What I Have Learned

Ideas we can all take to heart in our quest to discover our own best ways of serving God.

At one time or another we all, as human beings, struggle and wrestle with the question “What is God calling me to do?”

After more than a decade of intentional Biblical reflection, numerous conversations, the penning of several books, thousands of missteps and an occasional victory, I’d like to ask you to allow me to share what I have learned via my own journey.

What I have learned is that we must be intentional about placing our relationship with God at the center of our lives. When we take time to pray, study the Word, attend worship and partake of Jesus’ body and blood, we naturally become aware of ways in which we can humbly be of service to others.

What I have learned is that when our faith is strong, we become less so that we can become more. We humbly allow God to work through the daily routines of our lives to fulfill God’s plan for us. We find that we gain deep satisfaction knowing that this is how we are to serve in this particular moment – being the carpool mom, coaching our son’s baseball team, spending the night in the hospital caring for a friend, or building a well in Ethiopia.

What I have learned is that as we reduce our own egos and focus instead on the needs of the world, we will discover doors that magically open and chance meetings will occur. We become stronger than our wildest dreams.

What I have learned is that we begin each day forgiven and renewed to write a brand-new story – one of service marked by intensity and integrity, remembering that the only narrative that matters is how well we serve those whom we encounter.

What I have learned is to pay attention to times of suffering, hardship and disappointment. They are God-given opportunities to discover a new purpose in our lives, to, in the words of Martin Luther, “work out the salvation in our lives.”

What I have learned is that living a life of significance is not a destination, but rather an ongoing journey as we disown ourselves and follow Christ’s calling for us.

What I have learned is that as Christians, we live with the confidence that death indeed has lost its sting. Grasping both the futility and eternal significance of our lives, we comprehend that it is how we live each day, not what we do, that truly matters.

Finally, what I have learned, have come to deeply respect and sometimes fear, is the immense power we receive when we become bold in our faith and actions. I believe in the power of members of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans – that individually and collectively, we have the God-given opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others via our community, congregation, family and profession.

Note: The following article was reprinted with permission from the Winter 2011 issue of Thrivent magazine, a quarterly member publication of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Dr. Kurt Senske serves as CEO of Lutheran Social Services of the South and as chairman of the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Board of Directors. He is the author of The Calling: Live a Life of Significance. Learn more at kurtsenske.com.

Extreme Gym Makeover at Nelson Children’s Center

 

For the past four years, Calvary Lutheran Church in North Richland Hills has been ringing in the New Year with an “Extreme Home Makeover” project – home, that is, to the Nelson Center children. The youth group at Calvary spends the entire year raising funds to complete their service project, and they come in their Calvary Lutheran bus as a group to the Nelson Center during the first or second weekend of January to “make-over” an area of the Center.

The first year they painted and decorated each room for the “Little Boys” (ages 5-8). The second year they took on the “Adolescent Boys” rooms (ages 12-15), and last year they remodeled the “Big Boys” rooms (ages 9-11). Each dorm has 6-8 rooms with 2-3 boys per room.

This is the drill: Calvary drives up to Nelson Center on a Friday night, meets with the kids in each room, and asks them what design they would like on their walls. The church kids immediately head to Wal-Mart, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, Hobby Lobby, and wherever else they need to go to get supplies, and then spend the night in a local hotel. Bright and early on Saturday morning they arrive at Nelson Center to get to work – and don’t leave until the job is done – usually about 10 hours!

This year they took on an even BIGGER project – the Nelson Center gym! The leaders met with our coach on Friday, discussed what his “dream gym” would look like, and came back on Saturday to make it happen. The kids have a great time and are hard-working, knowing that their mission make-over will be the talk of the Nelson Center for months to come.

The Nelson Center kids, upon seeing the gym, were in awe and couldn’t believe the new designs and motivational feel of the décor. Even the Nelson Center staff was left speechless. The kids and staff spend so much time in the gym, the inspirational words written on the walls now remind everyone daily of their goals and their mission to be a part of healing and hope for dozens of young lives every day.

Introducing the Nelson Center’s New CEO Marcel Lue

Marcel Lue

Marcel Lue, M.HS, LCCA, LCPAA, has been named chief executive officer of the Nelson Children’s Center, the residential treatment facility operated by Lutheran Social Services (LSS),in Denton, Texas. The Nelson Center treats children (ages 5-15) with severe emotional and behavioral problems, resulting from past abuse and neglect.

Lue has been serving as interim CEO at the Nelson Center for the past several months, and was the program director at the facility for more than a year. In this position he managed all direct care, non-therapeutic staff, and supervised the children’s day-to-day activities and programs.

“We are so fortunate to have Marcel Lue on board at the Nelson Center,” said Nelson’s director of volunteers Rebekah Poling. “The Nelson staff really appreciates his commitment to teamwork and the kids think he’s just awesome.”

