Summer Devotions 2006 - Lutheran Indian Ministries

Lutheran Association of Missionaries
and Pilots U.S. is a cross cultural
Ministry sharing the Gospel of Jesus
Christ in partnership with individuals
and communities through mutual
witness, nurture and discipleship.
Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S.
3525 North 124th St., Suite 1 • Brookfield,WI 53005-2498
Phone (262) 783-5267 • Fax (262) 783-5290
Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S.
Council for Lutheran American Indian Ministries
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LUTHERAN ASSOCIATION OF
MISSIONARIES AND PILOTS, U.S.
Dear Friend,
We consider it a great privilege to share with
you the Summer 2006 Devotions. It is our hope
and prayer that you will find inspiration and
encouragement in these pages.
All of the authors are members of our ministry
staff and our ministry partner in Canada, My
People International, or have been involved
with us as volunteers. The stories they share
grow out of their experiences in ministry as
well as their own journey of faith.
Your generous gifts and prayers enable us to share the Good News of
Jesus with the lost in scattered and often very remote places in North
America. Please consider how you can help us to continue to take
God’s message of hope and healing to His children in the North.
Your partnership in this ministry can truly make a difference.
May the Spirit continue to hold you in the strong embrace of Jesus
Christ!
With sincere appreciation,
Rev. Dr. Don Johnson
Executive Director
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Proclaiming the Cross
Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S.
2006 Summer Devotions
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this
not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no
one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses are taken from The New International Version
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SUNDAY • WEEK ONE
1 Peter 5:7
Secure Trust
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
A fathom is 6 feet. The CHRISTIAN had 60 fathoms of 5/8" steel
cable attached to 10 fathoms of 1/2" chain attached to a 50 kilogram (110
pound) Bruce anchor. If you do the math, that's 420 feet of anchor cable
and chain. Seems adequate, right?
Well, last summer I cut off and threw away the lower 5 fathoms of
cable. I then reattached the chain with a new thimble and three new cable
clamps.
Why, you might wonder, did I bother?
Well, that lower part of the cable was becoming worn. It looked weak.
I lost confidence in it. When the wind kicked up and the strain grew ever
more taut I wondered if it would hold. At night in wind I couldn't sleep.
Why?
I had lost confidence in the integrity of the cable. I didn’t believe it
would keep me off the rocks if the wind blew hard. Now my trust is back.
The ground tackle is strong. I sleep better at night. Even when the wind
kicks up and the waves grow larger.
Jesus says that He is my Good Shepherd, Bread of Life, Living Water,
and the Vine to which I am attached. But I also like to think of Him as my
Ground Tackle. He keeps me safe in the summers and winters of my life.
He will not fail. I can confidently believe I am held securely in the palm
of His hand even when the winds kick up and the boat that is my life
begins to experience storms.
When I trust myself, that is rely on my own resources, I become vulnerable like a worn, fragile link on an old chain. What a mistake! But a
confident trust in Jesus holds the boat that is my life secure.
I believe, Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. In your name I pray, Amen.
Rev. Elvin Borg
Skipper, M/V Christian
Wrangell, Alaska
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MONDAY • WEEK ONE
Psalm 65:3
When You Are in Trouble
“When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.”
The morning sunshine greeted my friend and me with the promise of warmth
and good fishing. My friend Bill and I enjoyed the ocean. And especially the thrill of
catching salmon at the peak of the run on a warm day and a flat ocean! We were having so much fun we hardly noticed the wind or the clouds building up on the horizon
far to the southwest.
My first indication of trouble was a distant island suddenly looming much closer! All the more alarming because our little 18 foot boat was pointed in the opposite
direction. The current and strong wind along with a tide change was sucking us dangerously toward the rocks. Even more ominous, the gently ocean waves had suddenly
become roughly the size of a house. They were frequent and breaking at their peak.
Thoughts of turning around and heading toward safer waters were soon discouraged
by the realization that my boat would soon be swamped from the back end (the transom) if I tried to run with the breaking swells. Our only hope was to point the bow
of the boat straight into the swells – out farther into the ocean and to the north side
of the island! I remembered my Dad’s counsel, “If you ever get caught in this place,
go north until you get to the other side of the island. There the swells will lose their
strength and you can turn around and reach safer waters on the opposite side of the
island.” I believe our lives were saved that day because I followed my Dad’s counsel.
How closely this mirrors the human experience with sin. We can be going along
fine in life. Everything seems promising. But then suddenly, with out warning we are
caught in a dangerous place of temptation or in a circumstance that threatens or even
causes our faith to suffer shipwreck. More than one Christian has experienced this in
their life. That’s why the Apostle Paul encouraged vigilance in our Christian walk
and why Peter spoke of Satan prowling around like a roaring lion seeking to devour
us. (1 Peter 5:8)
Clearly we have to always be on guard. Nothing better prepares us for threats to
our faith than familiarity with God’s Word, faith in His power to save and the willingness to obey. When confronted with imminent danger on the seas, I quickly realized the hopelessness of our situation. Instead I recalled my father’s advice and
found safety. I have discovered this pattern from nature repeated over and over again
in the spiritual areas of my life. I have also learned that even when I take a wrong
turn God is good and gracious to forgive sin and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Because in truth, we are always in need of God’s grace to find our way through
life. As the Psalmist affirms, “when we were overwhelmed by sin, you forgave our
transgressions.”
Dear Father God, thank you for your mercy when we need it, your Word to guide us
safely through life and your Son, Jesus who by His life, death and resurrection makes
this possible. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Rev. Dr. Don Johnson
Executive Director
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TUESDAY • WEEK ONE
1 Thessalonians: 5:18
Intimacy with God
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in
Christ Jesus.”
As I look around the Native gatherings we attend for ministry, I see
Christian sisters and brothers loving and serving the Lord. In each gathering, conference or meeting we experience and witness growth in relationship with one another and with God. I thank God for all of those whom
God has called.
What I have learned through these past years through our ministry
with our people is this: although God wants us to serve Him in spreading
the Good News of His salvation, God wants first of all to have a deep and
growing relationship with each of us. He yearns for us to have intimate
fellowship with Him above all else.
When this occurs, we won’t have to wonder about the will of God for
our lives, or how to know when God speaks through His Holy Spirit.
When our relationship with Him is deep and intimate then we will readily
hear the Holy Spirit when He asks, “Will you go? Will you befriend that
person over there, will you encourage this one, and will you witness of
my love through Jesus over there to that one?”
More often than not, when our relationship with God becomes as God
desires, the blessings we receive run over into the lives of others. And so
it has been for us. As God has encouraged us to walk more intimately so
also have our three children observed and responded to re-dedicate their
lives to a close walk with God. What’s more, God initially brought them
to Edmonton to be close to us only to move each of them out in one direction or another to serve!
Father, thank you for staying near me – even when I was heading in my
own direction. Thank you for being faithful each day to make me aware of
your presence; being beside me every day of my life. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Bev LeBlanc
Evansburg, Alberta
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WEDNESDAY • WEEK ONE
Malachi 4:5,6
Only a Middle Man
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their
children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike
the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
Luke 1:17 says that John the Baptist accomplished this. He prepared
the way for Jesus!
In a much more insignificant way, my ministry in Neah Bay is somewhat like that of a John the Baptist, Jr. I am merely “a middle man”
preparing the way for effective ministry by Lutheran Native Americans.
That is the vision of Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S.
– to see Native Americans rising up, called by the Holy Spirit, serving as
Christian leaders in their own communities and beyond!
David Sternbeck, your brother in Christ is one such man. He is a man
of God! Blessed with a sharp memory and hunger for God’s Word to
reach the lives of his people, David studies through Concordia
Theological Seminary, St. Louis, and ministers to the people on the
Olympic Peninsula of Washington. Lord willing, he will be a vicar in the
LCMS by the time you read this. I am blessed to mentor another man
whose faith in Jesus is developing. Perhaps by the time you read this he
may be overseeing ministry at the Christian Youth Center in Neah Bay.
Gordon is another Makah man who is receiving distance education
through the Leadership Advancement Process, Concordia University,
Portland, Oregon.
