David Bahn – Reflections

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In 1968 Jerry Snell opened a door in the hallway outside our first hour chemistry class. He invited me into what I discovered was a darkroom. Soon I was on the school newspaper and annual staff as a photographer. Later I learned that Jerry was a Lutheran who was planning to become a pastor. A few years later I was not only a Lutheran, but I was heading off to seminary to become a Lutheran pastor, too. Jerry followed a year later and served as a pastor in Missouri until his untimely heart attack and death. I thank God for Jerry and enjoy photography still today – not to mention rejoicing in having served as a Lutheran pastor in congregations in Utah, Colorado, Arkansas and Texas. I’ve retired now and serve part time as a Congregational Support Specialist for the Texas District of the LCMS. I also provide coaching and leadership training through various PLI cohorts and with individual congregations and organizations. David Bahn is a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to Diane, father and grandfather. He is an avid amateur photographer. His photo website is “Flowers by God Photos by David” He also publishes a devotional blog DavidBahn-Reflections.com. He and Diane live in Cypress Texas and enjoy visiting their grandchildren who live in the United States and Germany. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in 1979, and earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1991. Diane, his wife, is now retired from PLI (PLIleadership.org). They have offered presentations on Marriage and Ministry Partnership, Leadership, Changing Your Congregation’s Culture, and Missional Living. They look are working with PLI International training pastors and wives of the ELVD Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania. David’s personal mission statement is “Leading people to realize Jesus’ calling and plans for their lives.”

Remembering Barbara Today

Ephesians 4:1-6

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Barbara Lynne Bahn Lohrmann
Barbara Lynne Bahn Lohrmann – February 24, 1955 – December 5, 2011

My sister would have been 57 today. I would have sent her a card and given her a phone call; maybe sent some flowers or fruit. She died last December and it’s still hard to believe. But she is with Jesus now, and we miss her patient, gentle, humble spirit. These words from St. Paul are part of my current daily meditation; I let them form my blog posts. I don’t tend to look for texts to illustrate a point I want to make, but let the text shape my posts most often. Not today however. Since this would have been Barbara’s birthday, I’m doing this a bit differently.

When she was in high school Barbara went to a youth event at church. It impacted her greatly and she felt compelled to be re-baptized. She said she didn’t really understand it fully the first time. While I don’t think that necessary or advisable, (“I believe in one baptism for the remission of sins,” says the Nicene Creed, see v. 5), her desire was to be close to God. And though she and we all wait for the fullness of that experience at the great Last Day (“the one hope that belongs to [our] call” {v. 4}) her experience right now is surely with Jesus in Paradise.

I’m not writing this today in search for sympathy, even though her death hit me harder than I might have imagined. I write this today to honor her memory, to thank God for her gentleness, patience, humility and love. Perhaps her memory will point someone toward Jesus so that he or she will take more seriously what it means to walk in a manner worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus. None of us does that perfectly; not even Barbara. But exceptions in her case – and hopefully in yours and mine – prove the rule; they don’t nullify it. I thank God for her manner of life thanking God for the memory of Barbara Lynne Bahn Lohrmann (February 24, 1955 – December 5, 2011)

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2 responses to “Remembering Barbara Today”

  1. Richard Burkey Avatar
    Richard Burkey

    Thanks for honoring her memory, and affirming for me the power of the one hope we have in Christ in this life and in the life to come. Always great to hear stories of God’s transforming work in the lives of people and of those who finish the race of his life ending up in Paradise in the life to come.

    Reply
    1. dlbpandp Avatar
      dlbpandp

      Thanks Richard. Thanking God for you today!

      Reply

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