Good morning from Arizona!

We wanted to post a quick update to let you know that we are back in Arizona and continuing our scheduled ministry for the rest of April. We'd love to see you if you are able to make it to one of these services!

April 10th, 9:00 and 11:00 am: 

Harvest Church

8340 W. Northern Ave.

Glendale, AZ

April 17th, 11:00 am:

United Methodist Church

828 S. Main Street

Hugoton, KS 

April 24th, 10:00 am:

Lighthouse Ministries

218 S. Main Avenue

Wagner, SD

Thank you for all of your prayers and encouraging words regarding my mother's home going to Heaven. Have a wonderful week!

Gloria

We want to give you an update because so many have asked. My dear mother is home and gazing into the eyes of her beloved, Jesus. She went to her heavenly home last Friday. We want to share her obituary with you:

"Her children rise up and call her blessed." – Proverbs 31:28

Julie (Juliette) Ardis Brooks

How does one begin to write in a few paragraphs about our mom, Julie Brooks, the first lady of the Clair Brooks family?  Her life and legacy will live on forever in the lives of her children, their mates, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, friends and extended family.

On November 16, 1915, an 8 pound bouncing baby girl with big blue eyes and little fat cheeks was born to Johanna and Anton Wolden in Vermillion, South Dakota.  They proudly named her Juliette Ardis. Julie attended eight grades of school before the Depression hit.  Her dream was to be a school teacher but due to the Depression, she always felt a bit cheated that she couldn't continue her education to become a school teacher.  We, the family, always reminded her that she did teach…she taught school every night as she helped with homework with her eleven children….that's why we all received our diplomas! Thanks, Mom.

Due to tough times, Julie's family moved from Vermillion to Philip, South Dakota, and at age 14, Julie hired out working for a farm couple doing cooking, cleaning and laundry. She was paid a whopping $3.50 a week.  In 1931, when mom was 16 years old, she met a handsome young man, Clair Brooks, who was employed at Dorothy Brothers Car Sales and Repair in Philip, SD.  They met at a youth gathering at the Methodist church.  Mom said she fell in love with Clair the first moment she saw him.  They began their courtship and were married July 6, 1933 in Rapid City, South Dakota.

To this union, twelve children were born. Dad continued to work at Dorothy Brothers Car Sales and Repair until 1937, when they moved to Watertown, SD.  Clair worked at Byer Chevrolet and in 1940 Clair moved his family again to Sisseton, SD, where he started Brooks Body Shop, which later became Brooks Motors.  Meanwhile, Mom was busy with eleven children gardening, baking, cooking, laundry, cleaning, etc.  She was also the bookkeeper for Brooks Body Shop and after the kids went to bed, she burned the midnight oil sewing and repairing car seat covers.  Even though mom was always busy, she put her family first – we all knew it and felt it.  Amidst her busy life, she somehow managed to fit in the office of Cub Scout leader, 4-H leader, President of the Women's Ministries at the Assembly of God church, as well as an adult Sunday School teacher and held community Bible studies.  Mom enjoyed baking and cooking. She was known for having a "bakery" in her home and was known for her famous "gooey" caramel rolls.  Mom loved to cook and deliver meals to friends and shut-ins and had an extensive ministry of writing cards and letters to family and anyone who needed encouragement. 

Julie's life described a life of selflessness, gratitude and generosity. When asked what her most meaningful treasure was, without hesitating she said, "My children, their mates, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I love them all so much."  When asked what was one of the most meaningful moments in her life, she quickly responded, "When I invited Jesus Christ into my life in April 1952, God gave me joy and gave me assurance that I would go to heaven. He also gave me the strength and guidance to take care of our large family and to spiritually train them in the ways of the Lord." 

Mom was definitely proud of her Norwegian heritage and was overjoyed when we prayed the Norwegian prayer at mealtime. If you knew mom she always had a coffee cup about 6 inches away from her.  She had a dream fulfilled when she and Dad were able to travel to Norway to visit their relatives and she got to sharpen up her Norwegian language.  Mom and Dad loved to travel and were blessed to be able to go to Europe, Japan, The Holy Land, Alaska, etc. They also enjoyed their winter home in Apache Junction, AZ but were always happy to come home where the family and grandchildren were. 

