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Various | 2017 April Voice of Zion There has been a considerable amount of chatter about the newly established girls’ home in Monticello, Minnesota. It has been positive and exciting! God answered many prayers and provided the necessary gifts to make this happen. The Building Hope home is not an LLC project, but it certainly captures the interest of many, including the LLC’s Home and Family committee. What a beautiful blessing. Betsy Simonson, Jessica Kallinen, and Kelsey Huhta have a home filled with faith, hope, and love! Could any of us ask for anything more in this life as we journey toward our eternal home in heaven? The establishment of this homes speaks of God’s love and the simplicity of living faith. These writers and photographers shared what they felt, saw, and experienced and allow us also to feel the joy of this new venture. Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever” (Phil. 4:19,20). Rod Nikula Building Hope, Inc.—Need becomes Reality Building Hope, Inc. is a private non-profit corporation established on May 5, 2016 with the mission of providing support services to believing adults and children with varying physical and cognitive abilities. Tarja Brown, of Litchfield, Minnesota, is its Executive Director. “I think that services for the children or loved ones of believers has been a need for many years in God’s kingdom,” she says. The need has now become a reality. The first such home, located in Monticello, Minn., provides services to three women who are renting the home. The Work Began Much work goes into the organization of such a venture. Three sets of parents initially got together and invited four others to assist them, forming the board. Brown, who is currently employed in this field, was asked to be on the board, bringing approximately 20 years of experience to the group. Building Hope also needed to be registered with the IRS and the State of Minnesota as a 501C3 charitable organization. It needed to be licensed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services as an organization that would provide services either to adults living on their own or adults and children living with their families. A suitable home needed to be found, as well as believing staff. Brown says, “The home is the home of our clients and is a believing home. Staff are there to assist them in everyday matters of life. This is their home, and we are there to serve them with love.” Staff provides services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thus enabling the women to live and work in the community, to have friends and family over, or to go to visit other believers. Future Plans Future plans for Building Hope are to ex­­pand services to include other believing brothers and sisters who may have need for these types of services in this area. A letter written by Curt Simonson, chairman of the board, went out to nearby congregations, expressing Building Hope’s mission and how it might help to provide a service and answer questions about the organization. “We believe every life is a blessing from God and should be valued, protected, and cherished. Our hope is that all who serve and are served by Building Hope can enjoy a pleasant atmosphere each day along the journey to heaven,” the letter states. God Has Blessed Brown says that being part of this endeavor has brought her much joy. Many prayers have also risen to the Heavenly Father to guide the footsteps of those involved. “God has richly blessed us, and all thanks go to God for the success we have had,” she says. Kathy Nevala A New Home, a New Life When we moved to Monticello almost two years ago, I had the pleasure to get to know Betsy Simonson. Betsy found out that we are related, and cousins are very important to her. Every Wednesday or Sunday at services, she seeks out her cousins and friends. She comes to greet, gives a hug, and lets us know how she is feeling. Faith is important to Betsy; she freely asks for the gospel. When her new home came to fruition, we heard something new about it every week. She was busy making plans and lists as to who could come to visit. Each week, she showed me who was on the list. Each week she had hope. Then the hope became true. The first week the girls were in their new home, Betsy invited me for coffee. I feel fortunate to live close by, and I was able to walk there. Betsy came running to the door to welcome me. She seemed a little shy. This was not the Betsy I had seen before. She told me she was nervous to have company. But in just a few minutes she relaxed and showed me around her new home. She had set the table, ready to serve coffee and cookies that she had baked. She introduced me to her new friends Jessica and Kelsey. Since the first visit, I eagerly wait to go to visit my new friends. I learn something new from them every time. Betsy and Jessica go to work Monday through Friday at Functional Industries in Buffalo. A bus picks them up every morning and drops them off in the afternoon. Kelsey will be starting a new job soon. The girls love to help with chores. Kelsey is good at cleaning. Betsy loves to bake. Jessica likes to wipe the table and counters. She is very detailed, and there is not a crumb in sight when she’s done. The girls are able to do their own laundry with some assistance. They also help plan menus. The girls have learned to work together. As with siblings, it isn’t easy to al­­ways get along. But the gos­­pel is most important. They take care of each other as believing friends do. Jessica loves to play with cards. She sorts them by color and number. The cards go everywhere with her. I have come to know Jessica as a happy-go-lucky girl. She is smiley, with a sense of humor. She loves to color, do puzzles, and play catch. She won’t let me forget anything. If I take my glasses off, she is worried about them until I put them back on. Kelsey has been teaching herself sign language. She likes to color and do word searches. She also loves to sing and play piano. She takes great care of her many dolls. Kelsey played a song for me that was in memory of her grandma Naemi Huhta. Kelsey says her grandma loved music. Weekend time feels good. Betsy says she can sleep in. The girls love to go on outings. Once a month they go to the library to take out books and CDs. Sometimes they go shopping and stop somewhere for tea. Sometimes they do crafts or bake. Kelsey says the best part about the weekend is that they can go to church on Sunday. The weekdays are routine: personal cares, getting ready for the work day, working, helping prepare supper, and favorite evening activities. An early bedtime is good. The girls like to go to Bible class or services on Wednesdays. Many evenings end with singing and saying the evening prayer together. All the girls love their new home. They look forward to each new day and like to know which staff will be on the next day. As night falls on this new home, we can be assured that tomorrow is a new day of grace and hope. Denise Nevala An Example of Faith Having the girls join our congregation has been a joy. As they’ve gotten to know us, they are sure to find us every church service to greet with “God’s Peace!” or give a welcoming hug. Our little kids keep tabs on them and whisper to us, “The girls are here!” One evening it was my husband’s turn to teach Bible Class. One of the girls came over and asked him if he was the teacher that evening. He confirmed, and she said, “I’m feeling tired tonight, can you forgive me in case I fall asleep in your lesson?” This freedom and simplicity of faith is a great example to our whole family. We feel blessed to have them be part of our congregation life. Ruth Kiviahde Girls Offer Important Connection It has been special to have the Building Hope girls attend our Monticello congregation events. We see them come with smiles on their faces, eager to connect with various people. They find their seats quickly and sing from their hearts. Sometimes at the beginning of Bible Class one of the girls has touched base with the Bible Class teacher, promising to listen and not fall asleep during the lesson. The small children as well as the older kids see and interact with the girls on a regular basis. Each of the girls has her own special way of connecting with different members of the congregation. Having them as part of our congregation reminds us that God has made us all a little different and has not made any mistakes. The girls come to church with the help of a staff member who works in their home. Many of the staff are familiar faces from our congregation and some are from neighboring congregations. It is important and fun to connect with the staff from other congregations, too. God has allowed the girls’ home to be in our congregation, and we are thankful for that. Perhaps Monticello or another congregation will be blessed with a boys’ home someday! Tim Kesti Parents Thankful for New Home, Too “I’m going to live here the rest of my life!” Betsy Simonson says to her mother Melba. The transition of three young women from their family homes and another group home into the Building Hope group home, in Monticello, Minn., has been very good. For over a year, parents Ron and Melba Simonson, Dean and Sharon Kallinen, and Ernest and Martha Huhta, along with the other Building Hope committee members, met to discuss and plan the opening of a group home for four girls. These meetings consisted of planning, organizing, and establishing Building Hope, Inc. All three parents alluded to the fact that the whole organization could not have moved forward without Tarja Brown’s professional assistance. Sharon Kallinen says, “It seemed to take forever.” A few years ago other parents met, but nothing materialized. “It just wasn’t meant to be at that time,” Melba explains. But in God’s time, the obstacles and hurdles resolved, and suddenly the group home was a go for November 1, 2016. “I was in denial,” Martha Huhta says, regarding her daughter’s need to live in a group home. The support from others, and Kelsey’s question, “How come I can’t move out and live with some girls?” helped her accept the idea of Kelsey moving into the home. For the first few days, Kelsey was quiet there. Then, she spread her wings and began to love it. The other housemates and staff members are now her “friends.” The Huhta family has relocated to Monticello from northern Minnesota. “It’s nice to live close by so we can stop there at a moment’s notice,” Martha says. “Jessica has really blossomed since she moved into her new place,” her mother Sharon says. Jessica had been living in another group home for ten years. After moving in, “it took me by surprise how easily she transitioned,” Sharon adds. Jessica seemed to sense the difference from the group home she was in to one where she is surrounded by believers. The parents all agree that the home is a wonderful, safe place where their girls can be independent. To be blessed with the gospel by the other girls in the home and from the staff members is a reassuring comfort. “It feels good to know that Betsy will have a place to live after we’re gone,” Melba says. Kayla Fredrickson

Paul Waaraniemi | 2017 January-February Shepherd's Voice A New Year—A New Start Have you ever heard a grown-up talk about making a New Year’s resolution? What do you think that big word resolution means? When used in this way, it actually means a promise. At the beginning of each new year lots of people make special promises to do, or not do, something for one whole year or longer. If, later in the year, you ask people who have made these resolutions whether or not they have kept their promises, they often admit that they have not. Some people have made important changes in their lives with a New Year’s resolution, though. Some of these kept promises are sticking to a healthy diet, getting more exercise, quitting smoking, saving money, and so on. Do you think you could keep a promise to yourself? A new year can be a good time to make a change, because when we’re saying goodbye to the old year, along with it, we can bid farewell to a bad habit, too. When we look at the calendar, we see that the new year has a new number. At Christmas time it was still 2016, now at the beginning of January it is 2017. A new year is a new start! If we have done something wrong, we can put it away by asking forgiveness and believing it forgiven in the name and blood of Jesus. What a wonderful thing! And we can have forgiveness at any time, not just at New Year’s. Sometimes, though, we do things that are not sin, but they are not good for us either. I think we can all think of something like that. How about eating too much candy, or not brushing our teeth every day? Now at the beginning of 2017, let’s think of some promises we could make to ourselves for the new year. I can think of a very important one—doing Sunday school, and regular school homework early when the teacher assigns it. We do a better job if we have enough time. Sunday school memory work is hard to remember if we don’t give ourselves time to practice. Another promise could be going on a candy strike—our dentists would like that! Mom, or the people who take care of us, would probably think promises to willingly take turns at dishes or housework would be a great New Year’s resolution. There are really fun resolutions kids can make too! How about playing piano every day or getting regular exercise? Writing in a journal or diary for 365 days in a row would give you quite a book at the end of the year. (Did you know that a year usually has 365 days?) Just think how much you would know if you read one poem or one page of a thick book every day! If you make a promise that lasts for a whole year, you have developed a new, good habit, one that you won’t have to break the next year. Like we said earlier, a new year can mean a new start! Make a New Year’s resolution and see how long you can keep a promise to yourself. Paul Waaraniemi Adapted from 1997 January/February Shepherds Voice

