Update on the Gillards

I am excited for my friends, Jake and Michelle, as they prepare to leave for Uganda. I am looking forward to how God will use them.

Fireproof the Movie

I had hoped to provide review of the Fireproof the movie today. Barbara and I planned to attend this movie with three other couples from Lord of Life.

This is a low budget film made by a Christian Church. It was only showing a certain theaters. Not much advertisement except in churches across the country. We thought we would walk right up to the box office purchase our ticket and go in. Think again. The movie was sold out.

The following email gives some insight into this:

Thank You ... Thank You ... Thank GOD! Throughout 2008, you have followed the behind-the-scenes story of FIREPROOF, an action-packed love story about a fireman, his wife ... and a marriage worth rescuing. Friday, on opening day, you experienced the movie firsthand. With friends and family, with small groups and entire churches, you went. And laughter, tears, and cheers filled 839 theaters across the country.

Today, as movie-industry insiders look at all of the statistical data from yesterday, they are trying to figure out how in the world a movie they didn't even know about was one of the most popular movies in the country on Friday. That's right: FIREPROOF was the No. 3 movie in America yesterday! You have thoroughly confounded Hollywood. Will FIREPROOF stay No. 3 the rest of Opening Weekend? By industry standards, it seems extremely unlikely. The next five movies that finished behind FIREPROOF are playing on approximately 2,500 screens each. So the key is that people like us keep showing up at movie theaters, both today and tomorrow.

Let's show Hollywood that FIREPROOF is the kind of movie you will support. Let them know that this is more than a movie ... it's a movement. As we found out with Facing the Giants two years ago and FIREPROOF last night, with God, all things are possible ... even in the movie industry. Make that especially in the movie industry. Thank you! And thanks for continuing to support FIREPROOF on this all-important weekend.

Persecution of the Church in India

Lord of Life supports several different Christian ministries in India. 

We pray for the work of the church in India during a difficult time. One email I received from our India partners about persectuion in Orissa reads: Reports received that thousands of Christian homes were burned down, many were brutally murdered and many are living away in remote unknown hide outs, without food and clothes to change. Many are living in the shelters. Please pray for our country, THE PERPETRATORS and those who are suffering.

I only attached one picture from this email as many were too gruesome to look at. We pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in the face of persecution that God would keep them strong and bring an end to the persecution.

Managing Stress

We want to welcome our new subscribers to this weekly email. We now have 196 people subscribed to the list. But as the number of people who are subscribed to this list continues to increase, I must admit I grow a bit stressed about writing something each week that is worthwhile for you to read.

For that matter I am stressed out about many things. I've got so much going on. Some might think that being a pastor is one of the most stress free occupations, but I can assure you that is far from reality.

I know am not alone. I know that you deal with stress in your life. There is a word for being stress-free and that is dead! So if you are breathing and have a pulse, you have stress!

Even Jesus promised we will have stress. Well he does not actually use the word stress, but he does say that in this world you will have trouble (John 16:33). Translation - stress!

Stress is a reality of life. Whether it is good stress or bad stress, it is still stress. And stress can rob us of the joy Christ wants for us.

We are not going to eliminate stress on this side of eternity, but we can manage it and deal with it. We can deal with it because we have Jesus on our side.

Oftentimes we get so wrapped up in worry, anxiety, and stress that I forget to take it to the Lord in prayer. I am always amazed how much easier I sleep when I take something to the Lord. I am always amazed how when I am so stressed out about something and I take it to him in prayer, he always comes through. He keeps doing it over and over.

In those moments I am really feeling the stress, those are the moments I need to remember to all the more to rely upon my Savior. In my office hangs a notice: "Good morning! This is God, I will be handling all your problems today. I will not need your help. So, relax and have a great day!"

I need to be reminded of that. Maybe you do as well.

Readings for next week:

September

28Isaiah 54:1-57:14
Ephesians 6:1-24
Psalm 70:1-5
Proverbs 24:8

29

Isaiah 57:15-59:21 Philippians 1:1-26 Psalm 71:1-24 Proverbs 24:9-10

30

Isaiah 60:1-62:5 Philippians 1:27-2:18 Psalm 72:1-20 Proverbs 24:11-12

October

01	Isaiah 62:6-65:25 Philippians 2:19-3:3 Psalm 73:1-28 Proverbs 24:13-14		02	Isaiah 66:1-24 Philippians 3:4-21 Psalm 74:1-23 Proverbs 24:15-16
03	Jeremiah 1:1-2:30 Philippians 4:1-23 Psalm 75:1-10 Proverbs 24:17-20		04	Jeremiah 2:31-4:18 Colossians 1:1-17 Psalm 76:1-12 Proverbs 24:21-22

Pastor Hein

This article was forwarded to me today. We are honored to have Pastor Harold Hein as a member at Lord of Life. Thank you Pastor Hein for your ministry.

Fifty and still going strong
Release No: 08-70
By Noel Hwande

Sep. 16— UYO, Nigeria: In April 1958, missionaries, H. A. Hein, J. P. Dredke, Paul Volz, R. A. Krugler, and Meissner were the first to bring Lutheran Hour Ministries to Nigeria. The first programs were produced and recorded in Hein's living room at Obot Idim, Ibesikpo, the headquarters of The Lutheran Church of Nigeria. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) in Nigeria and, recently, they held a Golden Jubilee Anniversary event to mark this significant milestone.