In October 1999, her husband Clair passed away.  In 2009, Julie moved up to Edgewood Assisted Living in Sisseton, SD.   She enjoyed the staff and the residents, loved to participate in bowling, and loved to pray and witness with the other residents.  In February 2016, she moved to Tekakwitha Living Center due to declining health where she resided until March 18 when she passed away.

Before she passed away, we asked her what she'd like to be remembered for; her blue eyes twinkled as she gently smiled and said, "I want to be remembered for my deep love for my family and for God, and I want to be known for praying for my family daily and praying without ceasing."  Then she took Gloria's hand to be sure to get her last request in, "I am praying I will live long enough to see all my children, mates, grand children, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren love God with all their hearts." In a firm loving tone she concluded, "I want you to know, I will be standing at the gate of heaven to greet you and to tell you that I love you and all your family dearly."

We will miss Mom, the queen, the hub of our family who proudly ruled from her chair, until she took her last breath.  She was always bringing the Brooks family together for reunions, holidays or any reason to eat and have fun. 

Mom, you are gone but will never be forgotten. We will miss you like crazy. We'll miss your smiles, your hugs, your words of encouragement, your letters and cards, your stories, your humor, but most of all, the look of Jesus on your face that made each one of us feel so loved and special. Thank you for leaving us a legacy of an unwavering faith, a deep love for God and prayer to carry on until we meet you at heaven's gate.  We love you mom, see you soon!

Julie is survived by: Janice (Jake) Brooks, Sisseton, SD; Larry and Terry Brooks, Seattle, WA; Glen Brooks, Victoria, MN; Jack and Angie Brooks, Fergus Falls, MN; Cleon and Marlys Brooks, Sisseton, SD; Larry and Gloria (Brooks) Lundstrom, Sisseton, SD; Wes and Diane Brooks, Walker, MN; Jerry and Sherry Brooks, Oak Creek, WI; Dale Brooks and Theresa Thode, Sisseton, SD; Billy Brooks and Marita Pond, Sisseton, SD; Rick Brooks, Sisseton, SD. Julie is survived by one sister, Helga Warrington, Denver, CO; and by 32 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren.  The surviving family now totals 137.

Julie was proceeded in death by her parents; husbamd, Clair; infant daughter, Janet; son, Jake; daughter-in-law, Marvelyn;  great grandson, Nick Kuehn; and three brothers and three sisters.

There will be public viewing at 6:15-7 PM on Wednesday, March 23, 2016, at Family Life Assembly of God, Sisseton, SD, with the family and friends service following at 7 PM.  Funeral services will be held at Family Life Assembly of God, Sisseton, SD, on Thursday, March 24, 2016, at 11 AM with lunch following. 

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials for Julie Brooks be given to Family Life Assembly of God, Sisseton, SD, and/or church or ministry of your choice.  Thank you.

Many have asked where to send a card or memorial, you can send it to Gloria Lundstrom, c/o Larry Lundstrom Ministries, PO Box 300, Sisseton SD  57262.

We cherish your prayers during this time.

Gloria

REQUESTING SPECIAL PRAYER FOR GLORIA'S HEALTH

----THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!---

Greetings from Arizona! We made it!

We worked feverishly to get packed and ready for this tour. We bought our airline tickets months ago so the dated ticket was ready on January 8^th…ready or not… we were leaving. There was nice mild weather in South Dakota until - you guessed it - January 7^th. If you live in the Midwest you live and travel by the weather channel, and it wasn't looking good. The predictions were coming true, heavy snow, sleet, ice, wind and temps dropping down to zero. A friend drove us to the airport in Fargo, ND and thus began the next leg of our journey. One flight took us from North Dakota into the Minneapolis airport, where we walked and walked to our next Delta gate, which way down about a mile from the gate we arrived at.