Janelle Huhta | 2016 November Voice of Zion “Thanks for Joy and Thanks for Tears” (SHZ 351) Thanksgiving is an official government holiday in both Canada and the U.S. with a variety of underpinnings, traditions, and meanings. For some, it’s a work-free day to prepare for Black Friday shopping deals or to focus on a football game, with or without a turkey dinner. For others, the tradition of “everyone coming home” for a home-cooked feast is the main event. In our mostly non-agrarian society, where food is ever-abundant at the grocery store, the post-harvest gathering to give thanks to the Creator is ever less-connected to crop results. In times past, feast and famine tumbled around each other in tandem, and post-harvest rituals were especially centered on food and its gathered abundance before the non-growing season took grip upon the land. Giving Thanks to God Nevertheless, we can celebrate Thanksgiving in many joyous and uplifting ways, gathered with loved ones around tables laden with good food. We may consciously pause to itemize and even share all we have to be thankful for. Our blessings may filter through our mind as we sing from the “Thanksgiving and Praise” section of our hymnal. We may find much joy in this day set aside for rest and thanksgiving, in spite of a current sorrow or trial we carry. I’ve asked a few of my siblings for thoughts, as they have been incorporated into new Thanksgiving families, as well as some insight from my own children on our own special family gathering in 2015 which was abundant with “thanks for joy and thanks for tears.” As the Canadian Thanksgiving happens sooner in the harvest calendar than the American, perhaps due to the earlier harvest dates, I asked my brother Ryan, currently living in Saskatoon, for some thoughts on his new Thanksgiving family traditions. He slipped the reporter’s pen over to his father-in-law Duane Pirness, grandfather to Ryan and Anniina’s three children: Arian, Sonnet, and new baby Ismay who will join the Pirness celebration this year. A Special Time for Family “Our Thanksgiving meal has always been a special time for our family,” Duane says. “Canadian Thanksgiving occurs on the second Monday in October, so each year we celebrate it with a turkey meal. Some years it has worked better to have the meal on Sunday; other times we’ve had it on Monday. Mirjami is Finnish, so the tradition was a new one for her, but she immediately embraced it as a special family event. When the children were small, it was a day that they enjoyed and looked forward to; usually their Aunt Myla came to share the meal with us.” Time doesn’t stand still for any of us, and now Duane and Mirjami have entered a new phase of Thanksgiving celebrations: “With two sons-in-law, and grandchildren, it has become even more special, when it’s possible for all of us to be together. When the children were little, they were excited over the special meal. Now it has become a time for visiting and playing games, with everyone enjoying the little ones. Other than the fellowship, nothing has been specially planned, although sometimes everyone shares what they are especially thankful for.” Duane shares a mutual and heartfelt hope: “that our celebration on Thanksgiving Day will help us remember to be thankful every day for all the gifts and blessings God gives to our family.” Celebrations Change with Circumstances Just as far away from my household is my sister Heather, who lives in Kalispell, Montana with her husband Conor and nine children. While extended families make reliable Thanksgiving guests, this family has had to forge new traditions: “The first couple of years in Montana, we were able to host a Thanksgiving feast at our trailer with all of the other Montana folk. Everyone brought a part of the meal, and we sang Thanksgiving songs.” Sometimes, they were able to host online services as part of their Thanksgiving gathering. Again, change is re-shaping their holidays, as their family grows and more believing families settle around them, too many for one household table. Heather feels blessed to have hosted long-distance company for the last three years of turkey dinners, followed by restorative fellowship, singing, and outdoor activities. Blending Traditions, Thanking Together Even farther to the west from me lives my sister Katie with her family. Like Duane, Katie is married to an immigrant who has different childhood experiences surrounding a Thanksgiving feast. Her husband Ignace hails from Togo in West Africa, where he didn’t celebrate any harvest festival growing up, but enjoyed many other types of family gatherings, with special meals, beverages, and traditions. Since he works as a nurse in the Seattle area, he sometimes has had to work over the Thanksgiving holiday. When possible, Katie, Ignace, and their children, including Fiam who will taste his first bite of Thanksgiving this year, have gathered with extended family for Thanksgiving dinner, as Katie explains: “We have enjoyed taking the whole day to visit, eat, play outdoors, and just be together. When Ignace is part of our Thanksgiving celebration, we bring an African dish for the table, such as tapioca porridge or plantains. Thanksgiving is celebrated with lunch and dessert, and when the men and young boys have done the dishes, the mood shifts to Christmas. Names are exchanged and the children visit excitedly about the upcoming season. Our little family too looks forward to Christmas, another festive time to spend, in part, with my dad’s Seattle family, who are special people in our lives.” Katie reflects on the tradition of setting aside a day for Thanksgiving, that “while it’s easy, even natural, to focus on blessings of abundance, (surplus food and material goods for example), we pause to give thanks for the numerous blessings we’ve received.” The Heavenly Thanksgiving Lastly, I want to share my family’s Thanksgiving experiences of last year, which my 12-year-old daughter Livie describes: “Last Thanksgiving is one I will remember all my life. My grandma (Naemi) was very sick with cancer and we knew it was going to be her last Thanksgiving with us. She came on a hospital bed. Once everyone had eaten, we stood around her bed and sang her favorite songs. I am thankful she got to be there. At past Thanksgivings, she was always the last one to eat because she was on her feet, making sure we all were fed.” It certainly was a time of joy and tears, to gather, eat and sing, knowing our dear Naemi awaited her eternal rest after a busy and productive life of serving her family. She passed away on the last day of 2015, to join that heavenly Thanksgiving feast. We will make our Thanksgiving plans this year, with special memories of years gone by, with joy welcoming new attendees, be they babies or new additions by marriage or friendship, and with thankfulness in our hearts for so much, “Thank you, Lord, for all your blessings!” Janelle Huhta Discussion Points: 1. How is Thanksgiving currently celebrated in your home/family? 2. What kinds of food do you eat? Do you think about how they got to your table? 3. What non-food traditions do you enjoy at Thanksgiving time? 4. Can you think of a time when you have personally experienced famine? If not famine, a trial so heavy that you have had difficulty giving thanks to God? What has helped you?

Various | 2016 October Voice of Zion At Peace with Singlehood Though aware of the many blessings I’ve received in life, how can I be at peace fully with my singlehood and find support as an unmarried person? This is a question that some might have, especially if they have desired to be married and God has not yet given them a spouse. In this Home and Family feature, which believers have requested, God’s children of different ages and stages of life discuss their experiences living as a “single” person. We hope that many readers, regardless of marital status or age, would read these articles. What does it mean to love our neighbor, of any marital status, and support them in their walk of faith? Everyone needs a close friend that they can talk to. The Old Testament Prophet Isaiah has written, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isa. 41:10). We are all in God’s good and loving care! Rod Nikula Contentment Comes from God “We lose contentment when we try to insert our own will into God’s plan.” God has not granted me a spouse, at least to this point in my life. He has not forgotten me either. I have lived a happy and full life. God answers my prayers for contentment and I have been able to live as a child of God in the care of His children. These are my beloved believing brothers and sisters in faith! There have been times in my life when I was sick and needed help. Believers prayed for me and visited me. When I had nowhere to go, believers took me into their home and became my very dear friends. I know I am not forgotten. A married couple re­­membered me when my unbelieving relative was very ill. They sent a card and invited me to their home. Believers stay in touch with me, whether at church, by email, or simply through an “old fashioned” phone call. They come to visit, and they invite me to visit and do things with them. They have remembered me at Christmas, and I have gone to their home. These are great blessings in my life. My joys are the same as many others I know. While I don’t have a spouse, I have good friends, many nieces and nephews, godchildren, and my married friends share their children. I have a good job that gives me the kind of work that I enjoy. I am able to travel to various places and often find special joy in attending Summer and Winter Services. Being single does have trials, too. There are times when I do feel lonely. I might wonder what it would be like to be married to someone and have my own children and grandchildren. I wonder if anyone will remember me and visit me when I am older. But then I think that I must trust and believe that God will take care of me, just as He has until now. I know that there are some single people who especially long for a spouse. I pray that God would bless them with a believing spouse, if that is His will. I also pray that they would not be tempted to find a spouse from this world and lose their gift of living faith. Whether married or single, I pray that everyone would be content with their life. God has His plan for each person. We lose contentment when we try to insert our own will into God’s plan. I hope that this writing would help everyone to remember each other – whether single or married. I think about the words in verse three of song 420 in our songbook. It is a song about Home and Family, and it reminds us about how blinded we become in our own selfishness and hurry. We scarcely even notice our dear ones’ needs at home. We are encouraged to share our burden and stress within the care of Christ. The gospel carries and uplifts. We find refreshment there for our life of faith. Another song especially touched me when it was sung at a dear friend’s birthday party. Sing to the Lord! Glory and praise— our Father on high, gives of His grace. He sent His Son! Vict’ry is won. Christ has redeemed all His brethren. Dear one, for you we pray, stay in His grace each day, always secure in the family of God (SHZ 226:1). A sister’s perspective (U.S.A.) On the Journey “Down here in the ravine, it looks as if the mountains will fall on us, it makes me dizzy when I try to look up.” I am sitting on a rock and look down at Sarah calling to me. Her voice echoes between the mountains with a hollow sound. The sun shines so warmly that it burns, but fortunately, the trees and the huge rocks provide protection. The sky is blue, with no clouds in sight. It’s hard to believe that there was a violent thunderstorm last night and the water just came pouring down. I awoke to the thunder and the lightning. The thunderclaps were deafening and they bounced back off the mountains. I pressed my hands together crossing my fingers. I became calm and waited peacefully for the end of the storm. I follow Sarah’s climb and admire at the same time the most marvelous designs on the surface of the mountains. The guide told us that this island is still “alive” and the mountains are rising with the passage of time, so new pieces of art continue to be born for people to admire. Sarah sits down next to me panting and leans on her backpack. “Here, on a trip, a person always realizes how good they’ve got it. Oh, if I only were so thankful at home, too.” Sarah’s words wake me up. Johanna, who is a mother of a family, once said that a person is never satisfied. She also yearned for her own time and peace once in a while and was sometimes envious of my lot. And I myself often look at my life through the lens of a single person. “Yes, you can be happy when you have a permanent job and regular income, even if the wages may not be great,” Sarah continues, “There is the opportunity to travel and to broaden horizons. And, for people like us, it is easy to go because we don’t need to worry about anyone but ourselves.” “Yes, that’s true,” I think. Although a single person could travel with a family, if one wanted to badly enough. We go deeper into the ravine accompanied by the chirping of the cicadas. I almost step on Sarah’s heels when she stops suddenly. “Do you hear that?” I listen and look down toward the rushing sound. Way down at the bottom of the ravine a brook is flowing. The water is clear, and all the different rocks are plainly visible through it. Next to the water, but in completely barren and rocky land, stands a flowering tree. I sit next to Sarah to watch the brook flow by. A branch in the brook disturbs the water’s flow, but soon it flows again without any o­­bstruc­­tions. It’s like my own life was years ago. How was I so blind back then that I didn’t notice the change in my “near one”? In the end, we sat side-by-side like two unconnected persons. I cried and took off the engagement ring from my finger. It felt as if life had stopped. All of our mutual plans and dreams became rubble. St. John’s Day Eve was the next day and there were services, but I had no desire to go with the others. Nevertheless, the Heavenly Father set a choice before me, He reminded me of the most important matter in life. “What are you thinking about?” I’m jolted back to the present—either by my own thoughts or Sarah’s question. “Somehow the flow of that brook is a picture of the course of life. My life goes forward like that brook. There have been difficult issues at times. Perhaps the most difficult was the break­­up of the engagement. At that time, my life didn’t look like it would flow anymore. But still, it didn’t stop.” “Yes, your life got another direction,” Sarah acknowledges, continuing, “I believe that difficult experience of yours has given you compassion to understand the difficulties of others. You have many friends—all different kinds, in different situations in life, and you’ve gotten to be with children in your sisters’ and brothers’ families.” “It was really hard in the beginning. Meeting a person of the opposite sex especially oppressed me almost to panic, and I tried to avoid such situations.” Sarah touched my hand. “Do you know that I marvel now, afterwards, how I pulled through it all. I’m so thankful that you were near and had the strength to listen.” “Isn’t it good that we don’t need to find the strength alone? The Heavenly Father gave you strength as well as supportive escorts.” “Yes, they put me back together piece by piece.” Pirjo Kanniainen Translated from Yksin Yhdessä (Single but Not Alone), SRK 2003 Marital Status—an Annoying Detail A while back there was a worthwhile writing published in the Päivämies that inspired me to add on to the thoughts expressed about single living. The official descriptor for that is “unmarried,” but it is sometimes casually referred to as being a “bachelor” or an “old maid.” “Too bad that no one was interested—must be something wrong there!” From such pronouncements, you can sense an undercurrent that a person’s worth as a human being might very well improve by getting married. Have you ever noticed that this kind of attitude does pop up now and then? This kind of thinking gives the understanding that God’s guidance couldn’t possibly reach into a single’s household. Even though God guides every individual’s life, we can, nevertheless, see temporal reasons for remaining single. One may stay single—unmarried—for many different reasons, and it is in no way a pitiable fate. There are many who do not necessarily want to get married, and that is not a sin. Some may be convinced that they are neither capable of rearing children nor could they shoulder the responsibility that goes with having a family. Of course, family life certainly brings immeasurable joy and happiness. Some may find their own lack of daring to commit themselves to a close relationship an obstacle to marrying, or there could be some other limitations as well. The past always influences one’s choices. Whatever the reasons for singlehood may be, the most im­­portant thing—aside from faith—is how one regards his or her own lot in life. God has intended that everyone can be happy. Happiness is satisfaction with one’s life here and now. It is being present in this moment, while still not forgetting one’s dreams. After all, it is said that one’s own portion in life is the best portion! There are a lot of single people who feel that they are living life to its fullest without suffering any deprivation syndrome. They are content, and their lives are pleasant. But there are also those who suffer terribly in their singlehood, and this condition casts a shadow over their lives in general. Every person’s life has things that they wish were different. One can get over these by grieving them and then accepting whatever they may be. Faith is a real and is the most important resource