The theme of the event, "If the Lord had not been on our side we wouldn't have come this far," was fitting considering the challenges that LHM-Nigeria has faced with the country's weak economy and the steady growth of Islam.

The occasion featured a choreographed dance performance by the LHM-Nigeria children's performing group, commemorative songs sung by the staff choir, praise and worship, and some cultural dances. Guests at the event included Reverend Effiong E. Ekanem, National President of Lutheran Church of Nigeria, who expressed gratitude for the work that LHM-Nigeria has done over the years to train and equip volunteers to connect the unchurched to the Lutheran churches around the country.

LHM-Nigeria also used the celebration to raise funds for the ministry center and despite heavy rains that kept many people away, they still managed to raise N816,300.00 ($6939.85).

"As we embark on the pilgrimage of the next 50 years, please have the ministry in Nigeria in your prayers," requested Christian Ejelonu, Director of LHM-Nigeria.

Throughout the fifty years, radio ministry is still one of the strongest tools that LHM-Nigeria uses to reach the population with the message of hope. A weekly radio program features messages on contemporary issues from a Christian perspective. The ministry center receives responses via SMS text messaging, phone calls, and letters.

Your continued prayers and support for LHM allow outreach programs to have an impact all around the world. We ask that you prayerfully consider a gift to our International Ministries today.

To support this ministry click here or call us at 1-800-944-3450 x 4275.

A Word of Encouragement

As I drove out of my neighborhood this morning, many of my neighbors had set out furniture, carpet, and other items which had been ruined by the flooding of this past weekend.

As I turned on my computer this morning and check today's headlines I discover the stock market is in the midst of taking another plunge for the second day in a row.

I then opened up my email and I read a message from a brother in Christ from Houma, LA who shared with me his despair over the utter devastation down in the Bayou of Louisiana caused by Gustav and Ike.

Enough, Enough! It would be good to hear just a little good news. It seems like one thing after another. It all just keeps piling up.

Life is not always filled with good news. Home foreclosures, rising gas prices, unemployment, natural disasters, flooded basements, the broken car, family squabbles, cancer, the death of a loved one . . . life has a way of dumping on us.

We could all use a little joy. There doesn't seem much to be happy about these days. Life is more like survive than thrive.

But I am here to tell you that God wants to give you joy. It is a fruit of the Spirit. In other words, joy is something that is naturally part of a believer's life. When you have Jesus, you can have joy no matter what the circumstance. Even from a prison cell, the Apostle Paul was able to write, "Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4) His joy was not based upon the circumstance of his life, but the reality of Jesus in his life and the difference that reality made.

Over the next four weeks at Lord of Life we will be talking about joy. In light of recent events, I don't think this message series could have come at a better time. We need to be reminded that we have a greater joy that is not dependent upon the circumstances of life, but a joy in Jesus that is deep, fulfilling, and lasting. If you have friends, neighbors, family members who could use a little bit of joy - invite them to join you this Sunday at Lord of Life as we celebrate the joy of Jesus.

Readings for next week:

21	Isaiah 37:1-38:22 Galatians 6:1-18 Psalm 64:1-10 Proverbs 23:24		22	Isaiah 39:1-41:16 Ephesians 1:1-23 Psalm 66:1-20 Proverbs 23:25-28
23	Isaiah 41:17-43 Ephesians 2:1-22 Psalm 67;1-7 Proverbs 23:29-35		24	Isaiah 43:14-45:10 Ephesians 3:1-21 Psalm 68:1-18 Proverbs 24:1-2
25	Isaiah 45;11-48:11 Ephesians 4:1-16 Psalm 68:19-35 Proverbs 24:3-4		26	Isaiah 48:12-50:11 Ephesians 4:17-32 Psalm 69:1-18 Proverbs 24:5-6
27	Isaiah 51:1-53:12 Ephesians 5:1-33 Psalm 69:19-36 Proverbs 24:7

Quote for the Day

Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work. - Peter Drucker

Exceeding Expectations

On Sunday night I watched Carlos Zambrano throw the first Chicago Cubs no hitter in more than 30 years. This was unexpected. Even more so considering the fact that he had been experiencing shoulder discomfort, a death nail for a pitcher in the big leagues. But the show that Carlos put on went well beyond the expectations of anyone who who calls themselves a Cubs fan.

I had given a passing thought of driving up to Milwaukee to watch this game. In the end I decided to stay home. I did not consider it worth the drive. I did not EXPECT to happen, what happened. Looking back, I wish I would have gone.

What does it mean to exceed expectations? Consider a time in your life when your expectations were exceeded. How did it make you feel? How did you respond?

Often times exceeding expectations is just doing the little things well. It is focusing in on the details. Sometimes it is just taking an extra 30 seconds to add a personal touch. Sometimes it is just picking up the phone. Sometimes it's remembering a name. Sometimes it is planning ahead. Sometimes it is just a smile. Sometimes it is a kind act of shere generosity.

Exceeding expectations is about doing what others will not do or are unable to do. Jesus exceeded expectations and continues to exceed expectations. He healed the sick, he gave sight to the blind, he took on the religious establishment, he associated with sinners, he washed his discples feet, he died on the cross, and he rose from the dead. Talk about exceeding expectations. He continues to do the same. Jesus never ceases to amaze me.

