As believers, we are children of God. But those who do not know Christ as their Lord and Savior, do not know what it truly means to be a Christian. But they could! With each action we take to love our neighbor, we reflect Jesus to the world, as well as the great gift of life and hope we receive through his resurrection. Give thanks to the Lord today through acts of kindness, especially to those you might otherwise forget.

God has called you by name and saved you through Jesus’ death on the cross. As you go forward in your life and into the place God has taken you, whether in your home, your workplace, or your community, we are reminded that He will be with us. He will go ahead of you, protect you, and fight for you.

With God as your number one fan and bodyguard, what are you still afraid of? What fears and misgivings do you have about the cross Jesus has asked you to bear?

God is your Father, and you are his child. More so than any earthly parent could, He knows you. He knew you before your mother felt your first kick. He numbered every hair on your head. He is intimately in tune with your thoughts and your every movement because He loves you so deeply. Just like Jeremiah, He has set you apart for an important piece in his great plan. Thank God, today, for the “you” God created, fearfully and wonderfully made, loved beyond our comprehension, perfect for your work in his Kingdom.

Jesus, help us to overcome our unbelief, and let the Holy Spirit fill us with the faith of Peter as he announced you as the Messiah. Make us people who pray, believe, and are willing to take up any cross we are asked to bear in order to glorify you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

We are now more than two weeks through this series, and time gets away from us all.  Talk some time to catch up on any readings you may have missed, or reread and share those you really liked. Read them all here: https://www.lutheranindianministries.org/news/?tag=lent+devotion+2017

In 1980, Jerry Richardson, a 24-year-old black man from East Texas who had just finished college in Louisiana, took a job coaching basketball in Shiprock, New Mexico, a depressed Navajo community. He takes on the girls varsity team, a losing lineup of girls who seem to have no chance or hope of succeeding in anything. With racial tensions fueling the fire with their biggest rival and eight-time state champions, Kirtland Central, Jerry pushes the girls as hard as he did himself growing up in an all-white school. Their work pays off, and by 1987, the Lady Chieftains are state contenders. Behind the scenes, however, a conflict divides the team and coaches. Much of the community feels that Jerry is too harsh but Jerry thinks his authority is being undermined. After losing an important game, Jerry finds a way to open up to the girls and this culminates in a nail-biting finale. With real game footage and current and candid interviews, this is an inspirational look at winning and losing, and everything in between.

This Week in Native American News: the United Nations conference room, an Oklahoma classroom, and a Hawaiian stage. March 17, 2017

Challenges in life can lead us to trust God and learn to be content. Once you’ve lived through the lows and seen God carry you through, how much easier it is to overcome the next obstacle. Take the time today to thank God for the hardships you have already endured, for His grace to see you through them, and the reassurance that no problem is too big for Him.

A nurse, a newspaper creator, an expert storyteller, and the Seminoles first female chief = impressed and inspired.

What a powerful message: The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is the same Spirit who lives in you. Therefore, be led by the Holy Spirit, that same Spirit who came upon a virgin and descended on a room full of believers giving them the ability to speak in languages they did not know, and who enables us to become children of God. We are called to die to our sinful life and live by the Spirit. How can you reflect you are a child of God to a dying world?