As you can see, God is greatly enhancing this ministry. Members of
the congregation, gathering regularly for Word and Sacrament, are ever
more ready and willing to lend helpful ministry hands as we proclaim the
message of God’s Son, Jesus Christ-Incarnate, crucified, resurrected and
returning.
Magnificent God, thank you for giving us your Word and sacraments
through which your Spirit is at work equipping all nations to effectively
proclaim the life saving message of Jesus Christ. In your name we pray,
Amen.
Reverend Dale Heinlein
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THURSDAY • WEEK ONE
1 Thessalonians 3:12
Leading in Love, Honor, and Faithfulness
“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and
for everyone else, just as ours does for you.”
For 100 years Chief Peter John lived with and watched over his people. He
saw the Creator in the world around him, knowing that his needs were met by
His bounty, the seasons provided for the people, and their cares were carried by
the Spirit of the Creator. Grace came to the people of the land from the Creator.
When the Savior was revealed to his people the chief was among the first to
come to faith in Jesus, and all his life he shared his faith with his people.
As a traditional chief he encouraged and challenged his people to follow
the way of discipleship and new life in Jesus Christ. During the years of development in the north the chief warned the people not to fall into the temptations
of the world, but honor traditional values and be strong in the Lord. He praised
the young as the investment of the future, long before it was common to do so
in our culture. He was able to share stories with young people about the past as
it applied lessons to the current time, and often shared visions of the future. He
spoke with love for the land and honor among all peoples.
I was privileged to know the chief for a number of years and he spoke to
me about ministry and Christian love. Peter John honored our ministry by sharing with us the lifework of showing Jesus in daily living. He valued our ministry as partners who came to ministry in brotherhood. He spent his life in leadership to the native community, sharing his love for the communities who
shared his joys and challenges through the years. He shared stories of faith and
leaders, and a vision that people would come from the native community to the
world at large, bringing healing and reconciliation to people of different cultures. He was thankful to God for the blessings and spiritual gifts within his
people, and was open to declare them. He always had Jesus first in his life.
The chief reminded me of the apostle Paul, declaring the risen Lord daily,
encouraging others in faith, thrilled to share Jesus in the world. One of his
prayers was for his people to love each other as Jesus loves them. Today his
memory is honored in the hearts of people across the north, by his community,
and in memorial buildings named in his honor. May the example of his faith
continue to encourage us as we declare the Savior to a lost and hurting world.
Heavenly Father, thank you for pastors and faith leaders that care for your
people. Help us to care and honor them to your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Dan Treakle
Lay Minister/Pilot
Fairbanks, Alaska
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Northern Lights Fellowship
The Northern Lights Fellowship recognizes the men and
women who have made a special commitment to the long-term
ministry of Lutheran Association of Missionaries & Pilots U.S.
through a bequest, charitable gift annuity, trust agreement, life
insurance program or other estate gift.
To become a member, simply notify our office when a
planned gift is made. While estate plans remain anonymous,
membership in the Fellowship encourages other friends to
remember Lutheran Association of Missionaries & Pilots U.S. in
their estate planning.
As a special expression of our gratitude to members of
the Northern Light Fellowship, we are pleased to offer a beautiful print of a watercolor painting by Mary Johnson, gifted artist
and wife of our Executive Director, Reverend Dr. Don Johnson.
… Your Legacy of Faith and Love …
Yes!
■ I have already remembered Lutheran Association of
Missionaries & Pilots U.S. in my Will or Estate
Plans. Please enroll me in the Northern Lights Fellowship.
Name _______________________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________
City ________________________________________________________
State _____________________ Zip Code _______________________
■ Please contact me.
Phone Number: ____________________________________
Please detach and return this form to the address below. Thank
you!
Al Kahlfeldt
Director of Development
Lutheran Association of Missionaries & Pilots U.S.
3525 North 124th St, Suite 1
Brookfield, WI 53005-2498
(262) 783-5267
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FRIDAY • WEEK ONE
Matthew 11:30
Safe in His Presence
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest.”
There is a picture that I particularly like. It is a picture of Jesus holding a
little boy, talking to him gently as He is showing him a pretty blue butterfly
fluttering at the tip of his finger. You can see the child’s response to this
attention in his facial expression and in the way he is also pointing, to the
butterfly. The child’s expression reflects his response as one of openness and
trust. The child seems so content.
I have always been drawn to this picture. In fact I have it in our office in
front of our computer where I can see it. The picture reminds me of what it
can be like or should be like if I fully comprehend what it is to be in the
presence of Jesus. To be in the presence of Jesus means I can put my guard
down against the things that harass my being. Like the child in the picture I
too, can respond to Jesus in openness and trust. Openness and trust that
comes from knowing that you are safe when you are in the presence of
Jesus. Openness and trust that comes from understanding that the One who is
caring for me, is able. That I can pause and see the beauty of life and nature
that is around me. In this picture it is the little boy who is in the presence of
Jesus and Jesus is pointing out the beauty of the nature around him, and ultimately the goodness of life.
This picture has become a personal challenge for me to keep on going to
Christ to find my rest from the complexities of life that seem to continually
bear down on my being. As well, it is a reminder for me to keep going to
Christ in order to see the beauty that is around me, the beauty of life and the
beauty of nature. It is as if Jesus is calling us to come into His Presence to
find that sense of security that brings rest to our being. We can go into His
presence so that we can see the goodness in life and the beauty in life. Often
this is the image that comes to my mind when the storms of life come. Yes, it
is only when we are in the presence of Christ that we find rest and see the
beauty that is around us both in life and nature. Pause for a moment this
week and ask yourself what it means for you to be in His presence.
Dear Jesus, Thank you that there is a place for me to go when life seems so
hard. Thank you that there is a place for me to rest, and begin to see the
beauty that is around me. Help me today to find that place again. In Jesus’
Name, Amen.
Linda Martin
Ministry Staff
Sioux Lookout, Ontario
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SATURDAY • WEEK ONE
Eph 2:14
Made One by the Blood of Christ
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been
brought near by the blood of Christ.”
Last June I had the opportunity to visit Kentucky. I was there to visit a
friend of mine who is starting a training center for people interested in
reaching out to Native American people. It was a beautiful evening and I
was struck by the stars. We were staying out in the country and the stars
were so bright but there were other lights in the night. For the first time in
my 45 years I saw fireflies. It was amazing that they could somehow create light, like little stars in the edge of the forest. I was struck by the
diversity of and wonder of God’s creation. I also saw two orioles, again
examples of the diversity of God’s creation because I did not see them
when I was growing up.
All this got me thinking about the diversity among people. Why does
the world have such a hard time embracing the diversity that exists among
people? We do a ministry among people who have been wounded, not
usually by circumstances or nature, but by other people. The Good News
is that Jesus came to bring reconciliation – He came to make people and
God friends again, but also people and other people.
Eph 2: 13-14 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have
been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace,
who had made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing
wall of hostility…
As we bring the Good News to people across Canada and the USA we
are embracing the diversity that God has made. And the Jesus who, by His
sacrificial death and resurrection destroyed the walls of separation
between us – and especially our God.
Dear Father, thanks for sending your Son Jesus to be our Savior from sin
and the One who makes us part of your family. In His name we pray,
Amen.
Ray Aldred
Ministry Staff
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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SUNDAY • WEEK TWO
1 Timothy 1:18-19
Drifting From Shore
“This is the charge which I entrust to you, my son Timothy....you may be continually fighting the good fight, holding fast to faith and a clear conscience,
which some have cast aside and have made shipwreck of their faith.” (Weymouth
New Testament)
One windy summer day my youngest daughter and I were enjoying the
waves of Lake Erie at Port Dover. The wind was blowing offshore when we
decided to swim out on our air tubes to the buoy marking the end of the swimming area. We also had to swim across the surface current to get to the marker.
We were winded when we got to our goal. Then we had to fight the current
to get back to shallow water. I told my daughter to swim toward a building to the
left of our goal. She needed to swim in that direction to get where we wanted to
go because of the current. We wanted to avoid the rocks on shore and the cement
pier on our right. I was very relieved to touch the sandy bottom and to get rid of
the fleeting thoughts of drifting to the middle of Lake Erie and having to be rescued.