After a quick lunch, we sat in the gate seating area and Larry went over to the information desk to ask a question.  While he was standing there, I spotted a pilot, tall, stately, and sharp in his pilot uniform. Then I heard, "Well hello Larry, what are you doing and where are you going?" Surprised, Larry turned and said, "Dave, how are you? Where are you going?" Long story short the pilot was Dave Rauche, a former pilot for Lundstrom Ministries many years ago. He came over and we chatted for a few quick minutes and Dave announced, "I'm your pilot taking you to Phoenix!" That was neat. We had an excellent flight on the Delta Airbus 320. For some special reason I was so relaxed just to know he was in the cockpit - as we had flown with him many times in years past when he was the ministry pilot flying us in our small aircraft, so I felt good about it and enjoyed the peace of trusting him. After the flight, Dave was insistent to show us the cockpit and take a picture -and we did. Wow, that cockpit was something else!

Thinking back, a spiritual thought hit me. When I think about life's journey with all of its ups and downs, tears and cheers, heartbreaking valleys and mountaintop experiences - I am so thankful to personally know our pilot, Jesus.

"…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…"   - Isaiah 43: 2-3

When I am overwhelmed, I have the peace to know that if I have that personal friendship and relationship, I can trust Him and count on Him for my "flight" in life. I know who is in the cockpit; I know who is in control.  I know that if Jesus has been faithful (and He has), He is faithful (He is), He will remain faithful, and to let him pilot my life. My prayer that you too will know your pilot personally and experience the peace that is found in trusting Him on your journey. God is good! 

We'll chat again in a couple weeks!

Gloria

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS FULL OF CHRIST!

A thought provoking Christmas card was once published with the title, "If Christ had not come." It was founded up on our Savior's words, "If I had not come." The story is told of a pastor falling into a short deep sleep in his study on Christmas morning and dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come. In his dream, he found himself looking through his home but there were no little stockings in the chimney corner, no Christmas bells or wreaths of holly, and no Christ to comfort and to save. He walked out to the street but there was no church with its spire pointing to heaven. He came in and sat down in his library but he realized every book about the Savior had disappeared.

The doorbell rang and the messenger asked the preacher to visit his poor, dying mother. He hastened with the weeping child and as he reached the home, he sat down and said, "I have something here that will comfort you." He opened his bible to look for a familiar promise but it was empty. There was no Gospel, no promise of hope and salvation, and he could only bow his head and weep with her in bitter despair. Two days later, he stood beside her coffin and conducted the funeral service. There was no message of hope, no mention of heaven and no consolation or comfort to share.

As Larry and I read this story, our hearts were gripped and challenged by the reality of how tragic life wouldbe "without Christ"! It was just a terrible dream, a terrifying nightmare, but how much worse are those who know Christ came and yet live as though he did not. How different would your life and my life been this past year if Christ had not come?? When we receive bad news-a doctor's fear-inducing report , the heartbreaking loss of a spouse, child, sibling, the devastation of losing a job and finances, the constant weight of broken relationships-if Jesus had not come, how could we make it through the dark days of discouragement, loneliness and tears? There would have been NO hope, NO joy, NO answers, and nothing but a dismal future to look forward to…BUT…CHRIST HAS COME! Because He lives, we live also!

We have received the greatest Christmas gift…Jesus Christ! He is a gift who keeps unwrapping His goodness, faithfulness, and love which He continues to pour out upon us. Aren't we all grateful and thankful that JESUS CAME! As you celebrate this Christmas season, may you truly know the GREATEST GIFT OF ALL!

Gloria

A fun look back at Christmas memories....

THEN:

NOW:

{Quote}

"O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above your deep and dreamless sleep,
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light,
The hopes and fears of all the years,
Are met in thee tonight."
 