Yes, Jesus was all about exceeding expectations and he calls us to the same. Imagine the impact for the kingdom you could make by exceeding expectations. Imagine the impact in your family. Imagine the impact in your work. Imagine the impact in your church. Imagine the impact in a person that may not yet know Jesus as their Savior.

Let's go beyond, because we have a Savior who went beyond for us.

Flood of 2008

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain and our sump pump running downstairs. No big deal. That is fairly common when we get a good steady rain. I let our dog Ellie outside. Took a peek around and didn't notice anything out of place.

But as I drove out of our subdivision I noticed some neighbors who were pumping water away from their house. Maybe we got a little more rain than I thought.

I drove a little further to the entrance of our subdivision to find out the road was closed because of standing water. I drove down to the second entrance to find out that it was closed as well. Now I knew we had a little more rain than I thought.

I could say that I have never seen anything like this in all the time I have lived here. But I have only lived here in Maple Park for a little over two years.

We hope the rain stops soon, but there is more in the forecast. There are several roads shut down in the area.

LUTHERAN MEDIA MINISTRY, GHANA SECURES NEW GENERATORS

... Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there be any excellence ,if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things-Philippians’ 4:8

The Lutheran Media Ministry is once again thankful to the Almighty Father for helping us secure two brand new generators through the support of Lord of Life church and Mr. Gary Kessler all of USA. We are extremely grateful!

The purchase of these generators is unquestionably a step in the right direction and will go a long way to help activities of the Ministry both in and out of the office. Until the purchase of the generators work at the office of the Ministry always came to a standstill whenever power goes off which affects work significantly, not to talk of outreach activities in places where there is no electricity.

Coincidentally, just a day after the purchase of the generator there was power outage in the office but this time it had no impact as the generator was switched on immediately. Even as I write the generator is on and computers in the office are working. Praise be to God!

My Program Coordinator Mr. Isaac Adaam tells me, “In fact the typing of this story was even done with power from the generator, what a great relive”!

We at the Ministry agree perfectly with St. Paul in the bible verse above that this is really something worthy of praise and we are truly thankful to our Gracious Father for such a blessing and pray he continues to revive us for his work. It is our fervent prayer that God will bless our friends at Lord of Life church and all our donors who help us in areas where we need assistance; we really appreciate your support.

A Day to Remember

On this day, my email is not so much encouragement as much as it is reflection on the anniversary of 9-11.

It is hard to believe that it has been 7 years since 9-11. Like many of you, I remember that day like it was yesterday. Living in Virginia at the time, I remember visiting the Pentagon a few days afterward and seeing the giant hole where the plane had hit. I remember checking in with people I knew who worked at the Pentagon to make sure they were all right. I remember flying out of Washington, D.C. about two weeks later with a much different mindset getting on that plane. I remember visiting family in New York and seeing the empty skyline for the first time. The pictures are so clear in my mind.

Yet in other ways, it seems like such a long time ago. I read an article earlier today that the concerns in the minds of Americans about another terrorist attack are at their lowest point since 2001. After 9-11, most Americans (60%) believed that another impending terrorist attack was likely. I remember asking myself, not if there would be another attack, but when would there be one.

We praise the Lord that there has not been another event like this since that day and are thankful for our government, military, and law enforcement officials that have worked so hard to keep our nation secure these seven years. I pray we will never see a day like that again. Most importantly, we are thankful that God is in control even in the midst of things we do not understand.

In light of the anniversary, I want to share with you an article (Read the full article) written by a classmate of mine from Seminary named Bill Wrede who courageously ministered to the rescue workers in Lower Manhattan on that fateful day. As your read this, offer a prayer of thanks for servants like this who continue to share the hope of Jesus through extreme trial. Some of this is graphically disturbing and if you are easily upset, I would discourage you to read further.

Ministry at Ground Zero and Beyond
byWilliam Wrede

It was while I was hugging one sobbing woman that the roar of
the North Tower began as it,too,collapsed before our eyes. In less
than ten seconds the 110 stories of steel,glass,concrete,and people
were reduced to a nearly unrecognizable pile of rubble. Lord,have
mercy.

I remember running just like everyone else did. We didn’t make
it very far before the cloud of dust and debris overcame us. We all
bent down and breathed through handkerchiefs or T-shirts or what-
ever we had to put over our faces and felt the debris falling on our
backs like a gentle rain.Soon,the entire area was painfully quiet.The
number of people had thinned out dramatically and I felt horribly
alone. Everything looked like something out of a horrible movie.
Each of us was covered with the white dust that clung to literally ev-
erything. Cars,buildings,phone booths,trash cans, hotdog carts,and
people were all grey. I came across an NYPD officer trying to shep-
herd the people away from the area,sending them north. Not hav-
ing an idea where I should go to help,he recommended I head to
West Street where rescue workers were being deployed. Each time I
looked south,toward where the Towers stood moments earlier, I saw
nothing but fire,smoke,and an incredible pile of debris.

“For where two or three come together in my name,there am I
with them.” Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

While walking toward West Street, I prayed with several small
groups. The groups vowed to walk until they were all able to find
help. Some were heading to the Brooklyn Bridge to get out of Man-
hattan at least. Others were headed to some unknown point;they
were just heading north.

