faith — Woman to Woman Mentoring

An Open Letter to James Talarico

I woke up early Saturday morning with James Talarico on my mind. As I tried to go back to sleep, I literally said, “Lord, I don’t want to be thinking about James Talarico!!”

I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I got up, made a pot of coffee, and started to scroll on my phone through Facebook as the coffee was brewing expecting to sit down and have my quiet time with the Lord.

But what was the first thing I saw?! The following open letter from Pastor Jeff Mullen to Texas State Representative James Talarico. I wasn’t a follower of Pastor Mullen, although I am now, but one of my Facebook friends had shared this letter.

I knew this couldn’t be a “coincidence.”

I too have been posting about the false teachings of Talarico who claims to be a Christian pastor and seminary student while running as a Democrat for a Texas Senate seat. What has frustrated me, and maybe you too, is not only the way Talarico twists Scripture to endorse his party’s radical progressive liberal godless agenda, but that many people are gobbling it up because he’s trying to use Scripture to endorse sin.

They’re calling his false teachings “real Christianity” when it’s actually “real satanic.”

What I appreciated about Pastor Mullen’s letter below is that as one Facebook follower commented: “Such relevant insights, written in love while proclaiming truth.”

The only thing that Pastor Mullen didn’t address is Talarico referring to women as “neighbors with uteruses” and that his favorite people are trans children!

Talarico also recently gave the opening invocation as a current Texas State Rep where he addressed God as a “Holy mystery” with “so many names.”

He stated: “The Torah calls you Creator. The Quran calls you Peace. The Gita calls you Destroyer. The Dharma calls you Truth, and the First Epistle of John calls you perhaps the most beautiful name of all, Love.”

My response to him is the Book of John does NOT call Jesus “Love,” and He didn’t call himself Love. John opens with calling Jesus “the Word.”

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Exodus 20:3 states, “Thou shalt have NO OTHER Gods before me!” Talarico must’ve missed that important commandment.

Whether or not you live in Texas, it should upset you as a Christian that Talarico’s blasphemy is being passed off as “Christianity.”

You may be wondering, like me, why the Democrat party would try and run such a controversial candidate in the state of Texas. As I thought about it several reasons came to mind.

The Democrat party before the 2024 election hired a very expensive “Christian” consulting firm to advise them on how to attract the Christian vote since their entire platform is anti-God and anti-Christian. But this firm was actually liberal woke. I remember laughing when I heard this.
The Democrat party is so clueless about Christianity that they think Christians will vote for anyone who calls themselves a “Christian” even though he espouses and stands for the complete opposite of biblical doctrine.
The Democrat party underestimated real Christians who can’t be intimidated, tricked, or manipulated.

The positive that’s come out of the media coverage of the Democrat darling Talarico is that more and more Christians are speaking out with the truth that counters Talarico’s false teaching. Like Pastor Mullen, many on social media, conservative news programs, and Bible believing Christians are countering Talarico with contextual biblical truths.

I hope you’ll read Pastor Mullen’s letter below and share this blog. It will also give you biblical responses when you encounter people who are believing Talarico’s heretical abuse of Scripture.

Remember even Satan knows Scripture and twists it to tempt and deceive.

Here is Pastor Mullen’s Open Letter to James Talarico . . .

I don’t typically write open letters…

Dear Representative Talarico,

My name is Jeff Mullen. As a pastor who spent thirty years shepherding God’s people, I have learned that what we believe about God shapes everything else. That is why I am writing this letter.

I do not write as a political opponent, but as a fellow citizen concerned about the growing confusion surrounding faith, truth, and Scripture. Because you frequently speak about Christianity, quote the Bible, and present your views as expressions of Christian conviction, I believe those claims deserve to be examined in light of God’s Word.

One of my greatest concerns is that many people know you are currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary while serving as a Texas State Representative and working toward ordination in the Presbyterian Church. As a result, many people understandably assume that your theological conclusions represent historic biblical Christianity. Your words, therefore, carry weight far beyond politics.

When theological claims are presented in the name of Christ, people naturally assume they are hearing biblical truth. My concern is that some of the positions you advocate may lead sincere people away from the clear teaching of Scripture and toward a version of Christianity that reflects the spirit of the age more than the Word of God.

Over thirty years of ministry, I have sat beside hospital beds, preached funerals, counseled struggling families, and watched countless people wrestle with questions of faith. One lesson stands above the rest: when we drift from Scripture, confusion always follows.

James warns that those who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). That reality has humbled me throughout my ministry, and it should humble anyone who publicly speaks in the name of Christ.

For that reason, I offer these thoughts—not as an attack, but as a pastoral appeal for biblical clarity and faithfulness.

1. Concerning Your Statement That God Is Non-Binary

God is spirit and transcends human limitations. Christians agree on that. The question, however, is not how modern culture categorizes God but how God has chosen to reveal Himself. Throughout Scripture, God consistently reveals Himself as Father. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Christ is the Son, and the Church is His Bride. These are not accidental descriptions but part of God’s self-revelation.

Every generation faces the temptation to reshape God according to its own values. Ancient cultures carved idols from stone. Modern cultures often carve them from ideology. Faithful Christianity begins by allowing God to define Himself rather than redefining Him according to cultural preferences. We do not improve upon divine revelation; we submit to it.

2. Concerning Your Statement That Other Religions Are Circling the Same Truth

Respect for people of different faiths is a Christian virtue. Surrendering truth is not. The suggestion that multiple religions ultimately lead to the same God stands in direct conflict with the words of Jesus Himself.

Jesus declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Peter echoed that truth when he proclaimed, “There is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:12). Christianity does not teach that all roads lead to God. It teaches that God has provided one Savior for the world. We can love our neighbors of every faith while remaining faithful to the exclusive claims of Christ.

3. Concerning Your Statement That the Bible Is Silent on Abortion

While Scripture does not use the modern term abortion, it speaks clearly about life in the womb. David wrote, “You knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5). John the Baptist responded to Christ while still in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:41).

The consistent testimony of Scripture is that unborn children are known by God, created by God, and valued by God. The question is not whether the word abortion appears in the Bible. The question is whether the child in the womb is a human life bearing God’s image. Scripture answers that question repeatedly and clearly. Christians have historically defended the unborn not because of politics, but because every human life belongs to God.

4. Concerning Your Use of Mary’s Consent to Defend Abortion Rights

Mary’s response to Gabriel was not an assertion of autonomy but an expression of surrender. When told of God’s plan, she replied, “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

The entire story of the incarnation celebrates the acceptance and protection of life within the womb. God Himself entered humanity through the womb of a woman. Mary’s example is not about the right to end life but the willingness to trust God with it. To use the incarnation as support for abortion requires reversing the very message the story proclaims.

5. Concerning Your Statement That Jesus Was a Radical Feminist

Jesus elevated the dignity of women in ways that challenged the culture of His day. He taught women, ministered to women, welcomed them among His followers, and entrusted women with proclaiming His resurrection.

Yet calling Jesus a radical feminist places a modern political label on One who transcends every political movement. Jesus did not come to advance an ideology; He came to save sinners and establish the Kingdom of God. Every political movement must ultimately be measured against Christ—not Christ against a political movement.

6. Concerning Your Statements About Biological Sex

Conversations about sex and gender involve real people and often deep personal struggles. Christians should approach them with compassion and humility. Yet compassion cannot require the abandonment of truth.

Scripture teaches that humanity was intentionally created as male and female. Genesis declares, “Male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27), and Jesus reaffirmed that truth (Matthew 19:4). The Christian understanding of sex is rooted not in cultural tradition but in God’s design. Our identity is not ultimately discovered through self-definition but through submission to the One who created us. God’s design is not restrictive; it is wise and good.

7. Concerning Your Support for Same-Sex Marriage and the Reinterpretation of Biblical Sexual Ethics

Few issues create more tension in modern Christianity than sexuality and marriage. The temptation is either to compromise truth in the name of love or abandon love in the name of truth. Scripture calls us to neither.

From Genesis to Revelation, marriage is presented as a covenant between one man and one woman. Jesus affirmed this design when He quoted Genesis and declared that the two become one flesh (Matthew 19:4-6). The New Testament consistently teaches that sexual intimacy belongs within that covenant.

These teachings are not expressions of fear or hostility. They are expressions of God’s design for human flourishing. The call of discipleship is not the affirmation of every desire but the surrender of every area of life to the Lordship of Christ.

8. Concerning the Danger of Reshaping Christianity to Fit Culture

The deeper concern behind these issues is the temptation to reshape Christianity so it aligns more comfortably with the values of the age. The Church has faced this pressure for two thousand years. The source changes; the temptation remains the same.

Paul warned Timothy that a time would come when people would seek teachers who tell them what they want to hear rather than what God has said (2 Timothy 4:3-4). The role of Christian leaders is not to make Scripture acceptable to the culture. It is to faithfully proclaim Scripture, whether the culture applauds or rejects it.

During my years in ministry, I learned that God does not call pastors to make Scripture popular. He calls us to make it plain.

When culture becomes the lens through which we interpret Scripture, truth is eventually replaced by preference. The question for every generation is not whether the Bible aligns with the culture, but whether we are willing to align ourselves with the Bible.

The Biblical Responsibility of Leaders

Representative Talarico,

Politics is temporary. Elections are temporary. Legislative victories are temporary. Souls are not.

Scripture teaches that those who influence others bear a greater responsibility before God. James warns that teachers will be judged more strictly. Jesus warns against leading others astray. These truths should humble every pastor, teacher, author, influencer, and public servant who speaks in God’s name.

They certainly humble me.

For thirty years, I stood behind a pulpit knowing that one day I would answer to God for every sermon I preached and every truth I taught. The same is true for anyone who publicly speaks about faith and Scripture.

The older I get, the less interested I am in winning arguments and the more concerned I am about whether people know the truth.

My concern is not your political party. My concern is whether the Jesus being presented to the public is the Jesus revealed in Scripture or a version reshaped by the spirit of the age.

America does not need progressive Christianity or conservative Christianity. America needs biblical Christianity—faithful to God’s Word, centered on Christ, and unafraid to proclaim truth in love.

My prayer for you is the same prayer I pray for myself: that every belief, every ambition, and every public statement would be brought under the authority of Scripture. Because one day neither of us will stand before voters, political parties, commentators, or public opinion.

We will stand before God and give an account.

Respectfully,

Jeff Mullen

Pastor Emeritus

Follower of Jesus Christ

To follow Pastor Jeff Mullen on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.mullen

What are your thoughts on this blog? Please leave a comment here.

June 1, 2026

Return to top of page

What Will Be Your Legacy?

Yesterday was Mother’s Day. I enjoyed some of our Mother’s Day traditions with my daughter, two granddaughters, and myself getting a pedicure together. Something we started when the girls were just toddlers. Even though this year I was slightly limited with the surgical wounds on my left leg, I still managed to have a wonderful partial pedicure with the girls.