{Chuckle/Reflection}

May the Christmas presents remind you of God's greatest gift, His only Begotten Son. (John 3:16)

May the Christmas candles remind you of Him who is the Light of the World. (John 1:9)

May the Christmas tree remind you of another tree on which He died for you. (1 Corinthians 15:3)

May the Christmas cheer remind you of Him who said, "Be of good cheer." (John 16:33)

May the Christmas feast remind you of Him who is the Bread of Life. (John 6:35)

May the Christmas snow remind us of the cleansing power of Christ. (Isaiah 1:18)

May the Christmas bells remind you of the glorious proclamation to all mankind. (Luke 2:10-11)

May the Christmas carols remind you of His glad tiding which we are to proclaim to all mankind. (Mark 16:15)

May the Christmas season remind you in every of Jesus Christ ...YOUR KING!  (Isaiah 9:6)

{Recipe}

Never Fail Fudge

3 cups sugar

1 cup milk             

1/2 cup white syrup       

3 Tbsp cocoa

7 large marshmallows, cut up

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

Cook the sugar, milk, white syrup, cocoa and marshmallows to soft ball stage.  Add the butter and vanilla.  Let cool.  You can add nuts at this point if desired.  Put in well-greased glass dish.

{Household Hint}

Barometric pressure and humidity greatly affect candymaking: My advice is to never make candy on a humid day!

It's Thanksgiving month… but truly isn't every month a THANKSGIVING month when we can thank God for all of His goodness to us!

During the past couple months, we have truly been immersed in gratefulness as we celebrated our 50th Marriage and Ministry Anniversary through celebration rallies held in several cities, a 50^th anniversary Fun & Fellowship and special events held in our home church and in the Twin Cities.  We have had an unforgettable time of celebration.  The moments were filled with stories, testimonies, videos, and delicious food.  Our hearts were truly touched as we heard the testimonies of what God had done in so many amidst our 50 year journey. Many received Christ during that time and it was fun to recall the many that worked for The Lundstroms throughout the years. To be honest…we were running a bit tired during this time, but we were greatly energized by the outpouring of honor and love bestowed upon us!

Our deepest gratitude goes out to our children: LaShawn and Liam (son-in-law), LaDawn, and Donovan for their love and support. Also special thanks to our wonderful Board of Directors and our superb staff who helped make it all happen. Our staff has made it possible for us to "go" while they "stay" at the home office and focus on keeping the ministry rolling. Without our office staff, we wouldn't be on the road…what a blessing they are!

Lastly, but certainly not least, our very heartfelt thanks goes out to our partners, family and friends who have faithfully stood by us with their prayers and support. So many of you have written to us, "We are unable to go but we can send you with our prayers and support. You are our missionaries/evangelists." Every letter we read, we are moved by the love and compassion you have for wanting to send us to reach the lost! Thank you! The Bible says, "He that winneth souls is wise." Together, all of us have made wise decisions to win the Lost.

At the conclusion of these celebrations, packing away photos and decorations was an emotional time as with every photo handled, we experienced such gratefulness to God for bringing Larry and I together to be soulmates and trenchmates, standing as "one" to go the journey of a million miles and see multiplied thousands of people giving their hearts to Christ. What an honor to have a small part in what God did and is doing.

Together…you have helped make it happen. Larry and I want you to know that thousands will be waiting in heaven to joyfully say, "Thank you for sending the message!"

 "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."  Philippians 1:3

May you be blessed this Thanksgiving!

Gloria

{Quote}

"Often people ask how I manage to be happy despite having no arms and no legs.  The quick answer is that I have a choice.  I can be angry about not having limbs, or I can be thankful that I have a purpose.  I chose gratitude."

-Nick Vujicic

{Chuckle/Reflection}

{Recipe}

Glazed Sweet Potatoes

2 (1 lb) cans sweet potatoes

1 (3 oz) pkg orange gelatin              

1/4 cup light brown sugar        

dash of salt

1 cup boiling water

2 Tbsp butter

Drain sweet potatoes.  Dissolve gelatin, sugar and salt in boiling water in skillet.  Add butter and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.  Add sweet potatoes; cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, basting frequently, until syrup is thick and glossy.  Serve hot.

{Household Hint}

Chew gum while peeling onions so you don't cry.

A Special Birthday Tribute

Hmmm…have you ever had the experience of searching for that one special birthday or greeting card - and to your disappointment couldn't find the right one? I have…and I did, last week. I scoured through three huge card shops and thousands of cards, but found only one Happy 100^th Birthday card.

I couldn't believe it! And that one looked 100 years old, and generic. Disappointed I stepped back and thought, why?