in life, and a child of God has reason for contentment even just from that. Faith also helps us to understand that our life is in God’s hands and everything is as it is for a purpose. Life is also made easier by knowing yourself and the acceptance of yourself just as you are, including your past. This helps us in our relations with other people and opens the way for personal development as a person. Taking good care of your health is also a part of liking yourself. Life moves along its track, and every individual’s life is of equal worth. We are all “in the same boat”: the single person, those married with family, the forgotten senior, and the manager moving up a career path. Anna-Leena Heikkilä Translated from Päivämies, no. 41, 2014 It Feels Good to Gather Together I’m very thankful that God has given me time with older singles and family members. Gathering each year on Labor Day weekend at the Peace Gardens has been terrific for me. In these occasions, I’m able to just be myself, with no pressures or expectations. Believing fellowship is valuable for all believers, and I feel lucky that I’m surrounded and uplifted by so many amazing people. It’s not always easy—but then, whose life is? Whether married or single, male or female, young or old, it seems that all have trials and need the support and encouragement offered by other believers. I find contentment from this support. I have been teased about being a single man. I think it’s easiest when the teasing has been “good-natured ribbing” from others in a situation similar to mine. We have a mutual understanding. Sometimes questions from others can be hurtful. For example, “Are you going to be like so-and-so your whole life?” Or, constantly dropping comments about someone being a “nice match.” Sadly, this can immediately put a rift between me and the commenter. The hardest part for me are the implications in the comments that I am somehow not “trying hard enough” to find a spouse. It was God’s plan that they should find one, and it would be nice for me to know God’s plan for myself. There are always hopes and prayers. For some reason God has not led me to be with anyone and I am content with His will. It can be frustrating to sense undertones in presentations, discussions, or sermons that seem to imply that being single is a sorry plight, and we must feel woe and receive much en­­couragement to plod onward. I have no such feelings, so it feels odd for me to have someone comforting me for yearning and sadness over my life’s situation when I am content and happy. Nevertheless, some may find their single state to be one of longing and trial. Perhaps surprising to others, most singles are very busy. There seems to be a misperception that single people have ample time on their hands, and waste it pursuing frivolous or fruitless endeavors. Unfortunately, this feeling has come to light when there have been assignments or duties in congregational work. I am thankful that for me it is different. I do feel that my time is respected, maybe because of the nature of my work and my eagerness to stay busy. Of course, I do get occasional thoughts comparing to friends of mine who are married and have children, but I am always comforted when noting the balance that life pre­­sents. What may be easy for a single person may be difficult as a married person, and vice versa. There are joys, trials, and temptations unique to both. I believe that every person has been given roles in society and life, and simply, this is mine. There is no need to dwell on the “what-ifs” and “what-might-haves” because my life is wonderful and fulfilling. My daily work is purposeful and rewarding. I have a close-knit family that includes me, and many nieces and nephews to love and take on outings. I’m always in pursuit of hobbies which constantly enrich and fulfil me intellectually. I travel and work at church camp events and meet many believers of all ages. My “believing family” is enormous, stretching over continents. I am convinced that no matter what one’s situation is, all that is required is that one strives to hold onto their small shred of faith, and live a full, positive life. Therein is happiness and contentment. My believing friends are a support, and it is good to gather together. A brother’s perspective (U.S.A.) It’s Good Either Way God’s Peace! It’s good to see you! It’s been a long time. You must still be a bachelor. By the way, how old are you? Do you plan to ever get married? You haven’t decided who to choose, eh? Hey, we can’t let you off too easily. Every so often I had to answer such questions and comments and try to smile understandingly when someone clearly enjoyed introducing the subject. But right off the bat the just-pick-someone style wasn’t easy to take even though someone said it to me. I once read an article in the paper, which was very humorous to me for some reason: “If someone asks a person who lives alone, Why aren’t you married? it is at least as offensive as if someone were to ask a married person, “Why did you get married and why with that type of person?” But joking around didn’t always feel bad; the opposite was true instead. To be sure, we discussed the subject among friends and good-naturedly goofed off. But if I was already tired and irritated, then my tolerance would be tested, especially if the subject was repeated several times in a day. Once, at the conclusion of services, an older brother came to speak to me and said that you and another brother tempt the sisters in faith when you don’t get married. However, I soon received consolation when another brother stated curtly, “You do not tempt anyone, and if someone is tempted, let them repent.” It so happened once that I won a large doll in a drawing at a bazaar. Other people appeared to enjoy my success in the drawing more than I did. The doll was the topic of conversation for the entire evening. There were plenty of congratulators. One brother asked me in good humor the next morning, “Did it let you sleep okay?” It got put into a closet to wait for better times. Sometimes I thought that the style of the humor was probably connected to the humorist’s own wedded bliss. In spite of everything, I understood that I don’t need to have to get married because of social pressure. I have the right to live as a bachelor, to get to know myself, my own thoughts, and to learn to get along with myself. My studies were still in progress in addition to my work, and many kinds of duties seemed to increase in quantity. In reality, marriage did not even fit into my thoughts very well at the time, even though in my childhood and early youth I had dreamed of my own family. But feelings of longing sometimes hit me, and a prayer was part of it, asking God to lead my life in these matters also. When I neared the age of 30 years, the thought sometimes arose, “Will I remain a bachelor? Is it as some have kidded me that I cannot make a decision? But finally, are these matters to be decided by me?” Sometime, I asked some trustworthy brothers seriously about what love is and how would I know it. One brother spoke well of the grace-gift of falling in love. Through faith I understood that God also directed these matters as He sees fit. No one will manage to get ahead and carry away the person intended for another. There was content and purpose in my life as a bachelor. I felt that I was happy even alone, even in my yearnings and expectations. The bachelors’ ranks thinned threateningly, but there were still some left with whom I would jog and discuss everything between heaven and earth. It saddened me when some people tried to arrange my marital affairs, just as if I were helpless myself. Also the sincere revelations of their interest by some sisters made me somewhat sad, as I did not have reciprocal feelings. Perhaps my relationship with the sisters became even more cautious. Then, I was able to purchase a two-bedroom condominium. I first sought a one-bedroom apartment, but the bank manager was of the opinion that I needed a bigger place. The smaller ones were most likely easier to sell. It bothered me a little bit how people would relate to this bigger place: Can a bachelor live in so much space? Is some plan connected to this purchase of a home? During my entire school, student, and work years I had lived very frugally, sometime in a room in someone else’s home. It was awesome that now I, too, also had my own home, my own kitchen, living room, bedroom, and workroom. I could invite guests whenever I wanted to. Sometime on a Sunday, when time seemed long, I also invited families to come. The guests came willingly and it was nice to discuss matters with people in different phases of life. Sometimes, a thoughtless remark by someone about a bachelor’s unnecessarily large dwelling felt bad. But the Christians were generally happy that I had finally acquired my own home. Even as a bachelor, I had the permission and the right to have it. But then it happened. One spring it felt that my own emotions had to be clarified. Even a man, who was considered a devoted bachelor, had to get moving because that is how it felt, but it wasn’t easy. But when I had expressed my feelings honestly, I felt good and at peace. No matter how it ended up, it wouldn’t go wrong. The will of God will take place. The matters took their time, and there were painful and difficult phases. Nevertheless, the emotions were clarified, love ripened on both sides, and we found that we were in love. It was interesting to watch how our dear friends related to the fact that a bachelor came to services with a girl. One brother asked some questions, “Are you here to study or for some other reason? Are you relatives?” Then, when we announced our engagement, I experienced a special warmth in the congratulations of the Christians. Many of them, who had teased me even wildly while I was a bachelor, now shared the joy that I felt. “Love requires marriage,” our wedding pastor stated in his wedding sermon, and we were ready for it age-wise too. Since then I have had to learn that marriage requires love. In the midst of my everyday rush and large family, I have acquired an answer to my pondering of bachelor days on what love could be in everyday life. Love is the desire to dedicate oneself to the other person’s lot. Emotions are controlled by one’s own desire and the desire to love each other as was asked of us at our wedding. To live happily, I need to also make my dear one happy. We need to understand and be understood. I want to share everything in my life with her. Her joys are my joys, and her problems are my problems. Since I had lived a “long youth” and came and went freely, I did not want to go anywhere away from my family at home. I wanted to go to services, of course, and the participatory lifestyle that I had adopted as a bachelor remained as a responsibility of sorts and a favorable pursuit. I kept contact with the friends of single days, though not under the former conditions. Through her, I got to know her friends—now also my friends. When our children were born, I felt that I lived also for them and, therefore, I was in a hurry to get home for I knew that my wife and children were waiting there. Life had acquired new dimensions. My human values did not change because of my change in marital status. Some characteristics of my personality were strengthened while others weakened, but in both single life and marriage, I felt that I am a whole human person. This is how God has wanted to guide our lives. The Giver of Life, and duties, has not made a mistake with me or anyone else. It is good that way, and it is good this way. Antti Paananen Translated from Yksin Yhdessä (Single but Not Alone), SRK 2003 “Behold, I Will Do a New Thing” The girl playing with dolls had dreams just like most little girls have: When I grow up I will get married to the perfect husband, I will have wonderful children, I will live in a beautiful home and life will be happy. Touchingly, the matter felt like a given. The girl grew up, and playing with dolls got left behind. Her time was consumed with going to school and various other interests—still now and again she would escape to her dreams. The time came for study and a life of independence. Her studies seemed like a priority and learning was pleasant. The young woman met many new people. There were infatuations and “interests” but they changed to disappointments. It felt bad when her hopes were not realized. Her construct from childhood began to sway. Perhaps no one, no family, has been set aside for me. The future that had seemed touchingly clear began to fade. In time the studies ended. The woman continued to live alone. Her friends got married—one after another. Loneliness brought tears. Her educational achievements weren’t sufficient content in life. Is it true that there’s no one to share this beautiful, difficult life with? Her very skin ached to be touched. No one had held her since childhood. Her heart ached that no one loved her, did not see her uniqueness, the beauty of her mind and soul. No one admired her as a woman; she had to live her best time for herself. Hopelessness began to overcome her: if not a believing spouse, there are many unbelievers around. It felt difficult to stand up straight when from co-workers she got the attention and appreciation she craved. The question arose, “Did God really say so?” When it was very difficult, God sent help, a friend in the same life-situation. The friend remembered to ask how she was managing—and blessed her. The friend cared, made her feel valued, warmed her heart. The adult woman experienced as truth what is said in Proverbs about a faithful friend: “He who finds such a person, finds a treasure.” Gradually the woman understood that God does not give the same kind of path to everyone. Even if one’s own path is not traditional, it is good and rich. Joy was found in one’s own privileges and the freedom to enjoy them. Now the woman, who has reached middle age, no longer expects anything. Life has evened out. God has openhandedly given good things to her. Nevertheless, it’s like a stinging wound that she has never been able to feel what it is to have been in love, to have been loved, and to be someone’s all in all. There are no arms into which she might take refuge when the world threatens or treats her badly. She is neither spouse nor mother to anyone. However, time has been merciful and taught her to see the uniqueness of her own life and the innumerable opportunities—all of which she can’t even fit in. One cannot find joy and happiness in another person, from material things, or from anything that you touch with your hand; it is just given without one’s own merits. One receives love and warmth from the people around you, if you are ready to receive it. It feels secure to live a day at a time just as God gives it to be lived. Earlier dreams have disappeared but joy and hope have been given to replace them. “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing” (Isa. 43:18,19). Sailaritta Vuorisalo Translated from Yksin Yhdessä (Single but Not Alone), SRK 2003 1. What does God’s Word say about marriage and single life? 2. “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6). Single or married, what gives you contentment in your life? 3. How have you reached out to someone who’s not in your immediate circle of family or friends—single or married? 4. How can you respond to someone who teases you about your lot in life, perhaps encouraging you to “check out” so-and-so, especially at a time when this “advice” is not welcomed or appreciated. 5. If you are someone who hasn’t experienced lengthy singlehood, reflecting on some of the experiences related in these articles, how might you change your approach to teasing, ribbing, matchmaking, etc.? 6. Sing and then discuss the message in song of Zion #469. Why are believing escorts so important? How can we support each other, regardless of our station in life?