If we don’t fix our eyes on a solid reference point we could drift off course
and be dashed against the rocks. The Apostle Paul told his protégé Timothy that
some people have “made shipwreck of their faith.” We must hold fast to our faith
in Jesus and serve Him with a clear conscience. Jesus is our solid reference point
for every generation and culture.
We also must adapt to the current conditions and swim or pilot our ship
accordingly. Sometimes we must push to the left to fight the pull to the right, as
my daughter and I had to, to get back to shore where we wanted. We must take
into consideration the culture of our times when we present the timeless message
of the cross. We don’t do this because our message changes or because God
changes. People change and cultures change. Our cultural context changes and
we must adjust.
Today there is a widespread revival of the traditional Native culture and a
blending of traditions in a modern/traditional Native culture. If we only criticize
and belittle the things people hold dearly to we miss our opportunity to share the
Good News with them. Our lives changed by Jesus is the loudest critique we can
give. Jesus is the answer for full-blooded and New Age Indians and people of all
cultures.
Dear Jesus, please show up in the middle of our encounters with other people
and show us both Your love for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Adrian Jacobs
Ministry Staff
Brantford, Ontario
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MONDAY • WEEK TWO
Matthew 6:19-21
“Treasure”
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and
rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where
thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your
heart will be also.”
Her face was beaming....she had found the treasure and was holding the
chest proudly in her hands. As I quickly walked towards her, I was a little
unsure as to how I was going to handle the situation. We were enjoying a
pirate themed “Lock In” at the Christian Youth Center (CYC) on this particular evening to learn about Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there
your heart will be also.”
We looked like pirates with eye patches covering one eye and bandana’s
on our heads as we were involved in a scavenger hunt to find “treasure”.
Everyone was working through the clues with great enthusiasm, but Lesly
was the one to find the “treasure” first. The “treasure” consisted of a cardboard treasure chest filled with candy bars wrapped in gold construction
paper to look like treasure, but over the gold wrapping was a boldly printed
Bible verse containing the real treasure, God’s Word. The problem was that I
had intended for each person to take a piece of treasure from the chest as
they found it, not the entire chest. But as I looked on Lesly’s beaming face I
could not deny her the joy of having found the entire treasure and not just a
“piece” of it. I could not refrain myself from smiling completely with my
face and heart, and share in her joy.
This is the joy Christian’s share for we realize that the true treasure on
this earth is being able to read, study, believe and share God’s Word. Our
treasure is learning of God’s great love for us, believing that Jesus died for
our sins and by grace we are saved. With that Good News, we can smile at
each other with beaming faces in true joy. And why stop with a “piece” of
the treasure – hold onto the entire treasure like Lesly did! She was more than
happy to share the treasure she found with everyone as God’s Word is meant
to be shared.
Dear Lord, thank you for your Word and the true treasure that you have
given to us. May we always put our trust in you and seek after the true
treasure and not the treasures of this world. May we beam with joy as we
share the Word with each other and as we are a witness to our neighbors.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Dianne Heinlein
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TUESDAY • WEEK TWO
Psalm 34.8
Wild at Heart
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in
him.”
“Dad”, she said, “I woke up this morning blind. All I can see is what looks like
snow.” My Cree foster daughter has been plagued with two bad illnesses: epilepsy
and Bechets syndrome. Now an adult and on her own far away we stay connected
mostly by phone. Recently she reported this major sight problem. It was not wintertime when all she saw was snow. As we recalled many other serious health crisis’ in
years gone by, we also remembered there was always a turn-around in her condition.
That which looked like disaster, in the end was resolved and healed. This time we
were able to see beyond the temporary blinding condition in trust that the Lord (and
modern medicine) would restore her sight once again. This time we saw it as another
adventure in the exciting life God has given us. The episodes of blindness seem as
mysterious in how they were healed as what brought them on in the first place. We’re
going to get through this problem…God has always proven to be faithful. And far
beyond that, when God finally calls us home, what an incredible adventure that’s
going to be.
In his excellent men’s book, Wild at Heart, John Eldredge, says:
“The most important aspects of any one’s world are his relationship with his
God and with the people in his life, his calling in life, and the spiritual battles
he’ll face; every one of them is filled with mystery. But that is not a bad thing; it
is a joyful, rich part of reality and essential to our soul’s thirst for adventure.”
Life, he says, is an adventure to be lived, and not a problem to be solved. I like that!
To look at life like that could change one’s whole outlook in times of crisis and
uncertainty. Life’s an adventure!
This summer some of you who read this will be on some sort of mission trip
somewhere in the world. Or you will be vacationing and traveling. You will be
involved in adventures and sometimes crisis situations. Our VBS teachers, sports
camp and servant event volunteers give us feedback from their summer experiences.
Most often reports come in of last minute changes, something counted on not coming through, bad weather or forest fire-caused flight changes, more (or fewer) children showing up than anticipated. Yet each team seems to make the best out of
unforeseen situations. How boring life would be if everything was predictable.
People do tend to have a thirst for adventure. In Wycliffe’s jungle training camp
years ago, the theme song was: “The Lord knows the way through the wilderness; all
we have to do is follow.” God’s Son in the flesh, Jesus, faced the ultimate wilderness
and ‘adventure’ in His time on planet earth. May He not only be our role model but
our Companion, our Rescuer, our Healer and the One we call out to for sight and
direction and safety.
Lord, you alone know the end right from the beginning. Help us to look at what ever
comes our way as part of the great adventure we are on, with you right by our side.
You are a good God, one we can fully count on. Thanks for life, thanks for this day.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Tim Stime Coordinator of Volunteer Service Onoway, Alberta
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WEDNESDAY • WEEK TWO
Luke 10:20
What Does Your Name Mean?
“Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
“Tinkertoy to Too Much Fun.” One boat was calling another on the
VHF radio here in Southeast Alaska.
Some boat names are playful. Some, like Christopher David, in memory of a young man, are solid. Sunrise, Marianna, Christian – each boat
has a name.
Some people in our area go by interesting names too: Puzzy, Chicken,
Lovey, Stretch, Dutch, Sequoia, Joe Hollywood. Many names have meanings: Grace and Joy. Alice Elizabeth means “Truth, Consecrated to God.”
Names are interesting. But what does your name really mean?
The meaning of your name – the true value and delight of it – resides
in what the Bible says about it. “Rejoice for your name is written in heaven.” At least four places in the Bible allude to the names of believers
being inscribed in Heaven.
Little Jenny was on the boat one evening. She took God’s name in
vain. Elvin gently, and in a positive way, told her just when we use that
name – when we pray to God or talk about Him. An hour later, Jenny and
I were walking hand and hand back from the Boys and Girls Club. she
accidentally stepped in a mud puddle and swore. Then, remembering, she
said, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to say that. I’m sorry!” Then she
added, “When we do something bad, Jesus dies on the cross all over
again.” That gave me an opportunity to talk with her about forgiveness
(and also to ‘modify’ her unorthodox theology).
What is more personal to us than our name? God loves us so personally that our names are written in Heaven.
What encouragement!
Lord, I believe in You. I am so excited that my name is written in Heaven.
Thank you for your promise and encouragement. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Alice Borg
First Mate, M/V Christian
Wrangell, Alaska
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THURSDAY • WEEK TWO
Rev. 21:4
The Exchanged Life
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning
or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
As I looked down at her, she was sobbing. I knew what the Lord was speaking to
her at that moment. The sermon this Sunday was about the baptism of our Lord, the circumcision not made by human hands. The removing of our flesh so that in the spirit we
might know and do the will of God. The exchanged life, dying to self, so that the resurrected life of Christ could be lived out for the life of another. I spoke of rebuilding the
ancient ruins, of restoring the desolations of many generations.
My daughter and her husband along with family had come over for the weekend.