Then it hit me - not a great number of people have the privilege of reaching the 100 year milestone in life. I instantly was filled with joy because our Brooks family is one of the few that have that honor of seeing our mother, Julie Brooks, celebrate her 100^th birthday on November 16^th.

As a family, due to Midwest weather in late November, we held a family reunion in July and celebrated an early party for her, while many were in the area and could attend.

Now, on  November 16^th, she will celebrate her real birthday. Some weeks back, while we were home in Sisseton, I was visiting with her at the assisted living. Mom was exceptionally sharp that day and had a good memory, sense of humor and looked great. I sat there in her rocking chair across from her and kind of got lost in a special moment filled with admiration and thanksgiving to God of how blessed I am to be 71 years old and…still have my mother. Evidently she saw me in the "no zone" staring at her and she pipes up, "I'll bet you're just sitting there thinking, 'Boy is she old!'" I burst out in laughter, "Mom, you are". She chuckled, "I guess I am." Then I confessed, that I got sidetracked admiring her and shared with her my heart and thanked her of how blessed I have been to have her guide me, pray with me, giggle with me, encourage me, and let me cry as she comforted me, since I was a little girl on her lap. Memories flooded my mind of her kneeling by my bed every night, all through those growing up years, reading the Bible together, instructing me in the way of the Lord.

I know without a doubt that Mom, living her life of faith, hope and pushing me on when I felt I couldn't go on another mile, she would always firmly command, "Missy (my nickname), God has called you and Larry into ministry and there are so many people out there that need to hear the Gospel message. YOU'LL MAKE IT! Take care of yourself so you can fulfill the calling that God has given to you and Larry."  With that, I'd be up and gone and going again.

I'm sharing all of this to tell you that I wouldn't be in ministry today if it wasn't for her prayers, unconditional love and guidance. I am blessed. Our family is blessed. All 132, plus more babies on the way!

So many of you have told me that you feel like you know her, or you do know her, and said you would like to meet her and thank her for her part in my life. If you would like to thank her for being the wind beneath my wings, here is her address:

Julie Brooks

308 Hillview Road

Edgewood Assisted Living

Sisseton, SD 57262

Or, you can send an email to me and I'll pass it on: larry57262@aol.com

Truly, because of Mom and her impact in my life…I am in ministry. So this thanksgiving, I am thankful for many things, but I am especially thankful for my mother. Have a great month!

Gloria

Greetings from Boulder City, Nevada! 

We are down the road----1, 825 miles from our home in Sisseton.  Our motorhome has been whistling along, running really great for which we are thankful.  We have seen a lot of scenery….mountains, canyons, rivers, streams, desert, yellow lines of the road along with numerous orange barrels and cones which means road construction and delays.  The weather has been perfect.  God is good! 

We climaxed our 50^th Marriage & Ministry Celebration tour at Minot First Assembly of God in Minot, North Dakota, on October 11^th with our pastor friends, John and Naomi Brady, and their wonderful staff. 

The church was filled with friends, partners, anticipation and joy. Our prayer was that God would be honored…..and it happened with the altar call the first service where 20 responded and continued with the second service where 40 responded.  One couple joyfully exclaimed, "We prayed 15 years for our daughter.  This morning she responded!" 

Pastor John & Naomi Brady with Larry and Gloria

"What an honor it was to have Larry and Gloria with us to celebrate 50 years of marriage and ministry!  Their love for people and the lost inspired our congregation.  Many responded to the atlar call.  It was a privilege to hand a man his very first bible after accepting Christ.  Thanks, again!"

Pastor John & Naomi Brady

P.S.  We even heard some great new jokes from Larry!

Lyle & Bonnie Thorpe (former chaplain for Lundstrom Ministries)

Kevin & Jeanette Beck (Executive Pastor)

Todd Myers (worship leader)

Kyle & Vangie Johnson

We love families!  This is a family who is truly involved "as a family" in the church, outreaches, missions trips, shoebox ministry and much more.  We love seeing families working together to touch lives. 

Special thanks, Kyle, for helping Larry do some tweaking on the motorhome to get us down the road.

