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Aaron Strong family

Finding purpose through pain

In October 2022, Aaron Strong, pastor at Grace, Milwaukee, Wis., was killed in a car accident. Here, his daughter, Hannah, and his brother Jason share the comfort we all have through God’s gospel promises.

Fourteen-year-old Hannah Strong wrote this letter to a fellow student at Wisconsin Lutheran High School (Wisco), Milwaukee, Wis., after that student’s brother was killed in a car accident.

My name is Hannah Strong. I know you don’t know me, but I’m also a freshman at Wisco. I heard about the accident this morning, and I am beyond sorry for your loss. Not too long ago, I had almost the same experience. Four weeks ago, my dad was killed in a car crash. That was by far the worst day of my life. I’m still grieving. It all still hurts so much. Fortunately, I have some really amazing friends and family who have been helping me through it.

You are probably wondering why I told you all this. I know that our situations are different. I don’t know what your life is like or what else you are going through. However, I do know exactly how it feels to have someone you love taken away from you so abruptly. After my dad passed away, I felt like the world was crumbling around me. I spent countless nights crying. I still do. I find myself asking the same question way more than I should, “Why did God take away my dad?”
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Read all the psalms this year!

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Explore these articles from the January issue:

Parent conversations: How can we model good listening skills for our kids?

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Young people are frequently criticized for spending time on their smartphones even in social situations where they should be interacting with others around them. Yet I know that I’m finding it easier and easier to do this too. These articles are a good . . .

Please explain: If I have been baptized, does that mean I have been anointed?

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Answering our question means comparing Old Testament anointing with New Testament Baptism. The ritual of anointing was widely practiced in the ancient world—both for religious and secular purposes. However, God’s Old Testament people commonly . . .

A new part of the family

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“He’s a part of our family. He’s Uncle Tony now!” The Leyrer family signed up in 2015 to participate in the International Student Program facilitated by St. John, Wauwatosa, Wis. Little did they know that the third child they hosted, Tony Chen, would become . . .

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