will learn more about why, for over 79 years, Lutheran Women in Mission have been serving the Lord with gladness!

Michelle Jenks

Strategic Plan Facilitator
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (James 1:2–3).

Problems, trials, troubles, and the testing of our faith can either strengthen us or break us. As much as I want to seek Him with all my heart, I stumble and fall short — every day! When we read God’s Word, we are reminded that He wants us to keep seeking Him even when our challenges and the world pull us away. He does not expect perfection from us, but He does want us to keep seeking Him in Word and in prayer. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). What a wonderful reminder that all things work together for good!

Do you need some encouragement when going through problems, trials, or troubles? Check out one of the many topics for Bible studies and devotions at www.lwml.org/program-helps-bible-studies.

Karla Koehler

Treasurer
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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In unpacking an old LWML box, I found a padded envelope containing a letter from Past LWML President Linda Reiser and a lovely embroidered handkerchief from the 2005 LWML Tampa Convention. It reminded me why I love this organization and the women and men with whom I serve.

The handkerchief was an inspirational reminder from Rev. Barry Keurulainen’s sermon during the convention’s opening worship service. He shared these words, quoting theologian Frederick Buechner: “In His holy flirtation with the world, God occasionally drops a handkerchief in the naïve hope that the world, that someone, will notice and pick it up and give it back and in so doing notice God.”

I have been blessed by the many handkerchiefs that God has dropped at my feet. Whether He inspired me to serve as a district delegate or as a national LWML Recording Secretary, He has led me on a path to be HIS servant.

May the dropped handkerchiefs in your path inspire you in your service to the Lord! All you need to do is pick them up.

Ginger Starrett

Recording Secretary
Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

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