Independence and autonomy are not the gifts of baptism or communion. Instead, these sacraments remind us that God comes to us from beyond ourselves—that salvation is given, not earned.

We were early adopters of the Pray Without Ceasing (PWC) ministry opportunity. When I suggested PWC, some shared that praying for thirty whole minutes seemed like a very large hill to climb. Folks were nervous, asking, “What will we do for thirty minutes? Will there be awkward silence? Is this even Lutheran?”

Why is it different here? What is so different about Martha that her “ministry” becomes “tasks” and “meal prep”? It is curious, indeed.

The Sunday Scaries—the creeping dread that arrives as the weekend slips away and the responsibilities of the new week inch closer—aren’t just cultural noise. They reflect something deeper: our desire to be in control of our lives, to meet expectations, and to stay ahead of what’s next. But into this anxious reality, the Gospel speaks a quiet and disruptive word of grace.

Through years of theological discernment, prayer, and faithful conversation, the ELCA has affirmed that same-gender couples are fully capable of embodying the love, commitment, and covenant that Christian marriage represents. We marry same-gender couples not in defiance of our beliefs, but in fidelity to them.

The prophets offer us a glimpse of what could be, but visions are not guarantees. They demand something of us.

How can we stand “close enough” to Presiding Bishop-Elect Curry and Secretary-Elect Mills? What is our call as ELCA Lutheran Christians to love, support, and protect our newly called leaders?

A man disconnected from others is more vulnerable than strong—and more dangerous than heroic. His high walls may look like strength but in truth they are purpose-built for hiding, not protection. In his isolation, he becomes a threat to himself.

Maybe that’s the point. Maybe the story was never about the whale, but about a God who dares to ask us things we don’t yet know how to answer.

You are not alone in your struggle. Your spiritual despair makes sense, and God is reaching out. Your feelings are real, your overwhelm is real, and God has something to offer.

How might such silly exercises embed the deeply sacred value that everyone’s voice is needed and worthy in your community?

This is our past year in America, and now that we’ve reviewed it — can we finally consign the political past of 2024 to the dustbin of history?

This book is for anyone ready and willing to dig deeper into their personal and communal stories to unearth the healing wisdom that waits for us all.

The Feast of St. Mary Magdalene – July 22 –
Has long been on my calendar
Because
She has long been
A prophetic
Source of
Inspiration,
Wisdom,
Solace,
And yes Courage.

I wrote this book as voice, as consolation and encouragement, as vision and dreaming, as truth telling, as healing.

How am I able to live this way? Because I know God is my strength and song.

Why shift our thinking to heaven when there is so much work we can do in this life to promote inclusion and break down barriers? If we work to create a more accessible world, less people would feel like they need to be healed.

I am trying to say that the Lord is teaching me that SEEKING is BEING! You see, God is not calling us to DO more. We get it wrong all the time. We have enough to DO. SEEKING requires spending time, listening, heeding, and obeying.

I was decades old
Before I realized
The presence
Of the absence
Of women’s narratives,
Women’s stories,
Women’s voices
In the Lectionary,
In regular, weekly Christian worship.

A friend once said to me, “the truth that sets you free is the truth you’re willing to know.” Is that the problem, as we approach Juneteenth? Are we not willing to know the truth?