Lutheran Family Service News
Posted on June 5, 2023
by Ruth Barz, tLMHC
Ruth Barz is a counselor, wife, mom, and one of the newest members of the Lutheran Family Service mental health counseling team. With a deep love of God’s Word and His truth and master’s level training as a mental health counselor, Ruth brings vast experience and insight to her practice. Read on as we discuss navigating life transitions, the power of relationships, different types of trauma, when to seek counseling, and the healing and hope found in Christ alone.
Church Worker Wellness
Posted on May 24, 2023
by Rev. David Gunderson, tLMFT
Find strategies to create more margin in your life. After hearing the words, “Dust you are and dust you shall return” during an Ash Wednesday service, Billy, a four-year-old boy asked his mother “what does that mean?”. His mother explained that God created people from the dust of the earth, but when they die, they […]
Mental Health
Posted on May 12, 2023
by Rev. Jonathan Conner
Build your life on right thinking and ordered passion. Mental health involves many things, with a life built on right thinking and ordered passions foundational to it. Before we go any further, please understand that the words in the preceding sentence are deeply significant. To be mentally healthy, we must aim for lives established on […]
Mental Health
Posted on April 23, 2023
by Ruth Barz, tLMHC
We were made for connection in relationship. Most of us, at one time or another, have run out of gas in our car. We meant to fill the tank yesterday, but we were too busy. Or we drove just a bit farther in search of the lowest gas prices, but our tank was empty before […]
Life Advocacy
Posted on April 14, 2023
by Kim Laube
On Tuesday, April 11, oral arguments were heard by the Iowa Supreme Court in the case of Planned Parenthood vs. Reynolds regarding abortion restriction. This important case involves the heartbeat law passed by the Iowa Legislature and signed by Governor Reynolds in 2018. The heartbeat law banned little boys and girls in the womb if a heartbeat was detectable. Sadly, the law was immediately enjoined by the court not allowing it to be enforced.
Life Advocacy
Posted on April 12, 2023
On March 28, LCMS Pastors from all across Iowa made their way to Des Moines to attend the 2023 LCMS Pastors Day on the Hill organized by Lutheran Family Service. It was a day of inspiration, information gathering and fellowship (see photos of the day below).
Marriage & Relationships
Posted on March 5, 2023
by Susan Shields, LMHC, LIMHP, LPC
A toxic relationship is a relationship characterized by behaviors on the part of the toxic partner that are emotionally and, not infrequently, physically damaging to their partner.
Church Worker Wellness
Posted on February 28, 2023
by Rev. Dave Gunderson, tLMFT
One day, our seven-year-old son was entering the church with me when we noticed two men entering immediately before us. One man was Carl, a retired teacher who now served as the Church Music Director, and the other man was George, a retired minister who belonged to the congregation. As we approached the church door, […]
Life Advocacy
Posted on February 10, 2023
by Lutheran Family Service
The Iowa State Capitol was filled with prayer and faithful Iowans as citizens, clergy and government workers gathered together in support of life at the 2023 Iowa Prayer Rally for Life!
Marriage & Relationships
Posted on February 9, 2023
by Toni Larson, LISW
Social media in and of itself can be very useful and is not the problem. It is how we use these tools that can be the problem.