We also had a lovely dinner together. I brought the family’s favorite Chex Mix for snacks, which goes back to my mother-in-law’s recipe that our kids loved. There was always a big bowl of it when we visited her. I was surprised the next generation, my grandkids, also love this timeless treat! When asked what he’ll remember about family gatherings, my grandson held up the bowl of my Chex Mix.

So Chex Mix is definitely a traditional legacy building memory in our family. Even though my mother-in-law cooked it in the oven for an hour stirring every 15 minutes, which I did too for many years, I now have it done in 10 minutes in the microwave!

I’ve been thinking a lot about legacy recently.

My husband’s cousin Pete’s wife passed away several weeks ago. A godly woman that I, and many, agree epitomized a Proverbs 31+ woman. She was 92 years-old when she went to be with her Savior passing away quietly in her sleep. She and her husband had been married 72 years!! They had 5 children, 18 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren. Her name just happened to also be, Janet.

I remember vividly meeting Janet Hermanson over 30 years ago when Dave and I were newly married and attended a family funeral in Iowa where Dave is from and the Hermansons lived. Janet and her husband Pete picked us up from the airport and from the first greeting, I knew I was going to love my new namesake relative.

Janet welcomed me lovingly and graciously into the family and showed me how to make traditional Norwegian cookies, which I never was able to make as good as her. Janet’s warm welcoming kindness and hospitality rooted in her love for the Lord, for her husband, for people, her community, her state, and especially family and extended family made such an impression on me as a new wife.

I remember she had a “wall of brides” with pictures of her five children’s weddings. I was so impressed with this beautiful display of love that when our four children all married, I too created a wall of brides.

Because Janet and her husband Pete lived between Iowa and Arizona, we didn’t see them often, but they would always let us know when they were in our vicinity and we would get together as family loves to do.

Thanks to technology, Dave and I were able to listen to the livestream of Janet’s beautiful memorial service. Tears flowed as her brother-in-law shared fond memories of Janet before he read the verses about “The Wife of Noble Character” from Proverbs 31:10-31 and John 11 where Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus had died closing with …
²³Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

²⁴Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

²⁷“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

There were fond memories shared from a son-in-law, and a daughter-in-law who admired all the many gifts of Janet, which she admitted could be a little intimidating. A grandson fought back tears as he shared his memories and those of his sister of their loving grandmother. A son shared how his mom parented with love and clever firm discipline. Many shared “Janetisms.”

One person said it seemed like Janet’s oven never turned off, as she always had her famous lemon bars, lasagna, cookies, cherry pie, and delicious treats coming out of her kitchen. She sewed, sang in the choir, helped others with tax preparation, was a bookkeeper on the farm and often went out in the field to help or drive truck or tractor, volunteered at church, supported 4-H, Sons of Norway, quilted, hosted family and friends, all while raising a family of five and welcoming dozens of nieces, nephews, and guests into her home.

She was witty, funny, spiritual, kind, godly, loved traveling, a loving wife sitting next to her hubby in their chairs even when they were no longer able to be in their home. Her children rose up and called her blessed and her husband praised her.

I could go on and on about sweet Janet Hermanson. Her memorial was a blessing to so many and her legacy filled the church.

Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women do noble things,
    but you [Janet Hermanson] surpass them all.”
³⁰Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Pr. 31:28-31

When I was sharing this story of Janet Hermanson’s memorial at the Women’s Revelation Bible Study at my church later that afternoon, the leader said she had just gone to the funeral of another Proverbs 31+ woman too!

Famous Legacies

Joni Lamb passed away last week at only 65. She was the President and cofounder with her first husband Marcus of Daystar Television Network back in the 70’s with the dream of using media to spread the gospel, which eventually became Daystar. A ministry that has blessed thousands over the years and many have come to know Jesus as their Savior. Joni helped build a platform that carried the gospel into homes across the world. She hosted conversations, encouraged believers, gave visibility to Christian leaders, and became one of the most recognizable women in Christian media.

With all the good it did, there was also controversy. But I want to focus here on the memory I came across on Facebook from Brooke Landreth who was a social media marketer and stylist at Daystar for 8 years. I’ve read many memories on Facebook from those who knew Joni, but this one especially touched me. Here is part of what Brooke wrote about Joni:

When I think about Joni, my eyes fill with tears because of the impact she made not only around the world, but on everyone she encountered, including me. Joni was someone whose presence made an impact simply through her ability to see people through God’s eyes. In the middle of the day, when I would pass her in the halls of Daystar, she would stop to give me a hug and always ask me how I was doing, despite wherever she was headed to next.

People were never the obstacle of ministry but truly the goal of ministry! And through her life, many encountered Jesus because of it!

She was a woman who was passionate about spreading the Gospel around the world and took a stand for truth no matter the cost. She brought out the gold in people through the words she spoke. She was a woman of generosity who often gave without expecting anything in return, and the unconditional love and heart she had for her family ran so deep.

I honor Joni for giving her life to the Gospel and for the legacy she is leaving behind. She will truly be missed by so many, but my prayer is that her children and our staff would carry the torch forward to bring Him glory!

I love you, Ms. Joni, and I will see you again in glory!

Charlie Kirk left a legacy of Turning Point USA as his wife Erika and the team carry on today. Charlie and Joni Lamb both have numerous videos and presentations that will be watched and shared for years to come to carry on their legacy, as will many others in public and private ministry.

Leaving a Spiritual Legacy

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.” Luke 12:48

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

Whether we’re famous or known only to our family and friends, we’re all known to God. Each of us will leave a legacy of what we did with the gifts, talents, and family the Lord gave us while we were here on earth. I like this definition of a “Spiritual Legacy”:

“A spiritual legacy goes beyond material possessions, encompassing the beliefs, values, teachings, and love you impart to others, shaping their spiritual growth and life choices. It reflects the influence of your faith and character on family, community, and future generations, creating a foundation for others to follow. This legacy is often intentional, involving consistent actions, mentorship, and the sharing of spiritual truths.”

A spiritual legacy is the lasting impact of your faith, values, and character on others, especially across generations.

–Biblical and Faith-Based Perspective

In the Christian context, a spiritual legacy is deeply rooted in Scripture.

For example, Deuteronomy 6:6-7 emphasizes teaching God’s commandments to children, ensuring faith is passed down through generations. The Apostle Paul highlights generational faith in 2 Timothy 1:5, noting how Timothy’s grandmother and mother influenced his spiritual life. Proverbs 13:22 also underscores leaving a godly inheritance for children and grandchildren, emphasizing spiritual blessings over material wealth.

–Key Components of a Spiritual Legacy

Faith and Values: Demonstrating the importance of belief and moral principles in daily life.
Acts of Kindness and Compassion: Small, intentional actions that inspire and positively affect others.
Mentorship and Teaching: Guiding others in spiritual growth through example, prayer, and sharing personal experiences.
Family and Community Influence: Passing down traditions, stories, and practices that strengthen spiritual identity and connection.
Global or Cultural Impact: Extending influence beyond immediate circles through service, social justice, or humanitarian efforts.

–Practical Implications

Creating a spiritual legacy involves mindful living, reflecting on your values, and intentionally shaping your actions to benefit others spiritually.

Spiritual legacy encourages personal growth, strengthens relationships, and ensures that your faith and principles continue to influence future generations.

Whether through prayer, teaching, mentoring, or example, a spiritual legacy is a lasting testament to the life you lead and the values you uphold.

I’ve always said that I pray my legacy to my family is that Mom, Grammie, Great-Grammie loved Jesus as her Lord and Savior and loved her family well.

To my friends, I pray I was as good a friend as you were to me.

To Woman to Woman Ministry and About His Work Ministries, I pray you’re always looking for someone to mentor and someone to mentor you.

For now, I’ll keep on writing this blog and making Grammie’s Chex Mix!

Have you thought about what your spiritual legacy will be?

PS: The above picture was AI generated from the context of my blog. I just shared it here for fun, this isn’t me or my grandkids or anyone I discussed in the blog but look at all the brides on the wall LOL!!

Please leave a comment here.

May 11, 2026

Return to top of page

Only Jesus Can Fill the Spiritual Vacuum in America!

Last week’s blog was Pray for America to Remain: One Nation Under God! I hope you have read it, but if not, maybe stop and read it now because our nation is under attack from the enemy and that enemy has a name, Satan!

Satan has already mastered lower hanging fruit like Europe, Canada, Australia, Iran, Russia, Mexico, and much of the Middle East, but the prize for the Devil would be the United States of America. The only thing preventing his success are righteous, patriotic, Bible-believing, God-fearing, Holy Spirit filled, Jesus Christ Followers.

Not simply “Christians.”
Not “Religion.”
Not Government.
Not Conservatives.
Not Republicans.
Not Politics.
Not the White House.

I hope most of you gave a resounding “Amen” because Jesus is clear, if you’re not with Jesus all the way, you’re against Him which means you’re with the Devil.

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Matt. 12:30

We’re still one constitutional Republic of America, but after the Super Bowl Halftime fiasco, it’s obvious we’re not one nation culturally or morally. You have to wonder how an American iconic formally family-friendly venue deteriorated into a demonic X-rated anti-American gay-gyrating, crouch grabbing, filthy Spanish-speaking event broadcast on national television and streaming waves.

How did Jesus followers let it go this far wrong?

You might think I’m overstating, but I’m not. Yes, I know “Bad Bunny” (that was the first clue he should’ve never been given this platform) is technically a Puerto Rican American, but his show did not represent or celebrate America. While we didn’t watch it at our house, I’ve read enough to know it was an attack on ICE removing illegal criminals from our country and finding lost children! His lyrics were in Spanish because they were so sexually explicit and vile I couldn’t read the translation. Children who know Spanish heard that trash. Currently the FCC is going after the station and the NFL for violating decency standards on television. I hope the fines are large and serious.

An Unexpected Artistic Testimony!

Watching the continual demise of the NFL, and specifically the moral decay of the Super Bowl halftime shows, was Charlie Kirk’s “obsessive” concern. What for many years was an American family sport and tradition right up there with the Flag, Mom, and apple pie has descended into demonic halftime shows with little pushback and this troubled Charlie greatly! Turning Point USA in Charlie’s honor offered a family-friendly alternative halftime show, watched by 6.5 million on YouTube alone with millions more watching on social media, OAN, Daily Wire, Real America’s Voice, or like us on TBN.

There were no commercials or advertisements at TPUS’s All American Halftime Show, just country music as a celebration of “faith, family, and freedom” with an unexpected artistic testimony which sent the liberals spinning.

TPUSA incurred pre-game criticism advertising Kid Rock as their lead performer. I too was curious about that, but I heard him interviewed the prior week where he said he would have a surprise during his performance. He also framed the contrast between the two halftime shows: “He’s (Bad Bunny) said he’s having a dance party, wearing a dress, and singing in Spanish? Cool. We plan to play great songs for folks who love America.”

