To keep relationships strong, Dave and Rosemary fly into villages for dinner, create Christmas care packages, and show God's love.

The Advent message that we bring is the answer and hope for these people. The light is coming, the Christ Child, the Son of the living God. Clothed in our sinful, broken humanity and walking into the darkness of our lives, He will ascend Golgotha hill, and He will stand in the holy place.

When Jesus left the heart of the Father and became human, I wonder if it helped to know that, through His Son, some would be saved. Jesus was born to start the journey that would remove our stony hearts and give us eternal life.  Our life is now intertwined with His because He has, in His grace through faith, given us a new heart.

Most people have definite favorites when it comes to holidays. My mother’s favorite holiday was Thanksgiving. She loved to cook and have all of her kids gathered together. Unlike Christmas, with its expectations and anxieties, she could relax in her element. For others, one season bleeds seamlessly into the next with thankfulness for all of our earthly needs being met along with celebrating the joy of our salvation, Jesus our Lord.

With each birth, there is wonder and mystery.  Who is this tiny new person and what shall he or she become?  What joys and sorrows lie ahead for each new one as they start the journey of life?  What ways will God use to bless them and others through them?

Advent is such a powerful time to tell the story - the story of light coming into the darkness and overcoming it (John 1:5). It is the time when we celebrate our Savior's birth and look forward to His second coming. He is the true light, which enlightens everyone and has come into the world (John 1:9). This is the story many Native people need to hear.

The mission work LIM does in Alaska is unlike anything we see in the lower 48 states. The sheer size of the state and distance between villages makes it hard to help everyone, so the Sternbecks use volunteers whenever possible.

Lutheran Indian Ministries is excited to announce the newest member of our ministry staff, Carissa Wittig!