Various | 2016 September Voice of Zion On These Pages: We live a time when human reason fiercely battles against faith on many fronts. Accepting children is one front in which there is need to support and help one another. For that reason, LLC’s Home and Family Committee felt the need to draw on previous writings founded upon Scripture that would provide support, comfort, and instruction for all believers regarding the joys of family but also openly acknowledging its trials. The first article, “Accepting Children—A Matter of Faith” establishes the scriptural foundation for the spread extensively quoting older and newer writings. The other two articles written by believing mothers speak from a more personal point of view. The timelessness of the writings and speeches, reaching back to 1945, bring comfort and security. Accepting Children—A Matter of Faith We easily forget the innumerable joys that children bring! Once a young expectant mother pushed her baby in a stroller surrounded by little ones. A voice interrupted, “Oh, how God is blessing you so richly with these many children.” It was what she needed to hear. This grandpa’s joy and sermon of faith uplifted and carried this mother because the sermon of the enemy regarding size of family and birth control is close. Without living faith, we, too, would embrace the enemy’s message because believing parents of large families are also tired at times, even weary to the bone, and human reason battles against faith. Nonetheless, for the believer, accepting children, whether few or many, is not a carnal exercise of weighing the pros and cons, but it is ultimately a matter of faith and obedience to God’s Word. God, Our Creator The believer’s position on accepting children has not changed. It remains founded on God’s Word. The older and newer writings and speeches of believers bring comfort and security time and time again. At a 2009 summer services press conference in Finland, Seppo Lohi stated how God is the Lord of life. Do I truly believe that “God has made me and all other creatures, has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still preserves them?” (Small Catechism). If I believe this, it means that man is not born by chance (SL). God’s Word confirms that He is our Creator, He gives and upholds life (Ps. 127:3–5; Isa. 44:24; Jer. 1:4,5; Ps. 139:13–17). At a ministers and board members meeting in July 2010, Jon Bloomquist spoke of the purpose of marriage: One of the primary purposes of marriage is procreation. God created man, male and female, and then commanded them to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Gen. 1:27,28). Luther says that this is “more than a command, namely a divine ordinance which it is not our prerogative to hinder or ignore” (JB). The Old Testament examples of Rachel, Hannah, and Ruth all show that it is God who gives conception and the fruit of the womb (Gen. 29:30–30:2,6; 1 Sam. 1:5,19,20). Of Ruth is said, “So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son” (Ruth 4:13) – (JB). Erkki Reinikainen, in his 1980s speeches and writings, stated, however, that living Christianity has not “prescribed norms of conduct for Laestadian spouses. The rejection of birth control and abortion arises on the part of every believer as a personal matter on the basis of faith” (ER). Kullervo Hulkko stated at a speakers meeting in 1945, Controlling the birth of children is against God’s Word and good conscience, and the prevention of the birth of a child is in all situations sin. (SL). Love Bears All Things While children bring richness and immeasurable joy to our lives, we must acknowledge, especially for parents of large families, that childbirth does not happen without pain and burden, and raising a family includes many phases, ups and downs. The immeasurable joy, times of enthusiasm, work, and boundless energy are contrasted with tiredness, stress, sorrow, and trial. These common phases of life naturally affect the relationship of the couple, also intimate relations, which are a deep expression of love and strengthen emotional connectedness. Christ’s law of love and also nature guide our actions in mutual respect and love for one another. In more difficult situations when a mother experiences a serious mental or physical illness, is healing from childbirth, or injury and is not able to have sexual relations, the law of love and nature teach her husband to respect his wife’s need to heal, and at those times he does not initiate sexual intercourse. The reverse can also be true when the husband is ill. Often in such situations, there is little need for discussion, rather the husband and wife naturally show mutual love and respect for each other as Scripture teaches: Love is patient and kind…It does not insist on its own way…Love bears all things…endures all things (1 Cor. 13:4). In childbearing years, a couple in childlike faith must often entrust their cares and worries in the care of God because, as Bloomquist pointed out, Pregnancy and childbirth always entail some degree of risk for a mother. On occasion there are also health and medical issues that may substantially increase those risks. In such circumstances a couple may face painfully difficult questions caused by the conflict between God’s command to be fruitful and multiply and their own concern for the mother’s life. Her life, too, is God’s gift and undeniably precious. In the face of such difficult issues, we feel our smallness and inadequacy (JB). Reinikainen expounds on the same matter: The ill, whether physically or mentally ill, need expert medical help and rest. In addition, they need, as always, the supportive love of their spouse, children, and friends in faith. So it is in Laestadian Christianity. If there are exceptions, they arise from human reason and not faith. When a wife is ill, recovering, or is physically or mentally exhausted, the commandment of love teaches that during that period the couple mutually refrains from sexual intercourse. This means a period of fasting and prayer according to the Word of God and not birth control” (ER). Bloomquist explains the significance of faith and trust in God: Even in difficult situations, however, God’s children do not wish to abandon the perspective of faith for the perspective of science and reason. It does not mean that believing fathers and mothers do not take medical information and advice into account, but rather that they strive to consider it in the light of God’s Word, faith, and conscience so that they might hold “the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience” (1 Tim. 3:9) – (JB). God’s Word teaches us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Prov. 9:10). Thus, faced with these kinds of difficult questions, we humbly pray for God’s guidance, turn to His Word, and seek counsel and support from God’s congregation, which Paul calls the “pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). In the end, however, each must decide according to his or her own conscience (JB). Support and Understanding It is important that couples experiencing such trials are not left alone in battle but that they have the support and understanding of those who are close to them. Such matters are very personal and private and not coffee table talk among those who are not close to the situation. Each situation is unique. Difficult decisions made in one situation do not necessarily apply to another. Those struggling in these trials yet endeavoring to keep faith and good conscience have sometimes suffered from insensitive comments questioning their faith. Equally as hurtful are suggestions to a mother who has given birth to many children close together that she could take an easier path offered by the enemy. Insensitive comments and suggestions of both types erode childlike faith and trust in God. God Helps When older parents and grandparents of smaller and larger families visit about their lives, we hear comments like, “God protected; God helped; trust in God’s care; pray to God.” In the throes of much work and toil, even difficult trials, it is hard to remember to cast all our cares upon God. For that reason, let’s remember to preach one to another the sermon of faith and trust in God. Like the grandpa, let’s remember to express joy over what God has given. Encourage parents with a few or many children. Remember and support couples with no children. In faith trust in God’s plan regardless of what life may bring. He knows best and is with us. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). The life of the believer, even a struggling parent, is one of righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit. The happiness and joy of a child of God is to be near the Lord, as the psalmist has written (Ps. 73:28). Reinikainen wrote of the joy and blessing of family and encourages parents: Mothers have joy not only over birth, but also over the entire gift of life. The duty of a Laestadian mother is not just to give birth. She, with her spouse, during days of grief as well as during days of good fortune, lives a rich life in the midst of growing and maturing children. Thus it is, all the way to old age, if God gives a long life. Mothers and fathers, our hearts quieten in prayer on your behalf. May God bless and protect you. May He give you strength to raise your children—together with your spouse—in faith so that they are preserved in the grace covenant of baptism. May He give you skill and wisdom to rear your children for the benefit of our country (ER). We have much reason for hope and joy. God will take care of us. His thoughts toward us are good and not evil and He promises to give us a future and a hope! (Jer. 29:11). Keith Waaraniemi Sources: ER, Mothers in Zion, Adapted from Päivämies editorial, “Rakkaat siionin äidit,” – Voice of Zion, August 1989, May 1993, by Erkki Reinikainen JB, “God is Lord over Life and Death” – 2010 LLC Minneapolis Summer Services - Ministers and Board Members Meeting. Adapted version of presentation – November 2012 Voice of Zion, by Jon Bloomquist SL, “I believe in God, the Father,” Introduction at SRK Summer Services press conference in Oripää, Finland, June 2009, by Seppo Lohi (In this introduction, Lohi quotes Kullervo Hulkko’s 1945 statement.) There Is Both Joy and Trial in Accepting Children I was young, married for perhaps a week. I still remember my thought clearly, “If only I wouldn’t immediately become pregnant!” It would be so easy and pleasant for just the two of us to live together. I could concentrate on my interesting work, which I was just beginning. My husband could advance in his studies, which would still continue for several years. Besides being tempting, the thought was surprising: does the pondering already begin about when would be the acceptable time to have children? I soon was expecting a baby and quickly found that out. The knowledge made me intensely happy; not even for a moment did I sigh after the easy life of only the two of us. Perhaps in my thoughts I had already imagined how difficult it would have been for me to be left without any children. When my firstborn was five months old, I became pregnant with twins. Then I had children a year and a half to two years apart, altogether eleven. A Large Family Demands Both Trust and Faith Marriage without contraception seems to be a natural way of life to us believers. We can’t really even understand why those on the