The week before the Super Bowl, the NFL asked Bad Bunny to tame down his show, which he had touted as a tribute to queerness, so maybe that’s why he didn’t wear a dress.

During the TPUSA halftime show, we endured Kid Rock’s first performance of one of his early distasteful songs while wearing shorts and a fur coat with smoke and flashing lights on the stage. Then there was a beautiful husband and wife instrumental hymn presentation on a cello and violin, which at first, seemed like an odd follow up to Kid Rock’s wild performance.

Then “Robert James Richie” was announced and there stood “Kid Rock” in blue jeans, a jean jacket, and a Detroit trucker’s hat strumming a guitar under a single spot light. If you didn’t watch it, here is what he said. “One Sunday morning I woke up thinking about the song, ‘Til You Can’t.’ Something or someone spoke to me that there was another verse that needed to be added.”

“There’s a book that’s sitting in your house somewhere that could use some dusting off.” There’s a man that died for all our sins hanging from the cross. You can give your life to Jesus and He’ll give you a second chance. ‘Til you can’t.’”

He then sang the entire song and with the permission of Cody Johnson, added the new verse at the end that God gave him, which he wrote after the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The performance ended with photos of Charlie Kirk and his widow, Erika, and their two children followed by the Bible verse Isaiah 6:8 “Here am I send me.”

As we know, God can and does use the people we least expect to share His message. Kid Rock definitely has a checkered past, yet that same man looked into the camera and told America to dust off their Bibles, give their lives to Jesus, and take their second chance while they still can.

It seemed like Kid Rock was showing with the first song, this is where I was, and with the last song as his given name Robert Richie, this is who I am now in Christ, my second chance. The left chose to criticize his first song, completely missing the point of the instrumental interlude before the last second-chance gospel song.

A Facebook friend described this so well:
“He [Kid Rock] was once lost like all the people he was naming in the first song but is now born again thanks to his faith in Jesus. Professing the name above all names and showing through a public display who his life belongs to now. That was pretty epic in my opinion!! Great job, Robert Ritchie. The old is gone and the new has come. He is a new creation in Christ Jesus!

To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, ²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Eph. 4:22-24

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”– 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” – Micah 7:18

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”– 1 John 1:9

And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” –John 8:7

Many were quick to throw the first verbal stones because those without Christ don’t understand mercy, grace, repentance, forgiveness, and salvation. They hang onto everyone’s past while often ignoring their own.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

The Gospel is Spiritual NOT Political!

Sharing the Gospel at TPUSA was labeled by some on the left and lying media as “political.”

Folks, that’s the crux of our problem. We’re letting the left and the media define spiritual as political just like the Romans and spiritual leaders did in Jesus’ day. They’ve politicized what we know is spiritually and morally wrong and Christians haven’t fought hard enough to keep political out of spiritual. We let the liberal God-denying left intimidate us and we even tolerate their complete misunderstanding that there is nothing about separation of church and state in our Constitution or Bill of Rights.

So many Christians have used this lie as an excuse not to stop the evil the liberal left has imposed on our nation. They fight harder for evil than we fight for good. Evil is celebrated and God is demonized in our culture today!

We’ve let this spiritual vacuum occur as Satan fills people’s brains with demonic beliefs and practices.

Sadistically murdering innocent babies and calling it “women’s healthcare.”
Same sex marriage an abomination to God.
Perverse sexual grooming of children in schools.
Mentally ill children sexually mutilated and their symptoms tolerated instead of treated.
Sexually explicit and morally degenerate alternate lifestyles permitted in entertainment.
Unvetted illegals invading our borders and our communities.
Wokeness
Attacking ICE for arresting illegal criminals and rescuing 3364 unaccompanied missing children in Minnesota alone.
Storming churches.
Too many evils to list.

The only English words in Bad Bunny’s horrible presentation were a token “God bless America” after he had just trashed America and named Latin American countries waving their flags including Canada and Puerto Rico.

When asked about him speaking the entire show in Puerto Rican Spanish, BB said, “English is not my first language. But it’s okay; it’s not America’s first language either.” This is where the left is taking us and Christians have allowed this spiritual vacuum to occur.

Don’t Let the Ungodly Fill the Spiritual Vacuum!

After BB had just showed hate for America, there was a closing sign in English, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” The decisive factor in that phrase is it’s always the devil’s definitions of love and hate. I’ve been called a hater for sharing godly biblical principles and love. Maybe you have too. The Bible to unbelievers is a book of hate. Anything they don’t agree with is hate. We’re hated for showing the love of salvation that only Jesus offers.

Franklin Graham is also sounding the call to action to fill this spiritual void to save America. He warns that the moral foundation of our nation is cracking and this is no longer a distant threat.

“We are standing at a crossroads. The darkness isn’t just coming; it’s already here—entering our homes, our schools, and our hearts.”

Graham says what we’re witnessing—social unrest, hostility toward people of faith, and deep cultural confusion—is not merely political or social. It’s spiritual. A real battle for truth is unfolding, and discernment has never been more urgent.

He cautions that deception doesn’t only come from outside the Church, but often from within—where “itching ears” prefer comfort over repentance, affirmation over transformation.

“There are many who have the appearance of godliness but deny its power.”

His call is clear and uncompromising:

Examine your heart

Know your Bible

Return to the Ancient Paths

Be ready for the return of Jesus Christ

This is not a time for lukewarm faith or cultural Christianity. It’s a time for repentance, truth, and courage.

America doesn’t need better messaging.

It needs a spiritual awakening.

May we hear the warning—and respond while there is still time.

Til You Can’t!

Our pastor today made a comment as we studied John 7:37-38. “When you’re thirsty enough, you’ll drink from anywhere. People are so spiritually thirsty today they’re drinking from streams that are making them spiritually sick.” They need to hear about the fountain of living water, Jesus Christ.

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:37-38

If you’re a Jesus follower, have you shared Jesus with someone who is spiritually thirsty? Have you spoke out and stood up against cultural and spiritual atrocities? Islam is strategizing and positioning to fill the spiritual vacuum and thirst in America. It’s a spiritual race between Allah and Jesus. We know who wins in the end, but who are we going to let win in America in our lifetime?

Please leave a comment here.

February 16, 2026

Return to top of page

14 Ways To Celebrate A Peaceful Thanksgiving When Politically Divided!

You may have read recently how Jimmy Kimmel’s wife, Molly McNearney who works as a producer and writer on her husband’s late-night show, admitted to being raised “in a very conservative, Republican household.” So when Trump was elected in 2016, though disappointed, she felt she could “understand it.” Regarding Trump’s second term, she’s not so understanding.

“It hurts me so much because of the personal relationship I now have where my husband is out there fighting this man,” McNearney said on the Nov. 6 episode of “We Can Do Hard Things” podcast. “To me, them [family members] voting for Trump is them not voting for my husband and me and our family,” she added, revealing that she had “unfortunately … lost relationships with people in my family because of it.”

She continued in the podcast, “I’ve sent many emails to family, like right before the election saying, ‘I’m begging you. Here’s the 10 reasons not to vote for this guy. Please don’t.’ And I either got ignored by 90% of them or got truly insane responses from a few. It’s definitely caused a strain.”

“I’ve definitely pulled in closer with the family that I feel more aligned with. And I hate that this has happened, you know? It feels silly. You know, part of me goes, ‘Don’t let politics get in the way.’ But to me, this isn’t politics. It’s truly values,” she explained. “And we just were not aligned anymore.” Read more of the interview here.

Actually, in that last sentence she hit on the division that has arisen between Republicans and Democrats or progressive Democrat Socialists. It truly is opposing “values” of good versus evil.

Taking Trump out of the discussion for a moment, let’s look at the atheistic godless values on the left: sacrificially killing babies in the womb, sexually indoctrinating young children in school, sexual mutilation of children, gender confusion, open borders, men in women’s sports, men pretending they’re women, gay marriage, legalizing and accepting sexual perversion, soft on crime, defunding the police, and so many more WOKE anti-God values that Christian conservatives unequivocally cannot and should not align with.

McNearney is correct, left and right values are definitely not the same. But notice she referred to the responses she received from her conservative relatives as “insane.” While McNearney didn’t admit to Trump Derangement Syndrome, she has the symptoms when she’s letting politics not only divide her family, but essentially disowning them because they don’t agree with her. Is this making her feel any better? She admits it isn’t.

“I feel like I’m kind of in constant conflict and I’m angry all the time, which isn’t healthy at all,” McNearney continued. “But I personalize everything now. When I see these terrible stories every day, I’m immediately mad at certain aunts, uncles, cousins who put him [Trump] in power. And it’s really hard.”

She’s not alone. When political views become thicker than family ties, it’s heartbreaking and feeds into Satan’s goal of disintegrating and dismantling the family.

Last year, a liberal extended family member was surprised we were celebrating a family Thanksgiving after the election. She had heard the ludicrous propaganda that families and friends with differing political views shouldn’t celebrate Thanksgiving together?! She believed this outrageous proclamation as fact and surveys show she’s not alone. A quarter of Americans said they were canceling Thanksgiving plans over political clashes. Pathetic and tragic.

Much of the mistruths, lies, and gaslighting coming from the liberal side of the aisle work to divide friends and families instead of uniting them around the things they do agree on like loving your family and heritage regardless of political or faith beliefs. Family ties should be stronger than politics and God tells us to love those who don’t agree with us, even though we don’t always love their actions, values, or beliefs. As Christians, we don’t cut them off, we show them the love of Christ, which we definitely can’t do if we don’t still strive for a personal relationship with them. Even when our values conflict, we still show them love.

I imagine many of you are having similar concerns and conversations this Thanksgiving. I remember my mom cautioning that if you want to keep the peace, don’t 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? Likewise, if we’re happy about political policies that align with our faith and beliefs, then we shouldn’t have to stifle our joy.

I’m bold about my first role in life: being a born-again Christian. All other roles come second. 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 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

Absolutely, we’re having another joyous Thanksgiving celebration this year with whoever is there. We have much to be thankful for beyond politics. So yes, I’ll be making my famous sweet potatoes for those who love them. And I’ll bring my legacy Thanksgiving tablecloth, which you’ll read about at the end of this article. We won’t let political or faith differences prevent us from giving praise, glory, and thanks to our Lord and Savior for another year of life together.

Daily, not just at Thanksgiving, 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 coward’s 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. So how can we let Jesus reflect through us? Granted, some might not recognize Jesus . . . but they’ll see there’s something different about us.