When I arrived on West Street, I came across an incredible gath-
ering of rescue workers. I kept an eye out for other, official, “de-
partment”chaplains thinking I needed to honor their “turf”and to
get some direction for what needed to be done. At that point, I saw
no other chaplains near the Tribeca Pedestrian Bridge on Chambers
and West Street. I was on my own.

Chaos. There was plenty of it. The remains of the buildings
showed no sign of their previous splendor. There were remnants of
the North Tower’s facade in sight but there wasn’t much more that
was recognizable.There was some order to what the rescue workers
were doing since, after all, they were at least used to doing one thing:
responding.Yet no one ever wrote the book on how to be a chap-
lain in this very moment. No one ever wrote the book explaining
what to do first when two buildings, 110 stories each, collapses and
form a debris pile not much more than seven stories tall. All these
thoughts consumed, literally, about one minute of my time as I stood
under the Tribeca Bridge. It was then that I saw the first firefighter
emerge from the site of the World Trade Center. I did not need to
think anymore. What came next seemed to come almost naturally.

I am confident that much of what I saw and much of what I heard
the rest of that day was truly only meant for the eyes and ears of God.
The words from the liturgy, from the words of absolution spoken by
the pastor, “...in the stead...” make a lot more sense to me having
experienced what I experienced that day. God was present and I was
his instrument that day.I looked into the eyes of this first man,“Carl,”
and I truly understood what is meant by the eyes being the windows
to the soul. There,in the eyes of that firefighter, I saw his soul. Eyes,
red from the dust and from tears,expressed the horror of what had
just happened even before he spoke one word. Still,there were also
the words. The words removed any doubt. Carl said, “Father, I saw
so many parts but no whole bodies. We had to dodge the people that
were jumping.My partner and I were running from the building
when he got hit by one of them.He’s dead,Father.He’s dead!”I stood
there,ankle deep in the dust of the buildings that had just fallen,em-
bracing this firefighter as he wept. Time seemed to stand still. The
wailing of sirens. The rescue workers shouting out orders. All of it
seemed muted as my ears were filled with the words and the sobs of
this man.Our tears mingled. We prayed. Other firefighters came and
offered him support. They washed his eyes out with their water bot-
tles. They said they would take care of him. A few minutes later,Carl
came to me to be blessed and then he walked back down West Street,
back into the debris.From nearly being a victim to now being part
of the rescue and recovery. Carl and I had just a few minutes so I
could offer hope and healing in the midst of the chaos.
The firefighters kept coming out as others went in.The ones com-
ing out were sometimes just like Carl,and I would spend some time
with them.Others,usually in a group,would see that I was with
someone and they would simply make eye-contact or shout, “Keep
praying for us,Father.”As they walked by,they would put a hand on
their brother’s shoulder and on mine. When a group of firefighters
would come out together,they would sometimes stop and ask for
me to simply pray with them and for their lost brothers.They would
stop,remove their helmets,and bow their heads and we would pray
briefly.Lots of gratitude and lots of statements to the effect, “We’re
glad the church is here today,Father. We need you.”

There were others who were not so easily consoled. They were
usually the ones who most frequently demanded an answer to one
important question,“Where is God in all of this?”Sometimes,I have
to admit,I was spared the opportunity to say something wrong when
a brother firefighter would say, “Hey,Ed.Father’s here. We’re here.
We aren’t doing this on our own today,brother.God’s with us or
we’re screwed, man.”Then there would usually be a request for
prayers and a blessing before they went for further orders or returned
to the site. Those were the “easy”ones.

There were also those who demanded an answer and I did my
best to assure them that God was literally there in the midst of all of
us.How this was done seemed about as varied and unique as the men
with whom I spoke and prayed that day.The “answers”usually were
similar to quoting Matthew 18:20 as cited above. Another time I
tried assuring them that God does not advocate evil,but good.Many
received comfort and hoped knowing that their presence that day,
and even the sacrifice of many, all occurred under the careful watch
of a loving Heavenly Father. For some,the whole idea that they could
be there serving God that day made them take ownership and en-
couragement from the thought of not being “just”some firefighter
but a servant of God that day.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.Rather,
be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two
sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart
from the will of your Father.Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
So don’t be afraid;you are worth more than many sparrows.(Matt.10:28-31;
NIV)

True enough,there were those who cursed God that day. In their
minds, God was absent on September 11. It was almost as if I could
hear them literally speaking the same words Christ did on the cross,
“My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” The voice of
those whose faith had been shaken did echo such horror. Was this a
time when there was not so much as a smoldering glow left in their
faith? Was this bruised reed now broken? While that would not have
been the will of God,apparently it could happen.Recalling my own
sense of loneliness after the collapse of the North Tower, I hurt for
these people. Many were literally inconsolable. Sometimes there were
no words.Sometimes a man just needed to be embraced,to be as-
sured that at least one other human being was alive that morning.
For some,they were never able to reconcile in their own mind
how a loving God could ever permit such things to happen as they
had experienced that day. Some literally saw my presence that day
and the thought of praying as absolute nonsense.Statements like,
“What God do you work for,man? He left a long time ago.”For
them I also prayed. Even in the midst of disbelief, some faithful
Christians could pray and see that as an opportunity for them to offer
hope to brothers who were hurting. Oh, New York, New York, how
I longed to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing!
What a message of hope,of the Cross,in the midst of all of this chaos
was available to these people! How awful that some chose to suffer,
even to suffer alone. Lord,have mercy.

