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Christians Should NEVER Validate an Evil Political Platform!

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I struggled with what to write about the day before an election that could change the trajectory of our nation. How we experience the American way of life. How we practice our Christian faith.

This is not an election about whether you like a candidate’s personality or communication style; it truly is a choice between good and evil.

Many will challenge that statement so let me explain.

Biden has been saying that he will unite the nation, but there is nothing in his platform that Bible-believing, Jesus-following Christians could unite with or validate.

The Bible is clear in The Message translation of 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way:

“I’ll live in them, move into them;
    I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people.
So leave the corruption and compromise;
    leave it for good,” says God.

God could not be more adamant that His people don’t vote for a political party that champions evil and removes God from their platform!

He warned the Israelites when they went into the Promised Land not to partner with pagans, but they didn’t listen to Him and there’s been a battle between people who walk in the light and those on the dark side ever since.

They are corrupt and not his children;
    to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation.
6 Is this the way you repay the Lord,
    you foolish and unwise people?
Is he not your Father, your Creator,[a]
    who made you and formed you? Deut. 32:5-6

Our country was founded on Judeo Christian values that both parties agreed to in the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. God’s principles were central to those two documents that form the basis for our government and laws. At least they should!

But the Democrat party wants to remove God and His moral principles and values from the public square, from their convention platform, and in some cases even the Pledge of Allegiance. While incredulously Biden’s campaign slogan is “a battle for the soul of the nation!”

He’s got that part right, we are in a battle but it’s a spiritual battle and only God, not a godless political party, can put the soul back in America and possibly unite us again!

Here are just a few areas that this election highlights to Christians on how we should use our voting power to vote our values for the Presidency, the Senate, and the Congress, as well as local officials.

Christians can NEVER Unite with a Murder-Driven Platform that Denies the Sanctity of Life!

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Ps. 139:13

The most profound moral division between the Democrat and Republican platforms is on abortion— the spilling of innocent blood in murdering, yes murdering, millions upon millions of precious babies created by God in their mother’s womb, who never had a chance at life.

Abortion is cherished by the Democrat Party in the name of arrogance, pride, and moral decay. They are in rebellion against God’s commands that sex is for the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. Proponents of abortion encourage sexual promiscuity without responsibility.

The opposite of pro-life is pro-choice of having sex without consequences.

The opposite of pro-life is pro-death when a life is not convenient.

Science, as well as God, tells us that sex results in possible conception of a child.

Democrats promote sex without consequences. Their solution is genocide that allows the ripping apart, poisoning, or burning in the womb of a viable child who feels pain. Even extending this barbaric torture up to and after delivery.

They expect every taxpayer to subsidize this horrific and savage practice of the shedding of innocent blood that has brought a curse upon America. How could it not? Abortion does have consequences.

Planned Parenthood is the primary baby murdering organization and they refuse to compromise with ways to reduce the number of abortions they preform because abortions are their primary business and source of revenue! Democrats will restore funding removed by the Trump Administration to Planned Parenthood, which is why PP is a huge financial donor to the Biden campaign with money made from the destruction of babies!

Biden, who professes himself a “faithful Catholic,” now endorses abortion in his platform. He will repeal the Hyde Amendment and continue to defeat born-alive protection bills! While he touts restoring the soul of America, He has sold his own soul to the evil partyline.

If you’re a Christian considering voting for the Democrats, knowing their stance on taking the life of a baby God created in His image, I challenge you to find justification for the sin of abortion in the Bible.

If you’ve had an abortion, voting for it won’t remove your guilt but Jesus is waiting for you to ask for forgiveness and repentance and He offers you grace and mercy, which brings the peace your heart desires.

Abortion: A Crime of Passion

Babies Lives Are Important, But . . .

Christians can Never Unite with “Gender Fluidity”!

“On his first day in office, Biden will reinstate the Obama-Biden guidance revoked by the Trump-Pence administration, which will restore transgender students’ access to sports, bathrooms and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity. . . . Biden will ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals have full access to all appropriate health care treatments and resources. This includes covering care related to transitioning.”—Biden campaign website

The Democrats who contend we should always “follow the science,” reject the science of biology that God created every human male and female.

Christians can Never Unite with a Political Party that Restricts Religious Liberty!

Democrat run states have kept their churches closed and inflicted penalties and fines on churches allowing their congregants to worship together. President Trump has repeatedly said churches are essential and should open now.

Obama/Biden lit up the White House in gay pride colors and if the Democrats are in power, they could prevent pastors from preaching the sins listed in Acts chapter 1. They have already shown hostility to religious freedom in running your business according to your faith beliefs as in the cases of Christian florists, bakers, and photographers who choose to not serve at gay marriages. Under the Trump Administration, their faith rights have been protected but they were persecuted under Obama/Biden.

Biden promises to make the misleadingly named Equality Act a top priority in his first 100 days. This federal legislation makes sexual orientation and gender identity protected civil rights, with no protections for religious organizations or people of faith who hold orthodox beliefs on sexuality as taught by Judaism and Christianity. It would also gut the landmark Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The Equality Act treats churches, businesses, adoption agencies and medical professionals as discriminators if they operate based on their belief that humans are created male and female and sex is between a man and a woman.

Biden plans to reverse all of President Trump’s actions to protect religious freedom.

Christians can NEVER Unite with a Socialist/Communist/Marxist Agenda!

We’ve watched the Democrats, including Biden/Harris, stay silent while ANTIFA and BLM riot in the streets looting, burning, and destroying innocent business owner’s livelihoods! They don’t condemn what they refer to as “peaceful protests” while cities are destroyed.

They talk about the police being the enemy and reimagining the police, whatever that means.

The mainstream media supports the liberal agenda and feeds the people propaganda! Yes, just like in Communist countries. Often the networks all repeat the same identical mantra! That’s Communism!

Big Tech, which I wrote about in last week’s blog, censors conservatives while spreading liberal lies and talking points.

We see the “tyrant” governors and mayors in Democrat run states during Covid, but what would it look like if they were in charge of the entire country?! You might be able to leave California or New York now, but where would you go if the long arm of socialism and liberalism could reach you wherever you lived in this country?

We are one nation under God not under a liberal Socialist government!

The attack by socialism and communism on the status quo is a call to our consciences — those of us who consider ourselves Christians. This call warns us more strongly than any sermon that our task is to live in protest against everything that opposes God in this world. So poorly have we Christians filled this role that the question must be asked: Are we Christians at all? (Eberhard Arnold) The Intersection of the Gospel, Culture, and Politics

The Two Candidates

If I haven’t offended you too much and you’ve read this far, you may still have an argument about the character of the candidates so let me briefly discuss that too.

Biden is a corrupt politician. He had to back out of several previous attempts at the presidency because of his blatant lies, fantasized life stories, and plagiarism that were investigated by real journalists who exposed him.

He still tells the same lies and untruths, but as I said earlier, today’s propaganda media covers for him. For example, the recent discovery that he lied about having interaction with his son Hunter’s business dealings with foreign countries, and may have profited from them even while in office as VP, has only appeared on FOX and NEWSMAX. Silence on all the other networks.

The Democrats have vowed to increase the number of justices to pack the Supreme Court with liberal judges if they win the Senate and Presidency. A “liberal” Supreme Court removed prayer from the schools, made Roe v Wade the law of the land, and went against the vote of the people to legalize gay marriage.