14 Ways to Maintain Peace and Joy on Thanksgiving

As I prayed and talked to the Lord about family political and faith differences, here’s some scriptural ways to keep the peace. I’ll admit it’s not always easy and I definitely haven’t mastered them all. 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 or political beliefs 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
Strive for 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 antagonistic discussions—“Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.” Pr. 26:17 NLT
Play with 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 “A time to be quiet and a time to speak.” Ecc. 3:7 NLT
Pray mind prayers. —^“Pray continually” 1 Thess. 5:17
Have a sign or word with others that signals — Change the subject if the conversation gets heated or move into another room. “Twoare better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” Ecc. 4:9
If you’re hosting—Thank God for each guest. Pray over your home and each chair at the table. Pray as you normally would at the meal, 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 approach the home, pray to be a blessing. If your hosts don’t pray before the meal, offer to give a blessing. “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. Giving Him thanks and praise in whatever way He leads. Fiction writers have a saying: “Show don’t tell.” You don’t always have to speak Jesus with your words. Show Him with your actions. 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

I do give thanks for each of you who follow me on this Monday Morning Blog. I pray you have a joyful, peaceful, and God-filled Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving Legacy Tablecloth Idea

In Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I share how to use your Thanksgiving tablecloth as a conversation piece and a way to make memories for generations to come. Here’s 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. My grandchildren love to look back at their tiny handprints and drawings when they were toddlers and the comments written over twenty-three years.

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.

Opening Photo by Stephanie Klepacki on Unsplash
Have a blessed Thanksgiving. There won’t be a Monday Morning Blog Thanksgiving week and I might not be regular every Monday morning in December

Please leave a comment here.

November 17, 2025

Return to top of page

How “They” Killed Charlie Kirk!

Most of us will never forget where we were when we heard that Christian apologist and freedom crusader Charlie Kirk was assassinated the day before we were to honor the memory of 9/11. I had just picked up my cell phone and the first post on my “Home” page was the video of Charlie being shot as he sat under his “Prove Me Wrong” tent taking questions from students at Utah Valley University. I wish I’d never seen it, but it’s now embedded in my memory.

I, like many of you, were in shock as I began to pray that this horrific demonic act of violence would not be fatal. I knew that Charlie had so much more work to do for the Lord and the conservative movement reaching the next generation that surely he would survive. I saw in the video that Charlie had reached for his neck and then the video went dead. It was surreal.

It wasn’t long before my daughter Kim and granddaughter Katelyn were texting me. Katelyn had attended Charlie’s Turning Point USA event at her college Boise State University last spring. She and her friends were so excited to see him in person that they arrived early and were right up front of the tent where Charlie sat. Their smiling faces appear in many videos and pictures posted on the Turning Point website. She’s a member of BSU campus Turning Point USA.

Far too soon, I received a call from my husband who heard on TV and a text from my daughter that Charlie had died. I think I said something like “Oh, God, no!” My daughter told me not to call Katelyn because she was crying and had to leave class to compose herself.

I’m sure you’ve read many tributes to Charlie’s love for his wife and young family, America, conservative values, but above all, his love and devotion to Jesus Christ and the Bible. As recent as June 29, he answered a question by host Jack Selby on “The Iced Coffee Hour” about how he wants to be remembered if “everything completely goes away?” Charlie answered, “You mean when I die? I want to be remembered for courage for my faith. That would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith,” he emphasized.

That’s exactly why so many Christians are mourning his tragic and untimely death. One of our brothers in Christ was felled by a radicalized deceived demented man with a targeted bullet meant to not only silence Charlie, but to silence anyone with conservative Christian values bold and courageous enough to voice and defend their beliefs in the public square.

Charlie was a fellow believer and brother in the family of God. We were thrilled for this young conservative influencer who founded Turning Point USA at eighteen and became close to President Trump and good friends with VP Vance and many of the cabinet members as well as conservative newscasters and influencers. Charlie was taking the Christian and conservative message to the corners of the earth and specifically into the lion’s den of today’s colleges.

That’s exactly why he was martyred! Many are calling it a political assassination, but it was also a spiritual assassination for his faith in Jesus Christ. Charlie vocally and unashamedly supported candidates who shared his conservative biblical values and was encouraging college students to consider those values in their own life and vote accordingly. President Trump and both his sons have publically said that Charlie was instrumental in getting out the younger generation’s vote that helped President Trump win the 2024 election and he would’ve done the same for the upcoming midterms and future elections.

In my opinion, that’s why “they,” brutally took him down. He was an influential voice “they” couldn’t control. Only 31 with a promising future. Some predicted he would be president someday. “They” couldn’t tolerate such a threat to their power.

Who Are The “They”?

Newscasters, commentary and opinion authors, podcasters, and public speakers reporting on Charlie’s assassination repeatedly pepper their discourse with the inclusive “they” because the opposition isn’t composed of a singular person, group, or entity. Yes, it seems one radicalized man shot the bullet, but who are “they” that influenced and indoctrinated him to commit such a brutal vicious satanic act? Every time I hear “they,” I ask myself, “Who are ‘they?’”

“They” is a compilation of Marxist/Communist and Islamist ideology in academia, media, social media, and government. Let’s look closer.

“They” are the college professors, schoolteachers, and administrators like assistant campus director at George Washington University who took to social media shortly after the assassination of Charlie Kirk and said it is “fair” that Kirk was gunned down due to his support of gun ownership and the Second Amendment. “No thoughts no prayers,” the GWU employee added.

Heather Mac Donald, Thomas W. Smith Fellow at the Manhattan Institute told Fox News Digital that it is “hard to imagine” Kirk was killed for “any other reason than that he was breaking the stranglehold of anti-Western ideology on college campuses and beyond. . . It was sadly fitting that he was killed at a college campus, and not even one known for its leftward leanings, since colleges are the seed bed of modern day speech suppression and the false equations that political contrarian speech = hate speech and that hate speech may be snuffed out—apparently by any means necessary.”

Mac Donald continued, “The killer apparently agreed with those would-be censorers. The self-centeredness and historical and moral ignorance of coddled American students has bloomed into something more pernicious, as the beatification of Luigi Mangione already showed.”

The suspected killer was a former Utah State University student and attended Dixie Technical College. Was he radicalized there or maybe before? We’re aghast at Palestinian Arab children being taught antisemitic hatred and to glorify anti-Jewish terrorists or terrorists using young people as suicide bombers at early ages and yet this same hatred of Jews, Christians, conservatives, and God is being taught right here in the USA! Crooks died trying to assassinate President Trump at 20. Charlie’s shooter is 22.

“They” are the Illian Omar’s who vulgarly said Charlie brought his murder on himself for daring to speak out against wokeness and called his supporters s**t.

“They” are the governors like Walz who said our rights come from government not God. Pritzer who said Charlie’s free speech brought on his own death.

“They” are the Democrats yelling, “NO” to praying for Charlie in Congress the day he was murdered as one Republican congresswoman yelled out “you caused this.” I agree “they” absolutely have caused Charlie’s death with their radical, liberal, godless, immoral policies, and violent rhetoric.

“They” are the Democrats’ spouting hypocrisy with canned statements of “there’s no place for political violence.” They were the very ones calling for violence against conservatives, putting a bullseye or 86 target on President Trump with 2 assassination attempts. They told restaurants and businesses to say conservatives weren’t welcome. They were silent while Teslas and dealerships were vandalized, and cities burned during rioting protests. They’ve called Trump, Charlie, and MAGA followers a Nazis cult, fascists, KKK, racists, white supremacists, toxic, deplorables, Christian nationalists, right-wing extremists, and an existential threat to democracy, terms algorithms pick up and flood the phone screens of the impressionable and unstable.

If Charlie was a liberal, there would’ve been violence in the streets across the nation condoned by the left. But what did our side do? We held prayer vigils across America and 17 countries, with police protection from liberal harassing protestors. That’s the difference between “they” and us.

“They” are the liberal progressive left who have tried to redefine morality and rewrite the foundations and history of our country, eradicate the Constitution, deny the biological reality of two sexes, legalize the murder of innocent babies, destroy the family, emasculate men, sexualize children, and eliminate God from the culture.

“They” are the liberal lying legacy media propaganda. Here’s a summary from the Media Research Center and a few I added of how some of them reacted to Charlie’s assassination:

Some outlets showed basic decency. But the usual suspects fell back into their worst habits. MSNBC’s Ken Dilanian blamed Trump’s immigration enforcement for stretching FBI resources, as if border policy caused Charlie’s murder. Nicole Wallace claimed democracy itself made it harder to track domestic threats, twisting mourning into an indictment of voters.

CBS Morning Host Burleson asked former speaker Keven McCarthy, “Speaking of this tragedy, is this a moment for your party to reflect on political violence? Is it a moment for us to think about the responsibility of our political leaders and their voices and what it does to the masses as they get lost in misinformation or disinformation that turns in, and spills into, political violence?”

ABC’s Kyra Phillips recited a laundry list of Charlie’s “controversial” statements — DEI, Jews, women, LGBTQ, people of color — as though disagreement justified violence. Aaron Katersky suggested Charlie’s presence “divided the campus,” ignoring the overwhelming majority who welcomed him.

At CNN, Oliver Darcy smeared conservatives for “partisan gain” while himself reducing Charlie to a “right-wing activist” with “contrarian” views. This is the Alinsky playbook: accuse others of what you are guilty of.

MSNBC host Matthew Dowd was fired for his comments right after the shooting, “He’s been one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions,” blaming Charlie for being assassinated. Cold. Evil.

MRC concludes, “These responses reveal what we already know: the media’s ideology outweighs their humanity. Even in tragedy, they cannot rise above their loathing of the right. This is the challenge we face. The political Left and their media allies have normalized hostility, treating conservatives as enemies rather than fellow Americans. It must end.”

“They” are the late-night liberal hosts who have turned what once was comedy into a constant barrage against President Trump, Republicans, and conservatives.

“They” are social media where people are exposed to hate and vitriol, especially if you hold conservative views. Young people are often indiscriminate on who and what they follow. Friends of Charlie’s killer say he was radicalized in “the deep dark corners of the internet, the Reddit culture.”

“They” are BOT Farms, which I just learned about. Bots, not real people but electronic BOTS programmed to respond automatically on social media to escalate furor. Russia uses BOTS as does China especially on Tik Tok. Large facilities where people work to inflame situations to damage the US.

“They” are the dehumanizing gaming industry glorifying killing and death that many young men, including the assassin, are addicted to like cocaine.

“They” are those who are fostering and financing politics as a cultural rage.

“They” are the evil side of the spiritual war we now find ourselves embroiled in and to which Charlie Kirk became a wounded warrior. Charlie fought the battle with grace, joy, humility, wisdom, honesty, persuasion, and truth, yet “they” killed him. The Bible clearly defines what fuels “they.”

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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.” (Ephesians 6:10-12)

The “They’s” Killed Charlie Kirk, But We Will Carry On His Legacy!

“There is an enormous difference between hate speech and speech that ‘they’ hate!” Pastor Craig Adams

One or more of the above “theys,” conceived and manipulated by the powers of darkness and spiritual forces of evil, influenced Charlie’s assassin. Who knows which “they” influenced the killer most, but it was probably a combination of many or maybe even others.

Evil hates good. Satan hates Christians. Charlie was a fearless and bold Christian who unashamedly shared how to become a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. While he was firm and resolute in his delivery, you never heard him lose his temper, yell, or swear. He was courteous and kind even to those who disagreed vehemently with him. He was a bridge between both sides, with many saved at his TPUSA events.

