The wedding! Yes, the wedding...it was so beautiful. What a joyous time we had. We looked forward to it for so long and it came and went by only too quickly. We tried to savor each moment and event as it happened.
Larry and I flew from Minneapolis to Nashville on Tuesday, Dec 6th at 3:30pm and our daughter LaDawn and her children, Dante and Myanna, flew out at 6:30pm the same evening. LaShawn and Liam met us at the Nashville airport. Our son Donovan picked up LaDawn and the kids later. From the moment the airplane landed...the excitement and the action began. Friday was spent with LaShawn and her friend, Trish, finalizing wedding arrangements. On Friday night, Liam and LaShawn catered a BBQ dinner for both of their families. It was the first time we met Liam's family - and what a sweet family they are. On Saturday, we all went down to the Hermitage Hotel, where the wedding was to be held, for the wedding rehearsal. Following the rehearsal was a Groom's dinner at a beautiful Italian restaurant. 
The clock seemed to wait for no one...and before we knew it, we were on our way back to the hotel on Sunday morning for the wedding.
Before the wedding I was with LaShawn, the bridesmaids, and her personal attendants, Trish and Anita, in a hotel room. When LaShawn was putting on her wedding dress...it hit me, "My little girl (they will always be little girls to me) is REALLY getting married." I stood mesmerized and in awe of the beautiful bride that stood before me.
In a few short minutes, the ceremony began. Our son Donovan walked me up first and then Liam's father was ushered down to the sound of the bagpipes being played. Liam's family is from Irish decent. The bridesmaids and Myanna walked down to meet the groomsmen.
Everything was just so beautiful and memorable. We are so happy to have a son-in-law and we dearly love him.
message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity- hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory- because at the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on the cross." Christmas truly is a night to be remembered because God came to earth in the person, Jesus Christ. His humble birth was the beginning of the mighty work the Father accomplished for mankind-the plan and gift of salvation. How great is that! The gift is free, it is ours if we just ask for it and accept it. All we have to do is confess our sins and, in return, He gives us eternal life if we abide in Him.
This Christmas, amidst all the hustle and bustle of the holidays and all the events, remember...there is no Christmas without Christ!
Merry Christmas to you and your family and a Happy New Year!
Gloria
P.S. The next update will be January 2nd, 2008. Hopefully we will have some photos to share from our family Christmas!
LUNDSTROM SPECIAL!  Now available to the public! If you have followed the Lundstrom's through the years and watched the various television specials, you will enjoy these DVD's that have been reprodu ced on DVD. These specials have been viewed by millions on national television and here is your opportunity to have them in your home. Each volume contains four television specials on DVD. Go to our online store to order today! |
it helps you save money to pay for last years gifts.
As long as there are homes
where families meet
and pray a little prayer
before they eat;
where children play
and echo forth their joy
in a childlike way;
where parents care
and teach their children often
how to share;
with candle glow
that sends a shining beacon
o'er the snow;
built fast on love;
who look above;
who let Christ in,
who hear Him, heed Him, and hold Him
through the earth's great din -
there will be Christmas!
1 pkg. (8 squares) Semi-sweet baking chocolate
1 pkg. (6 squares) Premium white baking chocolate
2 Tbsp. Peanut butter
10 Oreo Chocolate Sandwich cookies
PLACE
semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate medium microwaveable bowls. Microwave until completely melted, following directions on package. Add peanut butter to white chocolate; stir until well blended. Crumble half the cookies over chocolate in each bowl; mix well.DROP
spoonfuls of the chocolate mixtures onto wax paper-covered baking sheet, alternating the colors of the chocolates. Cut through chocolate mixtures several times with knife for marble effect.REFRIGERATE
at least 1 hour or until firm. Break into 14 pieces. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.HOUSEHOLD HINT OF THE WEEK
to leave so Larry insisted I stay home and rest up as our daughter's wedding is December 9th, and we didn't want to jeopardize this event we have been anxiously awaiting. Larry and I have hosted tours for over 42 years and this is the first one I missed...so I guess my running record is still okay! HA! I sure hated being left behind however. 
morning and headed off. Guests joined us from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Arizona. For many of them, this was a reunion tour as over 35 of them have gone with us before. After you have gone once, family bonds form and many desire to make it a tradition or annual event. 