To see what God did in the altar calls was like the cherry on top of the sundae!  That is what it is all about….winning the lost and encouraging the hurting! 

With the advice and persuasion and orders of our family, board and staff, we are going to take some time to rest and recoup just working out of our road office.  Sometimes I forget how to "Be still and know that I am God."  We are just being still, reading and resting this week and oh how good it feels!

Have a great month!

Gloria

Today, it's officially "50 Years"... Who would ever have thought that I'd still be on the road.

We were married on Saturday night, October 16, 1965. Sped off to northern Minnesota for a three day honeymoon, raced back to Sisseton, packed away our wedding gifts (in fact there are a few still left in some boxes in the attic), moved our few belongings into the old Flex bus (you had to be flexible to live in it!) along with Lowell and Connie and two children. We began our ministry journey in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, on the fourth day after being married. Ten days later the old bus engine blew up! We borrowed an old beat up car with the back right window busted out and covered with heavy plastic. We loaded two couple, two children, two guitars and anything else we could fit inside the car.

As the old saying goes, "The Lundstroms must go on!" The mechanic in Thief River Falls told us it would cost about $1,500 to fix the bus. Yikes, where are we going to get that much money? In the fret of it all, I recalled that I had tucked away $1,000 from an insurance claim of being in a car accident to help with medical bills. Decisions, decisions, should I keep the money for that, or give it to the mechanic so we could get the bus up and rolling again? Here we were, honeymooners of a few days and the next 6 weeks became two couples, two children stuffed into a mini-­motel room, night after night for 6 weeks, with two double beds. Yes, exciting, to say the least! You could say the honeymoon was getting a bit strained. I had to make a choice, keep the $1,000 tucked away for medical as we had no health insurance, or help buy a new bus engine for the old beater bus, honestly, just the logistics of living on the road brought me to my decision. I withdrew the money from the bank and sent it to the mechanic. In the meantime, we are beginning our ministry journey in a car while waiting for the bus to be fixed, which we were told would be 10 days to 2 weeks. It stretched out to 6+ weeks. It definitely tried and tested and stretched our patience, comfort and emotions. I was a new bride and this honeymooner's episode was turning into an nightmare. We were all tired and exhausted of living out of a car for one night services. On a Saturday night before we were scheduled to start a most-­welcomed one week revival in one place, we pulled the old beater of a car into the church parking lot in Kansas City, Missouri. It was dark, and it was late. There was no air conditioning in the carso it was hot. We were hungry, low on finances and our patience was spent. Totally exhausted we sat there waiting for the pastor to come to show us into the church where he was going to lead Larry and I into a small nursery where we would live for the next week and an apartment for Lowell and Connie. Meanwhile, back in the car, Larry was hanging over the steering wheel. Lowell and Connie were stuffed in the backseat with baby Lisa, and a guitar. Larry and I had a guitar in the front seat along with Londa sound asleep in my lap. In exasperation, Lowell shrieked, "I can't do this anymore! We are in our 7th year on the road! We are not doing this. We are all going to slow down. From now on, we will travel 6 months, and stay home 6 months." That was music to my ears. I thought "Yes, sanity is coming!"

Well, here is the rest of the story, the bus finally was fixed and off we journeyed on the road again. No, we didn't slow down, we geared up as God opened doors all across the U.S. and Canada to share Christ, and He still is. LARRY AND I WERE BOTH CALLED AND COMMISSIONED TO GO TELL THE STORY FROM THE TIME WE WERE TEENAGERS. Do we have any regrets? No. To see thousands give their lives to Christ has been a great reward for the inconveniences we have encountered. Just days before we were married, we were at my parents home, and I was sitting on the arm of the chair with my arm around Larry's shoulder when I heard these words to my heart, and it had to be God, "Your life will not be easy, it will be hard, but if you will be faithful, remain faithful, obey me and go, I will bless you, your marriage and ministry." Those words have kept me going because HE has kept His word.

We celebrate 50 years today! Years that have been by God's design and years that we wouldn't trade for anything. Have a wonderful weekend!

Gloria