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Newsletters - click "Read More" to see complete PDF version with photos and more
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Entries from
August 2004
August 2004 Newsletter
Sunday, August 01, 2004 :: 302 Views :: Newsletter
What is so URGENT???
By Steve Cohen
God’s
mission is
MY mission...
It was a little past midnight when the paramedics arrived. Jan and I had returned from a long trip and she was hungry, I was too tired to cook. Lizzy had urged me to get a couple of boxes of Dots, and they were right next to the computer. I hefted a handful in her direction and she was thankful for a quick bite... that is until they were lodged in her throat because she has difficulty swallowing. She was turning blue, unable to take in oxygen, and I was praying.
This situation was urgent. Thankfully, prayers were answered and they were dislodged just as the paramedics arrived.
What does this have to do with our mission? Please read on.
From July 10-15, 2004 I had the privilege of serving as a lay delegate to the 62nd Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod national convention in St. Louis. There were over twelve hundred voting delegates and hundreds of advisory delegates from across the nation who gathered for this triennial event.
The business of the church took up most of the time: elections for officers and boards and the passing of resolutions of various kinds. Rev. Jerry Kieschnick was re-elected to a second three-year term as president. During this convention, we were presented with a new initiative calling for a world wide Lutheran missions movement called ABLAZE! The primary focus of this new initiative: by 2017, the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Lutherans would bring the Gospel to 100,000,000 people in cooperation with the church partners, mission societies, etc.
Announcing a promotion: John Kindschi was promoted to glory on June 7th. He is missed by his family, but welcomed to the house of the Lord!
Update on Jan Cohen... By Steve Cohen
Jan and I celebrated 31 years of marriage this year. This is now the 14th year that she has been battling Huntington’s Disease (see http://www.hdsa.org/ for backgrounder information). As I travel throughout the country as leader of The Apple of His Eye Mission Society, I meet many people who are praying for us. I am thrilled to know that so many of God’s people care and lift us up in prayer. I always welcome the question, “So please tell me how Jan is doing!”
At the last visit to the movement disorder clinic, Dr. Racette was wowed that Jan is still able to do some traveling. This year so far she has accompanied me to Seattle, Minneapolis, Houston, Toronto and on a vacation where we took a brief cruise with Seth & Lizzy to Mexico. While the disease continues to take its toll, Jan’s faith in the Lord remain unshakeable. We have been blessed by the companionship of a seminary professor’s wife, too. She and Jan have become fast friends.
A couple of months ago Jan fell in our just cleaned out bedroom closet. There was no grab bar to help with stability, so she grabbed the nearest thing she could, the clothes. We all heard the thud from downstairs and rushed up to see Jan one the floor with a mountain clothing on top of her – everything had collapsed. It was quite a sight, but she was unhurt.At 10:30 in the evening, Seth, Lizzy and I were un-piling the clothes and re-hanging them. Once that was done, I herded everyone down to the kitchen table and declared that we were having a celebration. The kids asked what we were celebrating and I said, “We are celebrating the fact that the paramedics did not have to come, Mom was not taken to the hospital, she did not need stitches, there is no recovery period, and she is not in pain. Also we got to clean the closet once again!”
Jan’s battle with HD has helped me to count the blessing of each day and each situation. We acknowledge God’s grace and mercy – new every morning and evening too.
Your continuing prayers count for much, and Jan loves to the many kind notes letting her know that you are standing with us!
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