Allen, my daughters husband, and I had gone out for lunch. As we were eating, I asked
him how things were going? He looked at me and said, “To tell you the truth dad, I am
very discouraged. My business isn’t doing well and Angela wants me to go back to
work at a regular job. I just don’t feel I can ever do that again. I feel like Angela is just
sitting back and doing nothing. Waiting for me to fail.” I am scared, angry, and feeling
completely overwhelmed”, he said to me.
I knew how Allen was feeling; I had experienced the same discouragement having
been in a corporate collapse myself. It had taken me years to get over the feelings that I
had somehow failed, not only at a business, but also as a father and a husband, as a
provider and even as the spiritual leader of my family.
I also know how difficult life has been for Allen. You see, Allen like me is a First
Nations man who was raised in a nonnative community. As a child he had been abused,
neglected, and abandoned. Allen and his sisters had been shuffled from foster home to
foster home. In fact, Allen and my daughter Angela adopted Allen’s two nieces who had
also been caught in the cycle of crushed dreams and hopes.
I knew how all of this was making my daughter feel. She had worked hard, incredibly hard. I helped them wade through the chaos that comes from walking through the
valley of Bacca, or tears. I encouraged them to place all of the abuse and neglect, and
abandonment at the foot of the cross where there is forgiveness and hope. Since the
girls had come to live with them, their home has had little order or peace. I remember
the despair in my daughter’s eyes and her reaction to my son-in-law’s voice. In her flesh
she didn’t want to let go of the hard fought for peace and order that she treasured. Allen
was right; my daughter was putting distance between herself and the hardships of things
gone awry. But as she sat there sobbing she heard the call to conversion, to not try to
save her life but to give it, to give it to her husband, to sit with him in all his pain for as
long as it takes. She loved and was committed to him, but to make the right choices for
their lives, they both needed to hear the voice of God. By God’s grace – the working of
the Holy Spirit, she heard the call to cut away the desires of the flesh to lay down her
life, to let Christ's life intervene, and begin to rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the
desolations of many generations. And peace and harmony were once again restored.
Thank you Lord for your life, and the lives of your body that long to see your healing
touch in the lives of others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Dave Sternbeck
Ministry Staff
Olympic Peninsula
Neah Bay, Washington
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FRIDAY • WEEK TWO
Matthew 25:21
USE YOUR TALENTS!
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your
master’s happiness!”
As I watched the two families use their talents that week it reminded me of how
Jesus calls us all out of our fears to use the talents He has given us. It is amazing how
God orchestrates His work through us if we are willing to simply offer what we have.
Last July a family of four from Wisconsin, a teenage boy and girl with their
mom and dad, plus our two teenage girls and Linda and I, ran a Vacation Bible
School program in Muskrat Dam, Ontario. We had originally hoped for more help
and I think both sets of parents were wondering if we could pull it off. As we landed
in this beautiful but very isolated community, (about 500 miles north of International
Falls) with our boxes full of craft materials and other supplies, I couldn’t help wonder if our two families would make it through the week.
Well, we did. We discovered little hidden talents all week. Larry, the one dad,
came up with this great object lesson using his fishing pole. The Cree children’s eyes
widened with glee as he hung his long fishing pole way over their heads teaching
them how not to get hooked on unhealthy things in life and how to choose wisely the
things God their Creator offers them. We also discovered that all four teenagers could
sing and were able to lead in songs and choruses. They found great action songs and
by the end of the week had taught the children many new songs. On the final day, the
parents were invited to a small program. The young participants almost shouted as
they sang and performed the action chorus’s with pride.
Many good things happened that week. But most of all, I think our two families
learned that we indeed do have talents and that God will use them if we step out in
faith. It was the first time that Linda and I had carried out a ministry event as a family with our two daughters. I believe it was the same for Larry and Tammy and their
family. Even though we had fears we stepped out and used what we had and God in
turn blessed it.
In Matthew 25:25 Jesus was very hard on the servant who buried his talent even
though he had the smallest talent. This servant did this because of fear. What talent
do you have that you are tempted to bury because of fear? Maybe you have hidden it
already? I believe God is calling you to once again uncover it, bring it out and then
find the great joy of seeing God use what you have. Remember the saying, “If you
don’t use it you will loose it.” Don’t rob yourself of the joy of what God can do with
who He made you to be. And if you are using your talents already, praise God. Keep
offering them up!
Father God, Thank you for the talents and gifts you have given us all. Please give us
the courage to use them for your glory. Thank you for what I know you will do
through our life as we offer what we have up to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Rick Martin
Ministry Staff
Sioux Lookout, Ontario
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SATURDAY • WEEK TWO
Psalms 27:10
A Time to Share
“Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.”
Ask any two siblings what they most appreciate about their father and they
will most likely give you two very different answers. One might say “Dad always
had time to listen to me.” The other might say “He loved sports as much as I did
and taught me how to play the game.” Each has a story about their father’s relationship in their lives.
I was sharing with a First Nations lady after we had worked side by side
cleaning out a closet. I told her my father had died when I was fourteen. I had
been the apple of his eye and had suddenly felt alone and abandoned. After years
of searching in all the wrong places, someone introduced me to the love of God
and the Scripture from Psalms 27:10 jumped out at me. “When my father and my
mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up (or gather me).” Yes! That’s
what I had been searching for! My Father God would hold me in His arms and
love and accept me no matter what.
Then this lovely lady shared with me that her father had touched her kindly
only once in her life that she could remember. She had been brutally raped as a
young woman and men masquerading as husbands and fathers had beaten her and
molested her children. Finding solace in alcohol, she wanted nothing to do with a
God who was waiting for her to fail and then inflict punishment. Then someone
shared the love of Jesus with her. And the Scriptures Prov. 18:24…“and there is a
friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” And Heb. 13:5…“for he hath said, I
will never leave thee or forsake thee” jumped out at her. Yes! She said. “That’s
what I needed to hear! I realized Jesus was a friend I could share my deepest
thoughts and struggles with and He would always love and accept me no matter
what.”
At that moment, I was struck by the awesomeness of God. He is the Creator
of the universe. He formed us in our mother’s womb. Still, He takes the time to
share with each one of us things of Himself unique to our personalities and experiences. His Spirit is hovering over the deep places of our soul drawing us into
His salvation story making us all siblings and all a part of the family of God. All
of this through His Son, Jesus, who by His life, death and resurrection makes us
God the Father’s children.
Father, thank you for continuing to draw us to yourself through your Word, your
Spirit, and those you send our way sharing their story of how you changed their
life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Rosemary Sternbeck
Olympic Peninsula
Neah Bay, Washington
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By Grace Alone…
God loves us unconditionally. By His grace, we are saved. Through His
death and resurrection, we are privileged to share in His kingdom.
The Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S. strives to proclaim
the Good News of Jesus Christ. In conjunction with the Council for Lutheran
American Indian Ministries (CLAIM), the Haskell Light House Ministry at
Haskell Indian Nations University and My People International of Canada, we
minister God’s love in Native American communities of North America. It is a
challenging but vital ministry.
Changes in recent centuries have brought upheaval to Northern
societies. As Native economies, lifestyles, and values were challenged,
suicide, alcoholism, and drug abuse grabbed hold of these communities.
Poverty, anger and despair now threaten many Native communities.
The areas where many Native people live are hard to reach — both physically and spiritually. As we proclaim God’s Word to all who will
listen, we also understand it is very important we honor their Native
heritage. Our ministry affirms the diversity of God’s creation and the unity we
share in Christ.
“And the God of all graces, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ,
after you suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you
strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 1:2
We are messengers of God’s grace to a people in need.
Spiritual Witness and Nurture
Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S. proclaims the Gospel
of Jesus Christ in partnership with First Nations communities. Bible studies,
workshops, and leadership
training are designed to assist
the new believer in their
own Christian witness.
Native people are encouraged to use the gifts God has
given them, including their
First Nations languages and
traditions in bringing glory
to God. Delivering a Gospel
that honors Native heritage
is sound evangelism.