President Trump has his character flaws, as has every past and future President. But it’s never mentioned that Trump has asked for forgiveness for his past discretions in his personal life. Christians should grant grace to a man who acknowledges his wrongs.

It’s amazing how many Christians want to continually go back to things he did and said years ago, ignoring the person he has become in the past four years and the good he’s done and the promises he’s fulfilled for our country, and Christians in particular. In his first term, he has put three conservative justices on the Supreme Court and hundreds of federal judges.

President Trump definitely has room to improve. Even his wife doesn’t agree with some of his tweets, but unlike corrupt politicians who just tell you what you want to hear, as his family attests, you always know what he’s thinking.

President Trump made his money before becoming president and walked away from a good life because as a patriot, he saw the downward slide of America. He doesn’t take a salary as President but donates it. Unlike Biden, who has become rich as a politician!

I believe God put it on Trump’s heart to leave the comfortable life he had and step into the lion’s den of Washington where he has been unmercifully spied on, plotted against, resisted, hated, lied about, and even impeached.

God is using this unlikely man to unveil the evil and corruption in our government and the underground world. I pray he has four more years because the work isn’t finished yet.

Many people think that Jesus came to Earth to unite the world, but He actually came as a divider to separate those who would follow Him and His ways at any cost from those who might follow Him in name only or those who chose a secular life. Divide, not unite, those who chose the world over His ways.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[a]

37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Matt. 10:34-38

Sadly, many deceived “Christian” leaders have tried to meld Christianity’s truths with secular culture’s fallen mind-set and morals.

Christians are to infiltrate and influence the secular world but never let the world’s ways invade the church or their personal lives.

We don’t unite with evil, we fight evil.

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. 5:20

God does not compromise or condone evil and neither should we, His people.

If you’re a Christian voting for Biden/Harris, I would ask you to prayerfully consider why you would choose the Democrat’s evil policies and plans that will affect our country for future generations as they vow to eradicate generations that will never get to take their first breath.

If you know a Christian voting for the Democrat platform, please prayerfully send them this article.

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. Proverbs 29:2 ESV

A closing note from Pastor Bill Johnson a fifth-generation pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California, author of Born for Significance, and speaker on revival and the Holy Spirit, who wrote an op-ed for The Christian Post on why he voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and will again in 2020. In it he says,

“For me it is worthy of note that I’ve never seen a president who loved prayer as much as Donald Trump — and that includes from those I voted for and those I didn’t, . . . His passion for godly counsel is also legendary. His historic actions for Israel should appeal to believers, as the biblical mandate to pray supportively for Jerusalem is a clear priority in scripture.”

If you haven’t voted already, please pray and let God lead you to vote your faith values for President, Senators, Congress, local candidates, and our country.

God Bless America!

November 2, 2020
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Have We Willingly Forfeited Our Privacy and Freedom to Big Tech?

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I remember well attending a writer’s conference with a friend in the mid-nineties and the speaker said he would periodically check his email to take a break from writing.

I naively asked my friend, “Why does anyone need email? Who has time to sit and read it?”

She looked at me incredulously and said something to the effect that once you have it, you’ll love it.

She was instrumental in helping me set up my first email account and then sent me emails nonstop. At first, I looked at them as an intrusion in my life. This was before IPhones and my computer was upstairs so it wasn’t convenient or important for me to run up and down the stairs to see if anyone had sent an email.

My friend and I used to talk a lot on the phone or in person, but then our mode of communication became almost exclusively email. I also learned that our words could be misconstrued and misunderstood on the computer screen and our first disagreement came via an email message.

Next, came Facebook which again seemed like a major intrusion in my life but when my daughter moved from California to Idaho and she set up a Facebook account, we became “Facebook friends” so I could see what was going on with her and the young grandchildren.

And hey, it was free as opposed to long-distance phone calls, even though I still preferred hearing her voice and seeing the hard copy pictures she sent in the mail.

Soon, I was Facebook friends with many people I recognized and many I didn’t! It was a fun way to stay in contact and connected. But again, it meant climbing the stairs and sitting at the computer a big chunk of time.

Later, as my writing and speaking ministry was flourishing, I attended another writer’s conference where I took a workshop on how to use “Twitter.” That seemed much more complicated and had a number of steps to actually set it up and use effectively. Maybe I’d work on it later.

I progressed to a Blackberry and a laptop so I no longer had to climb the stairs to my office to engage in email and social media. It was accessible 24/7!

Book publishers expected authors to have a social media presence and it was advantageous to have numerous followers.

Social media began to consume a big part of my waking hours.

I long sometimes for the days when I asked my friend, “Who has time for this?”

We’ve Lost Our Privacy

Like many of you, I’ve begun to see social media acting like Big Brother. If I Google or look on a website for an item, I suddenly see ads for it popping up on Facebook. It almost seems that if I even just say I might need something, ads appear for it.

Just yesterday, I was talking face-to-face with someone in the privacy of my home asking about carpet cleaners in our area. Last night, while scrolling through Facebook, there was an advertisement for a local carpet cleaner!!

Coincidence or is Facebook somehow listening to my conversations if my IPhone is near?!

No, we don’t have Alexa. I’ve read Alexa does listen in on conversations in your home.

Years ago, my daughter told me, “Mom, just Google anything you want to know. It’s all there.”

She’s right and actually it’s quite helpful when I’m doing research for a book, even if I’m looking for a Scripture on a topic.

But there’s a downside to all this “free” technology that we’ve ignored.

Big Tech knows way too much about us and we’ve let them.

Big Tech knows where we are, where we live, where we go, what we buy, and maybe what we say and think.

Big Tech has all generations addicted to electronic devices, which have become a necessity rather than a luxury. We’re hooked!

And we’ve ignored Big Tech’s personal invasion into our lives.

Now Big Tech has us just where they want us so they can control what we see, read, and think.

We’ve Lost Our Freedom of Speech

There is no question that Facebook, Twitter, and Google are biased and loyal to the liberal left. Their goal in this election, and universally, is to squelch and censor any communication that does not fit the Democrat and liberal talking points and agenda.

Our President, his campaign, the White House, conservatives, Republicans, and Christians are having their social media accounts censored, locked, and closed, including by YouTube owned by Google.

Even though Congress and the Senate have themselves been censored if they’re on the wrong side politically of Big Tech, they’ve done nothing to stop this communist type censorship.

We’ve heard the stories of China and Russia censoring what people can say and hear in their countries and we said this could never happen in America, yet here we are.

It’s not Russia interfering with the election. It’s the Big Tech conglomerates who can shutdown anything that doesn’t support their liberal platform, beliefs, and candidates.

And we let it happen. We’re sacrificing our freedoms for what they dangle in front of us as free convenient communication while they censor and control us!

I’ve watched Congress and Senate bring the heads of each of the Big 3 into question them, and things only get worse. After the election, next month the Senate is questioning Facebook’s Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Dorsey on alleged censorship, but the damage is already done for this election.

Will they be held accountable? Will anything change? I’m doubtful.

When I saw many in China forced to wear masks and locked into their homes, I thought that would never happen in America. But it did!

Would you have ever thought schools would be closed in America?

Churches closed?

Neighbors encouraged to snitch on each other?

Support for defunding the police and the Pentagon?

