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Breaking Up Is Hard to Do!

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I’m sure you’ve broken up with someone in your lifetime. Maybe you found someone you liked better. Or maybe you learned the person wasn’t who you thought they were. Or maybe they were even talking bad about you behind your back. Or just maybe you discovered your values were at odds with theirs and you weren’t willing to compromise on your values and morals.

On different occasions in my life, I’ve broken up for each of those reasons. When we become Christians, the Bible tells us clearly to leave the old life and ways behind and choose to follow Christ in our relationships, words, actions, thoughts, time, and money. It might even mean breaking off a close relationship because that other person is tempting and luring you to return to wicked ways you’ve already asked God to forgive you for and you don’t want to regress. You want to live a new life in Christ.

 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Cor. 5:17 NLT

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. Rom. 6:6

Occasionally, God points out that something or someone has become an idol in our life. God warns us to have no other gods or idols before Him. We may need to break up or break away from anything that becomes more important to us than God or change our perspective and outlook on whatever is getting more of our attention than God is.

“You must not have any other god but me. 4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.” Ex. 20:3-4 NLT

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 1 Cor. 10:14

Breakups are painful. Hard to do. Sometimes freeing. Other times grieving. But often something you know you need to do to honor Jesus and your witness for Him. God may want us to use our breakup as a wakeup call to others. That’s the message I’d like to share in the remainder of this blog.

We’ve all seen the impact consumers can have when the woke agenda attempts to normalize sin and sinful behavior. Before anyone starts calling me names, I proudly identify as a Bible-believing Christian. My identity is in Christ alone. I’m not “homophobic,” I’m sinphobic! I think I coined a new word since spellcheck doesn’t like it. Webster’s Dictionary describes phobic as “having an intolerance or aversion,” and that’s exactly how I feel about sin. Anyone’s sin, including my own. But especially when the media, government, fringe groups, and even some pastors try to tell me I should be “tolerant” of sin, I’m gonna say a resounding, “No Way!”

Jesus was NEVER tolerant of sin. He spent time with sinners with the sole goal and purpose of helping them turn away from their sin and repent, not to celebrate, party, and revel in their sin or impose it on others. Jesus gave His life on the cross to free us from sin, not parade sin in the streets, teach it in schools, or ignore it in churches. He told the woman at the well living in sin with her boyfriend and the woman caught in adultery, “Go and sin no more.” He went to Zacchaeus’ house and even to the Pharisees’ homes to share the truth with them in hopes some would be saved from their sinful, prideful lifestyle.

So that being said, here are a few breakups I’ve experienced with businesses who finance, support, encourage, and promote sin. Maybe you’ll want to break up with them too if you haven’t already. We can make a difference as we saw with what is now termed the “Bud Light” effect when the beer brand decided to make their mascot a lunatic and very sick man impersonating as a woman. Hubby and I don’t drink beer, but we cheered the effective reaction and response from the conservative population who support the way God created us as either a man or a woman and never the two shall exchange bodies!

Here’s Some of My Breakups and the Whys

#1 Breakup with Target-In 2004, the Target retail chain announced a new corporate policy that banned Salvation Army bell ringers and their collection kettles from Target storefronts. Next, they banned employees from saying “Merry Christmas.” Then slyly they stopped having separate areas for little boys’ and girls’ toys and bedding. Their woke agenda continued to get worse with a crescendo this year of placing obscene clothing in the front of their stores and next to the children’s section, even displaying alphabet mafia clothing for babies!!

That’s what happens when you take Christ out of Christmas; it’s a deep dive into hell. Needless, to say we broke up with Target many many years ago and have NEVER missed them!

#2 Breakup with Starbucks—My breakup with Starbucks was brought on by their huge financial support and endorsement of gay marriage. But that was only the beginning. They also support abortion, the alphabet sexual perversion, pronoun reassignment, gender mutilation and castration even of children, and the entire radical liberal agenda.

When we lived in California back in 2008, voters voted in Proposition 8, which “provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” It passed 52% to 48%, by a margin of about 600,000 votes. The Protect Marriage campaign supporting Proposition 8 constantly invoked the “far-reaching consequences” of legal gay marriage, particularly the implication that school curriculums would be required to teach that gay marriage is “the same as traditional marriage.”

Pollster David Fleischer, in his analysis of the election results, found that the greatest shift toward “Yes” among undecided voters was “among parents with children under 18 living at home—many of them white Democrats,” who feared the effects of legal gay marriage on their children’s public education. Evangelicals and Republicans formed the core of Proposition 8’s support. Sadly, the people’s will was overturned and gay marriage was legalized.

What these parents feared most has become our reality today. The Biden Administration labels parents who protest the sexual/pornographic indoctrination of their children as domestic terrorists. Many Evangelicals and Republicans today seem defeated and fear speaking out against the cultural demise.

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, Starbucks announced it would reimburse travel expenses for employees who “need” abortions and cannot get them within 100 miles of their homes. They also provide insurance coverage for mislabeled “gender-affirming care,” which is actually gender annihilation, and cover travel expenses for employees who don’t have access to this horrible atrocity near their homes.

One article said, “Starbuck’s customers and workers tend to be more liberal.”

I’ve been laughed and scoffed at when I compare Starbuck’s logo signs with Asherah poles from the Old Testament. But after my breakup with Starbucks, that’s how I see them. Like an idol, the Starbuck’s logo sign used to magnetically draw me to pay an insane price for a calorie-ridden cup of coffee! Now I see that sign and pray for everyone still deceived into throwing money at a company whose values are the opposite of God’s.

The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot about the Lord their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles. Judges 3:7 NLT

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21

#3 Breakup with Disney—I remember going to Disneyland as a child not long after it opened. I was so excited to take my daughter and then later her children to enjoy the “happiest place on earth!” Tragically, they’ve become the wokest place on earth with their corporate executives caught on video saying their goal is to include as much of the DEI and satanic agenda as possible by rewriting beloved children’s movies to depict gay, trans, morally sick people.

“Diversity” is a word you hear repeatedly along with “inclusive” and yet they now exclude conservatives, Christians, and godly values in all their movies and disgusting remakes of old favorites.

Diverse has become perverse!

#4 Breakup with Kohl’s—I was never much of a Kohl’s shopper, but like Target, they support the alphabet sexual agenda, especially during June.

#5 Breakup with Bed Bath and Beyond—I enjoyed this store because it didn’t matter how old the coupon, they would take it. Then they showed their true liberal loyalty by canceling Mike Lindell’s line of My Pillow because he was questioning the 2020 election. We stopped shopping at BB&B and threw away the coupons.

#6 Breakup with Maybelline— When they had a bearded man as a model for their makeup!

#7 Breakup with Fred Meyer/Kroger—Of all our breakups, this one is by far the hardest. We live in the mountains of Idaho over an hour away from major shopping. So, when we go down the hill to Boise, we appreciate one-stop shopping where we can get most of our needs from food to housewares, pharmacy and clothes. For twelve years, Fred Meyer was that store for us. We took advantage of their digital coupons, savings on gas, first Tuesday of the month and every Tuesday in December savings for seniors, and savings for Veterans on the 3rd Thursday of the month.

This is an extremely painful breakup for both of us. Here’s why we’re parting ways with our treasured Fred Meyer and all Kroger products, since Kroger merged with Fred Meyer. You may have a Kroger store with a different name than Fred Meyer.

The gay, trans, alphabet “pride parade” and “celebration” of their sinful and perverted way of life not only dominated the month of June in Boise, Idaho’s Capitol, but because of Covid last year, they moved their parade and festival to the second weekend in September. When I got home from our church Women’s Retreat that same weekend, my daughter told me what took place in Boise. First, she sent a picture of the Fred Meyer float with children on it, then the heartbreaking photo that Fred Meyer not only participated in the parade, they also actually put it on!

This year’s parade title was “The 2023 Fred Meyer Pride Parade.” The parade was at 9:30 Sunday morning, I imagine so Christians would be in church and not protesting this debauchery.

Mad and grieving, I dashed off two emails to Fred Meyer corporate. The only response was an automatic form email confirming they had received my “valued customer” comments. I don’t feel like a valued customer. I feel like a betrayed ex-customer!

#9 Breakup with Walmart, Albertsons, and Wells Fargo—We seldom shop at Walmart, but they were a sponsor of the Boise pride parade as was Wells Fargo where we had already closed my ministry account many years ago when they went liberal woke. I don’t shop at Albertsons, but they also had a float in the parade.

What Does a Breakup Accomplish?

When God told Abraham that He was going to destroy his nephew Lot’s town of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their horrible sin, Abraham asked God if He would spare it if there were 10 righteous men. God said He would. But the night before Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed, two male angels came to Lot’s house and a group of despicable men surrounded the house demanding Lot send those men outside so they could have sex with them. Do you remember that? Sexual perverted sin has been going on since the beginning of time, but never in my lifetime was sin celebrated in the streets until now.

The picture opening this blog is not when Obama lit up the White House for the legalization of gay marriage. No, it’s the Boise Capitol during the September Fred Meyer pride event on Friday night September 8th and Saturday September 9th. Since it was illegal to have the lights on government property, they solicited donner money to set up lights across the street and shine them on our beautiful Capitol. That should’ve been illegal too!

My blood pressure is rising and tears flowing just writing about this. We must have more than 10 righteous people in Boise because God has allowed us to remain a red conservative state, but how long Lord will You wait for those righteous people to take a stand against this evil? People used to try to hide their sin, but the current culture wants to flaunt their sin and force people to accept and embrace it. Indoctrinate our children.

Gay marriage was only the beginning and would never be enough. When Satan gets a foothold, he never stops.

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever? All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you’re an expert at telling lies. 3 You love evil more than good and lies more than truth. Ps. 52:1-3 NLT

I want you all to remember what the Bible says in Romans 1:24-28 NLT

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.

You may think I’m being too extreme, but God is watching where we spend our money and what we’re supporting. We can’t tithe on Sunday, proudly give to missionaries, and then throw money at businesses whose values are the opposite of ours because it’s more convenient or we like the products. That goes for our investments too! We must be good stewards of what God gives us. He’s watching. He knows. Do we speak one thing and do another?

As a cohesive likeminded group, we can make a difference. Many of the companies I listed, and others, are either going bankrupt or losing billions of dollars from conservative consumer pushback. When a restaurant in Boise was having drag brunches, I wrote about it and even stood up in church and told the congregation what was happening at this Italian restaurant. That restaurant is now closed.