So many rescue workers. So many prayers. So many blessings.
Blessing? The desire of the firefighters and other rescue workers was
to be blessed. “Father,will you bless me?”was all it took before the
line of rescue workers would spontaneously form. When asked what
their names were,about half responded with, “My baptism/Chris-
tian name is _______.”I wasn’t blessing anonymous rescue workers.
I was blessing God’s children. I was blessing those who had already
received the sign of the cross on their foreheads. These men,these
baptized children,were asking for God to continue to be a part of
what was happening that day. That was when I took the oil stock
from my pocket.Inside was the oil I received at the chrism mass dur-
ing Holy Week of that year. After speaking their name,sometimes
with a bit of difficulty given the diverse ethnic backgrounds of the
men, I blessed them,pressing my thumb into the oil-soaked cotton
in the oil stock and making the sign of the cross on their forehead
saying,“(their first name),God bless you in the Name of the Father,
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”And then,placing
my hands either on their head or on both sides of their helmet I said,
“And may God’s holy angels protect you as you serve Him today.”
Man after man.Rescuer after rescuer. Child of God after child of
God. They kept coming.

Some of them came looking for more than just a quick blessing.
When you don’t know if your city is still under attack, your values
change. When you don’t know if they will destroy other buildings
and kill more people, priorities change. When you aren’t sure if our
fighters in the sky are keeping our air space clear or if they are going
after someone, you think differently. When you aren’t sure if you will
be alive at the end of this day,there is some business to be taken care
of. I heard confession. I spoke the words that assured these men that
God absolved them of their sins. I sat on a cement planter next to a
firefighter and heard his confession.He called it cheating on his wife.
You speak bluntly when you are confessing in a war zone. He wanted
to amend his sinful life but wasn’t sure he was going to be alive at
the end of the day to make a difference.It was hard spending such a
short time with these men and then sending them on their way. In
the end,it truly was okay since God promised to be with them,even
to the end of the world.They knew that too.Go.Hope and healing
planted in the hearts of many.

[A few months later]
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,so that the life of Jesus
may also be revealed in our body.For we are alive and are always being given
over to death for Jesus’sake,so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.
So then,death is at work in us,but life is at work in you.(II Cor.4:5-12;NIV)
The smell of death is an amazing reminder that death was not in
God’s original plan. When the medical examiner would open the
bag,pictures were taken and the remains were identified as to which
part of the body they had come from.Even in the midst of the de-
bris surrounding the body,there was much that could be identified.

The most powerful moments came when identification was found
with the body or when the medical examiner would tenderly pick
up a hand and show the wedding band still in place. These were
somber moments.These were real people.These were not numbers.
These were not buildings.These were people,brothers,sisters,moth-
ers, fathers,best friends.

Because we did not know much if anything about the people who
were recovered,the prayers were usually generic.For the most part,
that standard prayer I had written for this went like this. “In the
Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
God of all creation,we give you thanks for the recovery of this in-
dividual. We give you thanks for the eyes of the workers who were
able to locate this person. We give you thanks for the skill of the iron
workers and others who removed the debris so this person could be
brought from the site. Now we ask you to bless those who accom-
pany this body/person/remain to the morgue.May we handle this,
your creation,with respect and dignity.Give wisdom and insight to
all who will be part of identifying this person through dental records,
DNA,or finger prints. Finally,Lord,prepare the hearts of the family
members as they receive word of the recovery of their loved one.
Bless each of us now as we depart in your peace. Amen. And then,
speaking to those assembled:May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto
you.May the Lord look upon you with favor and give you His peace.
Amen.”Then the remains would be returned to the body bag and
transferred to a morgue vehicle that would take the remains to Belle-
vue Hospital.


[Four months later]
Christmas Day was quiet since there was a crew of reduced size
working that day. There were remains found and prayers and bless-
ings to be spoken but there was also time to visit the officers work-
ing the perimeter. These visits usually involved helping to answer
the myriad questions the officers were being asked.This was one of
only three day shifts I ever worked.During the evenings,there was
more time to talk and support the officers one on one.

The visits to the perimeter also allowed time to pray with the oc-
casional civilian who wished to pray the Lord’s Prayer or wished to
speak to the chaplain.One man (“Jim”) came up wishing to go to
The Pit to pay his respects to his wife who had died on September
11.He had made no other visit to the site since the attack. I ac-
companied the officer who took the man to the edge of The Pit
where he called out his wife’s name several times.Before we left,the
man asked if I would perform a committal as his wife was on one of
the floors that had been directly hit by the plane and he assumed no
remains would ever be found.He was certain this would be her final
resting place. The man spoke fondly of his wife and their lives as a
young,Christian couple.He was certain that this was the way he
wanted to bid her farewell.The officer,the man,and I shared many
tears and hugs.Even without knowing the final place where his wife
would remain,this man was confident that God had taken care of
her already.Hope? Healing? Yes. The Christ child,born in Bethle-
hem,was this man’s Savior and his wife’s Savior. A blessed Christ-
mas be yours, “Jim.” (p.14)


