The Christian community is imperfect. At Bible study, especially if you’ve been in an unchanging group for a while, you start to notice people’s flaws. The little annoyances that just slightly get on your nerves every Thursday evening.

The Old Testament Reading is our focus today and our devotion comes from Luther’s Works, Volume 1 (Lectures on Genesis Chapters 1–5).

I ask a lot of questions. Recently, I’ve asked how records work (how do you get the sound of a trumpet verses a voice?), how far apart stars are from each other, and how chlorophyll works in plants.

Twenty years ago, a boy looked on me and I swooned.

Okay, it didn’t quite go like that. Instead, a boy looked on me, I looked skeptically back, we started discussing deep theological concepts and—bam—three years later we figured out we should be a couple. I started to swoon a year after we were married and I found out he thought I was pretty with bedhead and unbrushed teeth.

Today we focus on the reading from James, which discusses the importance of prayer. Our devotion is from What Luther Says and includes quotes from Luther about this important aspect a Christian’s faith.

Did you know that October is Pastor Appreciation Month? You may want to thank your pastor and other church workers but aren't sure what they would most appreciate. As a pastor's wife and Lutheran educator, allow me to share a few helpful ideas with you. Here are seven ways to bless your pastor for Pastor Appreciation Month.

On the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels today, we focus on the Old Testament Reading with a devotion from Concordia Commentary: Daniel.

You have a request. Maybe it’s big, maybe it’s small.

God, I want a spouse. A baby. Healing. A new job. Reconciliation. Rest.

You cry to God—the only thing you know to do in a situation like this. Day in and day out, you feel like you’re flinging your supplications up to God only to have them fall back down on your bowed head.

Unanswered. Unheard. At least, that’s how it seems.

Our devotion for today is about the Epistle and comes from God’s Word for Today: James.

Moment of truth: I asked my teenage son to help me write this. He’s an almost-sixteen-year-old, who is willing to give me input about initiating the "sex talk." I kind-of-most-definitely want to hear what he has to say. I wanted to know what he feels we've succeeded in and inevitably, what he feels we've failed at over the years. I asked him because, truth be told, it's hard for me to pinpoint exactly how to initiate this conversation with kids.