outside are amazed and appalled by it. Still, once in a while I have comprehended the tremendous trust and almost senseless risk taking which is part of the life of a growing family. Without faith in God we wouldn’t accept children without considering our life situation. We would not accept yet a tenth or fifteenth child. On average, a Finnish woman gives birth to slightly fewer that two children. A higher birth rate would be desirable in our nation, but parents consider two or three children as a reasonable number for their family. More children are considered to be a threat to the family’s financial situation or to the parents’ ability to cope. It is likely considered beneficial, too, for a child to grow up in a small family. I have sometimes wondered why certain parents I know have wanted seven children, without having any religious conviction. I was giving birth at the same time as the mother of such a family, and I saw how happy she was to have her seventh child. Surely she and her husband had also felt much joy over their older children. They had found their family life to be worthwhile, along with its difficulties. There is joy over children also in believing families. On the refrigerator door of a certain family with twelve children was written in large letters, “Children are richness.” Still believing families aren’t large for these reasons. For me accepting children has been, above all, a question of faith. I have simply wanted to believe that God continues to be the Creator of life. He gives some families many children, others few or none at all. God Knows When our Children Should Be Born If children are born very close together, doubts awaken nonetheless. There is much work, there is worry about managing with the family. Is it even right to have a new baby very soon, considering the other children? “May believing couples control their family size using the so-called rhythm method of birth control?” a young opisto student asked us adults. The rhythm method wouldn’t seem to be the same kind of prevention of pregnancy as, for instance, using the birth control pill. Nevertheless, what else is it but controlling the beginning of life according to one’s own conditions? My conscience was tender in this matter, and I also thought that it would be emotionally difficult to live in marriage under this type of regimentation. Although a new pregnancy was sometimes hard to accept, it still felt easier and more right to trust that God knows when our children should be born. It Is Important to Speak of Our Fears and Worries Some mothers have told me of their fear of becoming pregnant. The reason for their fear has been previous problems during pregnancy or a difficult labor. A certain mother related how post-partum depression had left her with trauma. It is important to share such experiences with understanding people. At the prenatal clinic, a mother can receive professional help to overcome fears, as well as advice on preventing problems. It helps when considering the matter to remember that anyone at all can experience health problems and fears regardless of how many pregnancies they have. My last pregnancy was psychologically difficult for me. I had a feeling that this birth would be very risky. The Creator gave a healthy child, and I was able to continue my life after a critical situation. God’s intention was, nevertheless, that after this I would not have more children. Hearing this, I was in a way relieved, when the danger accompanying childbirth was over, but for a long time I also felt sadness because my time of having babies came to an end. After my experience, I have pondered much the significance of being open. We aren’t always able to trust in God’s protection, and that’s why it would be important for us to speak of our worries. Fears borne alone are reflected at home, even in the form of impatience and detachment. How Are Our Children Faring at Home? I have often discussed another kind of family concern with my husband. As working parents of a large family, we have often worried whether we notice each child sufficiently. We have also pondered how to deal with our own tiredness before it would begin to govern our home life. It’s clear that family size doesn’t determine what kind of fundamental security a child has or what kind of provisions he receives for life. Many matters in the home affect those things. A phrase has remained in my mind from a certain psychologist’s lecture, that the home’s atmosphere forms the child’s internal atmosphere. We see from a child’s face, speech, and behavior if things are well with him. Even though there are tears and arguments, even worries at home, it can still be a secure home, if its atmosphere is accepting and merciful. Surely the children of most believing homes are healthy. At my work and among my acquaintances, I have marveled how well balanced youth from large families can grow up to be. Often I have happily looked at my own children playing together. All the same, I could have used forgiveness as a source of strength and comfort even more for my children. The gospel of the forgiveness of sins is also fundamentally important between spouses. Through it, we care for the two most influential matters in having energy and in the home’s atmosphere: our marital relationship and and our faith life. We Want to Support Parenting Does my article reach some especially tired father or mother? You’re urged from the outside of God’s kingdom to take the size of your family into your own hands. In contrast, the believers want to support your parenting. I have received good instructions and supportive peers’ experience from Christian publications, married couples’ discussion evenings, and camps. Diaconal work in congregations supports families. Relatives and friends are able to help. Asking for help can feel humbling, but in difficult times of life it is the responsible thing to do. My own experience has been that trust and obedience have contained a blessing. I have received my precious family as a gift from God. Trusting in His guidance, I have certainly avoided many disappointments, guilt feelings, and dangers to faith. I am not even able to see or comprehend all the blessings which I have received. Tuuli Hintsala (mother, Opisto teacher) Translated from Päivämies, #40, 2011 God, the Master Planner At the time of this writing, the Tölli family, of Kajaani, Finland, consisted of Henna, her husband Pekka, and children Elena (8), Viena (7), Selja (6), Saga (4), Aate (3), twins Elja and Neela (22 mo.), and five-week-old twin boys “Aatu and Peetu” (names to be announced at baptism). In this writing, Henna shares thoughts on the blessing of being able to trust in the Heavenly Father’s will in her duties as a mother in God’s kingdom. The Heavenly Father has given us a great responsibility and task in raising our children. Though I have often felt overwhelmed, it has been comforting to trust that since my husband and I have been entrusted with this duty, we will also be given strength for each day. As our family has grown, I’ve felt that through the little ones and the weight of the work involved with caring for them, I’ve been kept as a child myself and have been able to see what’s essential in each moment. As a younger mother, I found it more difficult to accept the birth of the babies one after the other. I questioned: how will I find the strength to do this? How can we cope with the growing family? How can I care for one baby after another? How can I keep up with the chores and the children’s needs? Then, when we have been given a new baby, it gave strength and cleared the prospects for the future, showing us the wonderful blessings that children bring. More recently, accepting the babies itself has become easier, but I’ve had worries considering the health challenges I’ve faced, especially during the first twin pregnancy. It surprised even me, how after plowing through the first year with the twins, I felt delighted and fully trusting to hear of another twin pregnancy! It felt unbelievable, and I felt privileged to be able to again experience something as unique as pregnancy and the wonder of giving birth to two babies. When I told others about the second twin pregnancy, I felt as if they were more concerned about how I could cope than I was. God allowed me to trust, like a child, that all would be fine and would go as it is meant to go. Now, I can look back with a thankful mind and say that everything went better than I could have imagined. The support of family and friends in the difficult times has been priceless. I can’t find words to thank for the support network we’ve had around us! I’ve found it difficult to ask for help, but it has felt so good to be helped without asking. Those everyday angels cannot imagine how wonderful it has felt to receive a message: “You are in our thoughts,” for example. During difficult days, when I’ve been tired or ill, I’ve just sent a heavy sigh to the Heavenly Father. Often the next day has been brighter, or delightful helping hands have appeared from nowhere. It may have been a small task for the one offering help, but for a tired parent it can be the resource to overcome that difficult moment. I recall with great love when local grandmas brought treats when we came home with the twins; friends and neighbors took the babies for a stroll so we could get the other children tucked into bed; or the children’s godparents picked up one or several children to go outdoors or to visit with them. It has been heartwarming when neighbors and friends from work have offered their help and been sincerely interested in how everything is going. Even small moments of time on my own in silence have brought great joy. Other uplifting moments are time with my spouse, evenings with friends, or when I can give special time to just one child. My job outside the home has also brought a welcome change to our home’s daily routines. I like to plan ahead, both smaller and bigger things. But I trust in God having the master plan figured out and that my own plans can suddenly change. Often afterwards I can see that there was a huge blessing in God’s plans. It is comforting to know that my life is in the hands of the Almighty. Trusting and being content with the Heavenly Father’s will brings peace and the feeling that I can make it through difficult times. I have personally experienced that when trusting in God’s will, it is easier to see how adversities are a part of life, contrary to the picture in which one has trusted in self-planned paths. Translated and submitted by Nina Vanska Discussion Points 1. Please share any experiences you have had with the enemy of soul’s prompting to use human reason to question God’s Word regarding childbearing and family life. 2. What kind of help and support was especially meaningful in battling such attacks? 3. In what specific ways can we support parents struggling with trials and burdens of family? 4. How should a believer deal with the insensitive comments or non-supportive suggestions of others? 5. How might the enemy tempt believing couples who haven’t received any children? How can we comfort and support those in this situation? 6. Is there a specific Bible portion or verse in a song of Zion that has helped and comforted you in a time of questioning and doubt? 7. Amid and after raising children, how has God revealed what a blessing children are in life?

