2025–2027 LWML Mission Grant #5: Growing Together to Share Braille and Large Print — Lutheran Braille Workers, U.S. — $100,000
Stirred by the Word, Serving with Love
By Rachel Potts with Mission Editor Brianne Stahlecker
When you walk into a kitchen and catch the scent of something delicious being stirred on the stove, your senses awaken. You lean in. You want to be part of it. That image captures what Paul encourages in Hebrews: a stirring that awakens the spirit and draws others in ― not toward soup, but toward love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24b). It's an active phrase. It suggests movement, encouragement, even a gentle nudge, when someone grows weary. In a world that often pushes us toward isolation or self-focus, God's Word invites us to look outward, to notice, to uplift, and to spur each other onward in Christ's love.
At Lutheran Braille Workers (LBW), we’ve seen this stirring happen in beautiful ways. Every day, somewhere around the world, a person who is blind or visually impaired opens a book from LBW and reads words that stir their hearts: the living Word of God. Through its pages, people who once felt isolated discover they are seen, known, and loved by the Creator. And, remarkably, they are stirred — not only to receive, but to give. We've heard stories of recipients who now lead Bible studies, encourage others, share Christ with neighbors, and care for those with disabilities.
God also stirs hearts within the LBW ministry in love and good works. Volunteers, often women of the LWML, are vital partners, bringing spiritual light to those without physical sight. Over 3,000 volunteers across the United States dedicate their time and talents to produce these free Bibles and Christian materials in Braille and Specialized Large Print. Their labor is often unseen by us, but it is never unnoticed by God. This sacred rhythm, receiving the Word and responding in love, flows onward: from volunteer to recipient and from recipient to community. This is how God works; He stirs us up through His Word, and He sends us out for the good of others.
Ultimately, our stirring comes not from ourselves but from the One who first stirred us, Jesus. He stirred compassion for the broken, hope for the lost, and sacrifice for the unworthy. His love moves us to love. His works move us to work.
May we be women who notice the needs around us and boldly stir each other toward love. May we be gentle with those who feel overwhelmed, patient with those unsure, and joyful with those ready to serve. As we stir up one another with love and good works, we bear witness to a Savior who gave His all, and who continues to work through us, for the good of others and the glory of His name.
Rachel Potts serves as the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Ministry Relations at Lutheran Braille Workers, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Formerly a speech-language pathologist and school director, she now shares LBW’s mission and the good news of Jesus with churches and individuals across the eastern U.S. Rachel especially enjoys spending time with her favorite ministry and mission group — the LWML! In her free time, she loves music, gardening, and family time with her husband and three children.
This story was originally featured in the Fall 2025Â Lutheran Woman's Quarterly. Order your subscription here.
For more information about this mission grant, view the individual mission grant page here.