The first stop was at the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, Missouri, and they then journeyed on to Silver Dollar City in Branson. The next three days were filled with nonstop action and excitement consisting of attending Christmas shows including Baldknobbers, Pierce Arrow, Celebrate America, Daniel O'Donnell, and the tour climaxed with Dino's Christmas Extravaganza, America's premier pianist and showman. Sunday morning, the group met
in the hotel for a special church service with an hour of music, testimonies and a message by Larry. Sunday afternoon, the group motored to Carthage, MO, and visited the world-known Precious Moments Chapel. 
several cousins and other family members and friends. Of course, Connie had a delicious turkey and ham dinner with all the trimmings...and all the calories! That reminds me of a cartoon I saw a few days ago...Grandma is standing in the kitchen with her apron on preparing dishes for the big Thanksgiving meal and she says, "I love Thanksgiving, all the relatives come over-- we have four generations getting indigestion together." How true. Someone else said, "Thanksgiving is the home version of the 'all-you-can-eat buffet'." With Christmas coming up quickly, I'm sure it will be another repeat of that "all-you-can-eat buffet".
The Friday after Thanksgiving, the Christmas fun- or should I call it frenzy- shopping began. In Minneapolis, a few of the stores opened at 1 am Friday morning. Our daughter LaDawn had to be at work at 4 am, so she had to get up at 2:30 am to get ready to go. Needless to say that was an early morning start!
The season now is in full swing as everyone is preparing for Christmas. All of our calendars will be filled with parties, family gatherings, Christmas programs, shopping, etc. Each of us will come in contact with many, many people--saved and unsaved. It is our season, as Christians, to shine and let the world know where we stand. One simple way is by using two words - "Merry Christmas". Dozens of business and establishments forbid their employees to say these words, and inform them to greet customers by saying, "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings". We all know the true meaning of Christmas- the birth of the Christ child. With those who are fighting to remove Christ out of Christmas, remove the manger scene and the tree, we need to take every advantage we have to keep Christ in Christmas. I would encourage you this season that when you meet others greet them, "Merry Christmas", and if they greet you with "Happy Holidays" quickly and kindly respond, "Oh, it's Merry Christmas- the season of celebrating Christ's birth...isn't that wonderful?" Be a light in this dimmed world- it needs it. Let's not lose Christmas.
The highlight of this past week was celebrating my mother's 92nd birthday. What a gift it has been to have her a part of my life for all of my 63 years. Monday night, about 25 family members gathered at "Mom's" for her birthday. We had planned on having a potluck meal but she loves pizza so we had a pizza party instead. Larry commented to me the next morning, "Gloria, your mom is the happiest when the family comes home. I watched the expression on her face when she heard the siblings, cousins and mates laughing and interacting. Her greatest joy is having the family together." Another observation he made was, "Your mom is so loved by everyone in the
family!" (There are now nearly 110 of us in the immediate family scattered from coast to coast.) My mom has a unique gift of loving each of us personally and equally. Also, she prays every day for each one individually. We all know her deep love for God and we all agree, "When Grandma Brooks prays, all heaven is at attention!" Her great faith in God has been instilled in each one of us and has left a great impact on our lives. 
After our meal, Larry pulled out the ol' family slide projector along with slides that Mom and he had taken over 40 plus years ago of all of us kids. You should have heard the laughter filling the house when those old photos hit the screen. Of course, each sibling took their opportunity to tease one another about their hairstyles, clothes, expressions, etc. It was a very rich time spent together...there is just nothing like family! 