Elaine Nikula | 2016 September-October Shepherd's Voice A New Family Member This is baby Makenna, who was just born on June 20. She is special because she is the first girl after eight boys! Her mom and dad were excited to have a new baby, but super excited to have a girl! The oldest brother thought it was cool to be a family of only boys, but he says that Makenna is pretty cool, too. The family thinks she is adorable from the top of her head to her little toes. Have you ever looked at a baby’s toes? Makenna has ten cute toes that wiggle and will grow into bigger toes. Those toes are on feet that will soon be walking, running, and riding a bike. Makenna has already grown in just a few short weeks! It’s one of God’s amazing miracles that babies know how to grow and learn. Makenna will eventually learn to say words and do math problems. God has given each baby, each person, his or her own abilities. That means that they are not all the same, but some are better at some things and others are better at other things. Mom and dad may wonder if Makenna will be a carpenter like her dad or a baker like her mom. Her brothers hope she will like to play ball. Mom loves to see Makenna smile! “Hi, baby!” When Makenna smiles all the boys come and smile, too. Then there is competition to see who else can make her smile. They laugh at the funny faces she makes. One of the brothers noticed that Makenna got many gifts. “She has more clothes than I do!” he says. Many people come to see the new baby at church, and the six-year-old is proud that some say his baby sister looks just like him. The littlest brother loves to give kisses on the top of her head. Each of the boys want their turn to hold her. Sometimes a baby comes with extra challenges. Makenna often has an unsettled tummy and cries a lot. Mom and dad get tired and sometimes feel discouraged. Then Makenna is also a teacher. How can such a little person be a teacher? Mom and dad (and brothers) learn to be patient. They learn to trust God to help them and help baby. They learn to share and be helpful. The older boys take turns trying to soothe her when she is fussy. The five-year-old is a big helper and takes dirty diapers to the garbage. They learn what is important in life. Taking care of family is very important. Cleaning the house or riding bike are not nearly as important. They learn that nothing is more important than getting to heaven. God has given Makenna the wonderful gift of faith. She believes and trusts in God. That faith can take even the tiniest of babies to heaven! God also gave you faith when you were born. If you believe your sins forgiven and trust in God all your life just like Makenna, you will get to heaven, too. Makenna’s family feels very fortunate to have a miracle like her in their home. “My favorite part of the day is snuggling her after work,” dad says. “She brings so much happiness to our home,” mom adds. All the big brothers grin. Elaine Nikula

Lydia Hillukka (with Katie Hillukka) | 2016 July-August Shepherd's Voice A Special “Auntie” With a big yawn, Nora sits up in bed. “Mom!” she calls. No answer. She crawls out of bed and clomps down the stairs. “Mom?” Still no answer. She wanders into the kitchen and finds auntie Bernice standing at the stove putting a pile of steaming pancakes on a plate next to her. “Good morning, Nora! Did you sleep well?” Bernice asks with a hug. “Where is mom?” Nora asks. “She went to the hospital this morning to have her baby. I’ll be staying with you kids for a few days.” “Yay!” Nora says. “We’re going to have so much fun!” Soon the other children wake and discover that mom has gone to the hospital. Cries of joy erupt—both over the new baby and because auntie Bernice will be here for a few days. There is much discussion about baby names and what’s on the agenda for the day. Everyone has different ideas. The chores get done quickly when they decide that today will be a baking day. Everyone puts on an apron or dishtowel—even two-year-old Ava. The kitchen becomes quite a disaster with so many people and little fingers “helping out.” Through it all, Bernice chatters and hums. After everyone is done and tummies are filled with samples, the kids help to clean up. Bernice always says, “Many hands make light work!” In the evening, she reads a few books and tells stories about her childhood. Her stories are always interesting! When the kids are tucked in bed, she preaches the gospel. Nora’s sister Lydia wonders—what will tomorrow bring? Aunt Bernice isn’t really their aunt, but they call her aunt because she seems like part of their family. Many years ago, when mom was really sick in bed, Bernice showed up on the doorstep with a meal for the family. They all had a good visit, and she’s been a special “aunt” ever since. Many times she visits them, sometimes stays overnight, or takes the children on an adventure. Even though Bernice isn’t married and doesn’t have children of her own, she always says she “has lots of kids.” That’s because over the years, many families have been blessed by her spirit of love and desire to help anyone in need. “When Bernice is in charge, the kids and house are well taken care of!” Mom says. The children say they feel lucky to have such a special, caring “aunt.” Lydia Hillukka (with Katie Hillukka) Things to Visit About: 1. Do you have a special person in your life, like the “auntie” in this story? Why is she (or he) special to you? 2. Do you think that you are special in her (or his) life as well? How do you help her? 3. Sing song of Zion #431. Who are the escorts in our lives, that verse 4 speaks about? What important duty do our escorts in faith do? Why are they so important? My Special Friends From a little hand waving in church to a big smile or a hug, I feel blessed to have a large family of children in my life, even though God has not blessed me with my own. “When can we come to your house? Can we have a sleepover?” What blessed sights and sounds. Helping families has been something I learned from childhood. My family experienced the need and support of others due to family illness. God’s children came to help in many ways. Now I have time and find joy in helping others and through this have gained many special friends in God’s kingdom. God has given me a gift to love children, which is precious. A joy of spending time with them is seeing their eyes sparkle with delight. It can be from something as simple as a treat, or maybe they have come to ask for the gospel. I’m thankful that God has allowed many parents to share their blessings with me. Many thanks to God that He has given His kingdom many little escorts to be loved and cared for. May God keep you, dear children, in His kingdom. Bernice Hillukka

Gloria Keranen | 2016 May-June Shepherd's Voice Believing Parents Are a Great Gift Why is having a believing mother and father a great gift? I asked this question to a couple of my boys, and they said, “They can forgive our sins.” The gift of faith that we have been given allows us to preach the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name and blood. Thinking back to my life as a child in a believing home, I remember feeling secure. Our home was a refuge, a place of protection from the world. One of my sisters, who is single, said, “While growing up, mom and dad’s home was a place of refuge; now today my older siblings’ homes are also a safe place for me. When feeling troubled by the world around me, their homes are the secure haven I need.” Another memory I have is of mom being home day after day waiting with open arms and ears. We told her of our day, good or bad, and she listened and comforted. Being one of 17 children, we had many disagreements. Mom and dad always encouraged us to preach the gospel to each other. Another sister said that she at a certain time in her life felt closer to dad and was able to speak of faith and other matters with him. It was important to have both mom and dad to offer the same instruction and preach the gospel. We had a routine before going to bed at night. It started with evening snack and ended with saying prayers and preaching the gospel to each other. What a comforting way to end each day, with no worry or sin on our conscience. What does Jesus teach? One story that stands out is the story of the prodigal, or lost, son. This son was living in sin far away from home with the inheritance his father had given him. He lost all that he owned and suffered great hunger. During this troubling time he thought of and missed his home. He returned home, and his father welcomed him with open arms. In the Bible story, it tells us that the father’s servants clothed him and put a ring on his hand, which is a picture of his sins being forgiven. Jesus instructs us to be patient and to have a forgiving heart no matter how great or sorrowful the sin may seem. God’s Word teaches parents: “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deut. 6:7). God wants the teaching of His Word and will to be the center of our teachings and everyday family life. God also wants you children to honor, serve, obey, love, and esteem your parents. Honor and esteem means to show respect; to serve means to help them; to obey means to listen and follow instructions; and you should also love them. “Children obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord” (Col. 3:20). What is the most important thing that you can do for your parents? Pray for them, as it says in song of Zion 464, verse 2: “Jesus, in my home today shield my mom and dad, I pray. As I live and as I grow, bless the seed my parents sow.” Love them, too. Song of Zion 454, verse 4, says: “Thou gave to me my parents, kind and loving. On paths of righteousness in faith, they’re guiding. Oh, let me always honor them, dear Lord, and with Thy help, my love to them accord.” Most importantly, dear children, remember to use the precious gospel to forgive them as often as they need, saying, “Believe all your sins forgiven in Jesus’ name and precious blood.” May we all remember to stop in our busy lives to thank God for our parents and all of our blessings. “Thank You for our homes and families; thanks for all who share our lives; through our elders, sisters, brothers, many blessings You provide” (SHZ 351:2). Gloria Keranen

Jim Frantti | 2001 LLC Longview Summer Services - Ministers and Board Members Meeting - July 6 -- "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord: thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me: And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep (John 21:15-17)." Saved to Serve The title of this presentation comes from the words that Jesus spoke to Peter on the shore of the sea of Tiberius. Jesus was soon to ascend to be with the Father in Heaven. His disciples would be left to carry on His work. Jesus instructed His disciples to serve Him in continuing the work of God's Kingdom. As followers of Jesus, we have been saved to serve. Jesus instructed Peter to feed and guide His flock. In repeating this instruction three times to Simon Peter, Jesus prefaced His instruction each time with the same question. It is a very important question. Jesus asked, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" Serving the Lord Jesus begins with love for Him. John writes, "'Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments (1 John 5:1)." Tending the Flock Three times Peter affirmed his love for Jesus. Each time Jesus instructed Peter to tend the flock, saying "feed my lambs" and "feed my sheep." The work of the shepherd is in question. Peter would later write to other workers in the Kingdom, "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock (1 Peter 5:1-3)." Apostle Paul very preciously instructed the elders in the congregation at Ephesus, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28)." It is clear that the Kingdom is God's and the work is God's. He guides; He protects; He feeds and gives increase. He has, nonetheless, entrusted the feeding and guiding of the flock to His servants. Paul reminded the Ephesians in his letter that God works through many and various gifts to strengthen and unite His flock. He wrote that God "gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-12)." Feeding and Guiding How is the flock of the Good Shepherd guided and fed? It is done through the distributing of God's Word. His word, the complete gospel, is our bread and water of life. It is from His word that the flock is fed. God’s Word is also a light that guides us on the right pathway. For that reason, the servants of the Chief Shepherd need to be faithful to God's Word. We need to be students of God's Word and of doctrine. We need to understand and to help the congregation to understand that the guide, the yardstick, the highest authority is God's Word and not the word or understanding or opinions of people in positions of trust. We need to endeavor to sow the seeds of God's Word in a spirit of grace and truth, without respect of persons, according to the love of Christ, and with love for the undying soul. This feeding and guiding is for the sake of the entire flock. All are in the care of the Good Shepherd. All need the nourishment of the gospel. All need the guidance of God's Word. The Shepherd's Psalm is the psalm of every believer. Feed My Lambs In His instructions to Peter, Jesus directed special attention to caring for the lambs in His flock. In our time, God's Kingdom has seen a special need to do this feeding and guiding work among our children and youth. The scriptures warn us about the deceitfulness of the end times. Apostle Paul wrote, "... in the last days perilous times shall come (1 Tim. 3:1)." Thinking of the kingdom as a flock of sheep, each of which is weak and defenseless on its own, Peter wrote, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8)." And who here does not remember the temptations of youth? Our youth need our support. In this, the role of believing parents is key. However, there are temptations also for the parents. So, there is a need today that we would support, instruct and encourage the parents also. The work in the believing home is for the sake of the rising generation. The psalmist has written, "For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments (Psalm 78:5 -7)." Even in the believing home, the focus of daily life can easily shift away from the right priority. Think of the exhortation of Moses in contrast to our daily lives. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates (Deut. 6:5-9)." Our parents need the support of the Kingdom of God. The Good Shepherd wants to help and to guide the parents as well as the youth. "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young (Isaiah 40:11)." Supporting the Parents Laestadius compared the duty of those who serve as pastors or elders in God's Kingdom to the role of sheep dogs that help the shepherd. If the sheep dog is faithful and loyal, he helps the shepherd to guide the flock in the direction the Shepherd wants the flock to travel. He helps to keep the flock together, to bring the straying ones back into the security of the flock, and to protect the sheep and lambs from their enemies. How do we as pastors and board members help the Shepherd in gently leading those that are with young? What can and should we do to support and help our parents in their precious duty? On this question, we could have much discussion. It gets to the core of the duties of those who serve the congregation. I will briefly mention a few things that can be discussed and expanded further. We should speak openly and freely about sin and the dangers of our time. We should speak about the caretaking of the conscience, about washing one another's feet (also in our homes and families), about confession and its proper use. We should speak about being our brother's keeper. We should be aware of conditions among our youth (and parents). This does not mean that we are watching or looking for faults or problems, but rather that we would be following the instruction of Jesus to feed and guide the flock, as Peter instructs, not as lords over the flock but as examples. We should approach those who are in need of guidance or help personally and directly, caring for matters in the smallest group possible. We should arrange parent evenings, youth activities and home services or discussions where the focus is on faith. We should encourage and communicate with our youthworkers and Sunday school and day circle teachers. We should be students of the scriptures and foster this with the parents and youth. We should help the parents to understand their duties and encourage them to not weary in the work of rearing their children and sowing the seed of God's word. On this last point, we could discuss some of the matters that touch on the sowing work of the parents. The Duty of Parents Time does not permit dealing with the duty of parents in an exhaustive manner. And this is not a parents evening. However, there are those things that we should discuss with our parents and foster within our home congregations. First and foremost is the care of the gospel. Believing the gospel personally and preaching it in our homes is of utmost importance. The gospel, that is release from sin, is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). Without this forgiveness we cannot remain believing. Forgiveness is the manna of Heaven, that feeds our souls. In our homes there should be openness in speaking about matters and also mutual respect. Parents should always remember the importance of thanks and praise. It is good to recognize good behavior, helpfulness and those things that we want to encourage in our children. It is important that between the parents there is a common understanding in the rearing and instructing of the children. The parents and the children need to all have a part in serving one another in the home. Children need to learn responsibility and helping in the home duties. Family time is critical. The family can discuss both matters of daily life and also matters pertaining to the way of faith. Parents need to be aware of their children's lives -their activities, their difficulties, their needs. The focus of the parents should be on home life. It would be good to foster prayer to God in the lives of the children and family. Instruct the youth in timely and basic matters such as keeping appropriate hours (we are not children of the night nor of darkness), avoiding worldly dress and styles, obedience to parents and the laws of our land (for example in such matters as tobacco use), the dangers of television, alcohol and drugs, videos and the Internet, improper sexuality, birth control or family planning, worldly music, and competitive sports. Those matters that are sin should be clearly taught as sin to our children. Parents should foster responsibility in the work of God's Kingdom, whether it be in helping in the work of the congregation, financial support for the work, or other responsibilities. We should speak positively to our children about the Kingdom of God and its preciousness. We need to remember the instruction of Apostle Paul, "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another and forgiving one another (Col. 3:12-13)." Each of these points could provide food for discussion with the parents in our home congregations. The precious calling and duty of parents is so very important in these last evil times. Jesus still desires to "gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom." The Flock of the Good Shepherd The believers are sheep in the flock of the Good Shepherd. Jesus said of himself, "I am the good shepherd and know my sheep, and am known of mine (John 10:14). "About the shepherd, He said, "... the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice (John 10:3-4)." We live in a time when we see both the results of the work of the enemy of souls in this world and the great blessings of God in His kingdom. Today we are blessed with many sincerely believing young parents, youth and children. God's Kingdom has experienced growth from within. We have also experienced how the Good Shepherd yet seeks lost sheep in this world. It is truly a blessed time that we are living in God's kingdom. Yet, we remember the warnings of scripture. Paul's words to the Ephesians are certainly appropriate for today. "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Eph. 5:15-16)." In the letter to Hebrews, we read, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Heb. 10:23-25). Now in conclusion, I would like to read a very familiar portion of scripture. But as you listen to these words, I want you to create an image in your mind. Picture stretching out before you a beautiful green pasture. In the midst of this pasture, picture a spring of fresh clear water. Now place into this picture a flock of sheep and lambs, some grazing, some resting, some drinking from the spring. And tending the flock, do you see the shepherd with his staf? Now place yourself as one of the sheep in this pasture as we hear these words: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23.