[Nine months later]
Nearly to the day,that’s what happened over nine months. That
was life for many of us at Ground Zero. While “normal”life was
also maintained during this time,it was almost as if the two worlds,
the “real”world and Ground Zero,tried to become a puzzle that
would eventually fit together perfectly.Sometimes,that seemed to
happen.Sometimes allowing the worlds to coexist was simply bet-
ter,each influencing the other,yet both so extremely different that
the fit is never going to be perfect.That is the way it should be.Ter-
ror should never be welcomed as an equal in our lives.Yet,in the
midst of terror,in the midst of death,how beautiful that the love of
God is so welcomed.Some have trivialized some of this by saying,
“After all,there are no atheists in foxholes.”I disagree. There are
those who do not know God.There are still others who were more
receptive than ever to the message of the gospel in the midst of all
that happened and continues to happen in their lives.Christians be-
came stronger,rallied around the cross. Marginal Christians had the
opportunity to express their doubts and to wrestle anew with
thoughts of spirituality.Chaplains had opportunities to mature and
practice their vocation in a new and profound environment.

“O Lord,Thy little angel send, Whene’er my mortal life shall end,To bear my
soul to Heaven! My body in its chamber sleep, All torment do Thou distant
keep,Till Thy last call be given! And then from death awaken me,That these
poor eyes their Lord may see,See,Son of God, Thy glorious face,My Savior
and my fount of grace! Lord Jesus Christ,O hear Thou me,O hear Thou me,
Thee will I praise eternally.”The Passion According to Saint John, J.S.Bach,#38
Chorale.

Readings for Next Week:

	14						Isaiah 15:1-18:7 Galatians 1:1-24 Psalm 58:1-11 Proverbs 23:12
15	Isaiah 19:1-21:17 Galatians 2:1-16 Psalm 59:1-17 Proverbs 23:13-14							16	Isaiah 22:1-24:23 Galatians 2:17-3:9 Psalm 60:1-12 Proverbs 23:15-16
17	Isaiah 25:1-28:13 Galatians 3:10-22 Psalm 61:1-8 Proverbs 23:17-18							18	Isaiah 28:14-30:11 Galatians 3:23-4:31 Psalm 62:1-12 Proverbs 23;19-21
19	Isaiah 30:12-33:9 Galatians 5:1-12 Psalm 63:1-11 Proverbs 23:22							20	Isaiah 33:10-36:22 Galatians 5:13-26 Psalm 64:1-10 Proverbs 23:23

1st Day of Preschool at LoL

Today was the first official day of preschool at Lord of Life. The beginning of this new school year held special significance for the Ressler family. You see, today was Abby's very first day of many more days of school.

We are looking forward to a great year at Lord of Life Preschool. The preschool is a great compliment to the ministry of the Church. As a Church we continue to pray and support this ministry to so many children and their families.

Congratulations Jared and Melissa

We had a nice evening at Jared and Melissa's wedding. Jared and Melissa are part of our praise team at Lord of Life. Barbara and I were glad to be able to share this special day with them. We pray God's richest blessing as they begin their new life together.

Jesus Calms the Storm

Abby is staying with Grandma this weekend because Barbara and I have a wedding to attend later this afternoon.

Grandma sent the following pictures and story: "We were riding in this boat - and I made it really rock and said "Oh, there's a storm - the waves are really making the boat rock - and she was loving it - then I said - "oh, the storm is over the boat started to stop rocking - and Abby said "Jesus calmed the water!!" It was so cute!!"

It's good to know some things are sticking.

Loving the Fox Valley

***Lord of Life begins new worship times at 8:30 and 10am this weekend! Sunday School is during the 10am worship.***

People can be real difficult sometimes. They can really offend us and tick us off. They never seem to do what we want them to do. They are stubborn and always so selfish. They don't listen and are so opinionated. They don't care. They don't know what they are talking about. They are misguided and ill-informed. They quickly pass judgment. They are rude. They get angry. They are so superficial. All they think about is themselves. They are so easily offended. They like to complain a lot.

Have you ever had these feelings towards other people? If we are honest with ourselves, we would probably say yes.

I once heard a joke that ministry would be really great if it was not for all the people. But people is what it is all about. God has called us to unconditionally love people - even when they don't love us back, even when we don't agree with us, even when they would seek to undermine us or even hurt us.

Think about how God loves people. There are thousands of reasons why God should have given up on us long time ago. But he continues to love us. Although people ignore him, reject him, disobey him, curse his name, blaspheme him, and even crucify him - he still continues to love them with a bigger love than we can even imagine. God has a big heart for the people of the world and the people of our community. John 3:16 says, "God so love the world." Did you hear that? "He so love the world, that he gave his only Son."

In short, God loves all (difficult) people. He calls us to do the same. Jesus says, the greatest commandment is to love God, but the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:37-38). You cannot love God without loving people.

Yes, it is a hard job to love people. Love is not convenient. It can be messy. People have a lot of problems in their lives. It would be a lot easier to just love ourselves and not have to deal with with their broken marriages, financial debt, loneliness, fits of anger, up-side-down priorities, opposing political views, failing health, unruly kids, selfishness, etc. But their is nothing more worthwhile and fulfilling we will ever do than to love our neighbor and the people of our community.