Greetings from South Dakota! Last Thursday we were in Phoenix, Arizona where there were temperatures in the 90s! As we were sitting outside eating lunch with a friend who was going to take us to the airport, Larry and I, simultaneously looked at each other and whimpered, "Do we really want to leave this beautiful weather and head back to the Midwest?" Even if we had a choice, we still would've left. You see, we had three good reasons to fly to Minneapolis...our daughter LaDawn, our grandson Dante, and our granddaughter Myanna. Those three were enough incentive to get us on the move back to the Midwest. 
arrived at the Minneapolis International Airport. We shuffled through the ever long halls from one terminal to another. Larry chided, "Well you like to walk...this will definitely fit your quota for the day." It did, especially when we were loaded down with laptop computers and carry-on suitcases. We claimed our luggage - four HUGE suitcases- at the baggage claim and headed off to the curb. What a wake-up call when that 32 degree air hit our face! But what a joy to see that little white car of LaDawn's pull up to the curb. There's nothing sweeter than to be greeted by loved ones at the airport. 
Many responded to the altar call and made decisions for Christ. That's energy to Larry and me! When someone comes to Christ it's like a blood transfusion to us; it just gives us new life
and determination. We love seeing couples like Kelly and Becky McCoy who recomitted their lives to Christ at the Gothenburg rally. We thank God for pastor friends like Rev. Randy and Deb Dilts that have a burning desire to see their community reached with the Gospel. Rev. Randy Dilts commented, 
said unto me. "Let us go into the house of the Lord." Psalm 
Before we left North Platte, NE Larry insisted on going and seeing the train yards. LeRoy Black was so kind to take him out and see them as he is employed by Bailey Yards. It's the biggest train yard in the U.S. and the second largest train yard in the world. It has over 400 tracks by which approximately 175 tracks are for sorting and they travel to destinations all over the U.S. There are freight cars, box cars, tank cars, refrigeration cars, flat cars, auto rack cars, plus many more! Bailey employs about 3,500 people. Needless to say, Larry was mezmerized by the endless web of tracks that headed every direction. 
bliss" as they say. But, Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." You can't depend on the goodness car, the baptismal car, the confirmation car, the catechism car, church attendance car, tithing car, or the just believe car to get you to the right place. Jesus said that no man can come to the Father but through Him. We all have to aknowledge that we've sinned, confess our sins and believe in Jesus Christ. When you get connected to him by repentance and conversion and grow and mature in Him you can be assured you're on the right track going the right direction and ending up at the right destination, which is Heaven. 
Prayerfully, you are on the right track. If you're not sure you can pray right now and ask Jesus to come into your heart. He will meet you and He will give you the ticket to eternal life. That, my friend, is exciting! Have a great week!
Last weekend we drive to North Platte, Nebraska, for a weekend of ministry. What a sweet time it was! Again, we were greeted by a loving congregation and a kind and compassionate pastoral couple, Rev. and Mrs. Dennis Leitner. Everyone was so gracious and they came to church with anticipation of what God was going to do. If we just lift up Christ, He does the rest! Larry and I stand on the side watching God draw people to Himself. Awesome! All ages responded to the altar call with many recommitting their lives to Christ along with others who gave their lives to Christ for the first time. 
refreshing to hear the Gospel message emphasizing the Lord's call to the Lost. Our whole church body was blessed and ministered to by the anointed songs, testimonies and the Word. Many responded to the altar calls...both for salvation and rededication. Thank you, Larry and Gloria, for your ministry and friendship to Calvary."
One of those people is Clenda Krizek, the church administrator of Calvary. She is electric with the love of Jesus-and she definitely gives off a sweet aroma of Jesus. She had this to say regarding our time of ministry there,
through the trial, but I weary of the battle, the winds of discouragement; I just want a simple key to victory. However, it doesn't always work that way. Someone once said, "Many times we pray and ask God to remove the storms from our lives, but oftentimes God will allow the storms to rage and He will calm the man in the midst of the storm." Our key to victory is available and it is right there. Jeremiah 33 says, "Call on me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things." Jesus is the Key, but it requires time in the throne room to connect with Him. Our tendency is to be impatient wanting the answer now, in our time and how I want it. Robert Schuller said, "Within every adversity lies a slumbering possibility." Yet, I love what Jesus says in Mark 9:23, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible." 
