Confessions of faith: Cheryle and Dana McArdle
Man’s best friend leads to a new friend, a new church, and a renewed faith in Christ. On a routine visit to the dog park with her German shepherd, Cheryle…
Man’s best friend leads to a new friend, a new church, and a renewed faith in Christ. On a routine visit to the dog park with her German shepherd, Cheryle…
A startling medical diagnosis brings a family closer to God. Chronic pain. Constant exhaustion. Medications. Physical therapy. Surgery after surgery. This is the reality for 16-year-old Bailey Seal, member at…
What different descriptions we have for God’s Word! It is “a lamp for my feet” (Psalm 119:105), the only sure light in a sin-darkened world. It is “fire” and “hammer”…
We all have favorite hymns to sing. They become our familiar friends as we worship and our companions when we experience joy, sorrow, doubts, or trouble. Their familiar melodies and…
A WELS nurse explains how her vocation allows her to share her faith and show love to those in need. Jesus calls us to follow his example by living lives…
Three parables teach us what God is like and how he treats us. If you had one week to live, what would you discuss with your loved ones? Would you…
Paul is described as “the apostle of faith,” John as “the apostle of love,” Peter as “the apostle of hope,” and James as “the apostle of works.” For James, as…
A teacher retires full of memories—including monarch butterflies, baby chicks, and Jesus—after 43 years Do you have a favorite teacher? One who really understood or motivated you? One who made…
An Army captain matures in his faith as he works to help other cadets grow in their understanding of God’s Word. Captain Kent Gavin opens his laptop to Zoom, the…
A husband and wife’s passion for serving leads them to the front lines of a pandemic. It was a quiet Saturday afternoon in May. Jon and Paige Fricke were sitting…
Technology offers opportunities to teach a woman from Peru more about God’s grace How does a native of Lima, Peru, become a confirmed member of a WELS church in Wisconsin?…
How are you doing in the midst of this epidemic? I’m not talking about the COVID-19 epidemic, but another one which has been around much longer. It doesn’t claim as…
After attending a Lutheran school and getting a chance to study God’s Word in depth, two brothers become members to prepare for adulthood. “At the time, I didn’t appreciate it…
We stand secure in the storms of life when we stand on Christ. I’ve had the experience of traveling to both the East Coast and the West Coast of the…
A Buddhist discovers the truth of God’s Word, a message he now shares with others. “When I preach the gospel to people, people say, ‘You’re a stupid man.’ I just…
“Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my…
GEORGIA | NEW YORK Four congregations in Georgia—Abiding Grace, Covington; Faith, Sharpsburg; Beautiful Savior, Marietta; and Sola Fide, Lawrenceville—sent a 16-foot truck to Sure Foundation, Queens, N.Y., filled with supplies…
How have you or your congregation been letting your light shine during the pandemic? Let us know. Send it to ficsubmissions@wels.net or upload it to forwardinchrist.net/submit. We’ll feature more stories…
WESTERN WISCONSIN St. John, Barre Mills, Wis., celebrated its 150th anniversary on March 1. The congregation first worshiped together on March 2, 1870, in a farmhouse that is still standing…
Going to Camp BASIC is a family affair for volunteers and campers. Laura Schaefer Picture, if you will: wheelchairs being pushed on grassy paths by hardy counselors so their campers…
Andrew C. Schroer My favorite Christmas movie of all time is the movie Elf. In the movie, Will Ferrell plays a man who was raised as an elf at the…
The seed of the Word fell on rocky ground but over time sprouted and grew. Amanda M. Klemp In 2005, an agricultural expert grew a date palm tree from seed…
A pastor reflects on his battle with cancer as a teenager and how his experiences helped shape him and his ministry. Growing up, Paul Jansen fondly remembers a great home…
A modern-day Job story reminds us of God's grace and love. For most people, it would have been the worst day of their life. Maybe it was for Spencer Beach,…
When you feel at the bottom with nowhere to go, turn to the Lord. Emmilee S. Hillier Empty. Forgotten. Worthless. Defeated. Hopeless. Alone. I feel all these things when I’m…
The Holy Spirit used individuals, life circumstances, and a yearning for clarity to draw three friends around God’s Word. More than 20 years ago, Holly Vaden and Anna Thorson became…
How to stay close to Jesus when college life threatens to pull you away. Hannah White Where is Jesus in your life? It’s a good question for every Christian and…
Music becomes an invitation to learn of Jesus. Gabriella Blauert Our parents are often our first role models. They are the ones we look up to for guidance and moral…
A knock on the door starts a lifelong journey of faith. Julie K. Wietzke It was a night Mark Hartman says he will never forget. It was summer 1981 in…
A heart transplant did not stop a heart full of faith in Jesus. Jack G. Radandt I was born with a congenital heart disease called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. This…