Continued on page 22
19
Na-chu-nulth
Ministry Staff
Neah Bay,
Washington
Dave Sternbeck
Coordinator —
Volunteer Services
Onoway, Alberta
Tim Stime
Cayuga
Ministry Staff
Brantford, Ontario
Adrian Jacobs
Lay Minister/Pilot
Fairbanks, Alaska
Dan Treakle
Mi’kmaq
Director of
Cross-Cultural
Partnerships
Evansburg, Alberta
Rev. Terry
LeBlanc
The Expanding Outreach of the
Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S.
Cree
Ministry Staff
Sioux Lookout,
Ontario
Rick & Linda
Martin
Pastor/Skipper
& First Mate
M/V Christian
Wrangell, Alaska
Rev. Elvin
& Alice Borg
12:32 PM
Cree
Ministry Staff
Winnipeg,
Manitoba
3/31/06
Ray Aldred
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“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name,
He gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 NIV
Social Healing
Widespread abuse and despair
lead First Nations societies into a
downward spiral. Healing and
reconciliation are urgent needs
within families and communities.
Our team includes pastors,
Christian Native people, lay
ministers and pilots trained to
minister to complex problems.
Many of our field ministry staff
are Native North American. All
have personally witnessed
problems within their own
societies. We desire to help them
apply God’s principles for living
to bring healing and redemption.
Spiritual Enrichment for Volunteers and Donors
One of the joys of ministry is sharing it with thousands of volunteers,
partners and friends. The broader the Church’s involvement . . . the
greater the excitement.
Year after year, hundreds of Christians throughout North America
volunteer their time and energy to teach Vacation Bible School, coach
at sports camps, assist with building projects, visit the elderly, and meet
a variety of additional needs. Their presence multiplies our Gospel
outreach and sparks passion for the Lord. Invariably volunteers return
to their home churches and communities even more committed to Christ
and the work of His kingdom.
The outreach of the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots
U.S. is made possible only through the generosity of caring Christians,
like you, committed to Gospel outreach. Please prayerfully consider a
generous gift today to help us share God’s love with the people we
serve.
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SUNDAY • WEEK THREE
Acts 16:29
Joseph’s Call
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your
household.”
When Joseph called me it was completely out of the blue. I had never
met him yet he lived close by. He had heard of me from an aunt whom I
had met several months earlier. We agreed to meet for a cup of coffee and
a conversation the next morning.
The story Joseph shared next morning was all too familiar. His family
had been Christian when he was a boy, but they had drifted away.
Everything had gone awry after that: family disintegration, abuse, homelessness. Now here he was, aimless, newly sober, not sure what path to
take in life. Joseph’s friends and most of his family had urged him to take
the “traditional’ way of his people. But his aunt and the witness of his
own spirit were encouraging a different road.
So here we were. He knew from speaking with his aunt that I was a
Native man who followed the “Jesus Way.” And he was now wondering
what that might look like for him. What did it look like to be a follower of
Jesus and still be…well…Native? I responded with the assurance that
Jesus fulfills every aspect of our life and identity – He redeems us, He
does not replace us!
Here was a life desperately seeking transformation, a life who had
heard the call of God’s Holy Spirit and was asking, as with the Philippian
jailer, “What must I do to be saved?” It was not hard to echo the words of
Paul and Silas as Joseph and I spoke – “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and
you will be saved …”
As I prayed with Joseph that morning, we agreed to meet regularly for
study and prayer. He would need much encouragement and guidance so as
to ensure he walked out his faith in a good way. He was now on the Jesus
Way.
Father, may we live in such a way that the visible and verbal witness of
our lives will cause people to ask the reason for the hope that is within us.
Let our answer point them simply but effectively to Jesus. In your name
we pray, Amen.
Rev. Dr. Terry LeBlanc
Director of Cross Cultural Partnerships
Evansburg, Alberta
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MONDAY • WEEK THREE
Colossians 3:16
You Mean Forever?!
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”
“How do you make her stay and listen to all you say?” goes a song
from The sound of Music. “How do you keep a wave upon the shore?”
Always in Vacation Bible School on the M/V CHRISTIAN, a child is
trying to “escape”. A movement at the periphery of vision catches the
child’s attention. Something more interesting lures him to the other side of
the room.
Willie kept escaping. The teacher kept refocusing him. He didn’t want
to sing or to play the group games.
The time came for the children to do their Bible-based worksheets. I
sat between Willie and another “wanderer.” Surprisingly, both of them
hunkered down and began doing their lesson. From the Bible to the worksheet they worked, in utter concentration.
Then the teacher told the group that the Bibles were theirs to take
home. Willie looked up at me in surprise. Amazement replaced the mischief in his eyes. “You mean I can have this book?!” he asked me. “You
mean I can take it home?” And a third time, “You mean I can keep it forever?!”
Yes, Willie, forever. God’s Word is your to keep – to treasure in your
heart forever and to guide you through life.
“God’s Word is our great heritage, and shall be ours forever…” Thank
you, our Lord, for preserving the Words of your Good News in the Bible
and also in our hearts. May we honor and cherish your Words of hope to
us quietly in our hearts and openly in our lives. In your name I pray,
Amen.
Alice Borg
First Mate, M/V Christian
Wrangell, Alaska
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TUESDAY • WEEK THREE
Jonah 1.14
Foxhole Conversion
“So they cried out to Jonah’s God, “Oh God, we are praying that you will
not punish us with death because we are about to throw this man into the water.
You, Oh God, are in charge of doing this, it is your will.” (Back-translation of
Mohawk Nation Version)
When the sailing ship’s crew was in deep trouble in the midst of that ferocious storm, they each cried out to their own gods to save them. It obviously wasn’t working....the gods weren’t listening … or they had no ears to hear nor power
to save. So the crew dumped their precious cargo overboard to lighten the ship.
Still no change in the weather. When they were able to dig Jonah out from his
hiding place, he fessed up: he’d been running away from his God, the One, he
said, who created the land and the sea. Now the sudden storm made sense. They
continued efforts to get the ship safely to shore, finally giving up. Then they followed Jonah’s advice for appeasing God. They became instruments for punishing
Jonah. When they saw the sea calm so quickly after tossing Jonah to the water,
they believed in Jonah’s God. They understood that this one was the real One, the
all-powerful One. It was a crisis conversion, much like a foxhole conversion: in
the heat, panic and fear of battle soldiers sometimes cry out to God in a way they
never have before. It is said that “There are no atheists in the foxhole.” Everyone
hopes that God is real. That He listens. That He cares. That He is able to respond
and rescue them. That’s what these merchant marines of Job’s day did: cried out
to Jonah’s God. When they saw the results of obedience to this God they believed
Him, they offered a sacrifice of worship and promised to serve Him.
Sometimes it takes a crisis in our lives to turn from no faith to strong faith.
This was true in Jonah’s day. Still true today. True in Assyria. True in North
America. God reveals Himself to Native North American people in much the
same ways He does among non-Native people, at times in the midst of storm or
tragedy, other times in the quietness of peaceful contemplation on a lazy summer
morning.
We call out to you today, Creator God, the One who made land, sky and sea, and
all of us creatures too. Sometimes we are tossed and ripped apart by storms in
our lives. We feel over-loaded, losing it, going down. Draw us to you at those
times too, Lord. We confess our total reliance on you. Help us let go of the stuff
that won’t save us and grab on to you instead. In the saving name of Jesus,
Amen.
Tim Stime
Coordinator of Volunteer Service
Onoway, Alberta
The Mohawks recently translated and audio-recorded the book of Jonah, replete
with flute music and whale sounds. You can hear Mohawk Scriptures at
www.firstnationsbible.com
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WEDNESDAY • WEEK THREE
Habakkuk 1:5
The LORD of LIFE Is the Answer
“Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am
going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you
were told.”
In our area of central interior Alaska we count on a clear and pleasant
summer for flying into ministry sites. The days are sunlit nearly 24 hours
making connections easy.
This past summer, however, was an exception. The fire season was
upon us from early summer through autumn, the most severe in memory.
Because of severely dry conditions the wild fires consumed over six million acres. Flying became very difficult. I expected we would need to cancel many of our volunteer ministry teams. But God provided enough good
days to get our ministry teams throughout the area all summer.