awesome time of ministry in Minot last weekend. We have been coming to Minot, ND since the early 70's and over the years have made many friends...of which many still remain, but we have so enjoyed making new friends as well. Minot First Assembly of God is currently in a pastoral transition so Pastor Jack Glass and his wife, Coletta, dear friends of ours, are interning there for the next three months. We have ministered with Pastor Glass in several places so it was like coming back home. Pastor Glass had this to say regarding our ministry in Minot, 
We were welcomed by an enthusiastic congregation who were excited and anticipating God to do great things...and He did! In both morning services, several responded to the altar call for the first time, and many prodigals came home! How thrilling!
about the services, 
"It was great to see Larry and Gloria Lundstrom again. Our families go all the way back to the 1970's in South Dakota. The Sunday morning service was wonderful here. I still remember the words to the medley of Lundstrom songs. Undoubtedly, the best part of the service was the altar call. A classmate of mine from high school was one of the many that responded. Thank you, Larry and Gloria, for your dedication to reaching the Lost."
"Stone Cairn" that marks the geographical center of North America. The location was established in 1931 by a US Geological Survey. Quite a feeling overwhelmed me as I stood by the Stone Cairn with the gusty fall wind swirling around me and realized I was literally standing in the center of North America. I am sure it was a challenge for the survey team to determine the exact location amidst the changing seasons and extreme weather North Dakota experiences. I know I wouldn't want to be standing there between November and April due to the effects of the Midwest winter- inches of blowing snow, blizzard winds, subzero temps-you get the idea.
From Rugby, we drove over to Rolette, which is nestled next to the Canadian border. We set up in the high school gym for an evening soulwinning rally hosted by Pastor Gene and Jeanine Wilson and Pastor Joel and Emily Davis. We had a wonderful altar call where many responded. The Wilson's and the Davis's are young couples who carry a burden for the rural areas and they love people. 
at Lake Assembly of God in Powers Lake, North Dakota. This couple and their church worked hard to make the Harvest Festival really special. The church was beautifully decorated and they served a 
delicious roast beef dinner with all the trimmings after the service. Sunday morning, people filled the pews and we had a precious altar call. Among the many who responded was Danny, a young man who is a foreign exchange student from Germany. God really touched his life and he just beamed after he prayed the salvation prayer. Imagine the impact he can make on his friends and family when he goes back to Germany. 
Pastor Jeremy and Mandy are an exceptional young couple with zeal and enthusiasm to reach the Lost. They pastor two churches in this rural area, Powers Lake and Stanley. They have two wonderful congregations who love them dearly and we can see why! We so enjoyed our time of fellowship with them. Pastor Jeremy commented, "Larry and Gloria truly came to Stanley and Powers Lake with a genuine spirit to minister to the people. Their genuine spirit was not only a blessing to our congregation, but was also a blessing to my family.
God's kingdom was truly expanded through their ministry. Thank you so very much for your willingness to come to rural North Dakota.
On Tuesday, Larry and I reached the 42 year milestone in our marriage. We hadn't really 
planned on celebrating as we worked all day and held a rally in Stanley, North Dakota, in the evening. (We do plan to take a day off later this week.) BUT, at the end of a wonderful service, the church surprised us with a beautiful anniversary
cake. We enjoyed the tasty dessert, along with coffee and some wonderful fellowship. We did celebrate...not only our anniversary but we celebrated those who made decisions for Christ. There is nothing more thrilling than seeing people's lives changed. 
it's warm and toasty...a far cry from the old days when Larry and I started ministering in 1965. We traveled in an old beater of a bus...the actual name of it was "Flxible". The name was fitting as you had to be flexible to live in it. It had no frills such as air conditioning, a bathroom, a fridge, or electricity. The little heater heated the front area of about 16-20 inches in front of the drivers seat. It was so cold in there that we'd tuck the little children in snow suits to sleep in. They were so bundled up they looked like little Eskimos in their little beds! They often wanted a glass of water close to their bed to drink during the night, and many, many times it was so cold that the water would crystalize by morning. 
