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The Dash Between The Dates

Godly Living

Posted on December 28, 2023
by Rev. Jonathan Conner

Headstones are sobering. I know some of the stories represented by the dash between the dates. But, many I do not. In a generation or two, fewer and fewer will know the stories that lie behind those dashes. If we had not a loving God, this could be incredibly discouraging. Lives lived, love shared, triumph, defeat, celebrations, laments – all reduced to the dash between the dates.

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Navigating Grief Through The Holidays

Mental Health

Posted on December 11, 2023
by Mark Vande Braak, Ph.D, FT, MT-BC

You have permission to grieve. Do not let anyone tell you something different. However, it is essential to be gentle with yourself. The anxiety and build-up to the holiday is very stressful and real. It is alright to spend time remembering your loved one and the gifts that they gave you in life.

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A Conversation On Mental Health, Part 3

Mental Health

Posted on December 5, 2023
by Rev. Jonathan Conner

The final installment in a three-part series, some of us have experienced disappointment with God, but this probably isn’t really the foundational thought. The foundational thought is probably harder. It’s probably something like this: God let me down. That’s hard to say out loud, isn’t it?

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Lutheran Adoption Conference To Unite Leaders; Impact National Adoption Crisis

Lutheran Family Service News

Posted on December 5, 2023

Lutheran leaders across the nation are urgently called to attend the Lutheran Adoption Conference, April 10-11, 2024 in Houston, Texas. At this conference, Lutheran pro-life leaders, policy makers, adoption experts, and life advocates will collaborate and explore ways to impact the national adoption crisis through the increasing of biblically-based Christian adoptions.

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Blair’s Adoption Spotlight

Adoption

Posted on December 3, 2023

Meet Blair! She is overwhelmingly loved by her adoptive family and big brother, Reece. “Blair is the answer to many prayers. She is fearfully and wonderfully made. We are grateful to God that He brought her into our life by adoption through Lutheran Family Service. We appreciate their dedication and compassion shown to our family and Blair’s birth family.”

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The Weary World Rejoices: Wellness For The Holiday Season

Mental Health

Posted on December 1, 2023
by Virginia Strubbe, CSW-PIP, OSW-C

The classic hymn O Holy Night speaks to both the heaviness in this world and the joy we have with our Savior’s birth. The holiday season can easily turn into a prescribed hustle and bustle. It’s easy to feel a bit weary. How can we experience joy amidst weariness this holiday season?

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Ask A Counselor: Are Date Nights Silly?

Marriage & Relationships

Posted on November 14, 2023
by Hannah Fowler, tLMFT

As a marriage and family therapist, I hear couples express their concern about feeling more like roommates than lovers as the demands of life slowly take over. We all have constant demands on our time. However, we ultimately get to choose how we spend our time. And how we choose to spend the time we have communicates what matters most to us. 

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Miriam’s Adoption Spotlight

Adoption

Posted on November 7, 2023

Miriam’s biological mother reached out to Lutheran Family Service knowing she needed to place her unborn baby for adoption, and praying for the right home for her child. Ben and Lauren were the answer to those prayers.

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A Conversation On Mental Health, Part 2

Mental Health

Posted on November 1, 2023
by Rev. Jonathan Conner

Identity statements aren’t always true. So, get them out into the open and then speak God’s Word out loud into the situation. But, what if the foundational thoughts are true? What if these are the things we’re thinking about: I have been abused; I have suffered real injustice; I have experienced real loss. What do we do then? Grieve. Mourn. Lament.

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Meet Cathy VandeBraak

Lutheran Family Service News

Posted on October 18, 2023
by Cathy VandeBraak, MA

Meet Cathy VandeBraak, an adoption and pregnancy case worker serving families within three hours of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We recently sat down to talk about her role with Lutheran Family Service, how mission and ministry are often carried out in the mundane parts of life, and the basics of what adoptive families and birth moms can expect when connected with LFS.

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