And what a summer it was. More local villagers shared ministry with
us than ever before. Local people who hosted our volunteers made sure
they were safe, especially during the time fires were close to the villages.
Village children were able to travel to Bible Camp just at the week they
had planned. Our building teams could make their connections to their
community. Each trip was smoke filled but not so severe that we could not
fly.
Time after time the wind would shift enough to allow our teams to be
flown in or out of communities that had been closed for days due to
smoke. And throughout, Jesus was shared and declared. Ministry teams
were able to return to old friends to continue relationships and to share the
Gospel all summer. Truly it was a time to be amazed.
Lord, we give you thanks for safe travel, for providing our daily needs
through all our days. Help us to be your servants to share the story of
Jesus and salvation in all our relationships. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Dan Treakle
Lay Minister/Pilot
Fairbanks, Alaska
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THURSDAY • WEEK THREE
Genesis 2:2
A Summer Break
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made.
And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.”
(Modern King James Version)
Our God, who never sleeps or slumbers (Psalm 121:3, 4), rested on
the seventh day from His work of creation. He also told us to take a break
and rest from our labors. Our God is not a slave master. Israel’s calendar
not only had a weekly rest (Sabbath) but approximately five weeks of rest
yearly (for worship festivals) and a year long rest every seven years
(Sabbath year) and an extra year long rest every fifty years (the year of
Jubilee). I would like to have this kind of rest in my life.
I am a single father and take care of five children on my own. I have
four teenagers and my youngest is nine years old. I work full time and
thankfully have an office in my home. I have a life of my own too and try
to take care of myself. I am tired most of the time. I need rest. My problem is that I have to make myself rest.
Laundry, dishes, taxi-service, doctor’s visits, dispensing and applying
medication, emails, ministry trips and reports, banking and bill paying,
grocery shopping, shoe shopping (it has a life of its own), clothing shopping, school athletics, overseeing the kids chores, etcetera, etcetera, all
call my name every day. I have five precious kids to develop my relationship with. Homework, time alone with each of them, their friends, my
family, their grandparents, teachers, doctors, etcetera, etcetera, all call for
special attention.
I would not have it any other way. I love my life, even though it is
exhausting and frustrating at times. I am so encouraged by little things
like my oldest son letting my youngest daughter sit in the front seat of the
van when it is uncomfortable for his big hairy legs any where else. I am
glad for my rest in the summer when they visit their mom in South
Dakota for a few weeks. By the end of summer I am ready for all the
work ahead.
Please remind us dear Father God to take care of ourselves and rest from
our labors on a regular basis. Help us to not feel guilty and driven by all
the needs that surround us. Help us to remember and do something for
single parents who sometimes never get a break. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Adrian Jacobs
Ministry Staff
Brantford, Ontario
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FRIDAY • WEEK THREE
Hebrews 12:2
Persevere In All Things
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and
sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
One day while I was outside walking and taking in the beauty surrounding Neah Bay, I was privileged to witness a great lesson of perseverance in God’s creation. I heard a sound coming from the very top of the
tall trees that grow here. It was a sound unlike any I had heard before and
so it got my immediate attention. As I looked up to identify the eerie
screeching sound, I was startled by what I saw. A crow was diving as
though in a death spiral and then just as it neared the ground, swooped
back up again to the top of the trees. I was questioning this odd behavior
when I saw the reason for this unusual spectacle. There was an eagle
threatening the nest of this protective parent. I was in awe as I watched
the perseverance of this bird as it did it’s best to get the eagle’s attention
away from the nest it was protecting as it dove over and over again. Just
when I thought the crow might give up, it didn’t. I wondered how long
this could go on, it seemed like forever.
I was thankful to have witnessed this scene in nature as it served to
remind me that perseverance is a quality that God wishes all Christians to
have. Sometimes we come up against circumstances in life that threaten
us, either bodily or spiritually. We can call upon our Lord for help in these
circumstances and He will not forsake us, but will give us the strength we
need for the situation. We can fix our eyes on Jesus and pray for perseverance in circumstances that we feel may overwhelm us.
Just as the perseverance of the crow paid off as the eagle gave up and
flew away from the nest, with God’s help we can persevere in our faith in
order to overcome those obstacles that the evil one puts in our lives. We
can do this through worship, prayer, studying the Word and having fellowship with other Christians.
Dear Lord, Be with us as we face obstacles and challenges in our lives.
Help us to fix our eyes on you. Lead us, guide us and keep us in your care.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Dianne Heinlein
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SATURDAY • WEEK THREE
I Corinthians 12:12,26,27
One Body Many Parts
“The body is a unit though it is made up of many parts....If one part
suffers, every part suffers with it; If one part is honored, every part rejoices with it....Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part
of it.”
We stepped into the gym. The children were playing the last few minutes before leaving school for vacation. One girl spotted Alice and I and
came running. Then came others. Quickly surrounded we were compressed with hugs.
It’s a welcome we have come to expect from the children in that
native community. Still it warms our hearts. God has given these children
a love for us, and us a love for them–even though when packed together
on the CHRISTIAN for a couple days we expect to discover some rascals
among them.
One little girl hugged us for a long time. She is one that gets very little caring love. My heart goes out to her. She knows we care. We talk very
little about her troubles. Mostly, we talk about Jesus love, care, and protection for His children. We talk about school, silly things, and boys. She
enjoys our stable presence. We enjoy her perseverance in the face of difficulty. She teaches us about courage and hope. We are blessed. Together
we grow.
Our mission doesn’t move in only one direction: Alice and I coming
to give them something. But we come and they give us much in return.
Yes, we are missionaries sharing the love of God in Christ Jesus, but we
are ever more aware that the sharing flows both directions. We have been
taught so much these past years. In so many ways we grow together in
Christ.
That is the way the Gospel works–not only in native communities but
everywhere. We grow together in the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord.
Each of us has special things to share with others and special things to
learn from them. So when people ask what we do and I say, “We share the
Good News of God’s love in Jesus.” I use the word “sharing” defined as
the giving and receiving in common with others.
That’s my kind of missionary!
Dear Lord Jesus help us to grow in you as we share the Good News with
those around us. In your name we pray for your spirit working in and
through us. Amen.
Rev. Elvin Borg
Skipper, M/V CHRISTIAN
Wrangell, Alaska
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Volunteer Ministry with Lutheran
Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S.
As an independent missionary society and a cross-cultural
ministry, Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S.
shares Jesus Christ in Word and deed. One area of volunteer ministry is our Vacation Bible School (VBS) program. Teams of four or
five individual share their love of Jesus with the children in remote
communities. Teams use curricula and materials developed by
native people to teach the Bible in culturally appropriate ways.
We seek people to teach VBS who have a clear and positive
commitment to the Christian faith, people for whom Christianity
mean a living relationship with Jesus Christ. We seek people who:
• Have a willingness to work with other Christian
denominations;
• Have the ability to “rough it’ without the comforts of
urban living;
• Are willing to accept and understand another culture
and adapt God’s Word to it.
For more information and an application, please visit our
website at www.lutheranmissionariesandpilots.org, or complete and
return the form below.
I am interested in becoming a volunteer.
Please send me an application form:
Name ____________________________________________________
Address __________________________________________________
City _______________________ State _________ ZIP___________
Phone (h) ___________________________
(o) ___________________________
email _______________________________
Send to: Tim Stime
Coordinator of Volunteer Services
3525 N. 124th Street, Suite 1
Brookfield, WI 53005
Fax: (262) 783-5290
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SUNDAY • WEEK FOUR
Hebrews 12:1
Extra Baggage, Won’t Fly
“Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” KJV
Where we live in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, floatplanes are constantly
buzzing down the lake in their attempt to get airborne. In fact our house is
located right next to where float planes load up and then push off out into the
lake in their attempt to take every thing from fishing poles, to food, to well just
about anything, further north and to outlying isolated places. Sometimes pilots,
flying the classic old “Otter”, will even strap small fishing boats to the sides of
the plane just above the floats and then attempt to take off. This is a rather
strange sight. The first time I saw this I really was not sure the plane would
actually pull out of the water and fly. But it did!
