Faith Milestones | Lutheran Life Issue 321

How often do you think about your thoughts? Hmm, let me think about that. Thoughts matter a great deal to God. The Bible says, “the word of God is living and active, . . . discerning the...

The day I was baptized was a cold day in December. It was five days before Christmas and nearly 17.75 years after my earthly entrance. My pastor helped me to keep the Fourth Commandment...

Ten years ago, my mom and I were tying pieces of silky purple ribbon to the top of dozens of lovely wedding bulletins. It was a few weeks before my wedding, and she and I had had so much...

The church is the Body of Christ, and each member has its function. As Paul writes in Ephesians 4:11–13, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and...

Easter—the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection after His death upon the cross—is such a joyous occasion, and absolutely central to the Christian faith. If you’re looking to share this...

It’s a tough season for my family. It’s not the toughest it could be. We’re all (mostly) healthy. We’re not looking to move or leave our jobs anytime soon. We’ve settled into a rhythm of...

During Holy Week, we experience two contrasting feelings: guilt for our sins and joy because of the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life we receive with Christ’s death and resurrection....

Here’s a fun fact: The common understanding of the forty days of Lent doesn’t factor in the Sundays of the season, which are excluded. Why? Because even in this time of penitence and...

You’ve been asked to volunteer for VBS—and at the time it seemed relatively simple. But perhaps you’re starting to wonder if you took on more than you were ready for. Don’t stress! VBS is...

“Everything will be okay.” “Don’t worry. Be happy.” “Hakuna matata.” These feel-good yet frothy phrases center around an issue that is near and dear to my sinful heart: worry.

Parenting isn’t easy work—we all know that. But what a lot of parents think is even harder is parenting discipleship. God has entrusted parents to be the main faith shapers in their...

Hosting VBS comes with many steps: budgeting, planning, strategizing, promoting. But all of it is worth it when we think about why we do it and the impact it has on our community,...

“I don’t want to pray right now,” my two-and-a-half-year-old says. I know that these words don’t actually mean she doesn’t want the comfort of prayer, but she doesn’t want to go to bed....

Second and third graders and their parents look throughout their home for pens, pencils, highlighters, and sticky notes as they prepare to dig into the Bible together at home—along with...

My three-year-old and one-year-old had just thrown F5-level meltdowns for the first fifteen minutes of church (some of it in the pew, some of it in the nursery, some outside … you get the...

Get ready to explore amazing animals, lush landscapes, stunning sea life, and wondrous wilderness this summer at Vacation Bible School. During Epic Australian Adventure: An Unforgettable...

We long for deep community. We strive for healthy and helpful relationships with family members, church people, and neighbors. But if we’re honest with ourselves, especially as parents,...

The end of the year ushers in an exciting time for all ages. We join in the history of awaiting the coming Savior during the season of Advent and then celebrate His birth during...

We are now entering the one time of year in our world that is focused on being generous, giving back, and serving our neighbors. Bell ringers at stores, social media posts of friends...