If you’re thinking these breakups are unloving, 1 Corinthians 13:6 reminds us, “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” When we know the truth, we have no excuse for not living it. God will keep us accountable.

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Phil. 2:1-2 NLT

Please leave a comment here. I reply to all comments.

September 18, 2023
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Why Would Mainstream Media NOT Want You to See Sound of Freedom?

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You may have seen the movie Sound of Freedom or heard about it. If you haven’t seen it, I encourage you to do so while it’s still in theaters. My daughter and seventeen-year-old granddaughter went to see it at 12:25 pm on a Tuesday and they had to sit in the front row. We went at 3:20 pm on a Monday and the theater was almost full! The couple sitting next to us said they couldn’t find a theater the previous day that wasn’t sold out, so they came on Monday. Many people on social media are telling stories of trying multiple times to see this movie and it’s sold out and that’s actually a good thing! Keep trying if that happened to you.

On opening day, Sound of Freedom was screening initially in only 2,600 theaters yet still outperformed Disney’s Indiana Jones offered in 4,600 theaters!! Praise God, because radical mainstream media has tried to silence this impactful movie about rescuing children from sex trafficking.

Ironically, Sound of Freedom was competing with Disney who is trying to capture children’s minds and this movie is about saving children’s lives. The new Disney film Barbie is filled with trans and gender themes minimizing Ken and Snow White, who isn’t white, dumps the 7 dwarfs for seven multi-racial, mixed-gender “magical creatures!” Do not spend your money on anything Disney and for sure don’t take your kids. Evil hijacked Disney.

One of the producers of Sound of Freedom, Catholic Mexican activist Eduardo Verástegui, explains in the National Catholic Register that he believes this film’s success is a miracle — or several miracles: “We are competing with the biggest in the industry, and we took first place,” the actor and producer said in a note sent to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

“Many doors were closed to us over these years; Disney, Netflix, Amazon, and other distribution houses said ‘no, this film is not for us, it’s not good business, nobody is going to see a film about child trafficking,’ they claimed. Faced with these refusals, we had two options: Give up and throw in the towel, or — when it comes to saving lives — don’t give up, keep going and persevere for as long as necessary.”

“Finally, after eight years invested in bringing Sound of Freedom to life, the distributor Angel Studios turns up in the state of Utah, in a town called Provo, interested in helping us distribute the film,” he continued. “Five days later,” the producer recounted, “we had already signed a contract. Three months later, the miracle: July 4, Independence Day in the United States, the film is in theaters and ranks first at the box office, shaking the conscience and the heart of the country that is statistically considered the world’s No. 1 consumer of sex with children.”

“And the movement for freedom is already a fact, it’s underway, and it’s growing, growing, growing without stopping; they can’t stop it. That is the miracle: That in a world of lies and attacks, the truth makes its way, takes first place, and many lives will be saved thanks to this. Because in times of universal lies, Orwell said, telling the truth constitutes a revolutionary act,” Verástegui said.

Verástegui highlighted opening on July 4 was not random: “It’s a day of freedom, a day that appeals to consciences and responsibility, a very significant day. It had to be that day. It’s part of the message we’re giving. We were fully aware that it was a difficult date, because we would be competing with the main productions, with investments of $300 million and with advertising budgets that exceed $100 million and more.”

In a July 7 tweet, Verástegui invited Harrison Ford to go see Sound of Freedom:

“Dear@HarrisonFordLA: I grew up watching your movies and dreaming of fighting bad guys like Indiana Jones. I want to invite you to watch @soundoffreedommovie, of which I am a producer. Do you think that prof. … Henry Walton Jones Jr. help us save children and fight trafficking? Together we are stronger and with that strength we can eradicate child trafficking.”

But liberal mainstream media still refuses to publicize Sound of Freedom even after it was so successful and has expanded into many more theaters. Instead, some media attacked it as a QAnon conspiracy theory trying to discredit Tim Ballard and the actor who portrayed him, Jim Caviezel. A movie based on a true story of Tim Ballard, a former Federal Agent for Homeland Security, tracking down pedophiles, quitting his job to rescue children being sex trafficked is not a theory! That only shows how the media thinks we’re so stupid that they can come up with something so ridiculous and people will believe it.

One of the publications touting this conspiracy lie is “Jezebel.” That tells you right there whose behind the media’s attack, the latest being the Washington Post. The media fabricates lies sourced from the same evil forces at the center of this horrific crime against innocent children. Something most of us find so horrible, we had to force ourselves to watch a movie that would not let us deny it.

“It’s no wonder that progressives can’t stand this movie. It shines light on crimes inextricably connected to elitists and promotes principles that vehemently oppose every aspect of the far left’s dogma.”—Jason Whitlock

Darkness hates light and when light shines on evil, the cockroaches scramble. In my opinion, all who attack this movie either have hardened hearts, are Satanist, are part of the child sex-trafficking cartels/business, clients/customers, pedophiles, or are profiting financially. Yes, I said that, and I believe I’m right. Child sex trafficking is a 32 billion dollar industry, too lucrative for the elites and those benefiting from it to let it be exposed or stopped.

Mainstream media is controlled by liberals and many elite liberals profit from this horrible hedonism. Just like abortion, it’s all about $$$$. To these people the unborn child isn’t worthy of life and a vulnerable living child is just a commodity. The sexualization of children in schools is designed to make them comfortable being sex objects. We went from a culture tolerating gays, to trans, to drags, to sterilizing with drugs and mutilating / castrating children’s sex organs, to now normalizing pedophilia. Creating hell on earth for children by those who prey on them and sadly many people today don’t want to hear about it or stop it. Lord, how did we get to this place?

How did the church let it get this far?

What Can We Do?

Most people with a soul walk out of the movie saying, “We need to do something to stop this horrific unimaginable assault on precious innocent children!” But what? Your hearts are on fire. You’re heartbroken. You might think, this is horrible, but I can’t do anything about it. So soon you’re back to your comfortable daily life. I don’t believe that’s God’s plan for Christians.

In an interview with producer Eduardo Verástegui and actor Jim Caviezel, Verástegui said, “It’s sad, but more sad if you do nothing.” Caviezel added, “Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid.”

Caviezel felt called by God to become an actor and took a huge hit to his career when he played Jesus in The Passion, but he knew it was what God wanted him to do and he felt the same way about Sound of Freedom. He and his wife have three adopted Chinese special needs children and his wife is an anti-abortion activist. When the interviewer asked why he took this role, his answer was, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matt. 18:26

So first, we pray asking God to direct where He wants to use us in this battle against hedonistic evil.

Next, we might talk to our church about researching a survivor rescue ministry to donate to personally or as a church. Our church supports missionaries and missions. Perhaps there are some Christian organizations helping prevent child trafficking and rescuing survivors that we could financially support.

We also must get our state representatives not to just talk about the evils of open borders, but to take action to close them. We put pressure on them to do their job and protect our country. On conservative news stations, we hear about our country’s open borders, which has created a devastating market and avenue for child sex trafficking and drugs. Thousands of unaccompanied minors are coming across the border. We’ve heard it so often, we become anesthetized to the horror this conveys. When you see Sound of Freedom, you put innocent faces to those statistics. You can no longer hear about it and not think of the horror awaiting those children.

Conservatives and Christians need to make our voices heard to get the border closed. Call your Senators and Congressmen and tell them you’re tired of talk. Do something!

A quote from an interview with Tim Ballard explains even more about the border atrocity he calls, “The economy of pedophilia.”

 “The United States is the number one consumer of child exploitation material. We are the demand. So, that means that traffickers want to get children into that dark market. There’s a lot of money to be made here. The United States, also according to the State Department, is in the top three countries for destination countries for human trafficking. So, there’s every incentive to get children into America, into the black markets here of pedophilia.”

“And so, when I find out that in the last couple of years that at least 85,000 — I think it’s much higher than that — that at least 85,000 unaccompanied minors [have shown up at the border], thousands of them, I’ve seen the CBP reports, are under five years old. Why is a three-year-old showing up at the border? Well, I can tell you why, because they show up with a name, the name of the sponsor that they’re given by the trafficker. HHS gets the kids and they by law have to call the number. [pretends to pick up phone]

‘Hi, we have Jose Gonzalez, Mr. George Smith.’

‘Yeah, yeah, that’s my kid, whatever.’

They used to actually fly down and have to pick the kid up. Not anymore. Our taxpayer dollars will [now] send the kid by plane or bus to this ‘sponsor’, no background check, no DNA, nothing. And they deliver the kids. Our taxpayer dollars are literally, for the first time in American history, our taxpayer dollars are going to facilitate the last leg of a child trafficking event.”

Does that last sentence shock you like it does me that the government is actually making you part of this sordid process?! Sound of Freedom provides an undeniable picture in your mind of those children abused on the journey to the border and their fate when they crossover and are given to some unknown person that will either sell them as a sex-slave or sexually abuse them or probably both. Little children as young as toddlers!

This isn’t just happening on Epstein Island! A friend from Orange County, California, where Dave and I lived for many years, posted a recent article from a Grand Jury report. “Orange County is a high-demand area for sex trafficking due to its large population, affluence, thriving tourism, and convention industries . . .These conditions make Orange County fertile grounds for human sex trafficking.”

Sex trafficking could be happening right in your neighborhood! The USA is now the number one consumer of sex trafficking and Mexico is the number one provider.

According to the same Grand Jury report, “between 2019 and 2020 just two nonprofit groups, Waymakers and the Salvation Army, helped 357 people who had been trafficked in Orange County. About 10% were labor trafficking victims, 88% were sex trafficking victims and 2% were both!”

Why didn’t the Grand Jury find any churches helping? Where are the churches?

The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all. Pr. 29:7 NLT

“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. Matt. 18:10 NLT

Every Democrat in the California Assembly Public Safety Committee just blocked a bill SB 14 that would make child trafficking a serious felony. I said in my blog last week, Don’t Be Silent as Our Country Surrenders to Evil, that Democrats have turned into the party of evil. Those Democrats that killed this bill should be forced to sit through Sound of Freedom!!

One of my many takeaways from seeing the Sound of Freedom is when politicians, Democrats, liberals, or media pundits lament about reparations, ignoring the sacrifices of the Civil War that freed slaves, someone needs to ask: What sacrifices are you making to free children TODAY where there are more children caught up in sex slavery than the entire slave traffic 158 years ago??!! Put your money, influence, and voice to solving a REAL problem of modern-day slavery!!!