Socialism/Marxism/Communism on the ballot?

There are substitutes for Facebook available, but none are very effective.

I’m speaking to myself when I muse whether God is telling us to use the time we spend on social media to instead communicate with Him through His Word, not the world’s ways and words.

I’m going to write more about that last thought next week.

Social media definitely has its rightful place in our society. It can be used for good.

I’m just considering how it’s also being used to manipulate and distract us from good.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

As you prepare to cast your vote in a week, consider which party supports freedom of speech?

  • Which party is using Big Tech to control what you hear and say?
  • Why don’t they want you to know and share the truth?
    What would America look like if they won?

Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—
    leaders whose decrees permit injustice?
21 They gang up against the righteous
    and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord is my fortress;
    my God is the mighty rock where I hide.
23 God will turn the sins of evil people back on them.
    He will destroy them for their sins.
    The Lord our God will destroy them. Psalm 94:20-23


I would enjoy hearing your thoughts.

October 26, 2020
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Virtual Grandparents’ Day of Prayer!

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Have you heard about the Virtual Grandparents Day of Prayer? 

Since two of my granddaughters and their friends visited us this past week, I thought it was a perfect time to remind you of National Grandparents Day on September 13, 2020.  

The Christian Grandparenting Network (CGN) wants to make it a Day of Prayer for our grandchildren and their parents! This year they’re adding a virtual element to allow grandparents to pray together.

My friend Lillian Penner has provided information below to explain more about this day and how to participate.

What Is the Need?

The enemy prowls like a lion, infiltrating our culture with lies and deception. He attacks our families at all levels.

Even our Christian faith is under attack. As a result, parents and grandparents find themselves in a tug-of-war for the souls of their children and grandchildren.

Paul warns us, “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Barna Research confirms Paul’s warning. Fifty-eight percent of adults living in the United States agree that “identifying moral truth is up to each individual; there are no moral absolutes that apply to everyone, all the time. Surprisingly, forty-eight percent of adults identified as born-again Christians agreed with the statement.”[1]  

God has given grandparents a sacred trust – an opportunity to imprint another generation with His love and faithfulness. We need to intercede for the hearts, minds, and souls of our grandchildren and their parents, praying they don’t fall captive to the enemy’s deception.

With this in mind, the Prayer Ministry is inviting you and your church families to join us on National Grandparents’ Day (September 13th) for a Virtual Grandparents’ Day of Prayer.

WHAT IS A “VIRTUAL GRANDPARENTS’ DAY OF PRAYER”?

Several years ago, the prayer ministry of Christian Grandparenting Network (CGN) saw the urgency to establish a day for grandparents to unite in prayer. Under the leadership of Lillian Penner, the second Sunday of September was named Grandparents’ Day of Prayer. This day coincided with the National Grandparents’ Day in the United States.

Churches enthusiastically responded by hosting events such as grandparent prayer breakfasts, luncheons and afternoon teas.

The present pandemic has forced many churches to close or limit the amount of available seating. Therefore, instead of the traditional Grandparents’ Day of Prayer, we are inviting you, as grandparents, to observe a Virtual Grandparents’ Day of Prayer on September 13th. We are encouraging you to pray with at least one other grandparent over the phone, via a conferencing tool such as Zoom, or in-person with careful observance of social distancing guidelines.

To learn more about participation go to https://christiangrandparenting.com/prayer/grandparents-day-of-prayer/ 

May God bless you richly as you pray for your grandchildren,

Lillian Penner, 

GDOP Coordinator, 

Christian Grandparenting Prayer ministry

[email protected]

 [1] The findings are part of the American Worldview Inventory and were released by George Barna, director of research at the cultural research center at Arizona Christian University.

August 17, 2020
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I Only Bend My Knee to Jesus Christ and No Other!

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In the middle of a pandemic and possible recession, we find ourselves also thrust into a racial war. I’m not going to discuss the merits or faults of a peaceful protest, but violent malicious rioting is wrong. Detestable! Evil!

I mentioned in last week’s blog something I’ve been posting all week, “The rioting has nothing to do with the original frustration over an injustice. Doing wrong to justify another wrong still makes your wrong, wrong!”

There are so many things that alarm me, and I’m sure you too, about what is portrayed about the racial division being stoked in our country.

Bad cops made a bad decision and they will pay the price. But why are the rest of us paying the price?

If this is a racial protest, why are black communities and black businesses being destroyed, looted, robbed, and burned? Why are blacks being killed by blacks?

There’s only one answer to these questions and so many more like them: Satan!

God created one race—the human race!

God gave us the color of our skin. We had no control over that and yet today many Caucasians are bowing down before those who are promoting chaos and mayhem and apologizing for the way God made them. Only Satan could create such an atrocity.

Satan wants to destroy God’s creation of all skin colors because we’re all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

When I watch a Black Lives Matter man create a video of him demanding several times that a young white woman bow down before him and repeat after him that she needs to apologize for being “white privilege,” and she does it, I am revolted.*

Or the video of hundreds of people with their hands in the air in a position of worship repeating a renouncement of white privilege mantra led by someone on a stage. Like followers of a false religion. A cult. *

I wonder how many Christians are in that group thinking they are doing something righteous by kneeling to the culture and the world?!

I have another image in mind when I see these videos and it’s not righteous, it’s evil: Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Mussolini, or even King Nebuchadnezzar from the Bible.

 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide[a] and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 So all these officials[b] came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4 Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments,[c] bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

7 So at the sound of the musical instruments,[d] all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8 But some of the astrologers[e] went to the king and informed on the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king! 10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. 11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God to protect them when they refused to bow down to the gold statue and if you remember, they walked out of the fiery furnace untouched.

Like these three brave men, we should never take a knee or bow to anything or anyone except our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Otherwise, we’re not only renouncing our heritage, the color of our skin, our country—or whatever else they come up with to try and get us on our knees—we are renouncing our God.

Don’t do it; it’s not worth it. Only Jesus Christ deserves our prostration before Him. Everything else is an idol of power, control, manipulation, intimidation, and evil, yes evil.

Because . . .

And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father. Phil. 2:8-12

Christians of Every Color, Nation, Tribe, People and Language Are United in Christ!

Many of you know that my family has different “skin colors.” When I look at our family pictures, I see a big happy, handsome, smiling, loving family. I see different hair colors. I do not see different skin colors.

When I see my Christian brothers and sisters, I don’t see skin color, I see the family of God!

It is sadly true that racial injustice is a part of our country’s history, which we should as Christians admit and repudiate the sins of the past. Admission demonstrates humility and acknowledgement that wrongs happened, but it does not have to characterize who we are today. Our job is to make a difference in our generation.

No matter what our skin color or heritage, we aren’t defined by what our ancestors did or experienced. We are defined by what we do and who we are now.

Since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, we’re all born into this world as sinners. “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5).

Until we learn a new better way to live, we will keep on sinning. That’s why everyone needs a Savior and to be born again out of our unrighteousness into the righteousness of following Jesus. Not followers of any fringe or woke group that wants you to change for their benefit. Your identity is in Christ alone!

22 This righteousness is given through faith in[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [black or white]23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:22-24

As Christians, we live counter-culture! We get ourselves right with God and then we can love on others.

