Answering the Nudge

From LifeDate - Spring 2006.

Answering the Nudge
by Karen L. Frohwein, Director of Development

“Your heart will be where your treasure is” (Matthew 6:21) GOD’S WORD.

Ever feel like you are receiving a gentle nudge to do something? I know that happened to me when I became involved in Lutherans For Life just a few years ago. I had known about LFL for years, and maybe there was a small voice telling me I should “do something,” but at the time, I just patted myself on the back for being “against abortion” and thought there were more important things I needed to invest my time and treasures in. Some of those things were important, but many times I was more interested in worldly pursuits and didn’t respond to those “nudges” of the Holy Spirit.

I still look back and wonder what took me so long to listen and take action and become involved in Lutherans For Life. God’s timing is not always our timing, and I now understand that God was at work all along. What I don’t wonder about is how wonderful God is to use us when we stop doing things our way and let Him lead us. I am thankful for those gentle nudges, delivered through servants of the Lord of Life. I hope you feel those nudges this year and ask God to lead you to where He wants you to be.

If you are being nudged toward involvement in LFL this year, you might be asking, “What can I DO to answer this call?” “How can I make a difference?” “How can God use me?” “I want to become more involved but _____________.” (You can fill in the blank – “I don’t have enough time, money, skills, knowledge; I’m too old, too young, too busy . . .”)

Jesus knew about our excuses that would keep our hearts away from His work and He gave a simple solution to our excuses: invest your treasures and your heart will follow. If you are asking yourself how to get more involved, the answer is make an investment in God’s work. After all, those treasures that you have are God’s anyway. Your time, your talents, your possessions, and yes, your money, are all on loan from the Lord. He knows what you do with your treasures will be where your heart follows. It’s not the other way around. God does not say “put your money where your mouth is” as the world leads us to believe. Don’t let your sinful heart lead the way. God’s message is a Gospel message. He wants our hearts, and he knows that through the Holy Spirit, the way we use our treasures captures our hearts. If our treasures follow the way of the world, our hearts (and our mouths) will follow. If our treasures are invested in Gospel-based ministries such as Lutherans For Life, our hearts will follow.

One of our members who is very involved in a caring pregnancy center in her area recently told me, “The more involved I get with our CPC, the more I see the need for Lutherans For Life!” That’s Jesus’ message in action. A treasure invested in action for life has led a heart to understand the importance of God’s message of life. Answer that gentle nudge and invest in the Lord’s work this year. Give of your treasures, your time, your talents, your possessions. Become pro-life, but most of all become pro-eternal life through God’s work in your heart.

Here are a few suggestions on how you might help:

Study God’s Word (GOD’S WORD for Life!) and read LifeDate and other LFL resources.
Support LFL through prayer, and service activities.
Contribute to LFL on a monthly (sponsor) or yearly (annual) basis—and other times as you are able.
Become a Life Ministry Coordinator for your congregation.
Join or start a local LFL chapter.
Include LFL in your will or other planned gifts.
Ask your employer to include LFL in their matching gift program.
Volunteer at your local caring pregnancy center.
Reach out to your neighbors with the Gospel message of life.

To find out more, call me at 888-364-LIFE or e-mail kfrohwein@lutheransforlife.org.