Lue has a Masters of Human Services degree from Bellevue University, with an emphasis in Human Services and Consumer Relations. A native of Nebraska, he was formerly employed by Father Flanagan’s Boys’ & Girls’ Town, where he was charged with opening new Boys’ Town campuses throughout the United States. Before joining the staff at the Nelson Center Lue was director of residential care at Boysville Inc., a comprehensive residential care facility near San Antonio. The Nelson Center is based on a similar model of therapy.

“My plans for the Nelson Center revolve around carrying out the mission of Lutheran Social Services: Providing ‘Help, Healing, and Hope’ to the children in our care,” Lue said. “The ‘healing’ element is particularly critical, and by working with a cohesive staff to enhance all our educational, therapeutic, and extracurricular programs, I am confident that we can accomplish our goals.”

Nathaniel is Waiting for a Forever Family

Bulgaria sounds so far away. But it’s a country that’s close to our hearts at LSS. So many Bulgarian children are waiting for permanent, loving homes, and we are committed to placing as many as we can in qualified adoptive families.

Meet Nathaniel (not his real name and photo): Nathaniel was born on September 4, 2006, weighing 6.8 pounds and measuring 20 ½ inches. The mother received no prenatal care, and Nathaniel suffered from “mild asphyxiation” during birth. When just 11 days old, he was discharged from the hospital and placed in a baby orphanage. In September 2009, Nathaniel was transferred to a specialized orphanage for children age 3-7, where he remains today.

Nathaniel’s early history included repeated upper respiratory infections, tonsillitis, and strep throat. His tonsils and adenoids were removed in 2009, and he has had no further hospitalizations. Currently, Nathaniel is diagnosed as having convergent strabismus (eyes turning inward) for which no treatment is recommended at this time, and as having speech and emotional delays. He is current on all immunizations and physical examination reveals that there are no facial anomalies or any neurological issues.

Nathaniel has olive skin and dark brown hair and eyes, and his appearance is reflective of his Roma heritage. He is in good physical health, and his gross motor skills are on target for his age.

His fine motor skills and language development are somewhat delayed.

Nathaniel enjoys the attention of adults, and responds with great pleasure when he is approached by a grown-up. He participates in musical games and other activities with his peers, but needs his teacher’s encouragement to do so. Nathaniel tends to isolate himself from his peer group, and needs adult support to interact comfortably with other children.

This precious little boy is waiting for a permanent family who can accept his current language and emotional delays and provide him with a nurturing, accepting, and stimulating environment to help him develop his potential. We know the perfect family for Nathaniel is out there waiting for him too!

Two Tickets to Mercy Me & Rebecca St. James Concert Could Be Yours: Visit LSS on Facebook to Enter!

Inspirational Christian music artists Mercy Me and Rebecca St. James will be performing next Thursday, January 20^th at Shoreline Church in Austin, TX. Two tickets were given to us for the work we do in adoption and we would like to pass this gift on to our faithful fans.*

We’ve been helping children find forever families for 130 years and we don’t plan on slowing down. We believe that every child needs a stable place to call home and a loving family to nurture them. Since this ministry began, we’ve placed over 7,400 children in caring adoptive homes. There are dozens of reasons why people choose to adopt a child, but one idea unites them all: adoption demonstrates God’s love.

“… God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. ⁶ Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4: 5-7)

God loves us so much that he paid the ultimate price to bring us into his family. What a great blessing to demonstrate this saving love by rescuing a child from abandonment!

Of course, we are not all called to adopt, but you can support adoption in many ways, like introducing the possibility to friends and family, providing respite care for newly adoptive parents, and raising awareness in your circles of influence.

* You can take a first step today by “liking” or commenting on this post on our facebook page. This will help us spread the word about adoption AND enter you in a drawing to win the concert tickets. By “liking” the post, you will be entered once, for adding a comment, you will be entered a second time. We will randomly draw and announce the winner on Tuesday, January 18^th.

Thank you for supporting adoption!

Note: Employees of LSSS and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.

When the Bikers Rolled Into Town…

The Peace Riders and Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) joined together in December for the 2^nd Annual Toy Run for the Nelson Children’s Center. BACA rallies for more than the fun of the ride; they rally for a cause – to create a safer environment to empower abused children.

With months of prep work, lots of fundraising, and even coordinating with the city and local churches, the Peace Riders pulled off a toy run that began at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Colleyville and ended at the Nelson Children’s Center in Denton.

The bikers gathered at Crown of Life for donuts and juice provided by the church, and then made the 40-minute trek up I-35 to the Nelson Center, where they had a cookout and deposited all their gifts on the front steps.

Through the efforts of Peace Riders and BACA members, the Nelson Center kids were blessed with over 200 presents and more than $1,000 in financial donations! There were 40 motorcycles and about 50 participants who drove to the Nelson Center to unload the toys and bring a cookout for all the kids. It was quite a thrill for the youngest boys at Nelson, ages 5-8, when they were invited to come outside to meet the bikers.

The Peace Riders are already planning their third annual toy run for 2011, and we can hardly wait to welcome them back!

Hmmm. Is that Santa standing by the pole on the left?