Unfortunately, many churches and Christians love their traditions and themselves more than the people of their community. We easily love those who love us back or have something to give us in return. But Jesus says, "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than the others? Do not even the pagans do that?" Matthew 5:46-47

I pray Lord of Life will be a church that loves God and the people of our community more than we love ourselves or our traditions. I pray that we would love our community as God loves our community and that we could continue to develop a heart for the people around us.

We (the church) have something that no one else in our community can offer to our community. The government can't offer it. Jewel can't offer it. Geneva Commons can't offer it. The local park can't offer it. Delnor Hospital can't offer it. Our community needs Jesus and we are the ones who have Jesus to share.

I pray that when we come to Lord of Life we would come not to be served, but to serve. That our main objective would not be to hear our favorite song sung this morning, not to hear a knock out sermon by Pastor Phil, not to catch up with our friends. Those things are all good. But I pray that our main motivation would be to serve our community by taking part in helping the church to fulfill its mission of sharing Jesus with our community.

Sometimes we talk about serving the church, but it is not really the church that we are serving. It is our community and our world that we are serving through our church.

Readings for next week:

07	Song of Solomon 5:1-8:14 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 Psalm 51:1-19 Proverbs 22:24-25		08	Isaiah 1:1-2:22 2 Corinthians 10:1-18 Psalm 52:1-9 Proverbs 22:26-27
09	Isaiah 3:1-5:30 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 Psalm 53:1-6 Proverbs 22:28-29		10	Isaiah 6:1-7:25 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 Psalm 54:1-7 Proverbs 23:1-3
11	Isaiah 8:1-9:21 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Psalm 55:1-23 Proverbs 23:4-5		12	Isaiah 10:1-11:16 2 Corinthians 12;11-21 Psalm 56:1-13 Proverbs 23:6-8
13	Isaiah 12:1-14:32 2 Corinthians 13:1-13 Psalm 57:1-11 Proverbs 23:9-11

Update from Louisiana

Here is part of an email received from Deaconess Diana Bonfield at Lutheran Church Charities with an update from the ministries we served on our mission trip to Louisiana last year:

Lutheran Church Charities has been monitoring the most recent storm damage caused by Hurricane Gustav. We are waiting for word concerning what help is needed that is not already being provided. Though we have heard from several involved parties, the fact remains that until the National Guard allows access to the evacuated areas (originally access back to the area was possibly Friday; as of Wednesday morning the word is that they are beginning to allow people to come back to New Orleans), no one knows what kind of damage has been sustained, nor what kind of help will be needed. At the moment, most phone and electricity lines are down. We will be updating our web site as more information becomes available. For now, please keep everyone in your prayers.

Tuesday morning, I was able to talk with Pastor Rich Rudnick, the pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Houma (a former WAU student from Trinity Roselle his home congregation). He had been on vacation in Tennessee when he heard of the mandatory evacuation of Houma, affecting all of the members of his congregation. At the time of the evacuation he had spoken with his secretary who said that all of the members were leaving before the hurricane made land fall. When I talked with Pastor Rich, he was on his way back to Houma to assess what has happened. As a community leader, he will most likely be able to get past the National Guard line. Houma is where a lot of the first responders were staged to go back to New Orleans. So far they were reporting only wind damage.

Wednesday morning I received the most recent update from Pastor Rich. He arrived at Houma and was met by two LCMS Police Chaplains and some of the volunteers that they brought with them. Pastor Rich's home had only minor wind damage and no power. When I talked to Rich they were going to get gas for the generators and start cleaning up the church. The stained glass window of Jesus the Good Shepherd behind the altar was blown out, as well as one of the other windows. The church building sustained mainly wind damage. So far they have not seen any water damage in the church. I asked if Houma had flooded. Neither the west side of town, where Pastor Rich's home and the church are, nor the downtown area were flooded. They are waiting to hear about the east side of town. Because of the power outage, he was told that it may be as long as two weeks before people will be allowed to return home. There is a lot of damage from downed trees and power lines that will need to be cleaned up. Pastor Rich anticipates that once people come back, the church will be receiving requests for help. As that happens, he will keep us informed.

I spoke with Courtney Pellegrin Howell this morning and found that she, too, had been on vacation in Canada visiting her husband Terry's family when they got word of the mandatory evacuation. She heard from her staff that all of the families with which they have been working at Bayou Grace Base Camp in Chauvin, LA have evacuated. Unfortunately, word is that it does not look good for Terrebonne Parish, near Chauvin, as this is the location where the Hurricane came inland. Flooding and wind damage are facing residents in the Bayous. Again, they wait for word from the National Guard as to when they can return home. Courtney will keep LCC updated, as she and her staff will need our help once they return to Bayou Grace.

Tuesday, September 2nd the Southern District officials, the staff of the Southern District's Recovery Assistance Inc. Ministries, and Rev. Glenn Merritt of LCMS Lutheran World Relief and Human Care Services all met at Camp Biloxi to assess the needs of LCMS churches, members, camps, and people of the surrounding communities. Over the next few days, LCC expects to hear this assessment of needs, and how we might be able to help.

One of the blessings with the storms is that many people had a chance to evacuate their homes and stay in a safe place while the storm hit. Another blessing in the midst of the storms is the pulling together of the people of God to assist those in need with the Compassion and Presence of Christ. It is during times like this that the Body of Christ is strengthened in being the Presence of Christ to those in need. LCC works together with LCMS World Relief and Human Care as well as the Southern District of the LCMS. Both have a strong network of people who are in place to assist in the care of the people in need!

