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Staff Trax

Learning to Let the Wind Blow Through You

Walking the country roads of Kansas has helped me to appreciate the power of antiquated windmills. I am fascinated by windmills because I, like Don Quixote, the eccentric “mad knight” in the musical Man of La Mancha, find myself tilting at the windmills that come my way more often than I would like them to. The adversaries, both real and imagined, are worthy opponents, often…

Faith and Belief

As we continue through the season of Lent, I find myself thinking a lot about faith and believing. These words have strong meaning and identify my Christian life.

Faith and belief are foundational parts of our lives as Christians. There is a difference between them even though we tend to look at them as having the same meaning.

A belief is a state of mind and does not push us to…

How Will I Be Remembered?

I have served about four months as the nursery coordinator for Salem Lutheran Church. I was excited when I began working with the staff. I have been involved in so much at Salem over the years and wanted to take a new step into a new journey. I brought new ideas to Salem that were just suggestions but could be chosen.

When the pandemic brought changes to our lives in 2020, I started to step…

Not Ashamed

In this Sunday’s gospel reading, Jesus says, “Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)

This reminds me of the bold, unashamed witnessing our youth have, not just the youth in Salem, but the many others I see. They are not…

Love Jesus

What a great week it was! It started with a Super Bowl win, and continued with Ash Wednesday with the start of Lent and Valentine’s Day to focus on the loved ones in our lives. Specifically, we tend to focus on our spouse, partner, or significant other. While there is nothing wrong with celebrating Valentine’s Day and spending time with our loved ones, it is important that we do not overlook…

Listen to Him!

How many times do teachers and parents find themselves saying, “Are you listening to me?!” I remember my uncle giving directions to his five kids, and when they didn’t respond he’d raise his voice and say, “Acknowledge!” My cousins told me later that they had no idea what that word meant, except to say “OK, Dad!” after he said it.

This week we wrap up the season of Epiphany…

God Winks

My soul longs, indeed faints for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
— Psalm 84:2

Have you ever been so preoccupied with life that you end up overlooking the surprising and unexpected ways that God shows up as you go about the routine activities of everyday life?

I must admit that sometimes I can become so fixated…

Healing Prayers

When we pray for someone who is sick or gravely ill, it feels different than when we speak to God in our prayers every day. We may be asking for a miracle or for comfort and peace. We may feel that we are completely surrendering ourselves to God as we ask for healing for someone we care about. We ask God to give the doctors the knowledge to heal, or we may say to God that if it is in your will to…

The Grieving Journey of a Loved One’s Loss

I find it hard to believe that 2024 is already here. We all experience that feeling when we lose a loved one. Do you ever think about how that may change your life? We all change emotionally, but we also change mentally, as well.

I have had experience with this when I lost my grandfather, Jack Ussery. I remember how I found out my grandpa died. Not in very much detail, but I think my brain…

Come and See

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” … Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming…

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