Minds and hearts were changed to embrace Christian conservative values. Satan hated Charlie for that and for his biblical worldview. The devil found a willing soul to radicalize and fill with deadly hate to the point of killing in cold blood someone he’d never met. He could’ve picked up the microphone to debate with Charlie, but instead he cowardly picked up a gun to viciously kill him.

Charlie would want us to pray for his killer to be saved. He always said to pray for your enemies, which is something hard for most of us to do right now in our righteous anger and grief for a precious life taken far too soon.

“Conservatives will not be silenced,” Heather Mac Donald, told Fox News Digital, adding that Kirk “would not have been silenced” so conservatives should “emulate his courage.”

Mac Donald added, “It is a cliché and self-serving to say: they fear us because we are winning, but presumably, there is less of a perceived need to efface someone who is losing a cause anyway. Kirk was feared because he was winning.”

Charlie is still a winner! He has received a martyr’s crown with Jesus hugging him and welcoming him into heaven as a good and faithful servant. In Charlie’s own words, “All death can do to the believer is deliver him to Jesus.”

We’ll see you soon Charlie, but until then we’ll carry the torch of freedom and faith you passed down to us. We are Charlies Now! We are Onward Christian Soldiers!

Anyone who has followed my writings knows I’ve been sounding the call for the church, and that means Christians, to bravely and boldly take a stand for God and truth in the public square. I’ve also said that good can never unite or compromise with evil.

The battle lines are clearly drawn, and every American must choose if you’re on the Devil’s side of evil and violence or if you’re in the Lord’s army. Are you with the “they” side or are you on the Lord’s side? There’s no middle ground.

For those on the Lord’s side, we will not be shaken. We will not be silenced. We will put on the armor of God, take up the Word of God the “sword of the Spirit,” and we will prayerfully fight for Jesus’ Truth and Righteousness in this spiritual battle until the Lord returns.

Sweet Testimony from the Next Generation!

I leave you with the words of my nineteen-year-old granddaughter Katelyn when I asked if she had seen Erika Kirk’s eulogy to her husband. Here was my sweet Katelyn’s response. She represents the young “Charlie’s” who will continue his legacy.

“She [Erika] is so inspiring that in the face of true evil and probably the biggest tragedy she will ever have to face, she still said God is good and even though she doesn’t know what this means, He does. She’s truly an incredible and strong woman and 100% the type of woman I want to be. But ya know it was still really sad.”—Katelyn Mancini

Please leave your comment here.

September 15, 2025

Return to top of page

The Bible Is Offensive to Those Who Tolerate Sin

Have you ever been in church and felt like the pastor was talking just to you? You wonder how he knew what you were going through or what sin you were wrestling with in your life. Probably he didn’t know, but God knew. He breathed out the words of the Bible to guide, counsel, encourage, scold, convict, and offer help to those who hear or read it. Hopefully, your pastor was preaching accurately from a passage that spoke to your situation.

¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim. 3:15-17

The Bible wasn’t written to condone our actions, but to teach us right from wrong and how to lead a holy and righteous life. Since we were all born with a propensity to sin, only the Holy Spirit living in our hearts can help us overcome sin and choose God’s good in our life. Many people are good, but God wants redeemed people, not just good people. I’ll say it again, without God, you can’t be or do good as God defines good. That statement might offend some of you right now so let’s look at what the Bible says.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph. 2:8-9

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8

Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. ⁸But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. Rom. 5:7-9

So you may be wondering if I’m saying that anyone who hasn’t accepted Jesus and received the Holy Spirit will lead a sin-filled life? Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying and that’s going to be offensive to every nonbeliever. Without God, there’s no plumb line of God’s expectations for His people and their spiritual alignment with His Word. That’s why it’s so important when you read the Bible to know the context and whether it’s directed to the believer or unbeliever.

So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. ⁷So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” Heb. 4:5-7 NLT

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. ¹⁶But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. Ps. 34:15-16

Pastors’ Challenge

Today, many pastors acquiesce to the secular culture’s demands to be “inclusive.” In an attempt to not be offensive, they avoid preaching on biblical sin. The Bible calls that a false teacher. A pastor’s godly commission is to counter cultures’ lies with biblical truth. The righteous pastor tells the truth in love. If he doesn’t share the truth, he isn’t loving his congregation.

A pastor who avoids boldly covering the hard offensive places in the Bible is looking for the congregation’s affirmation not God’s confirmation. You can’t teach the Bible without offending someone. The Bible is clear on what is sinful and why we should strive to not sin. Believers don’t expect our sinful choices to be excused or legalized but instead confessed and forgiven. Unbelievers who might be in the congregation need to hear that Good News and believers need to live by it.

God is not “inclusive.” He’s actually very exclusive. All are welcome to spend eternal life with Him and His Son Jesus Christ, but there’s a qualifier. Only those who believe Jesus Christ died on the cross, rose again three days later, as we will celebrate on Easter, and confess their sins, ask for forgiveness, and turn from their wicked ways will be saved. (John 3:16)

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NLT

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 6:23

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ²⁴Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. ²⁵For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. Rom. 3:23-25 NLT

The entire concept of salvation is confessing and repenting of our sins and accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The word “sin” is used 1,364 times in the NIV Bible translation, but when’s the last time you heard a pastor preach about sin, even though forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ is the foundation of our faith? Think about it. Paul understood the importance of us recognizing our sins.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Gal. 5:18-21 NLT

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. . . Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. ²⁷In 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. . .²⁹They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Rom. 1: 24-27, 29-30

We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine ¹¹that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. 1 Tim. 1:9-11 NLT

Jesus talked about sin.

He [Jesus] went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. ²¹For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²²adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” Mark 7:20-23 NLT

Satan is using the secular left to legalize and champion sinful lifestyles and intimidate and silence the church on the one thing Satan uses to destroy God’s civilization—sin. I grew up going to church and I knew from a very young age what was sinful versus what was pleasing to God. In my backsliding days, while I might’ve been resentful of anyone calling out my sin, I knew I was breaking God’s heart because in my heart I knew I was sinning. How many people are sitting in woke churches today living under the lie that if culture says it’s okay and my pastor doesn’t call it wrong, it can’t be all that bad.

Have you heard a message in your church lately on why abortion, the murder of unborn babies, is sinful and wrong? Pastors often don’t teach on the sin of abortion because it might offend someone, so they skip over the Old Testament sacrificing of children to Baal and Moloch. Today, babies are burned or dismembered before they’re even born. With 1 out of 5 pregnancies ending in abortion, there probably will be a family touched by abortion in the congregation, but what if that pastor had been speaking all along about the sanctity of life and why God wants every baby He creates to receive the gift of life. Pastors could be saving babies’ lives. And for those women suffering with the guilt of killing their own child, the pastor could help them find comfort and forgiveness from Jesus. When pastors are afraid to touch that sinful painful subject, babies keep dying and women keep suffering.

Or has your pastor approached the subject in a sermon of why men should not be competing in women’s sports because no man can ever be a woman? Has he talked about what the Bible says about homosexuality, perverse sexual lifestyles, and exposing young children in school to this sin? No, you say. Well, why not? The Bible has a ton to say about it and because pastors don’t discuss it, the number of children experimenting with the rainbow mafia has skyrocketed. Children believe the devil’s lie that they can change their sex surgically or medically, when girls’ genetic XX chromosomes and boys’ XY chromosomes will NEVER change. These children will become patients for life instead of receiving help from Bible-believing pastors, psychologists, and counselors.

Or what about the mutilation and sterilization of children. Has your pastor talked about the deception of parents allowing young children to make such life altering permanent changes to their body that will NEVER change their God-given sex? Someone is probably dealing with this right now in your church.

God’s church can’t and shouldn’t avoid difficult issues. It’s a sin!

I know it sounds like I’m putting the onus for much of the culture’s woes on the church and actually that’s exactly what I’m doing. No one should leave a church sermon with a warm fuzzy feeling that nothing needs to change in their life. That’s a milk toast church. Pastors should be teaching what the Bible says about evil and sin. While it might be offensive to some, God’s Word is the ONLY way to eternal life with Him.

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! ¹³Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Heb. 5:12-14

Many people wrongfully think that politics and spirituality should stay separate and that’s a lie straight from the enemy. Politics has invaded the church by normalizing or even legalizing what we all know is sin. Gay marriage. Abortion. Sexual perversion. Child mutilation. The war against women.

No one is perfect. We see many pastors falling in their personal lives. They’re tempted by sin like any of us. Maybe if they were studying the Scriptures and preaching accurately about overcoming sin, they too would be convicted to live by all of God’s Word. Pastor Jack Hibbs advises pastors, “You don’t avoid the difficult Scriptures, you look for Jesus in them!” The Apostle Paul gave a commission to every pastor.
I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, ²⁷for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know. ²⁸“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. Acts 20:27-28 NLT

The Lord appears to every believer through His Word, the Holy Bible, and unbelievers can meet Jesus there. Don’t rely on your pastor; rely on your Savior. You might be offended by what you read, but God loves you enough to tell you the Truth.

This morning in church, we heard a message on 1 Samuel 3 and we sang in church the old hymn “It Is Well With My Soul.” I’m closing with 1 Samuel 3:21 and a stanza from the song.

The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. 1 Sam. 3:21

“My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”

Please let us know if your pastor helps your church family in overcoming the sins of this world, even when it’s offensive. Leave a reply here.

April 7, 2025

Return to top of page

We Need to Outsmart and Out Pray the Devil!

Today’s Monday Morning Blog will be briefer than usual even though this has been another packed week of events and emotions in our country, I’ve been sick all week. The kind of sick where my hubby willingly had to scrounge up his own dinner while I moan and blow my nose on the couch. I know many of you understand since there are bugs going around that have many of you commiserating with me. And yes, I take a slew of vitamins and elderberry daily and have been doing the iodine nasal spray when I’m around crowds and sick people, but my body was recovering from a skin cancer surgery on my face and I think it was just my time.

So, if you’re sick too or have been recently, you know the drill where you wake up every morning praying that you’re going to feel better and then you don’t. This too will pass. But being sick has allowed me to watch the coverage of many of the Trump cabinet Senate committee “interrogations” in real time and not just clips.

I’ve absolutely been appalled at the anger, yelling, rudeness, attacking, interrupting, lies, taking quotes out of context, projection, hypocrisy, and disrespect spewed from the Democrat Senators against the qualified candidates that President Trump has chosen to work with him in eliminating the atrocities inflicted on our country by the last administration. And here’s the rub. Those screaming Democrat Senators are railing against common sense values and policies that the majority of Americans voted for while voting against the Dem’s unjust woke policies.