Consider that if mainstream media, liberals, elites, and most Democrats are attacking something, it’s probably something you should be supporting. If they’re supporting something, you need to avoid or boycott it. We are literally in a war of good vs evil. We must let our conservative voices be heard and our attendance at this movie, in spite of all the attempts to prevent it from ever being seen, sends a clear message that we won’t bow and we won’t bend to their evil agenda.

“We’re being shafted by mainstream media. We’re not getting any coverage,” Caviezel said. “They’re scared. Quaking in their boots. And it’s because the public are listening to their hearts, which is what this film tells you to do. And I’m happy with the two million,” he said, in a reference to tickets purchased in the opening weekend, “but I want a lot more, because I want the children.” [Their goal was to have two million viewers to represent the two million children trafficked globally yearly.]

We have to keep the light on this topic when the film is out of theaters. I’ve seen support and interviews on Conservative news outlets like NEWSMAX, Flashpoint, and even Jesse Watters. Let them know we appreciate their coverage and encourage them to keep following up on this moral crisis.

Prager Institute has a series of YouTube videos you can watch, Light in the Darkness, presented by Tim Ballard where he shares experiences saving trafficked children. He and his wife adopted two children from Haiti and now have nine children.

Organizations You Might Consider Researching

The CEO of Goya Foods, Bob Unanue, who the media was attacking in 2020 because he praised President Trump when the President invited him to be part of a commission to create economic opportunities for Latin Americans, is an Executive Producer of Sound of Freedom. Goya Cares is a global initiative dedicated to combating child trafficking and educating on child mental health.  The initiative brings together organizations, schools, and businesses to show solidarity and ultimately to protect the most vulnerable, our children.  Partners of the Goya Cares coalition help to recover, restore, and reunite survivors, while also helping raise awareness and provide schools with free access to preventative education that helps recognize the dangers of child trafficking through the Goya Cares’ educational series LIGHT. To learn more about Goya Cares: www.goyacares.com.

DeliverFund—“Human traffickers hijack human dignity. We fight to protect women and children from predators, but we can’t do it without support. If you are passionate about supporting real-world solutions to this complex crisis, we’re honored to have you join this fight.”

Waymakers is a Youth Shelter for children in Orange County.

Covenant House helps rescue children from human and sex trafficking and cares for those who have escaped.

Tim Tebow Foundation is also working on rescuing victims of human trafficking and child exploitation.

What are your ideas for how to help fight this evil we can’t ignore? Please share this blog and leave a comment if you know of other organizations working to save God’s children who aren’t for sale!

“Set yourselves apart from this corrupt generation. Be Saints. You weren’t made to fit in; you were made to stand out.”—Jim Caviezel

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives. Titus 3:14

July 17, 2023
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What is the Biblical Truth Behind Gender Roles?—Part 2

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Last week, we looked at the lies being told and sold to our culture, but especially to our precious children. If you haven’t read Part 1 yet, here’s the link. I want to also add an update to that blog, What is the Biblical Truth Behind Gender Roles—Part 1.

As a recap, in the previous blog, I talked about the pushback Kirk Cameron was receiving at libraries when he requested to read his new children’s book As You Grow about the Fruit of the Spirit and how in Arkansas, trans protestors showed up to heckle him and those attending. What I didn’t know at the time of that writing was that the protestors also had to listen to a former transgender woman, Laura Perry Smalts, read aloud Brave Books’ Elephants Are Not Birds authored by Ashley St. Clair.

The title of the article, which I hope you’ll go to because it includes some amazing pictures and a video is “Former Transgender Person Reads Anti-Trans Book to 500, Including men in Drag: ‘I Want Kids to Hear the Truth!’”

A synopsis of Elephants Are Not Birds is the message “Most can see that there is a distinct difference between an elephant and a bird but in this story, we’ll see that even those lines are blurred when the lies of Culture the Vulture are accepted as truth by Kevin the Elephant.”

During the story hour, the crowd also heard Smalts’ testimony of how she used to find it difficult loving herself the way God created her, but faith had a huge effect on her journey. The presence of trans activists, men dressed in drag, actually drove home Smalts’ story to everyone in the room, especially the children.

Here’s the full comment about the event from Kirk Cameron.
“The small group of protesters, which included some grown men wearing silly makeup, dressed in skirts and heels, pretending to be women, listened to the reading of a kids’ book about God’s view of gender called, “Elephants Are Not Birds.” At the close of this sweet and funny story of a singing elephant named Kevin who was tricked by a vulture named “Culture” into thinking he might be a bird, the reader [Laura Smalts] then asked the 300 children, “Do you think elephants can be birds, even if they strap on silly wings and a beak?” In unison, and with great laughter, all 300 children confessed with gusto, “No!” I felt sad for the men in skirts. As it is written, “You have taught the little children to praise you perfectly. May their example shame and silence your enemies.” (Psalm 8:2).

Today, I want to explore four truths regarding genders and explore what God says in the Bible about His creation of humans and the plans He has for them. I hope you’ll ponder the Scriptures I’ve selected to support each of the four truths. First, let’s look at some of the misinformation spreading about the two genders and their roles in relationships.

What Do We Get Wrong About Biblical Gender Roles?

When I married my husband 30 years ago, I had recently rededicated my life to the Lord at a Harvest Crusade. I committed to God to live the rest of my life as a biblical Christian, wife, mother, and now grandmother. My daughter was not a Christian at the time and was appalled that her once independent successful businesswoman mom was now in her words, “Going to be a doormat.” She was skeptical of Dave, who actually is a gentle, kind, godly man, but she feared he was going to dominate me.

It wasn’t until she became a Christian several years later when she and her fiancé accepted Christ in a biblical marriage class that she had an awakening regarding the truth behind biblical gender roles

Many people and some churches have misconceptions about biblical gender roles. The attempt by culture to redefine genders has invaded every area of life. Wokeness discards and dismantles biblical and biological truths and tries to normalize lies. I’m not a biologist, but I do know what a man and woman are and I’m sure you do too.

Gender isn’t defined by how someone thinks, “identifies,” or chooses to act. God’s beautiful design for humanity is only two genders, which He calls male and female, or man and woman. You won’t find in the Bible “transgender,” “cisgenders,” “binaries,” “gender identity,” “drag queens,” “queer” “gay” or any of the manmade genders or pronoun reassignment allegories. God didn’t use those terms and we shouldn’t either.

Here’s the truth about what God says regarding the two biblical gender roles that should guide the thinking and actions of every Christian and pastor.

Truth #1 God Created Only Two Genders!

As substantiated by biology and the Bible, gender is determined at birth as male or female by observable genitalia. Yet, today we live in a world where gender identity has become a fluid concept and at last count, the delusional believe there are 81 genders and growing. That absurdity seems laughable and yet the woke culture is on a mission to not only spread that lie, but enforce it in laws attempting to erase the reality of God’s two genders: male and female.

At birth, God designed each human cell to contain 23 pairs of chromosomes. Twenty-two pairs look the same in both males and females. The 23rd pair, the sex chromosomes, differs between males and females. Females have two copies of the X chromosome while males have one X and one Y chromosome, thus determining their sex. That’s a scientific and biblical undeniable, unalterable fact!

Even infamous atheist scientist Richard Dawkins declares there are only two sexes as a matter of science: “That’s all there is to it.” Dawkins added that those who have tried to cancel JK Rowling for making the same point are “bullies”!

Once again, science agrees with Creation and confirms God is the Creator of two genders and only two!

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.” Jer. 1:5

One revealing article admitted we’re born male or female, but erroneously added you can then learn to be whatever gender you want. Mind and emotional control is at the center of this demonic lie causing confusion and even bodily mutilation in young children and people of all ages.

Confusion or ambiguity is not from God. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. 1 Cor. 14:33

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Gen. 1:27 ESV

When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created. Gen. 5:1-2

Truth #2 Marriage Is Between a Man and a Woman

God designed men and women to unite as one in marriage with the capability of creating new life. They become helpmates, each spouse using the gifts God gave them.

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper for him.” Gen. 2:18 

“Haven’t you read,” he [Jesus] replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?” Matt. 19:4-5

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Gen. 1:28 ESV

God gave women the blessing of carrying and giving birth to babies when that’s possible. Clearly only women can get pregnant and anyone who thinks otherwise is deceived or delusional.

11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. 1 Cor. 11:11-12

Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? Job 31:15

The husband’s role is spiritual leader of the home protecting and loving his wife while wives acknowledge his leadership and both husband and wife submit to following Christ.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word. Eph. 5:21-26

7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 1 Pet. 3:7

Truth #3 Sex is Between a Man and a Woman

God uniquely and deliberately created man and woman to fit perfectly together sexually. He clearly states that sex is between a heterosexual husband and wife. We must not be afraid to proclaim and live by this truth! Anything else is an abomination to the Lord.

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. Rom. 1:26-27 ESV

 22 “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable’”. Lev. 18:22

A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this. Deut. 22:5

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality. 1 Cor. 6:9 ESV

10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders,[c] liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. 1 Tim. 1:10-11 NLT

Truth #4 Parents Are a Male and a Female

Parents consist of a male father and a female mother, not two fathers nor two mothers, although there often are single parents for a variety of reasons. When there are two parents, Dad is the head of the family but both Mom and Dad work together as a team raising the family.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—so it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on earth. Eph. 6:1

She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. 28 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: 29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Pr. 31:27-29 NLT

Sexual and Gender Distortion is from Satan, the Father of Lies!

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Is. 5:2

Often, we’ll hear that the Bible doesn’t speak to gender or sexual issues, but that’s lying misinformation straight from Satan. Christians must address the gender crisis today speaking the truth with clarity and authority from God’s perspective as stated in the Word of God, the Bible.

 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. Eph. 5:11

Silence in the face of Satan’s lies conveys condoning and apathy to the many who will face eternity separated from God in hell. We could make an eternal difference in their life by sharing God’s truth. I wish more pastors understood the mantel God gives them to speak out against evil. That’s not political; it’s biblical! People need to hear where their sin leads.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6:9-10 ESV

4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? 5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.[a] 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism. Rom. 2:4-11 NLT

“We love to tell people that God loves them and has compassion on them. And of course, that is true. Yet we are reluctant to say they are sinners who are separated from God. We need to tell the truth. Our culture needs to hear the truth. Yes, it’s easier to blend into the background and avoid offending anyone. But do we want to offend God? If we don’t tell the whole truth, then we will.”—Pastor Greg Laurie

I’m happy to report that our Idaho Governor, Brad Little, just joined two other state governors in signing a bill barring transgender students from using any school facilities like bathrooms, locker rooms, or overnight field trip facilities not consistent with their biological gender, regardless of their “gender identity.” Many Idahoan Christians, churches, and advocates like the Values Advocacy Council made their voices heard in getting this bill passed and signed.

