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…
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…
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…
Elizabeth Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, has issued a message on the deadly wildfires currently burning across the Los Angeles area. “The images of leaping flames, smoke-choked skies, and…
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…
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…
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….
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…
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….
When a 7-year-old asked his parents (names withheld) if their neighbors were “bad people” because of the campaign signs in their yard, they did a double take. Then they tried…
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…
Twenty percent of the student body in the Peninsula School District in Gig Harbor, Wash., depend on the National School Lunch Program for their daily nutritional needs, which are provided…
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.”…
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