Fear is motivating the Democrats hateful unprofessional accusations and verbal assaults. Fear that they’ll be found out for their own actions and personal gain while shamelessly destroying our country. Fear that whatever God is doing in our country will jeopardize their stranglehold on the government. Watching their contorted faces, they looked and sounded demonically possessed. As if they’ve sold their soul to the devil for power, prestige, and position with no real concern for the life of everyday American citizens. I couldn’t help but wonder what type of person votes for these people?

If you watch any of the senate committee sessions, I often refer to as hearings or interrogations, you’ll notice the Democrats were united in their disgusting vile attacks. They had prepared and planned and were unified in belligerent bullying. They’ll also be unified in partisan voting against every qualified Republican candidate who wants to restore power to the people. It was amazing to watch the cabinet candidates for the most part remaining calm and respectful while being verbally assaulted and insulted

The Bible says in Proverbs 29:11-12 NLT “Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. ¹²If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked.”

Angry lying fools and advisers is exactly what these Democrat Senators portray. Their godless way of dealing with temperament is rooted in pride. The Democrat Senators who can see their grip on power slipping from their grasp weren’t yelling for the benefit of America, but for self-preservation of their party and more important to them, their own personal power. They’ve learned nothing from their loss and what the American people said they wanted in this last election.

The Democrat minority leader Hakeem Jeffries called for violence at a press conference saying that, “everyday Americans are under assault by an extreme MAGA Republican agenda. We are going to fight it legislatively. We are going to fight it in the courts. And we’re gonna fight it in the streets.” Is he trying to emulate President Trump’s iconic, “Fight, fight, fight”? If so, it fell flat. Now they’re going to take to the streets in violence?! How exactly is that going to benefit them or the American people? Another example of “fools venting their anger.”

The new Democrat party leader Ken Martin’s first priority is to set up a “war room” to message against Trump, who he once called a “traitor,” and his posture will be “aggressive against Trump and leading Republicans.“

We need to stay wise and vigilant because we’ve seen that the left does not play fair. These are the same people who mercilessly and unjustly jailed peaceful J6ers. They jailed peaceful pro-life advocates for praying while the Democrat party supports and receives funding from Planned Parenthood that calls “praying violence” and condemns Trump’s pardons of Pro-Life Americans.

The Democrats can’t accept that the MAGA agenda is exactly what millions of “everyday Americans” voted for! Instead, they’re trying to inflict a coordinated systemic attack to block Trump’s nominees to the detriment of the country. They want to delay the government for the people by the people from being able to function. Since the Democrats are in the minority, they’re using rules of the Senate to try to stymie Trump’s agenda. They’re playing a vicious and diabolical game with our government.

A Reoccurring Theme!

The Democrat agenda isn’t about how they can do a better job for our country, but rather what can they do to take down Trump and his supporters. Even Robert Kennedy Jr. in his confirmation hearing pointed to all the Democrat Senators and said, you were all my friends before I supported Trump. Now you’re all against me because you’re against anything Trump does.

They’re blinded by this singular focus as was evidenced with their attempts to take President Trump down before the election. But God spared him from every assault including an assassin’s bullet and Trump knows he was saved for such a time as this. So should we know this as we pray for his protection and godly guidance daily. If God is for him, pity the person who is against him.

As I prayed and pondered about all of this, I realized I was watching the spiritual battle occurring in the heavenlies playing out before my eyes in real time. Satan wants to destroy everything good that God has created from mankind to government to the world. The devil is using lost souls to do his dirty work. All the tragedies we’re watching in shock daily from devastation in North Carolina to apocalyptic fires in California to the horrific plane crashes in DC and Philadelphia to the daily murder of innocent babies have the stamp of the devil written across them.

Sadly, the devil is smarter than most Christians are, even though we know he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Many Christians, including pastors, have actually joined the culture instead of taking the culture back for God. They’ve gone along with tolerating sexual perversion as a person’s “right” while thousands of young children are being groomed on social media like TikTok and even in our schools and surgically mutilated and castrated by “doctors.” If a male decides he’s a female, we let him invade women’s sports, locker rooms, and private spaces and even call him by his pseudo woman’s name and pronoun. We’ve tolerated gay marriage, an abomination to God.

We’ve cried over babies being murdered in the womb but haven’t been willing to join the fight to protect them. In some cases, the Biden government’s DEI programs have demanded compliance and even prosecuted brave people for objecting to evil wokeness.

How Do We Know What to Speak Out Against and Reject?

Answer: Anything that hurts God’s heart! Period.

We need to be as united in truth as the other side is united in lies and deception. We don’t agree with the devil, ever. If and when we do, we give the devil license to unleash his evil decadence and chaos here on earth as we’ve watched our culture deteriorate. Now we have a chance to take America back not only for common sense conservative values and laws, but more importantly, for God’s biblical values and laws. The left is terrified of this, but God is on our side.

There is power in unity, both for evil and good. It’s time Christians stop fearmongering and stand up for their faith. Anyone who is standing with the Democrats who want to go back to the Biden era are like the Israelites who wanted to go back to Egypt where they were slaves after God set them free! We need to stay involved, stay united, serve where we feel led, and pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom. 12:21

Note: I chose the opening picture because it’s snowing as I write.

Please leave a comment here.

February 3, 2025

Return to top of page

God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust. A Must See Movie for EVERY Christian!

You’ll be surprised that this week’s Monday Morning Blog will be brief, but I pray impactful. At least, that’s my plan as I sit down and write to you my trusted readers during a time of great turmoil and difficulty in my family when I considered not taking the time or energy to write a blog this week. But the Lord, gave me one of those “ah ha” moments I’m always writing about, and I knew I must share it with you. I’ll also close with a personal prayer request, which I don’t often use this platform to do.

My husband and I enjoy watching the weekend Mike Huckabee show. Last Saturday night, Huckabee introduced the movie, “God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust”, the 5^th in the God’s Not Dead franchise. I was shocked that this was the first time I heard about it since it releases in theaters September 12! Then Huckabee interviewed the stars of the movie, David A. R. White and Scott Baio. Even Huckabee has a cameo role. When they revealed that the theme was about Christians and politics, I knew exactly why social media had silenced it. My ears perked up.

If you’ve read my recent blogs, which I list at the end of this blog, you know I’m a firm believer that it’s our Christian duty to vote our faith beliefs, support Christians running for office, and maybe even run for office ourselves if the Lord leads.

The movie mirrors exactly what’s happening in our culture today where as many as 40 million Christians don’t want to be involved in politics or vote. Alarmingly, only 1 in 3 Christians vote! Many Christians consider politics “dirty” and subscribe to the myth that the Gospel and politics should be separate. Yet, if those 40 million Christians would vote their faith, every election would turn out different. Our country would be different. Our schools would be different. Our families would be different. Our schools would be different. Our laws would be different. Our media would be different. It’s a travesty that more Christians don’t see that.

Christians don’t run from opposing views; we run to them with the Gospel! We confront issues with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Heb. 4:12

In the movie, White plays his reoccurring “God’s Not Dead” role of Reverand David Hill who grapples with throwing his hat and Bible into the political arena where his arch nemesis is running on stamping out God in the culture and public square. Does that sound like our culture and political world today?

Scott Baio, who typically plays a good guy, plays a bad guy plotting against Pastor Dave’s campaign. The movie depicts what I’ve said so many times: the real battle we’re in right now is not just political it’s spiritual. God doesn’t tell Christians to retreat from a spiritual battle but to suit up in our armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and enter the battle. Not avoid or ignore it. Not be complacent with an “I don’t want to get involved attitude.”

God’s timing in releasing a powerful film like “God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust” at such a time as this before the important November election, is as always, perfect! White said it’s almost like God-breathed it purposefully. The film depicts our current culture with what Christians need to see and understand. Huckabee agrees that American Christians must see the film because it inspires us to know that our vote really does count and makes a difference.

The internal battle Pastor Dave goes through in the movie is whether there’s a godly way to enter the political arena. We see and feel his struggle.

Scott Baio says he believes in the mission of the movie. He bravely and boldly spoke at the 2016 Republican Convention knowing that Hollywood would blackball him, which they did. He said he was OK with it because, “My country is more important than me.” He went on to say, “My daughter is more important than me. I will do whatever I can to keep my country what I remember it as, which was a God-fearing, respectful, law-abiding country.”

I agree with Huckabee who said that people who don’t want to get involved in politics, don’t want any of that “political stuff because it’s just dirty,” need to go see the movie. Then decide whether you should vote and support those Christians who are willing to step into the lions’ den of politics.

Faith begins where your comfort zone ends!

Huckabee and His Daughter Sarah Understand the Importance of Christians Being in Politics!

Mike Huckabee is a familiar face in political commentaries and circles today, but many people forget or don’t know that he was a pastor who preached for 12 years in Arkansas pulpits before he became a governor and, later, a 2008 and 2016 presidential candidate. While he was governor (1996-2007), he maintained his pastoral instincts.

“I think it’s the greatest preparation that a person can have for public service,” he told Religious News Service in a 2007 interview. “Somebody says they want to talk about the issue of the elderly, I’ve dealt with those folks. I’ve dealt with a 14-year-old girl who’s pregnant and hasn’t told her parents yet. I’ve talked to the young couple who’s head over heels in debt. … I think it gives you a real perspective about people and what they’re going through that’s important.”

While he was pastor of Beech Street First Baptist Church in Texarkana, Ark., from 1986 to 1992, Huckabee was the youngest president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, a job that helped prompt him to think about switching from pastoring to politics. Pastor David Uth, the leader of First Baptist Church in Orlando, Fla., told RNS that in that post, Huckabee worked to calm differences between moderate and conservative Baptists in his home state.

Pastor turned politician Mike Huckabee’s Christian daughter Sarah Huckabee Sanders followed her dad’s interest in politics and was President Trump’s press secretary for two years and then went on to become the youngest and first female Governor of Arkansas. Like her dad, she governs from a biblical conservative Christian worldview. Aren’t we glad that Christians like the Huckabees are willing to take their faith into the public square and make a difference in politics and government.

Mike Huckabee said he still misses his congregants, but he views his move to politics as an extension of what he’s done before: “It is in itself a ministry.”

Like the Huckabees, Hal Lindsey emphasizes why it’s so important that Christians get involved in the political government even if just by voting our faith.

“Politicians decide the laws that we must all obey. They set up the bureaucracies that create the millions of pages of regulations that we must also obey. They decide things that have an enormous influence on how we live our lives. They tax us, and they send our children to war.

“As their name implies, politicians set policies. Those policies have a powerful influence on things like inflation. Government policies can destroy jobs and even whole industries. Those policies can be the difference between full grocery store shelves and empty ones. They also have a vast influence on the abundance or scarcity in your own cupboard! We vote on the people who decide the curricula of our children’s schools. Politicians and their policies can be the difference between safety in the streets, or chaos. These things are enormously important. We should vote and be involved.” Hal Lindsey

It’s true that the “deep state” doesn’t have more power than the Lord God who is omnipotent, but God gave us the power of the Holy Spirit that indwells in the heart of every Christian. God expects us to tap into that power and use it in the spiritual cultural war of good versus evil. There is no such thing as a powerless, ineffective, complacent Christian, only those who may choose to suppress their God-given right and responsibility to apply that power in the public square with a simple but powerful vote!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. Eph. 3:20-21

My Faith Votes! Does Yours?