Biology and morality should always triumph over confused “identity.” You are the gender God made you to be!

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment on the post. I appreciate hearing from you.

March 27, 2023
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Christians, You Each Have Your Own Jesus Revolution Testimony to Tell!

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11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:11-12

I’m sure by now you’ve seen the movie Jesus Revolution, plan on seeing it, or heard about it. If you haven’t seen it, I encourage you to go now, or if that’s not possible, read the interviews and reviews people are sharing on social media and watch a trailer. Without a doubt one of the most professional Christian movies I’ve seen told with raw vulnerable frankness. A true story of a generation who had tried everything from sexual promiscuity to LSD and was still searching for “truth” and fulfillment. Their desperate quest eventually led them to find truth in Christ alone.

The movie tells how Pastor Chuck Smith and Greg Laurie meet during the “Jesus freaks” movement initially led by hippie Lonnie Frisbee in the late sixties and early seventies in Orange County, California that spread across the United States and changed the world. “Jesus Revolution” graced the cover of Time Magazine five years after their cover asked, “Is God Dead?”

Pastor Chuck, as he was fondly known, was pastoring a dry failing church until he opened his heart and his church doors to a generation hungry to know Jesus. A revival and revolution blew open the doors of his church as the congregation overflowed into a tent to accommodate not just the hippies but everyone eager to hear about the saving grace of Jesus through His sacrifice for them.

A seventeen-year old Greg Laurie with an alcoholic mother married seven times but never to his father, tried escaping his painful home life in the drug culture where he meets his girlfriend Cathe. Both were searching for “truth” in all the wrong places. When they watched Cathe’s sister almost die from drugs, Cathe convinces Greg that maybe they should investigate what this Jesus movement says about truth.

When you see evangelist Pastor Greg Laurie today leading Harvest Church and Ministries you might never expect to hear the life he led before accepting Jesus as his Savior. Like so many of us with sordid backgrounds, he shares his testimony openly and honestly to give hope to others who might think they could never be forgiven for their past or used by God.

Pastor Greg says today, “I hope my story can inspire young people in difficult circumstances to know that God can intervene in their life and change their story. We don’t determine what hand we are dealt in life — but we do determine how we will react to it.”

How Dave and My Life Intersected with Pastor Chuck and Pastor Greg!

If you’ve read my book Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents, you know I had my prodigal backsliding years after divorcing my daughter’s father. For seventeen years, I was a prodigal raising a prodigal. I became a Christian after the murder of my CHP father when I was ten. I lived out my faith until I went into the world as a successful businesswoman and single mom. I continued going to church and taking my daughter, but I wasn’t living the Christian life or being a good role model for her.

When she turned sixteen, it became apparent I needed to change because she was following my wayward choices. I also told God I wouldn’t date another man I didn’t think was from Him and I joined a small group at church. There I met Dave and we started dating, but I soon broke up with him because I thought he might be too good for me.

He was persistent and kept asking me out, so finally I went to a Harvest Crusade in Anaheim Stadium with him. This was now 1992 and Pastor Greg Laurie was fulfilling the prophecy that Lennie Frisbee had made over him in the early 70’s that one day Greg would be speaking to thousands! Dave and I attended the third Harvest Crusade and Pastor Greg was indeed speaking to a stadium that holds 50,000 people when Pastor Greg asked the audience, “If you died tonight, are you ready?”

I knew I wasn’t! As Crystal Lewis sang “Come Just As You Are,” I went down with hundreds on the stadium floor rededicating my life to the Lord and telling Him this prodigal had returned. I would go where He led. I had no idea the plans the Lord had for me to become a Christian author and start a Woman to Woman Ministry that is still blessing women today. Praise God, He never gave up on me!

That night Dave and I sat in the parking lot until it emptied talking about our relationship when I heard God say to me, “You asked for this godly man and I gave him to you. Now rededicate yourself to this relationship.”

I did and we were married five months later, December 19, 1992! I had heard on the radio that Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel was hosting a Caribbean cruise and I suggested to Dave we go on the trip for our honeymoon. We had asked God to help us meet other Christian couples, and even though this wasn’t our home church, we were open to wherever the Lord led us. It was so fun because we were the “honeymooners” on the cruise!

Soon two of Dave’s kids came to live with us and we would go to the Monday night meetings at Calvary Chapel depicted in the Jesus Revolution movie that were still continuing all those years later. Dave and I also went each year to the Harvest Crusades as counsellors to those surrendering or re-surrendering their life to Christ. It was such a joy when Pastor Laurie brought Harvest Crusade to Boise, Idaho last year and our church took a bus down from our mountain community.

There’s Power in Letting God Use Your Testimony!

“Your mess can be turned into a message and your test into a testimony.” Greg Laurie

While waiting to enter the theater to see Jesus Revolution, Dave and I started chatting with a group of three women. They didn’t know anything about Pastors Chuck or Greg, so I shared some of our story with them. When I asked what church they attended locally, only one answered. When the movie was over, I saw the woman who had said she went to church on her knees in front of one of her friends who was crying. I knew she had just given her heart to Jesus because of the powerful testimonies in the movie of real-life searches for truth found only in Jesus. Salvation offered not just during a movie or revival, but available to each of us in our personal lives.

I started to walk by them, but the Holy Spirit prompted me to stop and give them a group hug. Then the Lord led me to make the following statement: “Because the movie takes place in Orange County California where Dave and I both lived for many years, it brought back such memories seeing all the beautiful places and beaches we knew so well.” Then I said, “This movie gives me such hope for California. If God did this once, He could do it again!” They agreed.                        

There’s no greater witness to God’s goodness than sharing what He’s done in your life. No one can question your testimony because it’s your personal Jesus Revolution experience. Once I was lost, but now I’m found by the saving grace of Jesus my Lord and Savior. A revival or a revolution can start with one person. The joy and peace found in Jesus is contagious.

In Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I share two biblical testimonies of King Nebuchadnezzar from the Old Testament and the apostle Paul from the New Testament. Both of their testimonies are recorded in the Bible and they each humbly shared their story publicly to influence others to trust in God’s goodness available to all sinners.

King Nebuchadnezzar tells of his prideful attitude thinking he was greater than God in Daniel 4. Paul shares his testimony in Acts 22:1-16 that he was formerly a Jewish religious zealot persecuting Christians until he met God on the road to Damascus. King Nebuchadnezzar’s and the apostle Paul’s testimonies are examples and encouragement that God can change anyone’s heart: once I was prideful, now I am humble. Once I was blind, now I see!

As we mature spiritually, we move beyond just remembering God’s goodness for our own benefit and start retelling our testimony to help others. We all have varied testimonies in our life in addition to our salvation testimony.

I never tire of telling my story as HIStory.

You may not think you have a testimony if you’ve been a Christian most of your life and life has gone smoothly, but God has been walking beside you guiding your life every step of the way. That’s your testimony to others who worry about losing something by turning their lives over to God. You’re a living example of how good God really is!

Maybe you have a hidden past you’ve been too embarrassed to talk about, but now is the time to deal with those buried hurts and hang-ups.

Like Pastor Greg and me, God redeems your spiritual revival story by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past, so it doesn’t become their future.

It’s the opportunity to give purpose to a crisis.

God will bring people across your path and the Holy Spirit will prompt you to share, just like He did with me and the ladies in the theater.

Every day you encounter opportunities to share your Jesus Revolution testimony, and every time you tell it, you’ll remember how good God has been to you and offer hope to others!

REVEALING IS THE FIRST STEP TO HEALING.

Your story doesn’t have to have a “happy ending” for you to share it. Someone might need to hear that even though things didn’t go like you hoped, God has been faithful and He will be in their life too.

When people ask me how I’ve made it through life’s difficulties, the best answer is, “I couldn’t have done it without God.” That’s your best answer too. It opens the door to share your story . . . your testimony.

YOUR STORY BECOMES YOUR TESTIMONY WHEN THE FOCUS IS ON GOD, NOT ON YOU.

It’s not a “tell all” and it’s not a time to tell someone else’s story. Stick to details that pertain to you.

Don’t dramatize how bad you were; characterize how good God is!

When anyone tells me about an encounter with God, or a memorable circumstance in his or her life, I always ask if he or she is writing it down because God is going to use it as a life-experience revival testimony.

Pray for God to give you the opportunity to share your testimony often and authentically.

“I would hope people realize that God is still in the business of changing lives. What happened to us some 50 years ago can still happen for people today.” –Greg Laurie

But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. —Ps. 73:28 NLT

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here. I’d love to hear your Jesus revolution story.

March 6, 2023
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What Our Culture Doesn’t Understand about Christ’s Love!

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My first career was as a Registered Dietitian. I went to college for four years at Cal Poly University and then another year of internship at the VA Hospital and UCLA in Santa Monica. I had grandiose visions of being the Florence Nightingale of dietetics! I would devote myself to helping people learn how to experience a healthy nutritional way of life. Maybe even save lives by teaching them how to eliminate foods contributing to their illnesses and replace them with foods that their body needed to heal and stay well. In my altruistic vision, they would be so grateful that I was part of their medical team working to restore their health and help them remain in good health.

Then I went out into the real world of hospital dietetics and my idealistic aspirations met resistance reality. Instead of welcoming my guidance in food restrictions and replacements that could possibly save their life, they would rather take a pill and hope for the best. How could I expect them to sacrifice their favorite foods they “loved,” almost more than life?! They were angry, disgruntled, or dismissed me for even thinking they would make lifestyle changes to give them a better quality of life.

When I tried to engage wives to help their husbands, they also resisted that I was asking them to remove foods he “loved”! I could see in her eyes as she shook her head that she wasn’t about to tackle changing her husband’s diet. It wasn’t worth the battle and often her way of showing love was to make all the foods he loved. I literally watched wives love their husbands to death rather than love them enough to learn how to nutritiously lengthen their lives by changing their diet.

I wasn’t trying to ruin these people’s lives; I was trying to save their lives. I didn’t hate them. I loved my fellow men and women enough to help them fight for their life, often as I watched the same patients return with the same health and diet-related issues.

