-
On Contention, Love, and Feelings
By Holly Scheer Have you ever found yourself in a discussion that, when it turns heated, becomes more about feelings than facts? If so, you may have found it to be a frustrating experience. I know that I do. Most people don’t want to proceed when someone says that a certain line of argumentation is upsetting to them or is hurting their feelings. Our natural care for each other can cause us to pause and reflect at this moment. It’s never, ever a bad thing to think through thoroughly whether what you are saying in the moment is true, needful, and appropriate. Sisters, sometimes we have to speak hard words…
-
Luther’s Preface to the Small Catechism
Martin Luther to All Faithful and Godly Pastors and Preachers: Grace, Mercy, and Peace in Jesus Christ, our Lord. The deplorable, miserable condition which I discovered lately when I, too, was a visitor, has forced and urged me to prepare [publish] this Catechism, or Christian doctrine, in this small, plain, simple form. Mercy! Good God! what manifold misery I beheld! The common people, especially in the villages, have no knowledge whatever of Christian doctrine, and, alas! many pastors are altogether incapable and incompetent to teach [so much so, that one is ashamed to speak of it]. Nevertheless, all maintain that they are Christians, have been baptized and receive the [common]…
-
Katie’s Bookshelf- Ann Voskamp and 1000 Gifts
Life’s busy, really too busy to waste time on bad books, and The Sisters of Katie Luther are here to help! Feel free to eavesdrop on Sandra Ostapowich, Holly Scheer, Tabitha Moldenhauer, Annie Riley, and Ellie Corrow as they use technology available to regularly e-chat about books we’ve chosen to read and discuss together. These reviews are informal, probably slightly snarky, but always informative, and designed to help you determine what is worth your consideration. Pull up a chair, a cup of tea, or something else, if you prefer, and help yourself to our conclusions, as we explore what is on offer. Our book this time is One Thousand Gifts:…
-
Renewing My Love for the Confessions
By Holly Scheer Every weekend here at the Sisters I post excepts from the Lutheran Confessions. I do this to try to encourage others to read the Confessions, as often as they are able. The site I source from is //bookofconcord.org/. If you’ve never taken the time to poke around it I highly suggest you do– it’s filled with good Lutheran resources on the Confessions, the Bible, church history, and Lutheranism in general. I’m a millenial. I’m comfortable and at home online. Having the Confessions at my fingertips, whereever I go, is really valuable. The ability to look up specific passages that I remember but want to quote accurately has really…
-
What To Expect When You’re Not Expecting
By Holly Scheer Dear Sisters, I found out that a friend is having another baby. I’m not right now. Pray for my jealousy? –a baby loving Lutheran mama Dear mama, It’s really hard when we find ourselves in the position of being the sister who isn’t expecting when it seems like everyone else around us is. Babies really are amazing, aren’t they? There are many reasons why we might find ourselves not expecting a baby, and none of them are really less painful. I’m so sorry that right now you are praying and hoping for a baby and that right now you’re having to wait. Praise be to…
-
Our Hope is Built on Nothing Less
By Holly Scheer I love to sing hymns. I sing them in the car (sorry people stuck driving with me), I sing them as I put my kids to bed, I hum them absentmindedly throughout my day. One I find myself coming back to quite frequently is, “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” by Edward Mote. The text of the hymn, if you’re not familiar, is as follows: My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand. 2. When…
-
Death and the Pastor’s Family
By Holly Scheer “And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”” Revelation 14:13 Congregational deaths can be hard on the pastor and his family, and they’re certainly hard on the family of the dear one who died. Being present with the family and having the chance to help them as they grieve their loved one is a blessing– and a great opportunity to serve our neighbor. But losing a member of our earthly church to the Church Triumphant also…
-
Our Pet Sins
By Holly Scheer The name “pet sins” has always made me uncomfortable. When I think of pets I think of cute, warm, cuddly animals– the kind of thing you nuture and like to keep around. That’s not how I like to think about my sins. It’s fitting, though, isn’t it? The sins we take in, hold close, and nuture through our lives. The ones we hold close. The ones that we excuse as just part of us. Pet sins. Having a predisposition to something doesn’t make it something that’s good for us, though. Sometimes the sins that come easiest to us are the hardest to really call sin– because that’s…
You May Also Like
5 Things That Do Not Offer Salvation
-
Book Of Concord– Part III, Article VII. Of the Keys
Part III, Article VII Of the Keys 1] The keys are an office and power given by Christ to the Church for binding and loosing sin, not only the gross and well-known sins, but also the subtle, hidden, which are known only to God, as it is written in Ps. 19:13: Who can understand his errors? And in Rom. 7:25 St. Paul himself complains that with the flesh he serves the law of sin. 2] For it is not in our power, but belongs to God alone, to judge which, how great, and how many the sins are, as it is written in Ps. 143:2: Enter not into judgment with…
-
On Getting Along
By Holly Scheer I don’t like being disagreeable. Conflict makes me nervous. The idea of upsetting the people near and dear to me is, well, upsetting. There’s peace and then there’s false peace. Do you have friends or family that you get along with, but only because you’re silent on things that matter, like the faith? What can you do when it feels like relationships chug along at the cost of keeping the peace and avoiding contentious topics? First, decide where the relationship fits with your vocation. Is it given to you as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, Ect to engage this person on this subject? Next, pray about…