Heikki Kankkonen | 2001 LLC Phoenix Winter Services - Congregation Evening - February 23 -- Presentation outline: 1. Faith cometh by hearing repentance the reconciliation sermon of the Holy Ghost the authority of the keys 2. Faith is preserved by hearing the word of God the effects of inherited sin the gospel is the preaching of heaven the precious gift of confession Holy Communion - strengthens faith the power of prayer . escorts / our friends in faith 3. The Holy Spirit creates a uniform faith the one, holy mutual congregation the Holy Spirit counsels and instructs the congregation has one heart and one spirit 4. Caring for the life of faith and obedience in faith the two-portioned human being the warfare between flesh and spirit • the Church Law of Christ a. rebuke one on one b. take 2 or 3 witnesses c. tell the congregation positions taken by the congregation of God on the following: a. sexuality, family planning, television, alcohol, drugs, sports, videos and the Internet 5. The hearing ear and treasuring heart • obstacles to faith hardening of heart overcomes one faith is a gift from God come, ye blessed of my Father the wages of grace He That Hath an Ear, Let Him Hear l. Faith Cometh Bv Hearing There was a certain home with a believing mother and believing children. The father was an unbeliever, however. The little children were distressed on behalf of their father and told him: "Dad, you should repent." The father would then ask rather scornfully, "How does one repent?" A little child replied, "Cry a little bit and we'll forgive your sins." That little boy had the right understanding of the steps to salvation or of repentance, which include, in order: a) distress and discomfort because of sin, b) the gospel, or believing in the release from sin and c) the amendment of life. This is what all we children of God have, after all, been able to experience. God aroused in us consciousness of sin and the longing for grace. God sent some believing person to us who preached unto us the forgiveness of sins in Jesus' name and blood for the first time. What happened then? A great love was kindled toward that person who was first to preach the forgiveness of our sins. We also began to feel a great love toward those who had come into faith before us. A child had been born unto God, and that child was joined with bonds of love to the congregation and the family of God. God kindles living faith through hearing the gospel. For that God uses the reconciliation sermon of the Holy Ghost and the congregation of God. We are all familiar with the words of the Bible: "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10:17). There is no other way to be saved except by faith – not by praying, not by reading the Bible, not by going to communion etc. Jesus himself gave the office of reconciliation only to His disciples when, following His death and resurrection but prior to His ascendance into heaven, breathed upon His fearful disciples, saying, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained." (John 20:23). Only His own disciples did God send to do the work of the gospel. "... and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation, Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (II Cor. 5: 18-20) Thus our faith is built upon the solid teachings of the Bible, and God, by His Holy Spirit, testifies at this very moment in our hearts that we are children of God. Writing about this forgiving of sins Luther put it rather fittingly: "Do not stare toward heaven. Those very keys that Christ and no one else has, those very ones He gives to Peter, as if to say: Why are you staring toward heaven looking there for my keys. Do you not hear that I have given them to Peter? They surely are the keys of heaven. That is true, but they are no longer in heaven. I have left them down here upon earth. You must not seek for them from heaven, nor from anywhere else, but you'll find them in Peter's mouth, which is where I left them. Peter's mouth is my mouth and his tongue is my key case, his office is my office, his binding my binding and his releasing my releasing. Hold fast to the words of Christ and be assured that Christ does not forgive sins in any other way except by the spoken word, which is the way He has ordered us humans to do it. Unless you seek forgiveness from this word, then you stare at heaven in vain awaiting grace from there. In this Luther puts it as plainly as can be that no one can bypass the living congregation and receive grace and forgiveness. The word of reconciliation, the office and the authority are passed on as an inheritance from one heart to another and from one believer's faith to another. This means that faith cometh by hearing! 2. Faith Is Preserved By the Hearing of the Word of God In the foregoing I tried to explain how a person becomes a believer by means of the gospel, that is the forgiveness of sins. How then does a person remain a believer? Again we respond: by the hearing of the word of God. I will use one example. There were services in a believing home. The mother told her two little boys: "Go invite the neighbors to services." The boys went and invited the neighbors to the services. A neighbor asked: "Why do you have services so often?" One of the boys said: "So we would become believers." That's when the other brother corrected him and said: "No, so that we would remain believers." Thus faith is kindled by the hearing of the word of God, and faith is also preserved by the hearing of the word of God. We believers are familiar with the Christian saying: "What grace provides, sin consumes." Even as believers we are corrupted by inherited sin and that is why we must ever anew ask to have our sins forgiven. In His day Jesus taught this by saying: "Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that cometh from the mouth of God." Just as our body needs nourishment our soul also yearns for the comfort of God's word. As were the children of Israel, we are still on the wilderness journey. The gospel is the heavenly manna, which nourishes our souls. Each and every one personally receives exactly as much as he or she needs of this heavenly manna. Beloved children of God! You are fortunate because you have even now managed to come over possibly long distances and possibly after long periods of time to hear the word of God, to receive of it for yourself and to enfold it into your hearts by faith. Hearing the word of God is an important matter because, first of all, it points out to us the way of salvation. At the same time it warns us believers about the perils of sin and the false teaching that this world is full of. The sacred word of God counsels us to preserve faith and a good conscience. This comforts all of us to believe even under all temptations and to trust in the omnipotent God and His promises of grace. The holy word of God testifies through the Holy Spirit even now that we are children of God. Why do we believers want to hear God's word over and over? As children of God we feel, as did the disciples, that our faith is weak and thus we often plead in the midst of our daily temptations, "Lord, increase our faith." How does God increase our faith? God has given to His kingdom all of the means by which to apply grace toward our salvation. These instructions of grace include: 1) Believing the gospel personally. In the Book of Romans it reads that the gospel, that is release from sin, is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes it (Rom. l: l6). Without this forgiveness we cannot remain believing. Forgiveness is the manna of heaven, which feeds our soul. 2) Confession: Confession is a precious grace gift to us for preserving our faith. In confession we may tell our confessor father of our sins, and believe that God Himself forgives us our sins. John writes: If we confess our sins He is faithful and righteous, Who forgives us our sins and purifies us from all iniquity. Let us boldly utilize this precious grace gift. May the using of confession never cease in our lives. 3) The Lord's Holy Communion: On His last night Jesus Himself instituted the sacred sacrament of the altar for His own. In the bread and in the wine He gave His body and His blood for the strengthening of the weak faith of the disciples. Partaking of the sacrament requires a totally believing heart. We teach as did Luther, that the sacrament is partaken of correctly when it is used to strengthen a weak faith. The sacrament does not kindle faith, nor are sins forgiven by the communion, but it does strengthen our faith. 4) Prayer: On our journey of endeavoring in faith we believers have many temptations, doubts and manifold sorrows, and that is why Jesus says to cast all your sorrows upon Him for He will take care of you. It is important to notice that sins are not forgiven by prayer, as many believe and teach outside the kingdom of God, but in prayer we may bring our concerns before the heavenly Father, as children of a temporal family bring to their own father. It is good to always add to our prayers what Jesus taught: "Thy will be done, Father." 5) Escorts: As a gift God has first given us faith and, along with it, hundreds of brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers and homes, and will yet give us eternal life in heaven one day. Even now we are able to be in the midst of the family of God and to feel that we are children of God. For the sake of our faith it would be a top priority matter for every believer to have at least a few close friends, an escort, to whom we could tell all the sorrows upon our heart and from whom we could hear that precious gospel word. This is how we get to know each other from the very heart. 3. The Holy Spirit Creates a Uniform Faith The Bible very beautifully tells us that during Jesus' time those who had been granted repentance and were in the early congregation had but one kind of faith. What causes this? Simply this: that the Holy Spirit of God creates faith in the heart of an unbelieving person. In the Catechism Luther teaches us: "The Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me by His gifts, sanctified and preserved me in the true faith, even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies all of Christendom on earth and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the ONLY true faith." In this kingdom, or Christendom, He every day graciously forgives me and all believers all of our sins. Even now we may dwell in unanimity of spirit within the kingdom of God, of which Luther goes on to teach: "The Holy Spirit has a congregation upon this earth. It is the mother, which gives birth by the word of God to every Christian." This congregation is singular. That is to say, God has but one congregation upon this earth. Luther describes what this congregation is like: "I believe that upon this earth there is a small, holy congregation made up entirely of saints, which is subject to one and only one head, Christ, and which has been called together by the Holy Spirit. It is of one faith, mind and understanding, lacking groupings and divisions. I too am part and member of it, and a recipient of its riches. It is the Holy Spirit that has brought me into it and joined me to it by means of my having heard and still hearing the word of God. This is precisely the origin of coming into faith." (Luther's Large Catechism) This is exactly as we believe in the kingdom of God. Human reason cannot understand that there could be but one kingdom of God. The world considers such a notion foolishness. When a person gains the grace of repentance, he or she at the same time gains the Holy Spirit as a tutor to his or her heart, and this instructs us to reject all ungodly ways and worldly lusts, and to journey piously and chastely in this world. Because the Holy Spirit is what creates faith we have a shared faith and doctrine in America, Europe, Finland, Russia, Ecuador, Togo, Africa etc. This faith and doctrine is not our own invention, as Jesus Himself teaches: "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7: 17) The correct doctrine is essential unto salvation, but we need to also endeavor as believers according to the correct doctrine, thus showing obedience in faith to the word of God. What did the Holy Spirit of God effect among the Gentiles in the early congregation? We may read about the original congregation in the early parts of the book of Acts and learn that 3000 persons repented. They were of different nations, languages and cultures. But the apostle, nevertheless, gives a wonderful description: "They remained all the while in the doctrine, the fellowship and the breaking of bread with the apostles." And the Believers "were of one heart and one soul." (Acts 4: 32) The Holy Spirit joined the believers into one family of God, and in their hearts was a united faith and doctrine and they remained in the doctrine and fellowship of the apostles. This is the way it is yet today. May God continue to preserve us in our shared faith and love. If we had not the correct understanding of faith, we would not become saved, but we would serve God in vain, teaching the commandments of men. The correct understanding of faith is such an important matter that Paul writes to the Galatians: "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach the gospel to you differently from how we have preached, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1: 8) We cannot be believing in such a way that we would have different understandings about matters of salvation. 