Eventually, the rejection and frustration became more than I could envision for the rest of my life, and I changed careers. But once a Dietitian, always a Dietitian and I practice good eating habits for my family and myself. I try to get my husband to limit his intake of “junk food” and keep his weight down, not because I hate him, but because I love him!

I want my husband to be healthy and live a long life. There are certain foods I know will harm him. I want him putting into his God-given body foods that will build him up and not tear him down. I’m not always successful in convincing him, but I love him enough to keep trying.

This is exactly the same love that Christ shows to us! He doesn’t tell us to avoid sinful actions and thoughts that will harm us because he hates us; it’s because He loves us! He wants the best for us. God sent His only Son to die on the cross to give us an opportunity to turn from our sinful ways not to revel in them.

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. John 3:16-19 NLT

There’s a false argument that lovers of sin try to use against Christians: “God loves me just like I am.” That’s Satan’s lie. Jesus never said that. Jesus does love everyone, and He accepts us where He finds us, BUT he loves us so much, He doesn’t want to leave us how He found us . . . sinning. Like the woman at the well, He tells us to go and sin no more!

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. Gal. 6:7-8 NLT

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:1-3 NLT

Paul cautioned the church in Corinth:

18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Cor. 6:18-20 NLT

Paul didn’t hate the Corinthians or any of the churches when he told them that homosexuality and sexual immorality was an abomination to God and detrimental to their own bodies. Paul loved them and that’s why he was warning them to repent from their sins.

Peter told those who repented of their sins and asked God’s forgiveness that they would receive the Holy Spirit to help them live a life pleasing to God.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

The World’s Futile Attempt to Redefine “Love”!

Today’s culture has tried to twist the truth into attacks on anyone who doesn’t go along with abortion, LGBQT, sexual immorality, transgenderism, or now the next level of perversion is brainwashing young children into believing God made them wrong and they can be whatever gender they choose.

Liberals or “progressives” try to bully us calling us haters or not good Christians when we don’t agree to their lifestyle choices, but it’s the exact opposite. It’s out of love and wanting people to experience eternity someday and God’s plan for their life while they’re here on earth that we refuse to agree with sin or be pressured into the world’s decadent mold.

Often, they try and use God’s Word against us, especially this verse: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31. What they don’t realize is Christians are experiencing the joy and peace of repenting from our sins and receiving the forgiving love of Jesus in our life and we want it for them too. That’s truly loving your neighbor.

Parents who love their children try to protect them from harm and now the culture is even attacking parents who will not acquiesce to the world’s perversion. Schools used to be a safe and trusted place, now every day we see videos of liberal school boards and teachers trying to confuse and indoctrinate young children with harmful evil beliefs and values.

Parents tell children “No” often as they’re growing up and sometimes the children resist and might even yell, “I hate you.” That’s hard to hear as a parent, but we know it’s a childish reaction when we’re stopping them from doing something harmful or sinful. They may later thank us for loving them enough to protect them from harm or evil.

Parents who are championing or tolerating their children’s waywardness are not helping them. That’s not love, especially when we know it will lead to heartache and maybe even a separation from God. Defending evil just because our children might be indulging in it is the furthest thing from love. As I wrote in Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, we love our children unconditionally, but it doesn’t mean we love everything they do or try to justify wrongful behavior, just because our child is doing it.

God doesn’t rewrite the 10 Commandments when His children break them. He doesn’t change His views on sexual immorality, even when a government wrongfully legalizes it. He doesn’t decide that He made a mistake creating a little girl or a little boy or that He shouldn’t have designed sex and marriage to be between a woman and a man.

No matter how distorted our culture becomes God always stays the same. The Bible is His timeless guide for life until He returns to rescue us because He loves us and wants everyone to be with Him in heaven.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Heb. 13:8

It’s God’s will and His ways that should guide our life and that we should relentlessly defend regardless of those who bully us, call us names, or try to intimidate us. Our response should always be that we didn’t make up how God wants us to live our lives, God did, and He wrote it all down in the Bible.

I was so impressed with the Philadelphia Flyers hockey defenseman Ivan Provorov, who stood firm by his Russian Orthodox faith, and declined to participate in a “gay pride” event where the players wore gay pride jerseys with gay flags wrapped around their hockey sticks. The media went crazy and bullied him, many saying he was “hiding behind his religion.” He wasn’t hiding; he was staying steadfastly true to his beliefs.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov recently infuriated sports journalists when he refused to wear a rainbow jersey for warmups during “Pride Night,” citing his Russian Orthodox faith. “I respect everybody and I respect everybody’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion.”

I wonder how many Christian players succumbed to pressure and chose culture over Christ.

We’ll all have to answer to God for our actions someday and there will be no excuses or any people we acquiesce to now present then to defend us.

Jesus said Christians should be glad when we’re tormented and called names for our beliefs because the world hated Him, and they’ll hate us for being His followers. In today’s world, we should wear it as a badge of honor.

Not agreeing with someone’s sin does not mean we hate them; we love them enough to want them to turn to Jesus and not the world. Those calling us “haters” are actually haters of Jesus.

16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

The World’s Hatred

18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 . . . Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. 25 This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures[a]: ‘They hated me without cause.’ John 15:16-25

I often say that being an evangelist is a lot like being a Dietitian. God does have a sense of humor since He didn’t let me get away from sharing a message that isn’t always popular or appreciated. But now God is asking me to help people have a healthy spiritual life and relationship with Jesus that will lead to eternal life in heaven instead of eternal life in hell. That’s what love does, and that’s what I’ll do as long as I have breath. I hope many of you will join me. The eternal life of someone dear to you could depend on it!

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:12-14 NLT

13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 1 Peter 3:13-15 NLT

You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant. 2 Tim. 4:3-5 The Message

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January 23, 2023
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How to Celebrate a Peaceful Joyful Post-Election Thanksgiving

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A resounding and fervent prayer request from our Bible study group prior to Thanksgiving following an election, went something like this: Please, Lord, help us to be a light on Thanksgiving with the eclectic group of people attending with differing political and faith beliefs.

Whether it was all family, all friends, invited guests . . . or a combination . . . most of us were apprehensive how the day would turn out.

In the fragile aftermath of the recent volatile election, I imagine many of you are having similar concerns and conversations. I remember my mom cautioning that if you want to keep the peace, never talk about religion or politics. As a kid, I never understood that warning. Believers are supposed to tell everyone about Jesus. Since being a Christian is our first identity . . . how could we not talk about our Savior? Isn’t everyone entitled to his or her own spiritual and political opinion?

Then I grew up!

If you follow me, you know I’m bold about my first role in life: being a born-again Christian. All other roles come second. But as I wrote in Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten: “Bold doesn’t mean obnoxious. It simply means not being afraid to speak the truth, even in the face of adversity: ‘Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold’ (2 Cor. 3:12).” For example, if someone asks what I do, I answer, “I’m a Christian author and speaker.” They usually ask what I write, and I say, “Christian living nonfiction.” My response often opens the door for further discussion of the types of books I write and my faith.

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. Philippians 1:20 NLT

So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 2 Timothy 1:8 NLT

Is Thanksgiving a Religious Holiday?

That could be an awkward question in some circles.

I was with a group of people and mentioned how I hoped people would set their differences aside on Thanksgiving Day, and one person said, “It’s just a time for eating a lot of food, watching football, and shopping online anyway.”

Me: “I’m pretty sure the first pilgrims who celebrated Thanksgiving didn’t have TV or Amazon.

Another responded: “Well at least Thanksgiving isn’t a religious holiday.”

I asked: “Who then are we thanking?”

Complete silence.

Of course, the answer is: God.

Abraham Lincoln made it an official national holiday “as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe.”

The English colonists we call Pilgrims celebrated days of thanksgiving as part of their religion. But these were days of prayer, not days of feasting.

Yes, it’s a time of family and friends gathering, but as we sit around the feast together, we can’t thank each other, or aliens, or the “big bang” for giving us life, the sun, the moon, the trees, the ability to grow the food, the earth, the waters, the sky, sweet babies, and all the blessings we enjoy.

We read in Genesis that God spoke everything into being, and yet, many of us will be sharing turkey and dressing with people who don’t believe or discount the existence of God. They don’t know where they’re going when they die, or where everything we enjoy on earth came from . . . and maybe they don’t even care.

They’ll walk out of the room when we pray before the meal and may try and bait us into an argument over who we voted for and why. Or what happened to the expected “Red Wave?” Maybe after a few drinks, their conversation will turn ugly, even though innocent young eyes are watching how the “adults” interact.

My husband and I pray beseeching God to prepare us to be a light in the darkness . . . not to avoid the darkness because that would be the cowards way out . . . but to help us respond as if Jesus was standing behind us speaking through us. You’ve all been in situations where it seemed like Satan was standing behind or speaking through the other person . . . at least I have . . . so how can we have Jesus reflect through us? Granted, the other people might not recognize Jesus . . . but they’ll see there’s something different about us.

Biblical Ways to Have a Peaceful Joyful Thanksgiving

As I prayed and talked to the Lord, here’s a list I came up with. I’d love to hear your ideas too.

Don’t worry what to say. “Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” Mark 13:11 (Jesus was talking to his disciples if they were arrested, but I think it could apply to us too if we felt our faith was being tested or put on trial.)

Speak kind words. “Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” Pr. 16:24 NLT

For your part, maintain peace. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18

Don’t instigate or respond to leading antagonistic discussions. “Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.” Pr. 26:17 NLT

Play with any children present. “We will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.” Ps. 78:4 NLT

Don’t drink. “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 NLT

Smile, Smile, Smile. “Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.” Psalm 42:5 The Message

Listen. “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” Pr. 12:15 NLT

Take a deep breath and think before you speak. “There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.” Pr. 29:20 NLT

Less is more. “The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they?” Ecc. 6:11 NLT— There’s “A time to be quiet and a time to speak.” Ecc. 3:7 NLT

Silently pray in your mind. “Pray continually!” 1 Thess. 5:17

Have a secret sign or word between you and someone else that signals: Let’s change the subject or move into the other room. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” Ecc. 4:9

When you’re Hosting, pray and thank God for each guest. Ask to be a blessing and to share joy. Pray over your home and each chair at the table. Before the meal, pray as you normally would, your guests know they’re coming to a Christian home. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 1 Peter 4:9

If you’re a Guest—As you walk up to the home, pray to be a blessing and that God will stir up the fruit of the Spirit in your heart. If you’re hosts don’t pray before the meal, bow your head and pray over your food as you normally would. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Gal. 5:22-23

Thanksgiving is a day for harmony and focusing on God and giving Him thanks and praise in whatever way He leads. Fiction writers have a saying: “Show don’t tell.” Which simply means, you don’t always have to speak Jesus with your words, you can show Him with your actions and people will want what you have!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4 NLT

Past Thanksgiving Blogs

Here are a few past Thanksgiving blogs you might enjoy reading. I do give thanks for each one of you who have followed me on these Monday Morning Blogs, and I pray you have a joyful, peaceful, and God-filled Thanksgiving Day.