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matt. 22:36-40

Today, politicians, anarchists, and agitators want to keep the old wounds open and look for every opportunity to fester them. It is to their advantage to maintain division and unrest. They have no desire to unite us because then they lose their power and control.

Race isn’t a political issue, it’s a sin issue. It’s not a skin problem, it’s a sin problem.

We’re not dealing with systemic racism, we’re dealing with systemic secularism!

Change won’t happen with a policy change, it happens with a heart change. Hearts transformed by Jesus Christ.

We can’t legislate or demand unity. Only God is the Unifier. It’s our responsibility to continue to love our neighbor as ourself, no matter what their skin color. God’s Golden Rule (Matt. 22:36-40); (Mark 12:30-31).

We defy Satan’s schemes for disunity when we live under God’s plan for unity!

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:2-3

I remember the song we sang in Sunday school as a child, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and Yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.

When you don’t embrace your own skin color, you deny who you are in Christ.

When you bow to anyone or anything other than Jesus Christ, you deny God who said I will have no other gods before me.

We must be on our knees in prayer for the civil and spiritual unrest in our world.

Let’s look for ways this week to keep the focus on God and not the works of Satan. That means we need to outshine the divisive voices in the news and many on social media. We need to bring the light of Jesus into the worldly darkness.

Then we will counter evil with good like these pastors who led a praise march singing Waymaker in the streets of Milwaukee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj4IrB3I20s

*You’ll find the woman kneeling and the people reciting the mantra in this news clip.

June 8, 2020
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What Is God’s Response to ‘Ok Boomer’?

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What Does God Say About #OK Bommer

“Mom, are you a boomer?” my eleven-year old granddaughter asked my daughter.

I have to admit that none of the adults at the dinner table understood the significance of that question and so I naively answered, “No, Grammie and Grampa are boomers.” She seemed satisfied, but I continued to ponder her question. So a few days later, I texted her that boomers were born between 1946-1964. She said “thanks,” but still I wondered the genesis of her question. Something else was going on.

Then I began to see articles degrading boomers almost to the point of using ‘boomer’ as a slang or curse word, and then I REALLY wanted to know about my granddaughter’s interest in ‘boomer.’ So I asked her and she said, “Sometimes when I say something, my friends say, ‘Ok boomer,’ when I’m talking like an old person.” And that’s bad? I thought.

But it turns out it is very bad if an eleven-year old might have the perspective of something her grandmother or grandfather taught her, even if that wisdom came from a 2020 year-old person, Jesus Christ.

Being a Boomer Was Special!

I’m a boomer and I must admit most of my life it’s been a rather prestigious position. We were the largest generation in history at that time, born in the two decades after World War II when the surviving soldiers returned home after defeating the enemy. They were ready to bring normalcy back to life, get jobs, raise a family, and enjoy the American dream and ideals they fought so bravely to defend.

Because boomers represented such a vast number of consumers and voters, we influenced fashion and trends, politics, economics, business, entertainment, religion . . . the culture.

We felt respected and appreciated. And then we weren’t. Like every generation, we’ve aged, and as the “old fogies” before us, we suddenly don’t know anything and no one cares about what we want anymore. We’ve become the generation that younger people facetiously and dismissively respond to with an “Ok Boomer,” while rolling their eyes. Not in an admiring or gotcha’ manner, but you’re an old person with views and values we no longer appreciate. In fact, we’re going to blame all the world’s problems on your generation that you left for us to inherit. You’re out of touch with our problems and we don’t want to hear what you think about it.

Ouch!

Aja Romano wrote in her article “OK boomer” isn’t just about the past. It’s about our apocalyptic future.

“OK boomer is meant to be cutting and dismissive. It suggests that the conversation around the anxieties and concerns of younger generations has become so exhausting and unproductive that the younger generations are collectively over it. OK boomer implies that the older generation misunderstands millennial and Gen Z culture and politics so fundamentally that years of condescension and misrepresentation have led to this pointedly terse rebuttal and rejection. Rather than endlessly defend decisions stemming from deep economic strife, to save money instead of investing in stocks and retirement funds, to buy avocados instead of cereal — teens and younger adults are simply through.”

How Can Christians Bridge the OK Boomer Generation Gaps?

Now that I am old and gray,
    do not abandon me, O God.
Let me proclaim your power to this new generation,
    your mighty miracles to all who come after me. Psalm 71:18 NLT

Where there are differences, Satan will use them to divide.

[Tweet “Where there are differences, Satan will use them to divide. We see that division in politics, religion, and culture but now more than ever, it rears it’s ugly head in generational antagonism. “]

We see that division in politics, religion, and culture but now more than ever, it rears it’s ugly head in generational antagonism. Yes, we can say that’s always existed, but did it in your family. Did you think your grandparents were completely out of touch with the real world or did you respect and admire their wisdom?

I learned to appreciate Scripture from Granny Reed, who always read from her Bible to my cousins and me as we literally sat at her feet. Granny Hazel taught me how to care for my complexion and played games with me when she came to visit. They were a wealth of experience and I looked forward to spending time with them.

I challenge you that #OKBoomer” is not biblical!

[Tweet “God knew that Satan could use our age differences to divide us so God gave us many Scriptures to help bridge these inevitable generation gaps, and He commands us to live by them.”]

God knew that Satan could use our age differences to divide us so God gave us many Scriptures to help bridge these inevitable generation gaps, and He commands us to live by them. 

Generation after generation stands in awe of your work;
each one tells stories of your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4 The Message

_________________________________

Let me share a few excerpts from the chapter “Generation Gaps Are Not In God’s Plan” from my book Mentoring for All Seasons.

Why Do We Have Generation Gaps?

[Tweet “It was never God’s plan to have generation gaps in the church: God commanded one generation to pass down his truths to the next generation.”]

It was never God’s plan to have generation gaps in the church: God commanded one generation to pass down his truths to the next generation. But in most churches today, the gap between generations is so wide the only thing passed between the two is mistrust and misunderstanding—all in the name of Jesus.

I believe the older generation often perpetuates the gap by wanting everything to stay the same—same music, same way of doing things, same church service, same church activities. . . . Many churches relegate the young people to their own groups, and their input—whether in music or new ideas or using their talents and gifts—isn’t welcome in the main sanctuary. Then the church wonders why the youth and young adults are leaving in droves.

If we want to stay relevant in the lives of the next generation, we need to learn how to embrace their style of worship . . . their way of communicating . . . their world. If we want to have an impact in their lives—to help guide them in the ways of righteousness—we need to speak their language, care about the things they care about, and reach out to them in love with a desire to understand what’s important to them.

Mentoring: A Privilege Not a Burden

[Tweet “Do you remember when you were the next generation full of hope and ideas and ready to leave your mark on the world? I do. I also remember feeling misunderstood and unappreciated when sharing thoughts and ideas with older adults”]

Do you remember when you were the next generation full of hope and ideas and ready to leave your mark on the world? I do. I also remember feeling misunderstood and unappreciated when sharing thoughts and ideas with older adults. Yet thirty-six times in the New Living Translation of the Bible, the Lord uses the term “generation to generation.” Many more verses instruct us to pour into those who are coming up behind us in the church and in our homes. It was God’s plan for the continuation of his church throughout the generations.

