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From cockpit to classroom
The journey of a Christian man who became a teacher in his 40s.
“Ever since I was a kid, my head’s been in the clouds in a sense.”
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It’s no wonder that Matthew Speidel initially pursued an aviation career. But today, years later, you will find him teaching in a WELS elementary school classroom and not piloting an airplane full time. His story is one of divine guidance and human introspection.
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“I am a Minnesota guy through and through, as you can tell probably by my accent,” Speidel reveals with a smile.
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Speidel attended Good Shepherd Lutheran School in Burnsville, Minn., from kindergarten through eighth grade. He split his high school years between St. Croix Lutheran High School, West Saint Paul, Minn., and a public high school (sophomore year).
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Looking back on those days, Speidel can see how his sophomore year pushed him outside his comfort zone. “I knew two people [in the school], and one of them happened to be one of my younger brothers,” he says. “So I had speech class and had to go up in front of people I didn’t know whatsoever.”
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When high school ended, “part of me thought, Maybe [I should] be a teacher. But then I wanted to fly,” Speidel explains.
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“It’s often easier to see God at work in your life when you look back than when you’re in the thick of it,” shares 2025 Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary graduate Jacob Borgwardt. Borgwardt hails from a relatively long line of pastors—including his father and a few . . .
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This may blow your mind if you can get your brain wrapped around it: Not everything we say in English should be understood literally. For example, I doubt that the previous statement literally made your mind explode or that you physically twisted your brain . . .
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We can't avoid the question. There are forms to fill out and boxes to be checked. “Who are you?” they ask. Married, single; widowed, divorced. Male, female. Liberal, conservative; Democrat, Republican. Tall, short; plus-size, petite. Outgoing, introverted; fun, boring. . . .
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