As a daycare provider in rural Montana I have seen several open adoptions and foster parenting.  One special little boy who turns 6 of Friday and his 2 year old sister stand out (both adopted).  For his birthday many relatives, friends and even his birthmother will be there to celebrate in this grand occasion.  The birthmom, now 21, travels acress Montana some 12 hours to be center stage alongside the child's adoptive mom of 6 beautiful years.

This is a relationship so unbelievable and breathtaking.   People who give the greatest gifts of life will reap great rewards as a result of this program of Lutheran Social Services

-- Sharon

A while ago I suffered a severe stroke. This happened in spite of the fact that I always excercised and ate prperly. I could not walk, talk or use my left hand, and the prognosis was that those functions would never return. My wife and I would not accept this prognosis, and with prayer and hundreds of hours of self-designed therapy all functions have returned. This came about with a lot of tears and anger. God stood by us the whole time. Even though I have lost some strength,  there is very little I can't do. Have even painted my house twice Thank you God.

-- Roland

Yeah, well, I had been brought up in a Christian family, but for the last 14 years of my life have never really felt that God loved me.  I had already been told that he did, but it had never been proved to me personally.   Anyway, my friend took me to a Christian Bible camp in the summer, and I became a true Christian. Since then God has been working in my life, and everything that I do is always made to feel easy.  When the Lord is on your side, who can be against you?

-- Victoria

     On Oct. 12, Lila was at church at a meeting of the ladies so I decided I’d take the tractor into the woods where wood-cutters had been working and left quite a mess. A log across my path didn't disturb me as I was standing (out of the seat) watching where I was going. Unfortunately, I didn't hit it square and it threw me off the tractor. All four wheels were going forward, as they were supposed to, and I picked myself up from the ground and ran alongside the tractor. The shut-off switch was on the opposite side so my best bet seemed to be to push in the clutch and shift it out of gear. I grabbed and caught the steering wheel and pulled in toward a tree.
     The next thing I remember is being under the tractor with the big wheel to my right, continually turning in the dirt, but the tree kept the tractor from going forward. On my left was a log, so I couldn't move that way. The front wheel beyond the log was continually spinning. Did I mention that my feet were wedged in under the other side of the tractor? PROBLEM: How to shut the tractor off.
     I checked for any wires I could pull--it was a lousy diesel (it really is a wonderful diesel and no wires were apparent). During all this time of my contemplation of my next move...all 4 wheels were still turning. ... Thank you, Guardian Angel, for that tree.
     After some time, the left front tire started to smoke. If it caught fire with a half-tank of diesel fuel just above it -- that wasn't anything I wanted to anticipate. Logic told me "If you can just reach the clutch pedal and push it the wheels will stop since it will not be in grear!" So I struggled to reach the clutch pedal -- but time after time my fingers could not reach it! Finally, I just laid back and prayed, "Lord, I just can't do this by myself...help me!"
     Like the man blind from birth who told his questioners who wanted to know how Jesus healed him, "I just know this, I was blind but now I can see!" why, when I couldn't reach the clutch pedal with my finger tips, was I now able to grasp it and shove it away from myself, disengageing the wheels? I thanked the Lord as I pushed the clutch away from me and the wheels stopped turning.
      You know how gracious is our Lord -- what we ask for, we get! I asked for help in getting the wheels stopped, but now what? If I would take my hand off from pushing the clutch (and my arm was tiring), the wheels would start turning again. Unfortunately, whenever I stretched to push the clutch, my hip would rub against the spinning rear wheel, so I knew somehow I would have to reach the gear shift. There was no hope of the tractor running out of fuel and no one was around to hear if I should shout. Once again, the Lord came to help. I felt if I could just reach up to the steering wheel, I could get enough leverage to pull my foot out of my right shoe, which was trapped somewhere under the tractor ...
     Just like the shift -- I couldn't reach it. I tried time after time. Once again, I just laid back, out of the range of the spinning rear wheel by an inch or so and coptemplated my next possible move. Not struggling freed my hip from the spinning rear wheel and I was faced with the struggle of "peace" and no struggle or possibly a "struggle for life" and I felt the pain was very worth while. The smoking front tire probably helped with that decision. In addition to all the general prayers I had been saying, this specific one was the same as the first: "Lord, I just can't do this by my self...help me!"
     Skeptics may not believe it, but not only was I able to reach the steering wheel with my finger tips, but I could grasp it and pull myself up enough to give me leverage to pull my foot out of my trapped shoe. Now came the time when I pulled my foot and my right leg (with my new knee) above the transmission. Not a bad feat for an old man. Now the procedure was to stretch and push back the clutch, while reaching out with my foot to push the gear into neutral. Unfortunately, as I did this, it pushed my hip against the spinning rear wheel. Somehow, I just couldn't get the job done as I tried time after time to slip the gear into neutral, each time hurting more than the last. Part of the time, I suspect I was pushing a control for the power take off -- which wouldn't have any effect upon the power train & wheels. So each time I tried meant more burning on my hip from the spinning rear wheel. After another period of time for reflection and prayer, I realized that my right foot no longer was wearing a shoe, and by somehow working my right leg between the tractor seat and steering column, I could possibly reach the shut-off switch on the other side of the tractor, behind the dashboard.
     I used the same procedure as I had previously -- attempts & finally a prayer. Someday, I hope that I learn to reverse that procedure!
     Somehow, my big toe caught the switch, the tractor stopped, and I just lay there and praised the Lord. It took some time to get my left foot out of its shoe, but without the threat of the turning wheels it was no problem. and I walked barefoot back to our home.
     I write this just to let you know, as you already know, Jesus just needs an invitation into our lives. Don't try to top my cry for help! However, if needed, Jesus is always there!