Also note that the Returning Hearts Celebration at Angola has been postponed. A new date will soon be announced.

A Sign from Wisconsin

Quote for the Day

"An apology is the superglue of life. It can repair just about anything."

- Lynn Johnson

Hurricane Gustav Touch Points

We are thankful that Hurricane Gustav was not more severe than what it was. It certainly did create widespread damage, but it seems that it was not as bad as it could have been.

I paid some extra special attention to this hurricane as it made landfall in the exact place where we had served last year on our Louisiana Mission Trip. I think about the people on the Bayou we met and served. I think about the servants of God we met at Bayou Grace (see www.bayougrace.org) also the people at Grace Lutheran in Houma. We pray for the recovery efforts in those places and that even in the midst of this trial the Church will be provided the opportunity to share the hope of Jesus.

Medical Mission Trip to Sierra Leone

This is an excerpt from a recent email I received from Lutheran Church Charities. We pray for the work that John and Gary will do in Africa.

On October 18-28, 2008 Dr. Susan Busse, John Peterson and Gary Kessler, both members of Lord of Life Lutheran Church in La Fox, will be joining 7 members from Christ Community Church in St. Charles on a medical missions trip to Bo, Sierra Leone in West Africa. The purpose of the trip is to conduct an initial clinical trial of a new malaria treatment. Pre-trial dispensing of this medication by Dr. Busse has shown great promise at quickly relieving the debilitating, and for children life threatening, effects of this pervasive disease of the tropics.

This initial trial, though smaller in numbers and shorter in duration than later trials, will provide needed data that will hopefully convince larger compassion organizations to finance more extensive trials. The ultimate goal is to make available to the world this inexpensive and easy to administer treatment.

Christ Community Church's contact in Sierra Leone operates many medical clinics. The team intends to base their operations at these clinics and conduct their trials there.

They not only need funds for travel expenses for the three of them, but they also need help obtaining the medical supplies necessary to conduct the trial. They also need your prayers. May this trip be the first step in easing so much suffering around the world.
While they are not working with either Doctors Without Borders or with UNICEF, both organizations have produced videos that show graphically the scope and challenges posed by this disease. The Dr Ho slide show was filmed in Bo, Sierra Leone, exactly where the team is going.

www.doctorswithoutborders.org/photogallery/gallery.cfm?id=2491
www.unicef.org/infobycountry/sierraleone_39463.html

The Devil is in the Technology (Part 1)

Technology is a wonderful thing. I will be the first to admit I love technology. I love to be able to use technology in creative ways to enhance the message that we have been called to proclaim as the Church. I believe that the message of Jesus Christ is relevant for any age, but it is so important that as a Church we adapt the way we communicate the message that it continues to remain relevant.

Technology is not something that is to be feared, but something that is to be embraced. Think of the potentially hundreds, thousands, and millions more we can reach because of the Internet.

More people will probably vote this year for the American Idol than for the American President. Some may say this is sad, and it probably is. But maybe the reason that more people will vote for the American Idol is because it is much easier to do so because of the technology. There is no need to physically go to a polling place on a specific day to cast your vote.

I recently began a Senior Pastor's Coaching Network that is done via a conference call and the Internet. This is training and instruction I am receiving in my office once a month without the cost of travel. Once again, this is a wonderful blessing of technology.

Certainly the Internet and technology save us time and money, but it also costs us time and money - and potentially more. As much as God can use the technology, I am convinced the Devil is in the technology. As Christians we need to be very careful with how we use the technology. There is much temptation in this world, and many a Christian have fallen as a result of the dangers that exist.

More and more, I am recognizing the pitfalls that are out there. I would not recommend abandoning technology, but to develop an awareness and provide ways and means to monitor your habits and usage so that you don't get too close to the fire.

The most obvious danger when it comes to the the Internet and technology is the content of the Internet. Pornography is a huge industry. It brings in more than the NBA, NFL, and MLB combined. This is alarming.

The church is by no means immune from this. 48% of Christian families admit that pornography is a problem in their homes and few churches ever do anything to address the issue.

The Internet has done nothing but to make pornography more readily accessible. It is not only available in the dark alleys, but now on the main street. The reality is that pornography is not going away anytime soon.

But there is help out there. One resource is xxxchurch.com. It is a unique way -using technology - that the church has stepped up to this growing problem. This website is a bit controversial in the church. But the way I see it is that they are working to address the issue. Not everyone may agree with how they are addressing it, but at least they are doing something.

Also available from xxxchurch.com is accountability software that you can use with the help a accountability partner. We can all use accountability in this area and I would encourage you to check it out.

Not only are we impacted by this, but our children are impacted as well. Our children are now exposed at an ever younger age. As parents it is important for us to be proactive rather than reactive. Whether it is filtering or monitor our children's usage we cannot neglect this important role of protecting our children. At the same time we need to talk with our children about the dangers that they understand why we filter and why we monitor.

We need to expose our children to the world in the right settings so that when they are adults and begin to make more decisions on their own, they will have a good head on their shoulders and be able to make the right decision without mom or dad around.

Pornography is not the only way that he devil is in the technology, we will discuss these in upcoming posts.