Believers are to teach and train the next generation. Praise God, over the centuries believers have followed this mandate. You and I are benefactors of the sacrifices of believers who have gone before us. Over the years, followers of God and his Son, Jesus Christ, have felt compelled to ensure the next generation:

  • Has access to and knowledge of the Bible.
  • Knows how to communicate with God through the Holy Spirit and prayer.
  • Receives guidance in leading a godly life.

[Tweet “Sharing with the next generation some of what God and life has taught us is truly an honor and a privilege.”]

Sharing with the next generation some of what God and life has taught us is truly an honor and a privilege. “I will bring honor to your name in every generation. Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever.” (Ps. 45:17 NLT)

A Plea from the Younger Generation

[Tweet “I often hear from the older generation that the reason they don’t mentor is because the younger generations aren’t interested in being mentored, but his is a misconception and lie of the enemy.”]

I often hear from the older generation that the reason they don’t mentor is because the younger generations aren’t interested in being mentored, but his is a misconception and lie of the enemy. A young woman named Tracy, [and there were many more like her in Mentoring for All Seasons] pleads, “I beg the older generations to please be the mentor God called you to be—take up your cross and invest in the future. It takes patience, perseverance, and Christianity. The woman you invest in today may turn around and invest in tomorrow’s generation.”

_______________________________

[Tweet “If you’re a boomer like me, let’s continue the trend of being the largest influential generation for God!”]

If you’re a boomer like me, let’s continue the trend of being the largest influential generation for God!

That means we ignore the exasperated #OKBoomer meme and turn it into an eager #OKBoomer share with me what you’ve learned about God. Let’s not be offended by this meme but use it for God’s glory!

If you’re one of the younger generations, seek out a Christian boomer who will share with you how God helped her through the seasons of her life and is eager to bestow some of that God-fueled faith with you.

3 Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers.[a] Instead, they should teach others what is good. 4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, 5 to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes,[b] to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. Titus 2:3-5 NLT

Mentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life and God’s Faithfulness is available signed and personalized on my website or also on Amazon and Kindle.

February 17, 2020
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Grandparents Praying with Purpose

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I hope the you had a blessed Thanksgiving whether you were with friends and family or spending a quiet day yourself reflecting how good God is and how fortunate we are to be His children.

Speaking of children, many of us have grandchildren. Dave and I are grandparents to eleven ranging in age from nine to twenty-one. As part of my morning quiet time, I pray God’s Word for these precious ones. It doesn’t mean they haven’t encountered trials and hardships, but they do each know Jesus as their Savior and I find comfort and confidence that God is watching over each one.

But I’m not fooling myself that in today’s culture there will be many temptations and the evil one is targeting the next generation. Satan does not want us producing more Christians in our families and the family of God.

So I want to introduce to you my dear friend Lillian Penner, Co-prayer director for Christian Grandparenting Network, and her new book The New “Revised and Expanded” Grandparenting with a Purpose.

If you’re a grandparent, you’re going to want a copy of this book. If there are grandparents in your life, this would make a great gift. If you’re a parent you need all the help you can get and what a gift to have your parents praying for your children, their grandchildren.

I asked Lillian to tell you about her new book . . . here is a message from Lillian Penner!

Today, there are over 70 million grandparents in the United States plus many more around the world. Grandparents represent one-third of the population with 1.7 million new grandparents added to the ranks every year in the U.S. Grandparents lead 37% of all U.S. households in this country — that’s 44 million households nationwide. (Google) [email protected]

How GRANDPARENTS CAN IMPACT THE WORLD?

[Tweet “We have reached a time in history when the grandparents must rise as one to cry to God.”]

It is estimated that there are over 30 million Christian grandparents. We have reached a time in history when the grandparents must rise as one to cry to God.  I believe if 30 million Christian Grandparents who believe in the power of prayer and deliberately praying the enemy will be crushed.

[Tweet “Satan is relentless in his aggressive attack to desensitize our children to truth and righteousness. This is a spiritual battle requiring spiritual weapons.”]

Satan is relentless in his aggressive attack to desensitize our children to truth and righteousness. This is a spiritual battle requiring spiritual weapons. Our grandchildren and their parents not only need our support, they need our earnest and united prayers. They need our united prayer, a genuine, unified prayer for our hope and dreams for the next generation to be realized.

Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren - Revised & Expanded

The “Revised and Expanded” Grandparenting with a Purpose, Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren is designed to encourage and equip grandparents to intentionally pray for their grandchildren and their parents.

Since I have had many requests for a study guide to go with the chapters, I have expanded the book with additional chapters and a study guide for each chapter, which you will find useful.

  • I have found there are many hurting estranged grandparents today with heavy hearts, so I am addressing that issue in a chapter. Is your grandparenting painful or a blessing?
  • I include a section looking at a view of the culture our grandchildren and their parents are navigating today.
  • God’s Design for grandparenting plus several additional chapters and Scriptures to Pray for Teens and Scriptures for Grandparents to pray for themselves.

The book retails for $14.99, however, on my website it is available for a discounted price of $15.00, including shipping and handling costs in the U. S. for a limited time.  A bonus of Scriptural Prayer resource will be included with your purchase. The book will be available in EBook format for $3.99 for those who would prefer the EBook format or live outside the U. S. to save on shipping costs.

[Tweet ““Revised and Expanded” Grandparenting with a Purpose, Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren will show grandparents how to be intentional disciple-makers and prayer warriors to impact the next generation.”]

This book will challenge you and give you resources for this spiritual battle with the enemy. It will show you how to be an intentional disciple-maker and prayer warrior to impact the next generation.

Written by Lillian Penner, Co-prayer director for Christian Grandparenting Network. [email protected]

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

December 2, 2019
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What Are You Doing For Grandparents Day?

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Grandparents Are Uniting in Prayer on Grandparents Day of Prayer

Grandparents Day of Prayer September 8, 2019

Are you wondering when and what is Grandparents Day?

Well, my research shows that it’s actually been a National Holiday for forty-one years!

Congress passed the legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents’ Day and, on August 3, 1978, then-President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation. September was chosen to signify the “autumn” years of life.

[Tweet “The purpose of Grandparents Day, as stated is “to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of the strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.””]

The purpose of the holiday, as stated in the preamble to the statute, is “to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of the strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.”

Wow! That’s almost exactly what God told the generations to do in the Bible.

But from everlasting to everlasting
    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
    and his righteousness with their children’s children.— Psalm 103:17

Hear this, you elders;
    listen, all who live in the land.
Has anything like this ever happened in your days
    or in the days of your ancestors?
3 Tell it to your children,
    and let your children tell it to their children,
    and their children to the next generation.— Joel 1:2-3

[Tweet “Even though Grandparents Day is on your calendar, just like Mothers Day and Fathers Day, few families recognize it, or even know about it.”]

Even though you’ll find Grandparents Day is on your calendar, just like Mothers Day and Fathers Day, few families recognize it, or even know about it. Our young Minister of Education at church announced that it must be a real holiday because it’s on the calendar so they’re having a root beer float celebration after service on Grandparents Day September 8. Many of the grandmothers will be at our women’s retreat, but I thought it was so sweet that she planned a celebration for grandparents.

My friend, Lillian Penner is the founder of Grandparenting with Purpose, an organization that encourages grandparents to pray for their grandchildren and invest in their lives. They work hard to bring awareness of Grandparents Day to the public as a reminder of how valuable the older generation’s wisdom and perspective is to the younger generations. So often, I hear that the kids won’t listen or aren’t interested in spending time with their grandparents, but Dave and I haven’t found that to be the case as long as we make an effort to be relevant in our grandchildren’s lives.