Acquiring Overshadows Thanksgiving

What Are You Most Thankful For?

Love Your Body During the Holidays

I also have a Bible study Face-to-Face with Euodia and Syntyche: From Conflict to Community that discusses many biblical ways to resolve conflict peacefully.

Thanksgiving Tablecloth Idea

In Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I share a way to use your tablecloth as a conversation piece and make memories for generations to come. Here is an excerpt from the book. I hope it gives you some ideas. I’ll be taking our Thankful Tablecloth with us this Thanksgiving to my daughter’s house.

When my breast cancer journey started, I became keenly aware of making memories with my family. At times like that, you think seriously about your mortality and the legacy you want to leave with your loved ones. You appreciate each new day of life. The sun rising every morning is an act of God to celebrate.

 Holidays like Thanksgiving have new meaning. Typically, Thanksgiving is a celebration where family and friends gather for a feast, and everyone says what they’re thankful for in the past year. But after finishing the dishes and putting away the leftovers, how many really remember what everyone said?

The Thanksgiving following my first breast cancer surgery in 2002, I had an idea of a Thankful Tablecloth. I purchased a Thanksgiving themed tablecloth with plenty of white space and a box of wash-resistant colored markers. After Thanksgiving dinner, I brought out the markers and asked everyone—kids included—to find a spot on the tablecloth to write what they were thankful for that year, sign, and date it. We traced handprints for the tiny ones with their name and age.

Today, we have years of thankful messages to read every Thanksgiving and remember the many acts of God’s goodness to us and the people who joined us at the celebration table each year. If we go to someone’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, I ask if I can bring our Thankful Tablecloth and markers.

When I go to be with the Lord, I pray my family will continue bringing out the Thanksgiving Tablecloth as a reminder through the generations of how good God has been to our family and friends.

If you receive this by email, you can leave a comment here.

PS: My plan right now is to take a sabbatical from my Monday Morning Blogs until the New Year so don’t be alarmed if there’s not a blog in your inbox on Mondays until then. Of course, the Lord could always prompt me to write one and surprise you; but if not, I thank all of you for letting me chat with you on Monday Mornings. Dave and I wish each of you a blessed Christmas celebration of our Lord’s birth and a glorious New Year.

November 21, 2022
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When Did Bible-Believing Christians Start Being Labeled “Right Wing”?

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The title of my September AHW Ministries newsletter’s opening article is “Lord, Bring Our Prodigals Home!” I wrote that article because of the recent interest and activity around a book I wrote almost fifteen years ago as a memoir of being a prodigal mom raising a prodigal daughter, Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents. My daughter Kim shares her journey during that time too and each chapter also includes the story of other moms with a prodigal daughter and some of those daughters share their story.

The key to praying for my prodigal I discovered was praying and personalizing Scripture. Praying God’s Word back to Him for my daughter. Instead of just praying my will, I prayed for His will in her life. The back of the book has a section 40 Days of Praying Scripture for Your Daughter and this can also be applied to prodigal sons or grandchildren.

In the past few months, the Lord has brought Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter to my attention in a variety of ways. One of the contributing mothers in the book sent me a praise for her daughter’s return to the Lord and to her family after 10 years of praying. A few days later, another mother emailed me that she had just read the book and it was helping her in communicating with her daughter. Sales on the book have suddenly increased noticeably. A couple who has a podcast, “It’s Not How You Start But How You Finish,” contacted me for an interview on the book, which you can listen to here.

Again, I hope you’ll read the full article in my AHW Ministries newsletter of what God is doing with this book and listen to the podcast because I don’t want to repeat it all here for those of you who already read my newsletter. If you don’t receive my newsletter, you can sign up on my website or let me know and we’ll sign you up.

But here’s what I do want to talk about in this blog. Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter has been out since January 2008, so I hadn’t looked for a long time at the comments on Amazon. I’m not an author that is always checking my reviews because I’m usually on to writing the next book or article, but with all the activity lately, I decided to take a look. God wanted me to see a comment which was right on top.

At first, I chuckled, but then I was sad for the mother. It was the best “worst” review I’d ever had.

The reviewer returned the book, gave me only 1 star, and headed her comment “This book is for the deeply and devoted right wing Christians.” This was startling since it was my first time being referred to as a “right-wing” Christian. I’m always clear that I’m a Bible-believing Christian and in today’s culture that can set you apart because anyone can say they’re a Christian, but fewer and fewer people are connecting Christianity with the Bible and that’s a real travesty.

Here’s the first paragraph of the reader’s comment. I would encourage you to go to the page on Amazon if you want to read the remainder because it makes it even clearer why she thought my book was only for the deeply devout Christian and yet I ask: how can you be a Christian and not be devout?

“I have no judgment for the author or the tone of this book. For Christians who are devoted to God and extreme in their beliefs, this book is for them. My own struggles with my prodigal daughter led me to buy the book with hope to help guide me through my pain. However, the book is not so much about daughters coming home to their family as it is daughters coming home to Jesus. Over and over again, the dilemma was about the prodigal daughter coming back to Jesus and religion.”

I was elated that she got my point in the book that the answer to any prodigal’s life-changing return is first their return to Jesus! But I was deflated that she rejected this truth as too “right wing.” She added the term “religion,” but I talk about a relationship with Jesus NOT a religion.

My Thoughts on Being Called Right-Wing Christians

I don’t receive or acknowledge “right wing” as an acceptable term for Christians. I find it offensive to make it sound like we’re eccentric or on the edge to be extremely in love with Jesus and the inerrant Word of God, the Bible!

I don’t accept “Cultural Christian” or “Progressive Christian” as a description for any Christian because you’re either with the culture or with Christ. There’s no in between. The Bible is clear that we will have to be in the world while we’re alive, but we must not become of the world. Christ came to change the culture and turn people away from sin, not embrace sin as acceptable because it makes them feel good.

Christ came to make us holy NOT happy! What so many don’t understand is that when you let go of the secular culture and grab the hand of Jesus, you will be happy for eternity.

14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. John 17:14-17 NLT

I had a Facebook “conversation” where someone told me God did not create her or the climate. So I asked well then who did? She said that I needed to study biology instead of the Bible, which she referred to as “fantasy.” I said, well one thing the Bible and biology both agree on is that we’re all going to die and I know where I’m going to spend eternity. Do you know where you’re going when you die? The conversation ended.

The Bible tells us this world is but a bleep in the big picture of our life. Attempting to be a Christian who thinks that Jesus died on the Cross so that we could keep on sinning because He loves us so much or that the Bible doesn’t apply to today’s world is left-wing, wrong-wing, believing Satan-infused-demonic wing progressive lies and rationalizations.

Every Christian must make the decision to remain Christ-like and be a Bible-Believer no matter what names they call you. In fact, if someone isn’t calling you a name in today’s culture, you might not be wearing Jesus on your sleeve, and I’m not talking about a t-shirt.

Christians are not left wing or right wing, we’re under Jesus’s wing!

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Ps. 91:4 NLT

In Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, my daughter, Kim, came to the realization that being a Christian cannot be inherited or passed down through your family. Living in a Christian family doesn’t make you a Christian. It educates you and certainly wraps you in Christian love, but choosing Christ as your Lord and Savior is an individual decision only you can make.

Kim wrote about an experience she had in the Bible-based premarital course Dave and I gave her and Toby as an engagement gift, which they didn’t appreciate, but that is where they were both saved!

“Pastor Pete made it clear we couldn’t get to heaven on our parents’ faith—something I had been counting on—it had to be our own personal decision and relationships with Christ. That really got us thinking. I know that because we committed our lives to Christ, God has blessed our marriage.”

You’re either Holy Spirit-filled, or you’re not. I think God is putting the pressure on currently for the true Bible-believing Christians to step forward. The words I wrote in Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, still ring true today because they were based on the premise that Jesus is the Only way, a truth that never changes.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Phil. 1:9-11

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Note: Dave and I saw the movie SuperSpreader about worship leader Sean Feucht’s journey in starting the ministry Let Us Worship during a time when Covid was closing churches and not allowing people to sing in church. A powerful movie only in theaters until 10/6 so I hope you’ll find out where it’s playing in your area. Sean lives out Isaiah 6:8

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

I said, “Here I am. Send me.” (NLT)

My book Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter is also available on my website signed and personalized.

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

I apologize if you receive an email of this blog twice, but we’re having problems with MailChimp our delivery mechanism and it didn’t send out the blog to the majority of our mailing list the day it posted so we’re reposting it again.

October 3, 2022
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“God Made the Decision!”

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14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. 1 John 5:14-15

Each Monday morning in early June, I anxiously searched to see if this would be the Monday SCOTUS released their decision on the Mississippi Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that could overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. But even after the unprecedented leak of Justice Alito’s preliminary opinion leading to the illegal intimidation and protesting at the personal homes of the Constitutionalist Justices, they stayed silent on their final decision. The Democrats in their now typical two-sided justice refused to call out the violence against churches, prolife and pregnancy centers, and even the attempted assassination of Justice Kavanaugh. The biased Attorney General did nothing to stop the illegal invasion of the SCOTUS’ neighborhoods. Yet still SCOTUS did not reveal their decision.

Thursday night, June 23, our church Couples Small Group met at our home for a time of food, fellowship, and prayer. As we prayed, one of our sweet ladies asked me to pray for the upcoming abortion ruling. As I prayed, I felt the Holy Spirit taking over and the words weren’t my words but His. I prayed for God’s will to be done on earth and especially for protection for the justices and their families, but also for them to do their job boldly, bravely, legally. Not to be intimidated or influenced to vote any differently than their conscience and the Constitution guided them.

