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Droves of Americans have been digging out their Bibles in recent days. They’re hunting for the Romans 13 passage that attorney general Jeff Sessions quoted when arguing for the administration’s policy on separating migrant children from their familie…
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This year the theme for St. Paul’s Vacation Bible School is Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus. It is a fun way to get young people thinking about their faith. Imagining that we are all stranded on an island for the week, we have been reflecting on our re…
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Running isn’t exactly for everyone. Many of us might have memories from our younger years, participating in the elementary school field day activities. That end-of-the-year celebration where everyone gets a ribbon for attempting a track & field e…
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A few weeks ago, I was riding in a Land Cruiser through rural Tanzania heading to a Maasai village called Nadaruru. I saw a sign for Nadaruru, and our driver, William, slowed down and turned on his blinker. But there was no obvious place to turn off…
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Listening to music has no practical purpose. It simply puts us in touch with the joy and beauty of life, or sometimes the sadness and uncertainty of life. Next to silence, I sometimes think, music may come closest to expressing those inexpressible my…
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I am what you call a “cradle Lutheran.” I grew up going to the same Lutheran church in Lebanon, PA until after I finished seminary and moved to the Quad Cities. I was baptized, confirmed, married, and overall raised in the faith at Holy Trinity. I at…
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Every year I look forward to watching the NFL draft on television. I love college football, and I’m eager to see the reactions of some of my favorite players when a team selects them. What an emotional moment to finally realize that their dreams of p…
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This weekend, I will meet with a committee in Indianapolis for an “approval” interview. Three years ago, in April 2015, I met with the same committee for the first time to begin the process of joining the roster of ordained ministers in the Evangelic…
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Gardening isn’t exactly my greatest talent. I’ve definitely never had much of a green thumb. But I’m grateful for a few good friends who have, over time, helped me figure out how to add some flowers and landscaping to my otherwise fairly simple yard….
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While there is much evidence to the contrary, I am convinced that humans are actually quite remarkable. We have this enormous capacity for courage, hope, and trust. If you ever doubt this, just spend some time watching trapeze artists. There they are…
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On the week of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s death, it seems fitting to recall his most enduring legacy. King’s unbending commitment to non-violence turns on one central idea: revenge can never be a worthy substitute for love. In or…
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I am always flooded with emotions during Holy Week and Easter. We begin waving palm branches with a triumphant entry into Jerusalem, praising God for the coming Messiah. But then our shouts of praise turn to chants of death as we say together “crucif…