And we can pray for them. Lillian has written a sweet book, Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren. In my quiet time, I pray for our eleven grandchildren. I have their pictures in my devotional and I journal a note to God about what’s happening in their lives. He knows what they need each day.

Last week, I wrote a guest blog, Brave Grandparenting, on Lillian Penner’s Grandparenting with a Purpose website. You might want to stop by and leave a comment and enter the drawing for a signed copy of Everyday Brave.

What are your thoughts on why a day as important as celebrating grandparents and their value to the family never got traction?

PS If you’re wondering why my Monday Morning Blog is coming to you on Tuesday, I was hoping you would all be spending time with family on Labor Day and not reading your email! Maybe you were even with grandparents or grandkids.

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

One more week until the release of Everyday Brave: Living Courageously As a Woman of Faith, but you can pre-order NOW.

Let's Be Everyday Believers

September 3, 2019
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7 Tested Tips for Moms of Teens by Letitia Suk

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Letitia Suk is a guest on the Monday Morning Blog today with some great advice for moms of teens and tweens from her book Need-to-Know Tips for Moms of Tweens and Teens. This is a delightful and practical guide for grandparents too. As I was reading, I thought about my thirteen-year old granddaughter who was coming with her friend to stay with us for a week. Our tendency is to fall back on our own parenting style with the next generation, but I knew I could learn a few tips, and I did. Leave a comment for a chance to enter the drawing to win this precious book!

My new book Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith is now available for preorder on Amazon. Mothering tweens and teens is a courageous and brave endeavor that I know we would all agree we couldn’t do without the help of God. Chapter 7 is “Brave Mothers.” 

7 Tested Tips for Moms of Teens

by Letitia Suk

7 Tested Tips for Moms of Teens

Parents and teens will clash, often! If you are a parent of a teen, you have been on both ends of the clash at some point in your life. Remember?

As much as it feels challenging to get through this roller coaster season of parenting, choose the long view. This current crisis will pass but your relationship with your teen lasts the rest of your life.

[Tweet “One of the primary tasks of parenting teens is to establish a bond of closeness that can be drawn on for the long journey ahead.”]

Your pediatrician might not have mentioned it, butone of the primary tasks of parenting teens is to establish a bond of closeness that can be drawn on for the long journey ahead.

Hard as it is to believe, most of the years spent with our child in our lifetime will be in an adult-adult relationship that will outlast these exciting, fun-filled, and often challenging years.

[Tweet “Most of the years spent with our child in our lifetime will be in an adult-adult relationship”]

Looking for help?

If you need some help today, 100 Need-to-Know Tips for Moms of Tweens & Teens is a grab and go guide to read along the way. Each short, stand-alone tip provides an immediate opportunity to strengthen your relationship with your teen for both now and for the decades ahead.

Here is a sample of some of the tips you can try right now. 

  1. Keep Texts Friendly.

Chances are your teen prefers texting to most other forms of communication. Choosing to use this tool in a friendly way is a great way to stay in touch. Tell them you love them and are praying for their test. Ask them if they need anything from Walmart or send fun tidbits of information. TM can also be used to ask questions like when will the car be back? Will you be home for dinner? Could you please pick up a gallon of milk?

Decide that you will only use this creative tool for positive thoughts or simple questions. This is not the vehicle to complain (the kitchen is a wreck), criticize (you never leave gas in the car), or accuse (you were out too late last night). Keep it upbeat and they’ll want to keep opening their inbox.

  1. Ditch the Dread.

“Wait till they’re teenagers!” was the foreboding warning that awaited me on almost every turn of the stroller. “Wait till they start mouthing off” or “Wait till they get to high school” or “Wait till they get their driver’s license” have been part of the mom to mom network from the playground to the boardroom. It was never clear what the wait was for, it didn’t have the same hopeful note as waiting to go on vacation.

[Tweet “Instead of expecting the worst, start the day with a hope and a prayer that your teen is going to be OK.”]

            Instead of expecting the worst, start the day with a hope and a prayer that your teen is going to be OK.

Talk back to your inner critic and tell her you’re doing just fine as a mom. Don’t let moments of doubt turn into dread-fests. Be the voice of the yay-sayer instead of the naysayer to other moms. Expect the best and wait for it to come!

  1. Wave the White Flag.

If you are the parent of a teen, you have engaged in some conflict. In fact, you might have instigated it or inflamed it. It is never too late to wave the white flag and start a round of peace talks in your family. Someone needs to step up and stop yelling, door   slamming, or silent treatment. Might as well be you!

Calling for peace is not glossing over incidents but acknowledging your part in the current conflict. “I was angry, and I insulted your character, I’m sorry.” “I was tired, and I yelled at you. That wasn’t fair.” Asking for forgiveness is also a huge step but necessary to move on.

[Tweet “Conflicts will come and go but the relationship is forever.”]

Conflicts will come and go but the relationship is forever.

What your teen sees from you in the way of how to do resolution will shape their future interactions as well.

4. Leave on a positive note.

When your teen leaves the house for an outing with friends, make a point to say have a good time, you look great, I love you.

[Tweet “The last few minutes of your interaction with your teen can set the tone for the rest of the evening.”]

The last few minutes of your interaction with your teen can set the tone for the rest of the evening.

If your teen leaves the house feeling good about you and about themselves, they will carry those positive feelings with them. Likewise, if they leave home angry, feeling misunderstood, or belittled, those feelings may shape their evening. If you really want to make a lasting impression, occasionally slip a little unasked-for cash!

  1. Avoid Micro-Managing Your Teen’s Faith.

It has been said that “God has no grandchildren” meaning we each have our own faith experience separate from our parents. In our spiritually aware culture, most teens are searching for something/someone to believe in. Your teen’s faith journey might parallel yours, lag behind, or leap ahead. Most likely, it will not be identical just as your faith experience is not the same as your parents.

[Tweet “Your role as a parent is to provide spiritual training for your children, but not to force their faith development.”]

            Your role as a parent is to provide spiritual training but not to force their faith development.

In these teen years, you can nurture your teen’s faith by your prayers, your example, your encouragement, and trust God to work out the big picture. Keep in mind, his timing is rarely the same as ours.

  1. Differentiate Between Rules and Policies.

Try less rules, more policies. A policy has flex to it, a rule is fixed. Use policies for the minors of life such as room cleaning, late phone calls, attendance at family events, established study times, etc. A policy can be changed by request, “I need to talk to Sara tonight, but she won’t be home till 10:30. Can I call her later?” You: “OK, thanks for asking.” Exception given, policy still in place.

Rules, however, cover the majors and are not flexible. No point in your teen asking if they can have a party when you’re out of town. Ditto, there won’t be an exception as to whether they can drink and drive or have a sleepover with their boyfriend/girlfriend. Policies can be created on the spot and revised often. Keep the actual rules very few and very clear.

Remember, rules without relationship can lead to rebellion. 

[Tweet “Remember, rules without relationship can lead to rebellion in children.”]

