…Melting the Darkness The season of Lent tends toward dark colors like purple, gray, and black…. somewhat like storm clouds. Living underneath the canopy of these clouds and inclement weather can feel cold, heavy and quite depressing. It is wonderful when we see the sun break through the clouds, melting away the darkness, bringing light […]
…That Jesus Loves Me! Valentine’s Day is a time set aside for the expression of love. We know that somebody loves us… but it is nice to hear the love expressed in words. As children of God, we know that Jesus loves us. The Scriptures declare it; His actions prove it. However, we tend to […]
Raising Up the Next Generation I saw this picture at the Tampa Convention Center when attending the LCMS convention in July. It reminded me of the disciples… after Pentecost: their attention turned toward fulfilling the Great Commission; casting their nets to save the lost; and fending off the evil attacks of sin, death, and the […]
During my trip to Guatemala at the beginning of November, I had the chance to taste a new dish: Fiambre. It’s prepared by several family members on November 1st to celebrate the gift of family (past and present). They share in the preparing, the serving, and the enjoying of this diverse delicacy. November is a […]
…A Children’s Story I saw this statue at the arboretum in Overland Park, KS; it reminds me of the redemption story (from an old Catechism supplement book) that I share during our teacher training sessions with our international teachers. Here’s the Reader’s Digest version: A boy makes a beautiful wooden boat; when he takes it […]
He Strengthens – Philippians 4:13 Walking down the street in Comayaguala, Honduras where Tulio Meza leads his after school program for the children in his neighborhood, I was busy looking down and carefully watching my steps to avoid any small children, misplaced articles, or stray dogs. At the end of the street, I looked up […]
…. Collaborating with Fellow Workers “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together… encouraging one another all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25) These verses are often used to encourage Christians to regularly attend church so that they gather […]
Opening Doors for Children When we arrived at Resurrection Lutheran School in Gualan, we saw these two children from the neighborhood… on the outside, looking in. The students of the school were all assembled for a special program on Valentine’s Day. The theme for the day was 1Corinthians 13: God’s great love for us. The […]
“… of Jesus and His Love.” Holy Week draws our attention to the walk that Jesus took from His Palm Sunday entrance, to the cross… and out of the tomb. This week, we see the extent of our Lord’s great love for us: to live, to suffer and die, and to rise again so that […]
Pictured is the cross at the new mission center in Valparaiso, Chile. In 2014, a forest fire erupted on the edge of the city. It quickly spread into the neighborhood on the adjacent hillside, taking lives and destroying over 500 homes. As the Lutheran church of Chile responded (with the aid of LCMS disaster […]