4. Caring For the Life of Faith and Obedience of Faith As believers we are of two portions during our life in this world. The spirit and flesh wage war against each other. The congregation of God is an embattled congregation here in man's time, but one day in heaven it will be a celebrating congregation. I just read to you the description of the early congregation from the Acts of the Apostles. Amongst the believers there was one heart and one soul. That picture was, however, soon shattered for the enemy of souls was able to deceive some of the believers. What kinds of falls occurred amongst these believers? The Book of Acts relates that Ananias and Sapphira tried to deceive the disciples, that a dispute about the gifts of speakers arose in the congregation and the congregation then broke up into contentious factions, that some lived in adultery, that some came to the Lord's Holy Supper while drunk, and, on top of these, that doctrinal contradictions were originated. These persons had been victimized by the deception of the enemy of souls. Their flesh had gained dominion and with their deeds they had denied their faith. Even so, that congregation was still living, despite the fact that some of its members had fallen into sins. Every one of us is ever faced with the danger of falling. How did God care for and how does He continue to care for His fallen children in His congregation? Christ Himself gives the caretaking instructions to His congregation. Chapter 18 of Matthew teaches us: 1) If your brother transgresses against you, go and rebuke him one on one. This continues to be good advice, and a means to repel the enticements of the enemy of souls. 2) If he does not heed you, then take one or two witnesses with you. 3) If he does not wish to heed them, then tell the congregation. If the fallen and strayed child of God humbles himself to repentance, then these instructions need not be followed past the first point. Sometimes it is necessary to call the entire congregation together to deal with some difficult situation. Generally this involves a long-standing and difficult issue, which threatens to split the entire congregation. Not one of us is forced to be a believer, but if we say that we are believers, then we must believe, teach and endeavor according to the counsel of the Holy Spirit. In the Acts of the Apostles we have one good example of this kind of caretaking situation, how a solution was found in dealing with doctrinal differences of opinion. Although some Pharisees had received the grace of repentance, they still brought with them a law minded spirit into the congregation of God, and they wanted to lead the believers and especially the converted Gentiles to be under the law. How was this issue resolved? The children of God were all called together to Jerusalem in the year 48 A.D., and there the apostles used the word of God to preciously testify how God granted the Holy Spirit unto the Gentiles just as He did to us, and made no distinction between them and us, purifying their hearts with faith. When the meeting was concluded, then, on the basis of God's word, it was concluded that the Gentiles need not fulfill the Law of Moses. And then it was put beautifully – "For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us." (Acts l5: 28) The order here is important. The decisions believers make must first seem good to God, and to us only after that. The decisions of the congregation of God are not even now made on the basis of majority, nor according to the opinion of some leader in a congregation, but the basis always and exclusively is the word of God. It is the supreme authority in these issues of salvation. It is secure for us to be believing according to the Bible. Even yet today it is necessary to call the congregation of God together and then together seek to learn what is the will of God in those numerous issues of the times that arise before us. Often we do not ourselves understand how to make the right decisions, and that is why it is safe to ask the counsel of the congregation. This is exactly what has been done. The children of God teach, according to the word of God, for example, as follows: Sexuality: Sexuality is a God-given power for marriage, and that is why we condemn premarital sex, common-law relationships, and extramarital sex as sins that are against the Sixth Commandment in opposition to the teachings of the Bible. Children: God has decreed that through marriage the next generation will be born into the world. Children are gifts from God. Birth control in all its forms is a sin of this time in the world. God gives life, and He will one day take it away. God also grants us a livelihood. Television: The unanimous opinion of believers is that television, due to its bad programs, is not an appliance to have in a believing home. Alcohol, beer and drugs: The word of God clearly teaches us: do not get drunk on the liquor that leads to all manner of evil acts. We do not wish to drink of those alcoholic beverages, whatever they are called, that are intoxicating. Drugs also defile the entire body, which is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Sports: Health is a precious gift given by God, and we should take care of it. We can maintain our fitness by practicing many forms of exercise – running, walking, calisthenics, playing soccer, broom ball, volleyball, etc. We believers do not consider competitive sports to be acceptable because in competition the athletes seek glory for themselves, sometimes even by cheating. It also seems bad if believing youths go to cafes or other such places to watch sports events. Videos: Nowadays many believers have videos. It is interesting to watch videos of celebrations and everyday life and, why not, also of this trip to America. It is particularly interesting to review the growing up and development of one's own children after some years have passed. Nowadays the schools, as well as our opistos, have many educational videos. It would be good if the teacher would first watch the video, for often even the educational videos may have bad music or other things that are not acceptable to our faith. Believing students may participate in learning that takes place through videos that do not cause wounds upon their consciences. The world offers many kinds of videos. Which of them might be suitable for believers? Of course, the believers do not have any lists of good and bad videos, but the suitability is decided on the basis of their content. A believer whose conscience has been taken care of by the word of God, will carefully consider what he will watch so that the permissiveness of sin would not gain a victory over him by this means either. The parents bear a great responsibility over their families on what kinds of videos are watched in their home. This too is a place of watching, so that the enemy of souls could not deceive us. The prayer of Jesus on behalf of His own is still appropriate, as he urges us: "Watch and pray that ye not be led unto temptation, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." The Internet: The Internet is a working tool for many believers, something that is an aid to us in our everyday lives. This is entirely proper, but many perils lurk in the use of the Internet, and I want to specifically address some of these. The January 11, 2001 issue of the Päivämies had an article on the Internet that was written by Simo Tölli. I will quote some things from this good article. The Internet is a relatively new thing, which is reason enough for talking about it. "It is extremely easy to obtain information from the Internet, but finding accurate information on the Internet may be difficult, and that is why it is very important to be critical when using the Internet. By means of the Internet it is possible to conduct business, become familiar with various cultures, keep up with world events, listen to services from other parts of the world. But the Internet also contains a lot of unchaste pictures, videos and text, as well as worldly music. There have been persons who have had their lives drift into financial crises due to Internet addiction. When we use the Internet it would be good to consider how we might surf so that we would preserve faith and a good conscience. It would be good to discuss this matter in a broader forum than just one's own family. The Internet will provide every user with temptations and perilous situations, where the wrong choices are but a mouse click away. The choices that emerge come up as a surprise, and they do not allow time for true consideration. Using the Internet emphasizes the importance of personal faith. The urging to be watchful in faith is not vain, and neither is the urging: "Watch over one another and all the more so as ye see that day approaching." The parents are responsible for their children's use of the Internet. They need to monitor it and also to discuss it and warn about the use of the Internet. It is worthwhile to consider beforehand the reasons why one would want to get Internet access for a home. The writer follows this with a beautiful description of the safety provided by the word of God. Christians want to endeavor in obedience of faith and to journey with a pure conscience. Even though the world is changing rapidly, we may still remain feeling secure. Jesus has promised to be with His children until the very end of the world." I will yet add a quote from the February issue of the Finnish version of Reader's Digest. This issue had a warning of the dangers of the Internet and the article included the following: "The Internet is a wolf in sheep's clothing. For practical purposes it is possible to find all human knowledge therein, but also all of the dark sides to the human experience. The writer continues: "The Internet has an abundance of pages that are totally unsuitable for children that contain, for example, pornographic, sadistic or pedophilic material. Young people are not mature enough to govern the contents of the Internet. Simply put: the responsibility rests with the parents. It is the duty of the parents to monitor the use of the Internet. We will not get along without the Internet. We must learn to pick the good fruit from it and to reject the spoiled fruit." Thus the writer of this article teaches and thinks exactly like the believers do. I will refer yet again to brother Tolli's article, and observe that my heart joins with the teachings and counsel of this dear brother. But if we do not wish to comply with the counsel from the congregation of God, then there has already in our heart been a fall into sin. No longer do we then see the congregation of God as a golden candlestick. It is no longer the pillar and foundation of truth, but we begin to see this kind of advice as "the decisions made by some old men." Living faith is not dos and don'ts, instead we are free grace children. These mutual instructions are only there to protect us from the enticements of the world. All God asks of us is obedience to His word. Paul writes beautifully: "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." (Phil. 3: 15-16) "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written. I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak." (II Cor. 4: 13) We can ask for a humble mind so that we would remain obedient to the counsel of the congregation, even though we might not always immediately understand all things. God promises to provide us with understanding. God well blesses obedient children! But if we arise in opposition to the congregation of God, then we, at the same time arise in opposition to God Himself, as Moses said to the rebellious people of Israel on the wilderness journey: "Your murmurings are not against us (Moses and Aaron) but against the Lord." (Exo. 16: 8) Often this kind of person loses his faith because he is "hard of hearing" and disobedient. We need faith to become saved, and obedience of faith to indicate that we are endeavoring in faith. 5. The Hearing Ear and Treasuring Heart We often ask in the opening prayer of services: "Grant us hearing ears and treasuring hearts." This is a precious prayer even today and at this event. The hearing of the word does nothing for us if we believe it not, and the hearing of the word does nothing for us if we do not endeavor according to it. Why do not all people, then, hear and believe? Jesus answered this question in his Parable of the Sower. There were those who could not at all comprehend the message of faith, there were those who denied their faith when they encountered persecution or problems because of the Word, and a third group of hearers of the word were overcome by the enticement of wealth and the enjoyment of worldly pleasures. Man cannot serve two masters: God and Mammon. These rejecters found the narrow way too narrow to live and dwell upon. They were unable to see faith revealed as the most important treasure in their lives, and the kingdom of God did not become their dwelling place. God threatened to harden the hearts of these fallen ones when He said: "With your ears you will hear but not understand, by seeing you will see but not perceive, for this people's heart is waxed gross." This is also the case with many people in the world today. The enemy of souls consumes all of their time and the hearing of the word of God does not interest them and their heart remains devoid of faith. Then Jesus spoke blissful words to his own disciples and, at the same time unto us: "Blessed are your eyes for they see, and blessed are your ears for they hear. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets have desired to see that which you see and to hear that which you hear and have not heard them." (Matt. 13: 17) Oh, child of God, together with me you are fortunate. God continues to speak to us from His kingdom with the audible sermon, and God promises: "He who hears you, hears Me, and he who despises you, despises Him whom God has sent." Even yet Jesus is calling those not enjoying faith into His kingdom when He says: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20) This has been granted to happen to me and to you, my beloved brother and sister. God opened our ears to hear and our hearts to believe this heaven-sent gospel, in which our sins were preached forgiven in Jesus' name and blood. In His grace God has preserved us until this very day. Even now when we believe in this way and dwell in the kingdom of God, we can feel secure as we say, as did the foregone saints: "Yea, amen, come Lord Jesus!" And beyond the boundaries of time we will yet, before the throne of God, hear these words: "Come, ye blessed of my Father, and inherit that kingdom that has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. It is worth our while to for a moment yet believe and struggle on preserving faith and a good conscience. Soon, He who is coming, will come and He is bringing His reward with Him.