This, however, is not always the case. Sometimes we watch planes race
down the lake and make every attempt to get airborne but to no avail. I have
seen planes come back and make as many as three or four attempts to get airborne before giving up. They simply are forced to return to the dock and get
rid of some weight. Of course most pilots are very careful and know how much
they are carrying. They make sure they are not over-weight before they leave
for their trip. But every now and then someone tries to leave with too much
baggage but in the end they simply can’t fly.
This reminds me of my own journey following Jesus. So often I want to
hang on to unnecessary “stuff” and things that keep me from flying freely and
soaring above spiritually. Sometimes I too, will make every attempt to hang on
to “extra baggage” but then in the process I am not able to serve Christ in the
way I long to and in the way He wants me to. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to “…throw off everything that hinders…” (NIV Heb. 12:1) or as the
King James puts it “…let us lay aside every weight…” (KJV 12:1).
What is it that keeps you from “flying”? Or if you are “flying” what is it
that you are tempted to load up your life with that pulls you down and keeps
you from really flying freely. Ask the Lord today to continue to guide and
direct you so that you would truly be able to, as Hebrews encourages, run the
race marked out for us (you)!
Dear Lord, I know you long for us to be free from those things that weigh us
down. We ask that you would give us wisdom to know what those things are
and then to give us the courage to let them go. Thank you for the way you will
answer our prayer in our desire to run this race in freedom for your glory. In
Jesus’ name. Amen.
Rick Martin
Ministry Staff
Sioux Lookout, Ontario
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MONDAY • WEEK FOUR
Luke 10:27
After You Close the Bible
He answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and,
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
“Welcome aboard, Bob. The coffee is on and we have ice cream.”
Bob is a caretaker for a home on an island in an isolated and beautiful
spot in SE Alaska. He and his dog, Spud, are by themselves for days or
weeks at a time. Bob is always eager to talk to someone other than Spud
or the sea otters, so after helping us tie the CHRISTIAN to the rickety
float, he comes aboard. And, for a man who has no freezer, ice cream is a
treat.
So we talk. Bob always welcomes new reading material so we bring
him our old magazines and an occasional book. Where is God When It
Hurts? by Philip Yancey was the latest book he read.
For some time Bob has been listening to radio preachers and talk
shows, and reading the Bible and other books. In his time alone, he has
had an opportunity to mull it over. He is an intelligent man and he has
apparently been “separating the wheat from the chaff.”
“Yes,” Bob concludes, “God wants our praise and adoration, but I
think He’s more interested in our obedience.”
And he also opined, “It’s what you do after you close the Bible that’s
important, how you treat your fellow beings, what you do on Mondays…”
Bob has been doing some serious thinking.
Help us too, Lord, to do some serious thinking about what you would have
us to do and to desire your power that accomplishes it through us. In
Jesus’ name, Amen.
Alice Borg
First Mate, M/V Christian
Wrangell, Alaska
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TUESDAY • WEEK FOUR
2 Peter 3:9b
Speed not Required!
“He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to
come to repentance.”
Ann was there in the gymnasium that day. We were meeting with people of one of the Native communities around us. Bev and I were there to
talk with them about creating a more effective Christian ministry presence
on the reserve. The Stoney and Cree people brought together in the formation of this small reserve have struggled for many years to have a vibrant,
active Christian witness.
Several missions have made efforts. Unfortunately, the outcome has
been small fractured groups – sometimes only one family – meeting occasionally for prayer, fellowship and sacrament. Consistent worship and witness has been all but absent. Aided by the many interpersonal conflicts
that frequently plague the human community, things seldom really got off
the ground.
Yet here we were on a warm summer day talking about a new effort
of ministry to make a difference in the lives of these people, bringing
together for the first time, individual Christians from across the reserve.
They were eager – I was eager. How quickly, we all wondered, might we
see some results? “Time and patience will tell,” said Ann. Ann, an elder
woman and two years a Christian, was optimistic, unwearied by the
prospect of time. After all, Jesus had changed her life! It had taken many
years she said, but God was patient with her and God had done it.
I have wondered at Ann’s words many times since. She shared a lesson that day about patience – God’s patience. Her words confirmed
Peter’s: “God is not slow concerning His promises but is patient…” God
had been working among these people for many years, and has not lost
hope for them, so who am I to expect the work to be completed on my
schedule? His work is done in His time.
Ann is a living example.
Father, you are always patient, allowing each of us to be won by your
Spirit in the right time. So, I pray, help me be your patient witness to all
people so that your Spirit may work the work of salvation and transformation in your people in your time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Rev. Terry LeBlanc
Director of Cross Cultural Partnerships
Evansburg, Alberta
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WEDNESDAY • WEEK FOUR
Proverbs 29:18
Knowing The Truth Brings Freedom
“When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever
obeys the law is happy.” (New Living Translation).
I am one of those people who are computer illiterate. I only know the basics
of running a computer. I can turn the button switch on and find the Word icon on
the screen and away I go. But ask me to do a layout with pictures and borders on
my paper and I am lost. Yet our computer has all these programs that can do
many neat and wonderful things but are useless to me because I have no idea how
to do them and have no idea what is all available to me.
Many times our life can be like that. We can let experiences of our lives keep
us in a stupor and in the miry pit because we do not fully understand what all
Jesus has to offer to us in our struggles. We as people of God have, within our
reach, spiritual blessings that can enable us to experience life fully in the midst of
hard things.
A Tribal Band Council leader at a recent two-day conference, in which I was
one of the two teachers, stated, “More leaders need to hear this so that they
can understand and be able to help our young people.” Our ministry is to
bring the Gospel to the Aboriginal people in the most northern places as well as
teaching on social topics that my people group struggle with. Often the struggle
that my people go through leads to such despair that many of our young people
will opt for suicide. Part of the problem in our situation is that many of my people lack the proper understanding of the social issues that plague them. Many
times then despair, discouragement and depression overwhelm them. We then, as
a mission, provide teaching on many of the social issues that plague my people. It
is in being aware and understanding these issues that one can begin to have hope
and began to experience personal healing. Individual by individual, conference by
conference, we go against the complexity of the social situation of my people,
bringing truth, hope and healing. It is sort of like helping people find the right
icon in their life to begin the road to healing through Jesus.
What is it that is preventing you from experiencing the life that is in Jesus? Is
it discouragement? Is it anxiety? Whatever it may be…you are not alone. Reach
out to others who can help you better understand your struggles. Especially reach
out to Jesus to walk with you. He stands always ready to welcome us into His
love.
Dear God, I pray that today I would seek to understand more of who you are and
what you have to offer me. I pray that I might be able to live today in the knowledge of my spiritual blessings. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Linda Martin
Ministry Staff,
Sioux Lookout, Ontario
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THURSDAY • WEEK FOUR
Malachi 3:1
The Messenger Comes
“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before
me…”
The name of this book in the Bible means “my messenger”. As the
people of God were given the prophet hundreds of years before Christ,
calling them to be faithful to the Lord, so today we are able to share in
that message. I enjoy the summer trips to villages on the Arctic Coast to
spend time sharing Jesus with youth in those communities. Because of
coastal fog during summer, I try to plan to stay with the teams during the
weeks there. Old friends come and greet our arrival no matter what time
we show up on the flight. It is great to visit with the community leaders
and village elders again. The kids always get excited to come together for
time in games, song and story telling. The energy level must be somehow
linked to solar energy because those kids keep going almost 24 hours. It is
hard to rest when the sun is still up at 3 a.m. But the morning is usually a
quiet time, a good time for reflection on God’s Word with group study in
our teaching team. After the Bible School programs we gather in the
evening for adult study and conversation. Several adults might play guitar
and share worship music together with us. I think our time worshipping
together is similar to those early faith followers of the Way. We are called
to live responsibly to our life in Christ. To live and share the Gospel in
such a way as to help prepare the way for the Gospel we share. We live in
a time when God’s message of deliverance and salvation is easy to miss in
the daily noise of the world we live in. What a blessing to have the quiet
time to share Jesus in the village community. We get as refreshed and
renewed in Jesus as our partner village. May God touch your lives with
His message of renewal.
