Yes, a lot of hard things have happened to our immediate family in the past two months.

No, I will not list them here.

Trust me when I tell you, I do not want to relive or experience the trauma of the “summer of 2025” ever again.

Here is what I do know, all things in this life are temporary. As Paul wrote, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2Corinthians 4:18

I am not minimizing the struggle at all, but I also realize that time marches on and eventually you end up on the other side of the “valley of the shadow of death.” Psalm 23:4

I know and knew that Jesus kept walking with us through all of it. Did I feel overwhelmed? Yep. Was I nervous and uncertain at times? Yes. Did I give up? No. Because I knew my friend and Savior Jesus was there with me and my family through the uncertainty of everything. Not only that, but I have the love and support of my church family and church friends from around the country.

Am I living with “rose colored glasses” here? Nope. I am living in faith! I am also thankful that Jesus and fellow believers (like you) watched over me and my family.

I am hopeful the worst is over for now but even if it is not, I am not alone and neither are you. We have each other and we have Jesus who will be always be with us.

Remember what Jesus said to each and every one of us….

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33b

I believe that. Do you?

God bless you,
Pr. Ben

Most of you know I am a voting member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (our church body) churchwide assembly. We gathered in Phoenix, AZ for this important work.

The “national church” does its business every three years in an assembly format. In between those three years, the ELCA church council acts on behalf the entire church. I am honored to serve on our ELCA church council (until this Saturday).

This is an important assembly as we tackle the issues of the day and elect a new bishop.

The ELCA has 65 synods (regions, areas, districts). Each synod elects a bishop to oversee that area. Our synod, The Grand Canyon Synod is led by Bishop Deborah Hutterer.  However, there is also a national bishop, and they are known as the presiding bishop.

Like the synod bishops, the presiding bishop is elected for a six-year term. This year, our current presiding bishop, Bishop Elizabeth Eaton is retiring. Therefore, this churchwide assembly took up the work of electing a new presiding bishop.

On Wednesday, this voting body elected the synodical bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod. His name is Bishop Elect Yehiel Curry. I know him and our church is in good hands. I am excited for our future.

Also we passed an important memorial about the atrocities of Indian boarding schools. This resolution calls for (779-7 vote) the church to observe the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools annually, develop educational programs and materials surrounding the history and ELCA’s complicity with Indian boarding schools, and provide ongoing recognition and support for the continued work to locate all known records regarding the ELCA predecessor churches’ involvement with Indian boarding and day schools, among other actions.

We are working on lots of other things too. It is important to take stands on important issues of the day. Hopefully by Saturday I will have more to report.

And yes, we have been worshipping too. We are keeping Jesus at the center of this assembly.

I am tired, but I am renewed, blessed and excited to see that Jesus is still working on us, in us and through us (as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).

God bless you,
Pr. Ben

I love Isaiah chapter 55. Yes the whole chapter. God, through Isaiah, talks about a variety of topics. If you have 10 minutes, I encourage you to open your Bible and read Isaiah 55. Read it slowly and absorb what God wants to share with you.

In this article, I want to share one part of this chapter with you…

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11

I find this deeply meaningful on several levels.

First, God describes the “water cycle” long before anyone scientifically named it. Of course, God knows what the “water cycle” is because the Lord created everything. I love the fact that God pointed it out in the Bible!

God tells us that his words are like the water cycle, they nourish us like the rain nourishes crops. That is why we should want to read the Bible. God wants to promote and cultivate faith growth in our being! One of the ways that can be accomplished is through hearing what God wants to share with us.

Even Saint Paul reiterates this when he wrote to the church in Rome.

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

Faith is received when it is conveyed through the word and more specifically words of Christ.

The Bible is God’s gift to us so that we might understand God’s will for ourselves and the world. It is the same words, spoken or read that create faith (trust) in us through the work of the Holy Spirit.

I know some people find the Bible “boring” but I certainly do not! I look forward to sharing with you what I discovered in the Bible every weekend I get to preach!

But wait there is more…

God says in Isaiah 55 (see above) that God’s word will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

The Word and words of God are not passive. They don’t just sit there hoping someone trips over them. God’s Word is sent to us through others, and even through circumstances that cause an individual to open the Bible, a devotional or even attend worship for the first time!

God not only has plans for us but for his Word!

I feel loved and cared for by Jesus when I realize how much he is doing to draw us close!

God bless,
Pr. Ben

If you go to CLC, you know my life has been a little stressful and heartbreaking the last two weeks. In 6 weeks, we will move my father from Wisconsin to Nevada to live with us. That also presents some challenges since our current home (a condo) won’t accommodate us comfortably or practically since it is smaller, and we live on the second floor.

I don’t write this for sympathy or pity. I am sharing this, so you have a little context for what I am about to write.

Although, I am emotionally tired, and I can’t change the situation at hand, and I know that Jesus has walked with our family and will continue to do so throughout the rest of my life. I hope you know that Jesus is walking with you too.

I also know that the events of the two weeks can’t be undone or changed, nor does it make life easier moving forward, but I do know that Jesus will always guide us. As always, I am going to focus on Jesus more than using needless energy on what I can’t change.

I am reminded about how little control we have in life. All I can I do is be faithful. I will trust that Jesus will see me and my family through.

When I was talking about this with my wife Rachel, she said, “I’m just trying to go along for the ride and be a good passenger…take care of others and let God do the rest.”

Jesus is our pilot, at most we are flight attendants taking care of others in this life. At no point should a flight attendant think they should fly the plane of life… let Jesus do that.

All in all, this is what I will continue to do…

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

When life gets bumpy (and there is turbulence out there) I will just trust God and he will eventually find smooth air.

God bless,
Pr. Ben