Two days ago, while spending a few days in Oxford, Mississippi, our granddaughter took us to the Rowan Oak Museum, the home of the famous American author, William Faulkner. It is a museum well worth visiting. While paying the admission price, I struck up a conversation with the docent and talked about our museum. I also handed her one of our museum’s business cards and invited her to visit us. Although the likelihood of her coming to Altenburg is rather low, she did say that she wanted to visit our website out of curiosity. Looking back on that situation, I am thinking that it was a little like doing what Jesus asks us to do when we are told to make disciples by telling people the Gospel story. When you have a good story, you feel compelled to tell as many people as possible.

I once again do not have time for researching and writing a new post, but this time, I am going to share a few random thoughts that I have, like the one above. Here’s another one. Our museum has been blessed ever since its inception in 2005 with terrific museum directors, beginning with Carla Jordan, and proceeding through Carla Grebing, Kristen Lewis, and Denise Hellwege. Each one, in their own way, made positive impacts on the development of our museum. God has been very good to us. Now, our board is making an attempt to find our next director. Having been on that board during such searches in the past, I know how difficult that task can be. We have limited financial resources, so we are not able to support a full-time director, so finding a person qualified to be in charge of our museum becomes a real challenge. Having our site located in an area with such a small population makes it even harder. I would ask you to include our museum in your prayers as we attempt to find our next leader.

Here’s another thought. I recently had the opportunity to speak at the Missouri District LWML convention. I was asked to tell the story of the 1839 immigration, which is the main story told by our museum. The LWML has the reputation of gathering coins in small mite boxes, and as a result of those small beginnings, mighty mission projects have been accomplished.

The story of the 1839 immigration and the construction of the Log Cabin College is a similar story. With such small beginnings, like a one-room cabin, God has accomplished great things. Those humble beginnings contributed in part to the establishment of what became known as the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. And as part of that development, the Log Cabin College was a beginning place for the growth of the Concordia University System, training the church workers who were needed for the growth of that Synod. God is certainly capable of making great things happen with small beginnings. After all, the Christian church began with Jesus and 12 disciples.

In closing, let me encourage you to do something. Tell your stories. First of all, you have the most important story to tell. That is the story of salvation made possible by Jesus’s death and resurrection. We at the museum also hope that you will tell our story. The most important thing you can do is tell people to come and visit us in Altenburg. We will be glad to share the wonderful story of the 1839 immigration and the building of the Log Cabin College with them. Lastly, don’t forget to tell your own story. Tell the story of your family’s history to your children and grandchildren. People need to know the story of their past in order to navigate their futures in the right direction.

I plan to be back in the story-writing business tomorrow, but in order to do that, I have to head home today after a wonderful visit with family.