Then, Friday morning, June 24th it felt like Christmas when I saw the news flash that the Supreme Court had ruled to remove abortion as a federal issue, in essence nullifying and reversing Roe v. Wade which had justified the killing of over 63 million babies for 49 years! Many of us wondered if we would ever see our prayers answered in our lifetime, and yet here it was happening. Just as I had prayed the previous night, Justice Alito wrote,

“We do not pretend to know how our political system or society will respond to today’s decision overruling Roe and Casey. And even if we could foresee what will happen, we would have no authority to let that knowledge influence our decision. We can only do our job, which is to interpret the law, apply longstanding principles of stare decisis, and decide this case accordingly. We therefore hold that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. Roe and Casey must be overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives.”

Which means, now the battle for the lives of innocent precious babies will be fought in each of the 50 states. Thirteen states already have trigger laws just waiting for this decision to ban abortion and other states are also working on variations of banning, but blue states are digging in with even more liberal abortion rights laws with California becoming a “sanctuary abortion” state for death to unwanted or inconvenient souls!

I hope you’ll take time to read the 10 Key Quotes From Justice Alito’s Opinion Overturning Roe v. Wade!

We all know that this long-awaited decision and righting of a horrific wrong, was the result of Donald J. Trump choosing three Justices that believe in adhering to the Constitution, which sadly seems to only be a conservative position as the liberal dissenting Justices want to bypass the Constitution, ignore it, or make their own rules.

The majority Justices were clear that their decision was not motivated by politics but instead adherence to our ruling document the Constitution. As Justice Alito said, “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”

“Our opinion is not based on any view about if and when prenatal life is entitled to any of the rights enjoyed after birth. The dissent, by contrast, would impose on the people a particular theory about when the rights of personhood begin. According to the dissent, the Constitution requires the States to regard a fetus as lacking even the most basic human right—to live—at least until an arbitrary point in a pregnancy has passed. Nothing in the Constitution or in our Nation’s legal traditions authorizes the Court to adopt that ‘theory of life.'”

“Roe found that the Constitution implicitly conferred a right to obtain an abortion, but it failed to ground its decision in text, history, or precedent. It relied on an erroneous historical narrative; it devoted great attention to and presumably relied on matters that have no bearing on the meaning of the Constitution; it disregarded the fundamental difference between the precedents on which it relied and the question before the Court; it concocted an elaborate set of rules, with different restrictions for each trimester of pregnancy, but it did not explain how this veritable code could be teased out of anything in the Constitution, the history of abortion laws, prior precedent, or any other cited source; and its most important rule (that States cannot protect fetal life prior to ‘viability’) was never raised by any Opinion of the Court party and has never been plausibly explained.”

“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision,” Alito wrote.

In other words, there is NOTHING written or implied in the Constitution that gives anyone the “right” to abort or kill their unborn child. Killing babies should never be considered a “right,” morally or legally, but that’s what pro-death advocates are demanding, and it will now become their mantra as abortion is decided by the states.

Let’s be clear: overturning Roe saves the lives of human beings! Democrat and Republican babies, liberal and conservative babies, white black brown ALL babies!! This should not be a political issue. It’s actually not even simply a spiritual or strictly “Christian” issue as so many try to label it. It is a fundamental, biological, proven scientific fact that sex between a man and woman is how babies are created and we can now watch and hear them develop.

“Choice” begins with the choice to have sex. Sexual freedom to create life shouldn’t mean legal freedom to kill that inconvenient or unwanted life! Period. Looking at an ultrasound of a squirmy baby forming in the womb, how could anyone vote to approve the barbaric poisoning or dismembering of that child?

The history of the demented shooter in the horrific murder of those precious children in Uvalde was that he carried around bags of dead animals he killed, and that was a clue to his mental instability. Yet abortion clinics can have trash bags outside their clinics of dead human babies they kill and that’s considered normal!

This demonic demented torturous slaughter of children, even up to and after birth, is what the pro-abortion pro-death abortion-on-demand politicians, advocates, activists, and extremists are screaming should be legal. Demented people who intentionally kill pregnant animals can be prosecuted, but many feel that humans should be able to legally kill their own children in their mother’s bellies with no consequences?!

Demonic, deceived, evil is what I see in the face of a President and House Speaker who profess to be “very Catholic,” whatever that means, but vow to find a way to continue infanticide. It’s a sick disease of the soul. They’ve sold their soul for political power, and like everyone, they’ll answer to God for their choices.

I always hope a reporter will ask Pelosi which one of her children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren she wishes she didn’t have when she gives her ludicrous speeches about women needing to eliminate their own children. She often mentions she should know how they feel because she had five children in six years. So is she saying she wishes she could’ve aborted one or more? Instead of using her platform to encourage women that you can still fulfill your dreams, as she did even as a mother of five, she maintains that women must have the “right” to kill their children. Yes, that’s demonic and deranged.

Whether you love or hate President Trump, when asked if he played a role in the SCOTUS decision, he responded, “God made the decision!” I would add that God made the decision to let him be President #45 at a very decisive time in the history of our country. And God made a decision to let the world see the evil festering in the Democrat party when He let Biden steal the election. The country had to see what the left does when they don’t get their evil way and I pray that Christian Conservative Republican candidates will run the board red in November. Elections have consequences and we’re watching the results right now.

Let’s stop complaining and start campaigning for the next generation of Conservative politicians to take back our country for God, family, and patriotism. The  SCOTUS ruling has showed us it can be done! Even if you’re in a so-called “blue state” don’t give up. The battle has just taken on a new dimension.

I share with you parts of a commentary from Dr. Robert Jeffress. Please go to the link at the end to read in its entirety.
“It is a resounding victory for millions of yet-to-be-born children who will now get to live out their God-ordained lives… Those who value life cannot afford to become weary in well-doing. The overturn of Roe is also an affirmation of the right and responsibility of Christians to get involved in the political process. There is only one reason Roe was overturned: in 2016, conservative Christians worked together to elect Donald Trump, and President Trump kept his promise to appoint pro-life justices to the Supreme Court. Had Hillary Clinton been elected—as some Christians hoped would happen—Roe would still be the law of the land today.

“This week’s historic ruling is a reminder that elections have consequences. Elected leaders determine policies that can influence the moral and spiritual direction of a country. In the 1940s, German Christians (with only a few exceptions) remained silent as Adolf Hitler rose to power and murdered six million Jewish people. Thankfully, Christians in our country have refused to remain silent about the holocaust of unborn children. Together, they effected a leadership change that in turn resulted in a policy change that will save millions of lives.” Commentary on Dobbs Supreme Court Ruling from Dr. Robert Jeffress – Pathway to Victory (ptv.org)

My Faith Votes reminds us that when a pregnant woman visits a Pregnancy Resource Center, she’s often given a gift of baby items. A simple pack of diapers can humanize the fact that a baby is growing in her womb. Imagine if we each took action in our community with this one simple step! Please join us by pledging, right now, to show care and compassion to these mothers in need…we’ll even help you find the Pregnancy Resource Center closest to you.

Our Family Choice for Life Story

Lest you think I’m writing on this topic without knowing personally the difference the life and death of an unborn baby can make to a family, let me bring home to you how giving life to a child influences generations to come in a family.

I have the blessing of almost thirty years married to my godly husband Dave because his mother Barbara’s birthmother chose life for her, and she was adopted. Barbara married Al and my husband Dave was born and he fathered three children, who gave birth to eight grandchildren because their grandmother Barbara was given life.

My daughter Kim’s grandmother, Jean, on her dad’s side was adopted, and because Jean’s birthmother chose to give her life, Jean gave birth to Kim’s dad, my first husband, and we had my precious daughter Kim.

Kim and her husband have three children. They adopted their first child Brandon at two weeks. His Hispanic birthmother was only 15 and Brandon was her second child she bravely chose to carry. Because of her choice to give Brandon life, we have a handsome 17-year-old grandson who has worked since he was 15, while remaining a straight A brilliant student in school and just bought his first car. Brandon is who I thought about as tears flowed reading the SCOTUS decision honoring the sanctity of life. I can’t imagine our family without him. He is such a blessing and loved so dearly.

How many other Barbara’s, Jean’s, and Brandon’s  didn’t get the opportunity to experience life and be a part of a family generational tree because their birthmothers walked into a Planned Parenthood clinic? Thank you Jesus that more of the children You create in their mother’s womb will now have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” Psalm 139:13-14 

PS You can read more of our family’s adoption story in Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby? A Companion Guide for Couples on the Infertility Journey.

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June 27, 2022
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How Do We Love Those Who Reject God and His Ways?

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“Loving people unconditionally is not the equivalent of affirming their life choices at the expense of biblical truth.”

The above quote was a post on Facebook by my friend Susan Reinhardt. I was browsing through posts while praying for the Lord to reveal what to write about this week when I came across Susan’s post and realized this was a theme the Lord had been giving me all week.

Since the leak of the SCOTUS draft opinion by Justice Alito on the unconstitutionality of Roe v Wade and stating that abortion legislation should be decided in the states not at the Federal level, we’ve all watched the screaming, yelling, vulgar signs, and vile words of the Pro-Abortion activists taking to the streets. Pro-death protests that women should be able to kill their own children have occurred nationwide, many involving violence. Protesters have targeted the homes of conservative Supreme Court justices, vandals have targeted at least five pro-life crisis pregnancy centers across the U.S., and Catholic churches have been threatened and vandalized.

Sometimes, the protestors admit to being Satanists, but Satan is rejoicing with all the protests. I’m sure many of the protestors are women who’ve had abortions and are seeking affirmation to alleviate their guilt. Then there are those who are just following the crowd or it’s something they were told was a woman’s right and they’ve never even considered that there’s another person involved with rights, the innocent baby. Or they haven’t read or heard details of the torture and gruesome realities of abortion.

You hear some of these activists interviewed and they’ve been force-fed by the media, Planned Parenthood, liberals, Elites, and Democrats that even though science proves there’s a living feeling moving human baby waiting to be born, they’ve believed the lie that it’s not really a fellow human being until its first breath. Lies! Lies! lies!!!

Satan is the father of lies and deception and without the Holy Spirit to help discern the truth, lies can seem believable. Just like Eve was deceived in the garden by the serpent Satan who had her doubting and questioning, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Gen. 3:1

 I’ll admit when I saw the angry, illiterate, disgusting words and signs of the protestors, I was appalled, repulsed, and angry. I’m sure many of you are too. Then I saw a sign one young woman was holding, “I wish my mother had aborted me!” The only emotion I felt was sadness for her. What little self-worth does someone possess who would rather they were never born so she’s championing that no child should have the right to life.

I realize that most of the protestors do not want to have a rational conversation, but that young woman was crying out for help. Was anyone listening? She needed someone to tell her there’s a God who created her with a purpose for her life and He wanted her to be born.