Each of us has the power and ability within us to make a difference in this world. As you’ve read before, like Mike Huckabee I see being involved in the political arena as a ministry. God has led me to be an Idaho Area Coordinator for My Faith Votes, a ministry that encourage Christians to vote their values and their faith and help turn this country back to God. I believe it’s our civic, Christian, and patriotic duty and responsibility to vote, not just for ourselves, but for generations to come including those innocent voices that are being silenced in the womb before they even have a chance at life.

Pastor/Governor Huckabee is an Honorary National My Faith Votes Chairman. Dr. Ben Carson is the founding My Faith Votes Chairman and Dr. David Jeremiah, President of Turning Point Ministry, is an influential voice supporting My Faith Votes. Pastor Allen Jackson gave an interview on The Church’s Role in Shaping America. These Christian stalwarts do not see a wall between Christianity and politics, but instead an opportunity to bring biblical worldview back into government.

For the upcoming election, My Faith Votes has an easy yet powerful way you can get involved in this election right from your home. Write Now is a movement encouraging Christians in swing states who are registered but haven’t voted in recent elections, to cast their vote for biblical values in what might be one of the most important elections in our lifetime that could literally decide if we become a Communist country or remain free! Won’t you please check it out. All you’ll need to do is provide stamps and envelopes. You’ll receive a list of names and addresses and a template letter to print out, pray over, and mail. You can specify how many names you want. All of mine happen to be in Arizona!

Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. Ps. 119:165

Be sure you watch the trailer for God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust and find out more about the film and where to buy tickets.

If you haven’t read my previous blogs this month, I hope you’ll read them now.

Jesus the Great Divider

The Lies Satan Uses to Deceive Christians and Churches

When Did Normal Become Weird?

Personal Prayer Request. Almost 6 weeks ago, when my husband Dave and I returned from a wonderful trip to see a grandson get married in North Carolina, Dave started experiencing pain in the back of his thighs which quickly moved up to his lower back. He’s lost strength in his legs and can’t walk without a walker and extreme pain. We’re waiting results of an MRI. Our prayer request is that they will be definitive and wisdom for the doctors and us to determine a course of treatment. Thank you for your prayers. Sorry this blog wasn’t as short as I promised you.

Please leave a comment here and I’ll reply.

August 26, 2024

Return to top of page

The Lies Satan Uses to Deceive Christians and Churches

You’ve heard it said, maybe you’ve said it yourself, “Christians and the church should stay out of politics.” Satan has used that lie effectively to transform America from a country that honored God and godly principles to electing a current administration that bows to evil demonic ideologies. It’s been a steady progression to a tipping point of a 2024 American presidential ticket with two progressive extreme left neo-Marxists! Both of the candidates on that ticket have demonstrated a lack of integrity, honesty, and morals, while embracing Marxist ideologies that attempt to replace God with government.

By trying to become gods without submitting to the God, they rebel against Romans 13:1-2. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (vs. 1). We’re only to honor government that acknowledges its authority comes from God. Those currently in power, and seeking to keep power, fall under the second verse. ^2 “Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority [of God] is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

God has more to say to governing rebels about their insolence.

There are six things the Lord hates—
no, seven things he detests:
¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, ¹⁸a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, ¹⁹a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. Pr. 6:16-19 NLT

How did these kinds of people get into power? We let them! Christians and the church, which should’ve put on their armor of God to speak loudly and boldly against evil and demonic inroads in our government, instead chose complacency, apathy, and silence. What are some of those evil principles you might be asking. Here’s just a few demonic travesties the progressive liberal left champions . . .

Federally codify as a “constitutional right” the savage and barbaric murder-on-demand of human babies in the womb, even after birth, calling it “healthcare” or “women’s reproductive rights.” Some blue states, including Minnesota under Governor Walz, have already codified this in their state constitutions and at least two babies in Minnesota were left to die after birth. The destruction of human babies during abortion would be vehemently condemned on rats, but if you speak or pray too loudly to protect human babies from being viciously murdered, you might be arrested.
Allow malpractice doctors to hormonally and surgically mutilate and castrate minor children deceitfully calling it “healthcare.” Walz deemed Minnesota a “sanctuary state” for this atrocity on children. Walz will take your children from you if you don’t agree to letting your child’s body be permanently altered and made infertile.
Allow unvetted illegal aliens to invade our borders, obtain citizen benefits, vote in elections, and thereby facilitate child sex trafficking and smuggling of drugs killing thousands of children and adults. Harris, the “border czar” for the past 3 ½ years, encouraged and facilitated this invasion.
Voter fraud.
Incarcerating political prisoners, conducting legal warfare against political opponents, while letting criminals go free.
Children taught perverted sex practices in school starting in kindergarten.
Children brainwashed and indoctrinated in schools to believe the lie that they can change their gender and parents coerced into agreeing with it, never told, or threatened with loss of parental rights if they don’t agree.
Children exposed to obscene and pornographic books in school and public libraries.
Forcing people to take an experimental vaccine or lose their job or military status and closing churches, which Walz did in Minnesota during Covid.
Allow men to compete in women’s sports, undress and shower in women’s locker rooms, and use women’s bathrooms in schools where governors like Walz put feminine hygiene products in boys’ bathrooms.
Pro-Hamas, anti-Israel protests encouraged not condemned, while pulling back support for Israel.
Promoting and financing a “climate change” “green new deal” scam/hoax.

You might think what decadent country would allow such evil? You’re living in that country right now! Everything on that partial list is allowed and legalized, either federally and/or in blue Democrat run states.

Yet, how many of you have heard a sermon on any of this evil? How many of you have spoken out against it? How many of you realize that every moral issue we hold dear as Christians is being politicized because Christians stayed silent and let it happen while falling prey to the lie from hell that Christians shouldn’t be “political” or participate in government. That’s like saying Christians shouldn’t be emotional, logical, moral, or take a stand against evil. Instead, Christians should relinquish religious freedoms of their families, friends and neighbors to the diabolical policies of an anti-God government without objecting. Wrong!

Lies straight from the pit of hell. Satan wants Christians to cower as he exerts his authority and power on the world with no pushback from those who have the Holy Spirit’s power inside but fail to tap into it. Just like when the serpent taunted Eve with the famous question that led to sin creating death for us all, “Did God really say that?”

Yes, God told us to combat evil wherever and whenever we see it manifested in our own lives, in the lives of others, and in the public square. Christians have civic duties and responsibilities. The lie that the church should restrict itself to solely preaching the Gospel, but not teach how to take the Gospel into the world to combat evil is from Satan’s playbook, not God’s Holy Book.

God is in Politics!

God created government and politics just like He created every element of our lives and the world. God and godly men got involved in politics throughout the Bible!

From Genesis to Revelation, we see the history of good and bad governments and the destruction of society when an evil regime is in power. Often, a prophet of God gave wise godly political council to leaders like Moses whose father-in-law Jethro told him to establish a government structure. God gave Moses the 10 Commandments laws to govern the people. Daniel and Joseph found themselves in ungodly governments, but didn’t acquiesce or stay silent. Each spoke God’s truth to those in political power and ended up in high positions in government serving righteously. The prophet Samuel anointed Saul as King, but later spoke God’s truth boldly against Saul’s misdeeds. The prophet Nathan confronted King David about using his power in government immorally and Nathan counseled David’s son, King Solomon.

I could go on with biblical examples throughout history. Here’s the point: we need godly men and women today who are willing to serve in government. We need churches encouraging Christians to get involved in developing and supporting righteous laws and combatting evil however and wherever the Lord leads, but especially using their God-given right to vote. There is nothing prohibiting a pastor from telling his congregation to vote their faith and biblical beliefs. He should be discipling and guiding them in what biblically based faith looks like. He can do that in a nonpartisan biblical way.

God didn’t create us to be puppets at the mercy of whoever is in power when they’re evil. God is the ultimate power, but He gave us responsibility and authority to occupy this land until His return. We’re not one-dimensional human subjects or slaves to whomever is in charge. We the people are the government and with prayer and research, we determine who we want to oversee the government structure that works best for the citizens. We’re actually the boss, not the White House.

Political Engagement is An Important Stewardship for Christians!

We’re to infuse God and His ways into every area of life from the family to the frontlines of government. Nothing in the Bible tells us to stand down and submit to evil. Instead, we’re to take our biblical worldview into every corner of the earth and every activity under heaven, including politics and government.

Many argue that politics is divisive and we only want unity in the church. People will always have different opinions over everything from the music to the color of the carpet or maybe even no carpet. It doesn’t mean we don’t talk about our differences and work them out and the same should be said of political views.

The unifying factor is always the Bible. What does the Bible say about all the issues I’ve mentioned in this article? That’s what pastors and congregants should be talking about. Do we just acquiesce to the culture or do we use the Bible and biblical principles to create a revival in culture?!

We’re in our current cultural evil wokeness because of apathy, crowdedness, fear, lack of knowledge, and unwillingness to get involved. The Bible counters every one of those weapons of Satan. In Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith, I give examples of fifty women in the Bible and twenty-eight modern-day brave women who understood how to put their faith into action and change history for the good of their families, communities, and in many cases, their nation.

Pastor Jack Hibbs Gets It!

I was thrilled to read in The Christian Post that Pastor Jack Hibbs at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Southern California, one of the bluest and most progressive liberal governed states in the union, is implementing exactly what I’m discussing in this article. He’s not afraid and he refuses to back down and let California be consumed by the anti-Christ spirit that’s been ruling my birth state for far too long. Pastor Hibbs’ church is conducting a “Comeback California Tour” that seeks to equip churches legally and effectively to get involved in the political process ahead of the November general election.

“For several months, I would say at least … four, five months, we’ve been putting our plan together, actual details, inviting the churches where we’re actually stopping, talking to the pastors,” Gina Gleason, who leads the church’s Real Impact ministry that’s devoted to equipping churches “to stand for righteousness in the public square,” told The Christian Post. Churches will also be able “to obtain voter and church-compliant election resources” and interact with local candidates.

“California is at a crossroads, urgently needing the Church’s influence to reverse the moral decline and stand in the gap for our children, families and communities,” the website states. The events are an effort to “unite Christians to bring the values of Scripture and the light of Christ to our state, helping us rebuild and restore our communities,” it adds.

The “Comeback California Tour” is part of a broader effort by the California megachurch to get churches involved in the political sphere.

That’s what I’m talking about! God created culture to be intertwined with the church. God created politics. Satan is using another lie to separate the Gospel and politics, which aren’t exclusive of each other. They’re dependent on each other. Many people still labor under the lie that the Constitution sets them apart but the Constitution and Bill of Rights were based on the Bible. Only man has tried to separate them. God established the law in the very beginning of time!