  1. Bless their Friends, Even the Ones You Don’t Like.

You won’t like all your teens’ friends. Usually announcing that you don’t like a friend quickly elevates this person into sainthood in your teen’s life. The secret is not to let your feelings be known unless your teen is in danger or serious risk from a “friend.”

Find something, anything to comment on positively about the friend. “I like the way ____    is passionate about causes, knows a lot about music, isn’t afraid to be different.” then you might say something casually like, “I am a little concerned about his/her ____(driving?, ditching school? lying? poor relationship with parents, etc.” (choose only one) then follow with, “What do you think about that?” Listen and don’t comment. Very hard tactic to follow but so worth it. Wait it out and see if your impression was wrong or your teen recognizes it’s not a healthy relationship. It almost always happens.

Interested in reading more?

Ninety-two more tips are available in 100 Need-to-Know Tips for Moms of Tweens & Teens (Ellie Claire/Hachette, 2019.) Beautifully designed with inspirational quotes on motherhood interspersed throughout, this book makes an excellent gift for yourself or a friend.

Which of these tips did you need today? 

Have you used any of these tips successfully?

Please leave a comment here for a chance to win a free sign copy of 100 Need-to-Know Tips for Moms of Tweens and Teens.

About the Author:

7 tested Tips for Moms of Teens

Letitia Suk invites women to chase the intentional life. She is the author of 100 Tips for Moms of Tweens and Teens, Getaway with God: The Everywoman’s Guide to Personal Retreat & Rhythms of Renewal. Letitia’s Amazon page

She and her husband, Tom, live in the Chicago area and are parents of four grown children. Letitia’s Website

August 5, 2019
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10 Things You Can Do In a World Gone Mad

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__Holy Nectar from a hummingbird and God

Each morning we wake up and thank God for another new day.

10 Things You Can Do in a World Gone Mad

Then we look at the news headlines in disbelief that Satan is getting bolder and more visible. Evil seems to be winning and prevailing in a country founded on Judeo Christian values.

[Tweet “We’ve gone from most people believing in the 10 Commandments as a solid foundation for behavior to a world that’s traded evil for good”]

We’ve gone from most people believing in the 10 Commandments as a basis for behavior to a world that now finds the 10 Commandments offensive and has replaced good with evil. Truth with lies.  Moral with immoral. Like in the days of Judges, everyone does what seems right in their own eyes. There is no recognized central truth. Truth is whatever you want it to be. Your truth is all that matters.

“You can be whatever you want to be,” used to be an encouragement parents gave to their children to follow their dreams. Now it means children are “gender neutral” until “they” determine whatever sex “they” want to be regardless of their scientific biologic sex.

10 Things You Can Do in a World Gone Mad

More Madness

  • Legalized infanticide and late term abortions.
  • Gay marriage.
  • Young children who haven’t even experienced the hormonal changes of puberty are receiving hormones to change their biological sex.
  • Transgender athletes allowed to compete with their new gender identification, even in the Olympics. Yes, that means biological men are competing against biological women.
  • Political leaders stump for Socialism and Communism in America.
  • A freshmen Congresswoman suggests we eliminate air travel, cows, cars, hamburgers, and having children and seasoned legislators support this ludicrous fictional fable.
  • A Congresswoman denounces Israel and Congress doesn’t denounce her.
  • A sixteen-year old high school student is slandered and defamed by the mainstream media and celebrities for standing still and smiling while being harassed because he had participated in a pro-life rally and was wearing a MAGA hat.
  • A celebrity fabricates a hate-crime for greed, fame, and incrimination of supporters of our president, and fools the media with his lies.
  • Celebrity parents pay enormous bribes in a lying fraudulent scam to get their children into prestigious colleges.
  • A Democrat presidential contender encourages smoking marijuana to experience joy and legalizing prostitution.
  • Another inexperienced liberal Democrat throws his hat into the 2020 contenders. The newbie has no platform and his only claim to fame is that he swears a lot, has a DUI, fanaticized about killing children, was part of a hacking group, and can skateboard across a stage.
  • Media outlets no longer present news facts, but instead spew partisan opinions and biased liberal propaganda.
  • Churches of all faiths need armed guards.

I could fill this blog with cultural madness, and as soon as this blog posts, there will be even more shocking headlines.

We live in tumultuous times in the church and in the world. Confusion and fear reigns among newer believers who don’t have a solid foundation in biblical truth to help them discern evil from good, lies from truths, abnormal from normal.

How do you mentor the next generation when it seems we are in the end times?

[Tweet “How do you mentor the next generation when it seems we are in the end times?”]

How do you help young people stand bravely by the Bible when even many churches and pastors are deviating from God’s Word?

[Tweet “How do you help young people stand bravely by the Bible when even many churches and pastors are deviating from God’s Word?”]

Each generation has a predisposition to look at God as the God of the past who doesn’t understand the current culture. That’s why I’m a passionate proponent of mentoring and living out Titus 2:1-6 where spiritually older men and women receive the charge to teach, train, and model the Christian life to the next generation so they won’t be deceived and dissuaded.

Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives. Titus 2:1-6 The Message

To understand the full impact of Titus 2:1-6, we need to read the issues Paul was addressing in the previous verses. It sounds a lot like our world today:

Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.—Titus 1:15-16 NIV

[Tweet “There’s a steady increase in crime and decrease in morality in our culture because many believers are failing to take up the Titus 2 mantel”]

Today, we see a steady increase in crime and decrease in morality in our culture because many believers are failing to take up the Titus 2 mantel—one Paul and I call the job description for every Christian man and woman. A consequence of a generation not accepting the charge of Titus 2 is a liberal progressive society aggressively challenging Christianity and long-held truths governing our society for over 2,000 years.

Just as the apostle Paul saw the need for mentors in his day, we desperately need mentors today. Yet, many who should be stepping up to mentor and teach the next generation are falling away from Titus 2 just as quickly as our world is falling away from God.

[Tweet “How do we ordinary Christians make a difference in today’s confused and fallen world?”]

So how do we ordinary Christians make a difference in today’s confused and fallen world? We follow Paul’s teaching to Pastor Titus. As mentors, we speak, teach, and train the truth to the spiritually younger, straight from the Bible.

10 Things You Can Do in a World Gone Made

We read our Bibles and let God’s Word speak, teach, and train the truth to us so we can respond to life’s issues from God’s perspective. Together mentors and mentees learn spiritual wisdom and scriptural principles to help navigate the moral decline of our culture, and in some cases, the foundation of the Christian faith.

Here’s What We Can Do

We can pray for revival.

We can pray for everyone blinded by lack of faith in God!

We can pray for the victims of evil.

We can ask God what He wants His people, to do. What action does He want us to take?

We can share Jesus openly in this urgent time of uncertainty.

We can reassure our children, grandchildren, and mentees that they can make a difference in this world.

We can live as godly role models in a world that has forsaken God.

We can live by the Bible in our personal lives and share the Truth that salvation is free by the grace of God.

We can emphasize that we don’t follow God’s laws because we have to; we follow them because we have Jesus in our heart and they can too.

Here’s What We Can’t Do

We can’t lose hope.

We can’t ignore what’s happening around us.

We can’t live fearfully.

We can’t be silent.

We won’t become relics if we stay relevant.

[Tweet “Jesus didn’t come to conform to the culture; he came to reform the culture.”]

