When many people picture the holidays, their family comes to mind, even if it’s accompanied by commentary about having to tolerate certain members’ irritating qualities. And then there is the…
Focal verse To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is the Messiah, the Lord (Luke 2:11). Reflection Tucked in a closet with all…
The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to many alarming statistics this year—among them are reports showing food insecurity in the United States at an all-time high, with 1 in 8 households…
Focal verse Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. —Psalm 106:1 Reflection I heard the stomping of feet…
When Elizabeth Platz entered seminary nearly six decades ago, things were different in the Lutheran church—and the world. Platz earned acceptance into several schools, one of which admitted that it…
When I was 10, I came to the dinner table one night to find my family’s special red plate at my usual seat. I smiled wide. I had told my…
Amy Beitelschees-Albers comes from a family whose parents lived their faith more than they talked about it. “We were good Lutherans,” said the pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, North Manchester,…
Woolly alpacas graze peacefully in a field. Bhutanese refugee farmers till the soil and harvest the crops. Youth practice yoga. Single parents attend free child care classes. Family mission teams…
“First [they] said we were crazy for building a Lutheran church,” recalled Fabian Gaspar Cardenas, pastor of St. Augustine Lutheran Church in La Esmeralda, Guatemala. “Then they said we were…
One of my greatest faith lessons came from failing at youth sports. I sat on the bench for four years. Four years! I tried my best, gave it everything I…
One frosty morning in March 1946, Bernice Severson (née Johnson) arose early. She dressed from the one suitcase that held her entire wardrobe plus hundreds of evangelism leaflets. She ended…
On March 13, as the threat of COVID-19 began spreading across the United States, Kris Erickson got news he never expected: he had to ban everyone but staff members from…
You have attempted to access a feature of this website that is only available to members of livinglutheran.org.
A free membership gives you a customized dashboard for curated content based on your interest, the ability to like and save articles, an optional subscription to a weekly email digest “LL Stories”, and more.
Already have an account? log in
If you are a subscriber to the LL Stories email digest from before the introduction of the new website in December 2025, your account is intact, but your password will need to be reset unless you have a login for another ELCA website.
If you have a login for another ELCA website like community.elca.org, directory.elca.org or others you can use the password associated with that login.
Logout