I believe the coming election in November will determine whether America experiences God’s grace or judgement. Freedom or Marxism. I believe He’s looking to see how many good men and women there are in the church who aren’t afraid to mix the Gospel with government the way it was always meant to be.

A false Christianity says we’re not to take politics into the church and Christ into government. There’s a mantel on believer’s today just as there was on Elisha, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, all the Old Testament Prophets, Deborah, Esther, Daniel, Joseph, David, John the Baptist, the disciples, and of course, Jesus Christ to witness to all people everywhere whether in church or the public square, “Thus sayeth the Lord. . .”

Jesus didn’t solely preach the Gospel. He covered all of life including sex, marriage, family, gender, lying, finances, health, work, business, children, babies, prodigals, adultery, sin, government . . . everything!

As Christians, we must be part of God’s solution to our nation’s problems, not cower as a silent majority letting our country be destroyed as our failed legacy to our children and grandchildren. We have a moral and spiritual obligation to speak out against evil and share the truth. Would we have been silent about slavery as so much of the church is silent about murdering babies or mutilating children?

What gospel are we preaching when we let evil prevail? Silence actually enables evil. We’re complicit with evil when we do nothing. Because we know who God is, we need to care who the President of our country is because he or she will determine if we’re a country under God or under Satan! Morals or evils will rule in our land!

You can be sure the other side is not going to stay silent. They’re going to get involved in the spiritual and political battle. I know what side I’m on and how I’ll be involved promoting good versus evil in this election, which will determine if we remain a free republic. Please pray for God to lead and guide you where He wants you to go and what action He wants you to take. If we don’t do something together, we’ll lose this nation we love and want to pass on to the next generations.

O my people, listen to my instructions.
    Open your ears to what I am saying,
²    for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
³    stories we have heard and known,    stories our ancestors handed down to us.
⁴We will not hide these truths from our children;
    we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
    about his power and his mighty wonders.
⁵For he issued his laws to Jacob;
    he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
    to teach them to their children,
⁶so the next generation might know them—
    even the children not yet born—
    and they in turn will teach their own children.
⁷So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
    not forgetting his glorious miracles
    and obeying his commands.
⁸Then they will not be like their ancestors—
    stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful,
    refusing to give their hearts to God. Ps. 78:1-8 NLT

I hope you’ll listen to this short interview with Jason Yates of My Faith Votes and Eric Metaxas author of Letter to the American Church and the movie by the same name. Check out My Faith Votes to see how you might get involved in your state and the free video series Think Biblically for your small group, Bible study, or Sunday school class.

After finishing this blog, I read the article by Mark Gerson: “The Solution to Woke Insanity Can Be Found in an Unexpected Source. Moses and Joseph both needed to be publically truthful and that’s what woke insanity also needs.” I didn’t want to make my article any longer by quoting this excellent article, but please take the time to hit on the link and read it. God just confirmed to me that my blog today was exactly the one I was supposed to write to you. Take your time. Read them both and then pray about what you’ve read.

Please leave a comment here and I will reply.

August 12, 2024

Return to top of page

Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Nurturing Lifelong Faith in a Turbulent World

As you’ve read in my previous blogs and newsletters, I have a heavy burden for protecting our children and grandchildren from the wiles of the evil one. Satan is no longer sneaky and sly in his tactics. He’s open, blatant, and ruthless in going after our children in the schools, libraries, entertainment, games, sports, sexualization, gender confusion, and child-sex trafficking, while liberal “progressive” politicians on the left and media are complicit with the devil’s evil demonic ways. As a grandparent, I find it horrifying to watch the legal system working as accomplices to the breakdown of the family and taking away the rights of loving parents.

Satan had a minor setback with the overturn of Roe v Wade, so he’s now targeting his evil attacks on the children given precious life.

Children Are A Gift From God

Children shine with exceptional and extraordinary worth that exceeds all other God-given blessings. These priceless souls arrive in our arms as eternal treasures bearing the very image of God. As stewards of these divine gifts, we have a duty to equip ourselves for their proper care. It sounds like such a daunting task, and at times, it can seem overwhelming. We need tools and insights steeped in Scripture and spiritual wisdom that will empower us when we feel inadequate to guide our children towards a lifelong commitment to Christ.

The Bible does tell us that parents bear a sacred responsibility when it comes to nurturing children in the ways of the Lord. Joel 1:3 instructs parents to impart the truths of their faith to their children, who in turn, will pass on this sacred legacy to future generations. The Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry and platform God entrusted me with almost 30 years ago is exemplified in this verse.

Tell your children about it in the years to come,
and let your children tell their children.
Pass the story down from generation to generation. Joel 1:3 NLT

This cyclical transmission of faith serves as the bedrock upon which the continuity of Christianity rests, echoing the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19–20. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Lee Ann Mancini Wants to Help Parents!

A book from an author friend of mine has come along at the perfect time to help parents and grandparents raise and nurture children for Christ and not the culture. Today’s Monday Morning blog is featuring author Lee Ann Mancini’s new release Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God. (No relation to my daughter Kimberly Mancini) Let me share with you some thoughts about Lee Ann’s book because we all have children in our family and community. We all should care about their souls.

Our culture’s current trend toward moral relativism amplifies the urgency of instilling a steadfast faith in our children. Lee Ann Mancini provides the solutions we need in her new parenting guide. Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God offers invaluable insights drawn from both scripture and cutting-edge research in childhood spiritual development. As the CEO of Raising Christian Kids and a distinguished professor, Mancini emphasizes the vital role of parental guidance rooted in love and joy, safeguarding children from the perils of faithlessness.

I often ask audiences when I’m speaking on mentoring, “Are you the men and women you want your children to become?” “Do you have the marriage you want your children to have?” “Do you have the faith you want your children to live out?”

Lee Ann also recognizes parents are the primary educators and spiritual mentors in the lives of their children. She stresses that the way we live proves the most significant character lesson we teach. Lee Ann says that our actions and attitudes serve as the blueprint upon which our children model their own beliefs and behaviors. Her book shares insights on how to exemplify a life centered on the Word of God so we can provide a living testimony of Christ’s transformative power. Faithfully measured, our personal steps will lead our children and grandchildren towards a deep and abiding relationship with their Savior.

Lee Ann emphasizes the cornerstone of parental efforts must rest upon the unwavering truth of God’s Word. Just as Jesus is the living Stone chosen by God, so too must His teachings form the solid foundation upon which our children’s, and grandchildren’s, faith is built. Amidst the storms of life, anchored in Christ, they can stand firm unwavering in their devotion to Jesus and unyielding in their faith convictions.

As many of us know so well, the journey of raising children in the faith comes with a myriad of challenges. In a world hostile to Christian values, we must remain vigilant in equipping our children and grandchildren with the spiritual armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) necessary to withstand the onslaught of worldly temptations. Through prayer, guidance, and unwavering commitment, we can nurture within them a love for God and His Word thus empowering them to become beacons of light in a world shrouded in darkness.

Lee Ann esteems the calling to raise godly children as sacred, but she also shares her parenting advice with the hope of grace. It is never too early, nor too late, to inspire our children to love Jesus and develop a passion for His Kingdom. With fresh insights and transformative strategies, she welcomes us to embark on a journey of faith, nurturing the next generation of believers and disciples.

Raising Kids to Follow Christ serves as a wise and powerful companion as we navigate parenthood or as grandparents. The crises and shadows of life in this world will threaten to shake its youngest souls. Our children need the hope only Christ can offer. With a strong foundation, this generation can transform the future.

As we embrace our role as stewards of His precious gifts of our children, may we rise to the challenge with unwavering faith and steadfast resolve. We can depend on experts like Lee Ann Mancini to come alongside us in raising kids to follow Christ. Together, we can fulfill our true purpose and enjoy our greatest reward of raising a generation to love and follow Christ Jesus as their personal Savior.

An Overview of the Treasures Found in Raising Kids to Follow Christ.

In Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God, Lee Ann Mancini inspires parents, grandparents, teachers, and others to teach their children essential Christian principles to enable them to navigate the world with grace, integrity, and an unbreakable bond with their heavenly Father.

This book goes beyond surface-level advice, delving into the intricate matters of children’s hearts and minds and offering a blueprint for nurturing a deep and unwavering faith in Christ.

Raising Kids to Follow Christ offers:
• Decades of personal experience and training based on key essential principles in Scripture
• Practical strategies for addressing doubts, fears, and questions that arise in today’s culture
• Ways to help children control their emotions and actions in various situations
• Suggestions from some of today’s brightest Christian minds in children’s spirituality
• Empowerment for parents to become their child’s spiritual champion
• Easy-to-understand apologetics for children and adults
• Fun ways to connect your child’s heart to Christ

Raising Kids to Follow Christ is a collaborative journey inviting parents to learn, grow, and flourish alongside their children as they become bold in their witness and committed to their faith rather than the secular culture.

About Lee Ann Mancini

Lee Ann Mancini is the award-winning author and executive producer of the Sea Kids series, which can be viewed on Answers.TV, Pure Flix, Right Now Media, and Minno. Lee Ann earned Master’s degrees in Theological Studies, Christian and Classic Studies, and Biblical and Theological Studies. She serves as an adjunct professor at South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary and hosts the award-winning podcast, Raising Christian Kids.

Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God would make a great Easter or Mother’s Day or Father’s Day or any day gift for the parents in your life. The children of today are the future of tomorrow. Let’s be sure they’re spiritually prepared to win the battle for their souls and for our world.

Please leave a comment here. I always reply.

March 4, 2024

Return to top of page

Here is Pastor Mullen’s Open Letter to James Talarico . . .

Famous Legacies

Leaving a Spiritual Legacy

An Unexpected Artistic Testimony!

The Gospel is Spiritual NOT Political!

Don’t Let the Ungodly Fill the Spiritual Vacuum!

14 Ways to Maintain Peace and Joy on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Legacy Tablecloth Idea

Who Are The “They”?

The “They’s” Killed Charlie Kirk, But We Will Carry On His Legacy!

Sweet Testimony from the Next Generation!

Pastors’ Challenge

A Reoccurring Theme!

How Do We Know What to Speak Out Against and Reject?

Huckabee and His Daughter Sarah Understand the Importance of Christians Being in Politics!

My Faith Votes! Does Yours?

God is in Politics!

Political Engagement is An Important Stewardship for Christians!

Pastor Jack Hibbs Gets It!

Children Are A Gift From God

Lee Ann Mancini Wants to Help Parents!

An Overview of the Treasures Found in Raising Kids to Follow Christ.

About Lee Ann Mancini

Search This Site

Receive My Weekly Blog

Blog Archives

Grab and Share My Button

Golden Scrolls Finalist

BibleGateway

Categories

Latest from My Weekly Blog

Subscribe by Email to my Blog

Subscribe to Our Weekly Blog

Contact Janet

Topics of Interest

Meta