Praying the Psalms
Faith in Action

Praying the Psalms

Focal verse “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not…
A year of questions
Faith in Action

A year of questions

Focal verse “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’” (Matthew 16:13). Reflection Our…
New beginnings and the good news
Faith in Action

New beginnings and the good news

There are many ways to calculate “newness.” Clearly the new year is one—though the church’s new year started back in early December with Advent. Perhaps this season also means “new”…
Prayer ventures: Dec. 26
Prayer Ventures

Prayer ventures: Dec. 26

Every day, Living Lutheran offers a prayer from the ELCA resource Prayer ventures, which can be downloaded here. These daily petitions are offered as a guide for your own prayer…
Gold, frankincense and casseroles
Voices of Faith

Gold, frankincense and casseroles

Our baby boy came early. We knew he would; our obstetrician had planned the induction two weeks before our due date. And then, as babies tend to do, he didn’t…
An ordinary blessing for Christmas
Faith in Action

An ordinary blessing for Christmas

Some of the sagest advice we receive in this life can sound like a simple thing we already know deep in our bodies, but it gains authority when we hear…
Love coming down
Faith in Action

Love coming down

Focal verse “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). Reflection One word guides the way I teach Sunday school: love. On the first day of…
Honor Advent through the saints
Faith in Action

Honor Advent through the saints

Editor’s note: This article originally ran Dec. 5, 2019. The weeks leading up to Christmas are a big deal in our house. Since I was a child, the season was…
A true thanksgiving
Voices of Faith

A true thanksgiving

Editor’s note: This article originally ran Nov. 24, 2021. “For all of this I owe it to God to thank and praise, serve and obey him.” With these words in…
On holy harvests and chopsticks
Faith in Action

On holy harvests and chopsticks

One of my favorite Thanksgiving memories happened in holy surprise. I had been called to my first parish in Chicago, and traveling to see family wouldn’t be convenient. My wife…
I am good
Faith in Action

I am good

Focal verse “God created humans in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). Reflection I recently taught a confirmation…
On the playground, grace steps in
Voices of Faith

On the playground, grace steps in

When I met Mark, his first marriage had failed, as had mine, but his love and commitment toward his young daughter, Kristen, were unshakable. When we married, she became a…