Great expectations
Voices of Faith

Great expectations

People often set great expectations for each other. Sometimes these expectations, particularly at the beginning of relationships, differ and go unspoken, occasionally resulting in one party not living up to…

Answering God’s call
Mission & Ministry

Answering God’s call

When Jamil Zoughbi and Claudine Faltas answered God’s call, they never imagined the twists and turns their journey would take. Their lives in Bethlehem and Jerusalem weren’t that different from…

<i>Always</i> grounded
Voices of Faith

Always grounded

While praying about the invitation to write this column, I was drawn by its title, “Grounded in grace.” Scriptures, images and memories of what this means have gathered and danced…

Ordinary beauty in the new year
Living Faithfully

Ordinary beauty in the new year

Focal verse “‘Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,’ which means, ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 1:23). Reflection “Can…

A reigniting of relationships
Mission & Ministry

A reigniting of relationships

Helicopters crashing onto your hotel roof. Speedboat rides for hours on the open sea. A village welcome party wielding spears. A bridge washed away, leaving no access to the airport….

A time to pay attention
Living Faithfully

A time to pay attention

Editor’s note: This piece originally ran on Jan. 6, 2022. I have a bad habit of looking at my feet when I walk. I don’t often stub my toe or…

Top five articles from 2024
Living Faithfully

Top five articles from 2024

As we wrapped up 2024, we took a look at some of our top stories from the year. Below are Living Lutheran‘s five most-read articles from the last 12 months….

Crèche in cruciform
Voices of Faith

Crèche in cruciform

Sometimes stories in the Bible become so well-known that the characters are never released into our lives but are trapped in time, annually unboxed for seasonal sentiment. In her poem…

<i>The Best Christmas Pageant Ever</i> chooses safety while preaching boldness
Voices of Faith

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever chooses safety while preaching boldness

No one should be shocked to learn that the narrator of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever begins its last scene by declaring, “It really was the best Christmas pageant ever.”…