We are ELCA leaders and pastors from the Treasure Valley and Northwest Intermountain Synod.
Together, we are reimagining and revisiting what it is to be church together with daily devotions.
As I write this, I am up in Post Falls by my father’s side. We are traveling together once again. He always loved to travel. We went to North Dakota from Montana often. Although this was a long drive, we always had fun with my dad singing songs and challenging us to road games such as slug bug and the license plate challenge.
Our 2-year-old has been counting to 10 for a few weeks now. It’s been fun watching him grow from “1-2-3!” into being able to say all of the numbers between 1 and 10. Sometimes, though he gets a little impatient. Many times he will count “1-2-3-4-10!” or some variation thereof. He’s just so excited to get to yell “10!” that I don’t think he can wait for all of the numbers in between.
Every single Easter story in the Bible has fear and confusion and doubt. It seems as if it is impossible to have faith in the resurrected Jesus without also having doubts— and that … that’s okay. (see video)
Casting all anxiety on him, for he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 (watch video) 2020 I designated as the year of "Joy." I decided to look and take action on things I was unhappy with. Do I seek God first? Or, do I do it on my own first and then go to him?
Today is the feast of the Holy Trinity, a good time to ponder what the Trinity is about and what it means for our everyday faith journeys. It seems to be a tricky aspect of our Christian faith to explain. But, do we even need to figure it out? What can the Trinity teach us?
What I have noticed most are the faces in the crowds. Faces of every race and many nationalities. Angry faces. Tearful faces. Masked faces. Somber faces. Loving faces. Staring faces. Pained faces. Children’s faces. Aged faces. Determined faces. Sad faces. Smiling faces. Gentle faces. Scarred faces. Anguished faces. Hopeful faces. Faces, faces, faces…so many faces.
Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent. O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to all the generations to come. Psalm 71:9,17-18We visited her on the farm year after year. She arose at 5 am, braided and rolled up her long hair,…
During the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 disaster I was assigned by the Red Cross to the New Jersey Family Assistance Center at the Liberty State Park. As a chaplain, alongside many other professional care givers, I worked with many of the families who were just beginning to come to terms with the loss of loved ones during the collapse of the twin towers. I was confronted with many questions as to “Why?” this had happened to them and to their loved ones.
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