Jesus didn’t come to conform to the culture; he came to reform the culture. Now we’re to go and do likewise. Are you up for it? I pray your answer is “Yes, Lord, Yes. Here am I, use me!”

If you received this blog by email, please leave your comments here.

Here’s a slide show I wrote for Crosswalk.com that also posted today. I encourage you to read it: 10 Powerful Gifts to Pass On to the Next Generation.

March 18, 2019
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How Not Mentoring Millennials Implodes a Political Party. What Can the Church Learn?

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How Not Mentoring Millinnials Implodes a Political Party! What Can the Church Learn?

Let me say right from the beginning that this is not a political blog. But it is a blog about what happens politically, spiritually, and personally when generations don’t heed God’s instructions, Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your ancestors? Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. —Joel 1:2-3

I don’t have all the answers, but I do know the Man who does, Jesus Christ. The Lord knew everything we would encounter in life and in our country. There’s nothing new under the sun. The culture may change, but the Bible is timeless.

[Tweet “There’s nothing new under the sun. The culture may change, but the Bible is timeless.”]

Here’s what I do know. If we’re encountering a problem in our world, God gave us the answer. We just need to seek it out and apply it. I can’t find anywhere in God’s Word where we’re told that young people don’t need guidance, direction, and mentoring before they take on important and influential roles.

[Tweet “Young people need guidance, direction, and mentoring before they take on important and influential roles.”]

For those of us past the age of millennials, we were all their age once when we thought we knew everything and were ready to change the world. But God knew that it was important for us to temper our enthusiasm with wisdom from those who have gone before us, whether it’s in business, ministry, parenting, politics, or just living life.

[Tweet “The Bible and God tells us that one generation should teach and train the next generation”]

Throughout the Bible God repeatedly tells us that one generation should teach and train the next generation. Titus 2:1-8 is a familiar mentoring passage written to older and younger men and women. But so often neither generation, the young or the old, realizes the value of mentoring.

These men and women understood, Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you (Deut. 32:7).

  • Moses mentored Joshua before Joshua took over the role of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land.
  • Elijah mentored Elisha as his successor.
  • Barnabas mentored Paul and Paul mentored Titus, Timothy, and Mark.
  • Ruth followed Naomi and wanted to know her God.
  • Young Mary visited with her elderly relative Elizabeth as they both had miracle pregnancies.
  • Even though Saul was a bad king, David obeyed him until it was his time to be king and he learned from Saul how not to rule.

The younger people didn’t ignore or usurp their elders. They wanted to learn from them so that someday they would be ready for their God-given roles.

What Happens Without Mentoring?

In 1 Kings 12:1-24, a young son of Solomon, Rehoboam, tried to take on a leadership role he wasn’t ready to assume. His subjects implored him, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Rehoboam told them to go away for three days and then he inquired of the elders who had served his father what he should do. They wisely replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9 He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11 My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

Do you remember who he listened to? The wise elders or his arrogant young friends?

Yes, he took the advice of the young inexperienced entitled young men who were looking for power with Rehoboam, not what was best for the people.

The people said forget it then. We’re leaving. Those who stayed, rebelled against Rehoboam and he barely got away with his life.

We’re seeing something similar happen with the Congressional Democrats. Young, freshmen millennial women, who weren’t mentored or given wise counsel in how to be a constructive team player in Congress, came into office with their own agendas discounting the experience of those who went before them.

[Tweet “Instead of senior Congressional leaders reining in the freshmen for some mentoring, they seem intimidated”]

But instead of the senior Congressional leaders acting as mentors for the freshmen, they seem to be intimidated by them. The experienced elders are cowering to the inexperienced Millennials. They’re letting these three women set the agenda as ridiculous, rude, radical, and rudimentary as it is. They’re even letting one proclaim she’s “the boss,” and it looks like she is.

Why are Democrat presidential hopefuls endorsing the harmful philosophies of these three women instead of educating them on the pitfalls and dangers of Socialism and anti-semitism? Because the freshmen are getting more attention and press so the contenders for the party nomination feel they must join them, even if it means destroying America.

How could older legislators let the young immature legislators come in as wrecking balls and then bow down to them? Why? Because the seniors think this is what they have to do to get the millennial vote. Sell their souls and the good of the country for party power even as they lose their personal power.

[Tweet “Democrats are immobilized by their own identity politics.”]

The Democrats are immobilized by their own identity politics. Now they can’t seem to discipline or restrain the three women “of color” (which now just means not white) for fear of being called misogynist, Islamophobic, or racist. The same slurs they sling at Conservatives are boomeranging to haunt them.

Three freshmen Congresswomen are in charge while the elders are impotent. And just like the story of Rehoboam . . . they could soon see their party running for its life.

I don’t think this is how Millennials want to be wooed. They’re smarter than this. I don’t think we all raised a generation of arrogant, entitled, foolish, disrespectful, loud-mouthed young people. If I’m wrong and these three women are representative of the next generation, then our country will be in a steady dissent. If the older generation is afraid to confront them, they will indeed be a generation that watches their accomplishments disintegrate.

[Tweet “The older generation’s legacy will be that they tried to please the next generation instead of taking the time to mentor them.”]

What Can the Church Learn About the Importance of Mentoring the Next Generation?

I pray the older generation’s legacy in the culture and in the church will not be that they tried to please the next generation instead of taking the time to mentor them, love on them, and show them how to live godly lives in an ungodly culture.

Mentor them don’t ignore them.

Mentor them don’t appease them.

Do the young people in your church know about the evils of Socialism, anti-Semitism, abortion, and infanticide? Or is your church letting the culture and liberal media brainwash them?

We need to speak out against the wave of anti-Semitism, and yet, so far the only Christian leader I’ve heard denounce it is Governor Mike Huckabee in his monologue for his program on TBN.

It’s the church’s responsibility to educate the next generation, so that the evils of the past don’t become their future.

[Tweet “It’s the church’s responsibility to educate the next generation.”]

Mentor them about the fallacies and faults of Socialism. 

Show them that Socialism isn’t free, but you will lose your freedoms.

[Tweet “Socialism isn’t free, but you will lose your freedoms.”]

[Tweet “Each generation is responsible for the actions of the next generation.”]

Each generation is responsible for the actions of the next generation. What did we teach or not teach them? What kind of role models were we? How much time did we spend molding them into responsible citizens? They’re our legacy. Our responsibility. If we’re alarmed at what’s going on today, we have to ask ourselves: How did we let this happen?

I’ve stressed so often in blogs like this one that Generation Gaps Were Never Part of God’s Plan! In my book Mentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness, I give ideas of how the generations can learn from each other and work together, just as God planned for us to do.

I encourage you to read my blog for Crosswalk: The Forgotten Link Between Seniors and Discipleship/Church Growth.

If you’re a Millennial, I would love to hear your thoughts. How can we reach your generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and help them be ready to take over the responsibility of running our free Democratic country, without ruining it with Socialism or Communism? How can we prepare them to continue God’s earthly kingdom and His church?

In an Op-ed Newt Gingrich writes about what he sees happening between the congressional generations: “To the new Democrats, the leaders are like the grandparents. And I don’t mean this in a positive way that could foster an opportunity for maternal or paternal mentorships.” Instead, “these new Democrats are throwing a party – and the grandparents aren’t invited.”

“One generation commends your works to another, they tell of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4

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March 11, 2019
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