Lord, help us to come to you for rest. Make us your instrument to share
the message of hope and eternal life through Christ with our world. In
Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Dan Treakle
Lay Minister/Pilot
Fairbanks, Alaska
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FRIDAY • WEEK FOUR
Genesis 12:1ff
Follow Your Call
“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to
the land I will show you.”
I have spent almost 1/3 of my time away from home seeking to do what
God has called me to do. That means in the last nine years, if you added all
those days together, I have been away from my home for three of those years. I
was thinking about this as I was traveling with Rick and Linda Martin, Terry
LeBlanc, and Tim Stime. Each one has committed to be involved with taking
the Good News to the Aboriginal people of Canada and the USA. Sometimes
you wonder if it is worth it all. But, then I think about God’s call to Abraham.
“Leave your country and your father’s house, … go to a land that I will show
you.” (Gen 12:1ff) So, Abraham left following God’s call because of the promise, “I will bless all the families of the world, through you.” It seems God is
always calling us from the familiar to that which is unfamiliar to accomplish
what He desires.
I also think about Jesus, Phil 2:5-8 “Let the same mind be in you that was
in Christ Jesus, 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard
equality with God as something to be exploited, 2:7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in
human form, 2:8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of
death–even death on a cross.” God did not even spare His own Son in this
regard. I think of the words from an old hymn, “from out of the ivory palaces
into a world of sin,” God called His Son.
When I get discouraged I think about the call of God. We are not Abraham
and Sarah, but we also have heard God’s call to go, make disciples of all
nations. To be like Jesus in reaching out to others. This may require us to cross
the street to show God’s love to our neighbors, or to cross the land to share the
Gospel with those who still need to hear it. We are all in this together. In a
sense we are all called to the unknown – we never know how people will
respond. There is risk involved in talking to others about Jesus to be sure.
Nevertheless I am encouraged as we are enabled through the Lutheran
Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S. and My People International to
respond to the call of God.
Dear Father, help us to be obedient to you whenever you call us to leave the
familiar to go somewhere new to share the Gospel with others. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Ray Aldred
Ministry Staff
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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SATURDAY • WEEK FOUR
Isaiah 53:5
Healing for the Generations
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we
are healed.”
I retain mostly happy memories of childhood days fishing with my father.
He had been a marvelous commercial salmon fisherman for over 70 years. He
died due to natural causes a few years ago. A flood of memories of good times
spent fishing with him were triggered recently when I received a picture from a
family member showing him holding up two very large salmon he had caught.
How much he enjoyed the thrill of the catch. How much I enjoyed the time spent
with him learning to enjoy it with him.
Much of his life however was not so happy. My father was given to occasional bouts of binge drinking – especially in the early years. It cost him his first
marriage, untold loss of money and wasted years. It affected all of us children in
ways we haven’t even begun to fully comprehend. At the end of his life he
shared with me how sorry he was that he had lived so long without God. I am so
thankful to share that when he died, he died confessing Jesus as his Savior. In
the latter years of his life we spent many hours talking about God and Heaven.
As I have had occasion to uncover my father’s early life and it’s subsequent
impact on me, I have discovered an all too familiar pattern of lost dreams and
brokenness that led him to turn to alcohol to dull the inner sense of loss. Early
wounding, unresolved grief, lost opportunity – all eroded who God intended him
to be. And sin led him to turn to false alternatives.
I have also discovered that it is important to face the truth about my generational history. I too am a sinner and fall well short of God’s expectations. I am
just like my father. At the same time, I have found great comfort and courage in
knowing that while God knows this about me, He has done everything necessary
to bring healing and forgiveness to break the cycle. The long history of disappointments, hurts, grief and sins that make up the generational history of my
family and everyone else’s finds healing in the person and work of Jesus. His
sacrificial death paid for our sins. “ But he was pierced for our
transgressions…and by his wounds we are healed.” By grace through faith in the
person and works of Jesus, we are grafted into the family of God. Furthermore,
in Jesus, we become part of a new generational history based not on a long line
of failure and disappointments but on hope and righteousness. And this because
of Jesus who gave Himself over to death for us.
Dear Father God, we acknowledge that we cannot make ourselves good or
change the past. We therefore thank you for sending your Son to be our Savior so
that we can be cleaned and forgiven. Grant that we might daily walk in ways
that honor Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Rev. Dr. Don Johnson
Executive Director
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The Steward’s Journey…Your Legacy of Faith and Love
Reflections on Stewardship
Stewardship is an expression of faith. When we practice stewardship, we recognize God as the origin of life, the source of all we have, all
we are, all we will become. “The earth is the Lord’s,” the psalmist says,
“and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Psalm 24:1 (NIV)
As men and women of faith, we are pilgrims on a journey, caretakers of the gifts God gives us. Today the challenge of responsible stewardship is very real. We live in a culture of “isms” – powerful and
destructive – materialism, individualism, relativism, consumerism. We
are often forced to live our faith in a world that worships only secular
gods.
Stewardship means accepting God’s gifts gratefully, tending them
responsibly, and sharing them in justice and love. So, when we return
home to the Father, we hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant…Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21 (NIV)
Planning Your Estate
A Will is the most important element of responsible stewardship.
It allows you to express your own choices regarding the distribution of
your possessions once you have returned to the Father.
A Will also safeguards the interests of your family and loved ones.
If you die without a Will, you have no control over what happens to your
estate.
Constructing your Will is a very prayerful experience. We can make
our family and loved ones a priority; we can consider the needs of our
church and the ministries we support. A Will helps advance the
Kingdom; it is a living act of faith.
Should you choose Lutheran Association of Missionaries & Pilots
U.S. as a recipient of your generous support, it is important to use our
full name: “Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S., Inc.”
And, because the laws of each state are different, we encourage you to
seek the advice of a qualified attorney before finalizing your Will.
Charitable Trusts and Gift Annuities
Charitable giving methods, such as Charitable Gift Annuities and
Charitable Remainder Trusts, provide unique stewardship opportunities.
A Charitable Gift annuity gives you the satisfaction of not only
helping a ministry you support, but it also provides you the practical
benefits of a fixed rate of return, along with charitable tax benefits.
Your rate of return depends on your age at the time the agreement
is made. The older you are the higher the return for the rest of your life.
Your tax-free benefits can be determined at the time you create your
annuity. After your death, the annuity principal will be used to assist
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The Steward’s Journey…(continued)
the ministry of Lutheran Association of Missionaries & Pilots U.S. and
the people we serve.
A Charitable Remainder Trust offers substantial benefits in the
form of estate, gift and income tax deductions, as well as favorable
income for one or more persons you designate.
The Stewardship Journey
A life guided by stewardship principles is indeed, challenging. Yet
there is joy knowing you are living a faith-centered life, guided by prayer
and Scripture. You realize the truth of Paul’s reflection, “in all things
God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called to
his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV)
Our Christian vocation asks us to become good stewards of the gifts
we receive. The Spirit focuses our energies. Stewardship provides the
guiding principle, directing our path, our journey of faith back to the
Father.
For more information on the above stewardship opportunities,
please complete and mail the form below.
Please send me the information I have checked.
■ The Lutheran Association of Missionaries & Pilots U.S., Christian
Estate Planning Guide.
■ Charitable Gift Annuity application.
I am currently affiliated with:
■ Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod,
■ Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,
■ Other _________________________________
■ Please contact me. My Phone number is: __________________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________
City: _______________________ State: ________ Zip Code: ______________
Please detach and return this form to the address below. Thank you!
Al Kahlfeldt
Director of Development
Lutheran Association of Missionaries & Pilots U.S.
3525 N 124th Street, Suite 1
Brookfield, WI 53005-2409
(262) 783-5267
39
Lutheran Association of Missionaries
and Pilots U.S. is a cross cultural
Ministry sharing the Gospel of Jesus
Christ in partnership with individuals
and communities through mutual
witness, nurture and discipleship.
Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S.
3525 North 124th St., Suite 1 • Brookfield,WI 53005-2498
Phone (262) 783-5267 • Fax (262) 783-5290
Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S.
Council for Lutheran American Indian Ministries