look at this." Hearing that discouraging tone in his voice really got me worried. I ran out to him and my heart sank at what I saw. The last 15 feet of the motorhome and the entire suburban- was caked with black/ brown tar and oil. It looked like we had blown an engine! Frantically, Larry checked the engine compartment and everything was okay- Praise the Lord. We wiped a spot, and sure enough, it was tar and oil. We were confused as to how it could've gotten there. All the construction we came through was on the West bound lanes on interstate. We called the state highway department and voiced our complaint and confusion and they confirmed there was no work done in the East bound lanes. As we reflected on it more, we remembered seeing several men standing in the median with their tar and oil wands who had been spraying in the other lanes. What we think -and has been pretty much confirmed, but with no proof- is that evidently one of those workers, was probably disgruntled. Either he simply did not like our motorhome, or maybe he was jealous and thought we were retired with too much free time on our hands. What everything points to right now is that when we came by, he turned the tar and oil wand on the motorhome and suburban. It literally looked like someone had used a paint sprayer and painted it black and brown...it was so thick in some spots that it looked like it was baked on.
thankfully he had in with all his stuff- and he and I and Pastor Maxted's wife, Bev (bless her!) scrubbed and rubbed as much as we could get off before total darkness squelched our project. Afterwards, we wished we would've taken photos but we were in such a panic and it was getting dark quickly. We were just sick about it!!! Thursday morning, Larry and I hit the project again, and worked about 11 hours between the two of us. Now in the daylight, everywhere we looked was splattered and speckeled with tar and oil- 5 feet up the side for the total length of the 45 foot motorhome and the left side, hood and front of the Suburban. We worked 2 full days and got off most of the surface oil and tar that is visible, but there is still much underneath the wheel wells and bag compartments, etc to get off. 
After the Thursday cleaning frenzy we had to take a break and set up for a service at the Wibaux Assembly of God Church with Pastor Warren and Bev Maxted. It's a modest church, but Pastor Warren and Bev have big hearts full of passion and zeal to reach the Lost. We had a small crowd...but it wasn't a small matter to God. He anointed the music and sermon and Larry challenged them to reach out to the Lost. From Wibaux we drove out to Williston, North Dakota- known best for it's oil fields. They are back in the oil boom again after a long drought.
the Assembly of God Church with Pastor Kyle and Cheryl Anderson. They are another sweet, spirited Pastor and wife with a wonderful staff whose statement of faith is, "A passion for God, a passion for God's Word, a passion for God's people." When Larry gave the altar call, God's passion and compassion burned brightly as they flooded the altar to make decisions for Christ. We were thrilled to see many of them making first time decisions. Rev. Anderson says, "We have had the privilege of hosting Larry and Gloria Lundstrom ministries several times in our pastorates--twice in the past 18 months. As always, Larry and Gloria communicate the Gospel effectively 
and concisely to the audience, and without fail, lift up Jesus Christ. In our most recent service, there were 9 rededications to the Lord, and 3 first-time decisions. Larry and Gloria come with servant's hearts, and are a pleasure to work with. I have never known them to be demanding of anything. The truly demonstrate a humble and grateful spirit. I have, and continue to highly recommend them to any pastor desiring to schedule a true evangelist with a music emphasis. Your congregation will be blessed!"
One example is Associate Pastor Lyle and Hilda Thorpe (who by the way, used to be chaplain for the Lowell Lundstrom Ministries in Sisseton, SD). They are up in years but definitely young at heart and what a passion they have for the Lost and hurting...Lyle shares, "It was a joy and a blessing to be with and minister alongside Larry & Gloria in last Sunday's service at Williston Assembly of God! Both Larry & Gloria ministered under the anointing of the Holy Spirit and there were several who made first time commitments, and others who came to rededicate and re-affirm their vows to Jesus Christ! Only eternity will reveal what took place in individual lives! God bless you richly as you continue to preach the uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ! You are loved!
And we cannot forget...the church is also blessed with a great Youth minister, Chris Johnson, who had this to say, "Greetings from Williston Assembly of God, Williston, ND. It was refreshing to experience the Presence of God through two choice servants of Jesus Christ. Thank you Larry and Gloria!