My mother once said to me, if she had known all the illnesses she was going to have in her lifetime and might pass on to her children, she wished she had never had me! I’ve never forgotten her words and I can’t imagine that I wouldn’t have had a chance to live the life I’ve enjoyed or accomplished what the Lord had planned for me, especially to be known and loved by Him. That poor girl holding the “I wish I hadn’t been born sign” needs to know she is loved by God.

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 2 Tim. 2:24 NLT

Our Battle is Not Against the Protesters or Pro-Death Advocates!

I heard a woman who leads a pro-life organization interviewed and it was pointed out to her how the pro-life groups are the exact opposite of the pro-abortion groups. Pro-life groups are typically smiling, praying, singing, holding life-affirming signs, and trying to have rational conversations with those who oppose them. When asked how she tries to combat the pro-abortion groups, she said many of them don’t really understand the barbaric torture of abortion and I wish we could just have open discussion with them. But most of the time that’s impossible. They just want to scream and not listen.

You may have seen last week during a Congressional hearing when a young pro-abortion activist said she believed that yes men can get pregnant!! It was hard not to just laugh at the absurdity of her belief, but it begs the questions: What did she not learn in biology? Where did she receive her brainwashing? Is she mentally ill or mentally incompetent? Could she give an example of that ever happening in history? Satan smiles at her illiterate response and God cries.

In the same hearing, a Planned Parenthood doctor wouldn’t answer if she had seen or removed baby body parts during abortion. Even she couldn’t verbalize the horror of what she does as a “doctor” while killing a baby in the womb. A doctor that took an oath to save life works for an organization whose sole purpose is murder under the false pretense of “healthcare.”

The Democrat led White House is already preparing for the nationwide violence they expect from their radical constituents when the Roe v Wade ruling is announced. Instead of telling their people not to riot or take violent actions and to be sure their protests are legal and peaceful, they’re expecting violence because that’s what the liberal left, progressives, and Elites do when they don’t get their way.

The woman leading the pro-life organization understood the evil one has deceived these people. Paul clearly tells us in Ephesians 6:10-13 who the real enemy is and how to combat him!

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

As Christians, What Should We Do for These Lost Souls?

Satan is blinding people to the truth and he’s unwilling to let the captives go. Even some news commentators have mentioned that the opposition we’re watching by the pro-abortion advocates and government officials seems like a spiritual battle. They can’t deny what their eyes are seeing.

Our job as Christians is to pray that the truth would set the captives free from this satanic woke cult that has invaded their heart, mind, and soul and replaced their sense of reason, common sense, and morality! I know that’s hard to do when they can be so belligerent and their actions are so detestable, but they’re lost and destined to eternal damnation. As my pastor says, they are our mission field. When we think of it that way, I don’t know about you, instead of feeling angry, I feel sorrow and even compassion for them. They are who Jesus came to save not cast aside as hopeless!

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10

Many people have the false belief that because Christians are to display Christ’s love, we cannot call out people’s sin. But that makes no sense. How will they ever be convicted that their actions are wrong if someone doesn’t help them see the truth? Jesus did not agree with sin. He went to the cross to provide forgiveness for sin, but the sinner has to acknowledge their sin and repent, and then they can receive forgiveness and be blessed with eternal salvation. That’s the Truth and Good News of the gospel and there is no shortcut.

3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 2 Cor. 4:3-4 NLT

It’s easy to love those who think like we do and agree with us, but it’s challenging to love our enemies or those who don’t believe like us. We are living in times when the spiritual battle between good and evil is prevalent and evident. As Christians, we must stand up for good and abhor evil. We don’t go along with evil to get along. We don’t accept evil so as not to make waves, even when it’s happening within our own family. We stand up for truth and morality always! We keep showing the love of Christ while not condemning but not condoning.

I share being in this exact situation in my book Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help, & Encouragement for Hurting Parents. My daughter never doubted my love for her, but she also knew that I didn’t agree with her actions at the time. They weren’t ok just because she was my daughter. I prayed daily for her for six years, never agreeing with her sinful choices but always loving her with a mother’s unconditional love and one day she accepted Christ as her Savior. Today, she’s a godly wife and mother.

I know many of you are in a similar situation right now. You have a loved one who is making bad choices. You still want a relationship with them but you don’t know how to do this without agreeing with the way they’re living. My advice to you is don’t change or waiver from your beliefs and truths. You stay consistent in living biblically but you show kindness, compassion, and love rather than condemnation. Keep communication open. Keep praying. Keep loving. Keep close to Jesus. Don’t waiver in your faith or beliefs, but don’t stop loving.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Eph. 4:15

 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good! Romans 12:9 NLT

To learn more about the Purple Sash Revolution.

To read my recent post on abortion There’s Hope for America Breaking Free from Demonic Paganism!

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Since next Monday is a holiday, there won’t be a Monday Morning Blog but God willing, I’ll be back June 6th! Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend.

May 23, 2022
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God Is Up to Something Big!

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I’m back! For those of you who follow my Monday Morning Blog, I announced at the beginning of March that I would be taking a brief sabbatical while my hubby had his second knee replacement surgery. I know some of you have been praying for us and we’re so grateful for all the prayers and the help we received from family, our church family, and friends.

It’s a difficult surgery, as any of you who’ve experienced it knows; you practically need to learn to walk again with a new prosthetic knee. I’m happy to report that Dave’s doing well, progressing with physical therapy, and diligently doing his exercises and recumbent bike riding at home.

So much has been taking place in the world, it’s been hard for me not to chime in, but I’ve been in a season of caregiving for hubby and praying for our country’s leaders who are being led by the devil and not by the Lord!!

Your Testimony is Your Best Witness

On April 24, I celebrated a milestone moment in my own testimony. I want to share a bit of it with you here to confirm what God can and will do for anyone who truly surrenders his or her life to God.

In the summer of 1992, I rededicated my life to the Lord at a Harvest Crusade led by Pastor Greg Laurie at the then Anaheim Stadium, in Anaheim California. I’d been a Christian since I was eleven but backslid horribly in my thirties and early forties as a single parent for seventeen years. At that life-altering crusade, Pastor Laurie asked, “Are you ready to die tonight?”

I knew I wasn’t and when he gave the invitation for those who wanted to give their life to Christ or rededicate their life I joined hundreds down on the stadium field. I told the Lord, “This prodigal is returning to you completely. I surrender all of my life to you Lord. No turning back!” I had no idea how seriously the Lord would take my words, or what would be ahead of me, but I was ready to follow Jesus with my entire life, heart, and soul.

On December 19,1992, just a few months after the Harvest Crusade, I married my godly husband Dave, who I had just broken up with prior to the Crusade; but I heard the Lord say to me that night, “You asked for a godly man and I gave him to you, now rededicate yourself to him too!”

When we’d only been married a year and I still had a fulltime career, I started attending Fuller Theological Seminary obtaining a Masters of Arts in Christian Leadership, with an emphasis on equipping the laity. Within three years after I rededicated my life to Christ, I left my business career and started the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry, which is still a vibrant biblically based ministry in many churches today and new churches are continually starting the ministry with the resources I wrote twenty-five years ago!

Five years after the Harvest Crusade, I began a writing ministry and speaking ministry, “About His Work Ministries. I had NEVER written a book before, but God has since used me to write twenty-one books and Bible studies for His glory!

So when I heard that Greg Laurie was bringing Harvest Crusade to Boise, fairly near where we now live in Idaho, that was exciting. The first attempt at the Boise Crusade was in 2020 but it was canceled because of Covid. Now in April 2022 Pastor Greg and Harvest Crusade was coming to Boise!

As I reminisced about my first Harvest Crusade in 1992, I realized that Dave and I would be celebrating our thirtieth anniversary this December so the 2022 Harvest Crusade in Boise would also be my 30-year anniversary of rededicating my life to Jesus. I knew I had to attend. Dave wasn’t up to it yet, but our church was taking a bus since we’re about 1 ½ hours from the Crusade, so I took the bus and met my daughter and son-in-law there.

I wasn’t disappointed. I was encouraged and inspired yet again! When Greg came to the point in the program that touched my heart 30 years ago where he invited people who wanted to make Jesus their Lord and Savior, people were up out of their seats and flooding the auditorium floor. There were so many people coming down the second night, the fire marshal had them stop coming but they stood in the aisles. Here are the glorious responses from that weekend. Praise God revival is happening in Boise and I got to see it firsthand.

God is Springing Up Revival Throughout Our Country!

On the Thursday and Friday nights prior to the Saturday and Sunday Boise Crusade, Flashpoint Live held an event at the Mabee Center in Tulsa Oklahoma. If you’re not familiar with Flashpoint on the Victory channel on Tuesday and Thursday nights, here’s a link to check it out. Dave and I watch this program to get a Christian perspective on today’s news and to give us hope when it feels like our country is hopeless.

But the point I want to make is that Flashpoint experienced the same overflow of attendance of 10,000 people and 1650 responding to make a first-time decision or recommitment for a Christ-centered life. Again, just like in Boise, the stands started emptying as people poured down to the floor, which became so full some had to remain standing in the aisles.

Two seemingly unrelated events and yet so related in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

People are hungry for something to provide peace and purpose in their life as we watch the world crumble all around us. Only Jesus has that power! Only Jesus has the answers! Not the government flailing in the dark as they become more and more the minions of the Devil. Their evil deeds are unveiled daily, but never fear. God sees it all and will react at the perfect time.

Our job is to continue sharing the light of the Gospel by telling whoever will listen what God has done in our own life. You don’t have to be an evangelist like Greg Laurie or Mario Murillo or Franklin Graham. You just need to live boldly and bravely for Christ in all your actions, deeds, and words.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Matt. 9:37

I love this quote from Mario Murillo in his blog To Save Freedom: “You are constantly hearing the religious empty suits telling you to stay out of the political arena. But if we lose freedom, you will rue the day that you ever listened to their fake morality. You are not a “Christian Nationalist.” You are a sincere Christian who opposes evil, no matter what camouflage it wears or how it rebrands itself.”

So when was the last time you shared your testimony, or what God is doing in your life now, with someone who needs encouragement and hope? Maybe you need to remember it for your own encouragement! Let’s join God in taking revival to the nation!

Billy Graham said in his book Till Armageddon, “The will of God will never take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us!”

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. Psalm 112:4

You can read more of my story of being a prodigal raising a prodigal in my book Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents.

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May 2, 2022
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