-- Love, Dale

I have a mental illness. The depressive part of it began at 8 and the manic part of it began at 15. During most of my life I have oscillated between being happy, irritable and sad. My life as an adult is a long list of accomplishments and also moral failures. I have blamed myself for the circumstances surrounding my first divorce for 26 years until this weekend. This weekend Jesus finally got me to understand that I have judged myself when he want to forgive me. I have made myself superior to him. I asked for and accepted God's forgiveness and realized that I am a new vessel that is clean and beautiful. Upon reading the Scriptures I came to understand that God wants to fill me with the fruits of love, joy, peace, kindness, patience, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. He wants to guide my life with the Spirit of truth. I give thanks and praise to Jesus my Redeemer and Lord. He is the light the truth and the way. I feel so happy since this evening I was depressed and crying over feelings of resentment against someone who has recently hurt me. Yet I saw what I needed to do was to let go of it and look to the Spirit for direction. The direction was to get here, give my psychologist a call who happens to be a pastors wife, and wash the dishes. I hope my message speaks to someone out there who is struggling with guilt and the pain of illness. God bless you and good night.

-- Vivienne   

My husband has been out of work for about a year and a half. He previously made a good salary to support the family but the job he has acquired since being unemployed has made it a struggle to pay mortgage and monthly bills.

God has blessed us by carrying us through thus far.

Every time I get discouraged, I keep asking God to give my family; stronger faith, strength, courage and patience until his will is done. I have always been a strong person who previously did not seek God for guidance and I feel our faith is being tested now. I know by praying that God will eventually answer our prayers because he has blessed us by supplying what we need thus far.

I encourage all that do not know him to seek him to make their lives truly fulfilled.

May God bless and keep all that read this testimony.

-- Gail    

I have always been raised in a Christian home, going to Sunday School and then church as a child with my parents. Like most teens, I didn't fee God was "cool" and for a while I drifted away. However, as I became older, I got reinvolved with the church and have developed a more significant relationship with the Lord. Until recently, I had been driving an hour to and from a job that had become a chore to perform. I absolutely hated it! I was driving home one night and said, "okay, God, what do you want me to do with my life?" Three days later I got a phone call from the supervisor of the lab at a hospital 10 miles from my home asking me if I would be interested in a position as a lab clerk/phlebotomist; even though I had no experience in phlebotomy, she told me it was on the job training. I went in for the interview and was hired that day. I've been on the job for about a month and absolutely love it!!

-- Patti    

    My daughter's friend Martin plays basketball on his high school team, holds a part-time weekend job and has hopes for college and beyond. He seems quiet and rather shy until you get to know him and he starts to talk about his faith in the Lord.
     For all his youth and inexperience, Martin is straight with God. I’m sure that this has not been easy for him, because Martin lives in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green development, where gang violence and drug wars are a way of life. But he has the courage of his convictions and the love of Christ to shelter and protect him.
     Martin has changed my life. At first I was apprehensive. I shared many people’s fear that "The Projects" are dangerous places. I knew that there were good and honest folks living there, yet wasn’t sure that I was ready to have my daughter become so personally involved.
     Today I see God reflected in their faces, and I am sorry that I doubted. I’m proud that my daughter has a strong sense of social justice and fairness. While I know she’s been grounded in that at home and in our congregation, she continues to challenge me. She reminds me that if I keep on talking the talk, I’d better walk the walk as well, and learn to name and face my own biases whenever they arise.
     God bless our youth -- the fine and healthy, those at risk, the ones at a crossroads of faith. If we are to encourage them, we need to be there for them, making a difference in their lives. They just might make a difference in ours.
                                                                      -   Donna