Happy New Year Heather & Eli – Officially a family on December 31st

KWTX video link:

“A Special Kind of Family” was recently featured on Waco TV station KWTX. That family is comprised of Heather Creed, Baylor Law School assistant dean, and her three-year-old son, Eli, recently adopted from Ethiopia.

Heather first met with me (the LSS director of social work for international programs) on January29, 2010, to discuss the details of the international adoption process from Ethiopia. She then took the rather weighty application packet for the homestudy with her back to Hewitt, Texas. The homestudy paperwork was completed, approved, and filed with the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) on March 31, 2010.  At that time, there was already some discussion about closing Ethiopian adoptions to singles, but Heather was fortunate, and on April 30, 2010, she was matched with Eli, who had been living in an orphanage for nine months following the death of his mother.  

Heather first travelled to Ethiopia to meet Eli and for her court date for the adoption on Oct. 26, 2010. On her second trip, just two months later, she was able to bring Eli home permanently, arriving on Texas soil New Years Eve.

Lutheran Social Services will continue to be involved with Heather and Eli, providing post-placement services, which includes home visits and regular reports to government officials in Ethiopia. After a year-long adoption process, the New Year is full of hope and promise for Heather and Eli, truly a “Special Kind of Family.”

If you are interested in finding out more about international adoption with LSS, please call or email me, Konnie Gregg: 512-706-7544; konnie.gregg@lsss.org. Or visit http://www.lsss.org/adoption.

Volunteer of the Year Delivers Bags Full of Hope

Deborah Williams is known as “the bag lady” by many youngsters at LSS children’s residential treatment centers. Most women would cringe at this title, but Debbie loves it. Since she started the ministry back in 2004, Debbie and her wonderful team of bag ladies have delivered over 1,300 welcome bags to needy kids across the state of Texas … and they aren’t slowing down!

The Bags of Hope ministry began when Debbie discovered a need at the New Life Children’s Center, a treatment home for abused and neglected girls (ages 11-17) in Canyon Lake. She noticed that children were being admitted to New Life with few possessions, and many only had a trash bag full of dirty clothes. Her heart broke when she thought of these precious young girls who had already been through so much. Debbie was determined to help make their first days at New Life warm and welcoming by providing them with some comforts of home.

The bags would take a small army to complete, so Debbie began enlisting volunteers from her church. They created handmade tote bags out of placemats and stuffed each tote with goodies. Each bag contained necessities like shampoo, lotion, and a toothbrush, as well as some fun things like pajamas, a stuffed animal, and journal.

As the Bags of Hope ministry grew, so did the need. Soon, the volunteers were providing bags not just for the girls at the New Life Center but also for more than 180 children at two other children’s homes: the Nelson Children’s Center in Denton, TX and the Krause Children’s Center in Katy, TX.

Now the Bags of Hope ministry has hundreds of volunteers in several churches across Texas, bringing hope to the abused and neglected. Debbie’s kind-heartedness and the determination that led her to start Bags of Hope have now landed her recognition as the Austin American-Statesman’s “Faith-based volunteer of the year” for 2010. We are so proud of Debbie and all the bag ladies for their tireless service. Thank you for bringing hope to the children we serve!

Nelson Center Holidays Part 2: Ringing in the New Year

The kids at the Nelson Children’s Center in Denton, TX, celebrated the coming of the new year with a group of volunteers from the organization “Camp Change.” The volunteers brought enough pizza for the kids and staff, a Bible study on the creation story, games, crafts, and an awesome inflatable obstacle course.

An important part of the evening was the Bible story and fellowship time. Camp Change volunteers reminded the kids about God’s creation, how He perfectly formed and fashioned each one of us with a specific plan and purpose for His glory and our good. The kids learned about how God does not make mistakes, and that He created each of them with love and divine purpose. During the craft time, the kids painted flower pots for the staff members to remind them about God’s creation and how He continues to grow, nurture, and care for us. The flower pots serve also to remind the staff that there is a great plan for each of these kids we work with. Even though it is a struggle sometimes to find hope in the most challenging moments, God’s redemptive design is much bigger and grander than we can imagine.

It was an amazing way for the children at the Nelson Center to end the year and start a new one – with volunteers who give up their New Years Eve to bring fun, fellowship, and a spiritual message to them, instilling love and hope for the coming year.

“Are You the REAL Santa?” Nelson Center Kids Had to Know!

Right before Christmas, Santa took a short break from all the hustle and bustle at the North Pole to pay a visit Denton, Texas, and some very special boys at the Nelson Children’s Center. The youngest boys, ages 5-11, had the opportunity to meet-and-greet Santa Claus up close and personal, and ask him their most burning Santa-related questions. One particularly curious boy even did the “pulling-the-hair-test” on Santa! When one of the boys asked him, “Are you the real Santa Claus?” Santa replied, “That’s for YOU to decide!”

This special activity, along with the all-out joy of Christmas morning, was such a sweet blessing for the kids, most of whom cannot remember a Christmas where they received a gift or such love. Thanks to the fabulous community of Nelson supporters, it was a Christmas to remember for every one of the 60 kids at the Nelson Center!