The Harder the Conflict, the More Glorious the Triumph

As we now have learned, about half of this nation went into election day with feelings of optimism and encouragement. This half was anxious to turn a page and begin down a new path to prosperity and freedom, though, knowing that the job would be far from finished. I was one of these people. Like many, I have been praying since the time the Republican primaries began that we would welcome a candidate who would stand out and be recognized as America’s next great leader. When Mitt Romney was called up, I prayed continually that God would provide him with strength and courage and that he and his family would remain safe, healthy, and focused. I also prayed that the Lord would allow His Holy Spirit to open as many hearts as possible to accept Romney’s message. While it is undeniable that my prayers were heard, I know that God answers prayers in different ways: yes, not yet, or I have something better in mind. I have no doubt that the latter is how my prayers were answered.

I don’t know about you, but I woke up today in a light mood and with a clear mind. I of course recalled what occurred last night and I had no illusions about the hard times ahead. But, I felt as if everything was in control. The Lord, in His mercy and love, was reassuring me. I knew immediately that He had a plan in place to deal with our troubles, but that I would have to play a role in this plan in order for it to succeed. The same can be said for all of us. We were placed on this earth, at this time, to witness and be a part of something great. You can feel it in the air. I can say, as I stand firm at the Altar of God that I am up to whatever challenge we confront. How about you? At this point in history, I believe, we are meant to once again discover the real, authentic significance of what it means to be truly free. And as our history teaches us, that path is a little more than difficult.

But God did not sacrifice his Son so that we could have a free ride through life. True Christians must still do good, avoid sin, and repent of the numberless times we falter. It is also our responsibility to spread His Word and defend His causes when called upon to do so. My fellow Christians and Americans, we have been called upon. Rarely do we have the opportunity to stand and openly defend something so divine against an oppressor so great. While we may be unsure of what tomorrow brings, we know our Lord will not forsake us and will not abandon us in our time of need. I think of the Lord’s plan like a movie reel. When we watch a movie, we see it one frame at a time at a very fast rate. But if you were to take the reel and unwind it, you could view all the frames at once. You could see the beginning and end of the movie, as well as the victories for the heroes or the crimes committed by the villain. You wouldn’t have to wait to see the best part. You could just skip to that spot. Such is the way God’s Will and Plan works in our lives. To us, we are only seeing one frame, one event at a time. But God is seeing the whole film at once. He knows of our successes and failures long before we do and, of course, he knows how the movie will end. It is our job to faithfully trust in this ability.

As I mentioned, we have been called into action and the struggles that we will meet couldn’t be more imposing. For starters, we are careening toward the “fiscal cliff” where several tax cuts will expire and sequestration will begin to hit our military. Then there is the problem with Iran, their nuclear dreams, and this administration’s failed attempt at defending our ally Israel. And we have the always menacing issue of the steady and definite climb of our national debt, which this president has recklessly added more of than any other president before him. And what truly makes this an uphill battle is that last night we were made aware that half of our nation agrees with these damning policies.

However, the good news is that half of our nation doesn’t approve of our current direction, and that is the half that I am writing to. Yes, we were thrown a curve ball, but when has that ever slowed down the American spirit? We’ve been counted out in history more times than we care to remember, and each time we come roaring back to prove the opposition wrong. Despite what he says, Barack Obama has not bet on America. He has bet against America and all that we stand for in order to forcibly fit us into his utopian dreamland. Make no mistake – a sleeping giant has been awoken and we are in for a struggle that will test our endurance and fortitude, comparable in significance to what our Founding Fathers faced. And much like those magnanimous figures, if we prevail, our reward will be great. Freedom has always been worth fighting for abroad, but now that realization has come to the home front. These are the times that try men’s souls. Let us stand as one and be shy no longer.

The Time is Now

I have fostered many friendships in my life. Some have diminished and some have grown stronger. Of the friends that still remain, a few seem to be stuck in a rut. They let on that politics hardly controls their way of life and that the people we elect will always preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Their beliefs, though, are proving to be mere fantasy. Our nation is at a crossroads right now. We have had three years to discover if Barack Obama would live up to all the hype. He has not. He has not eliminated poverty, reduced unemployment, lowered gas prices or the sea levels. He has not ushered in an era of hope and change. Instead, he has made matters much worse. Many have realized this, but still some have not. This message is for the latter.

Four years ago, you may have fallen for Obama’s bit; the massive crowds, the fainting, the support on MTV, the Shepard Fairey portrait, etc.. Four years later, you are realizing that you had no idea what chaos and destruction or lies this President and his administration were capable of. Though these things weren’t what we were promised or depicted in a painting, they’ve always existed. This was always the plan. Now, our world has now been turned upside down. Unemployment is up, gas is up, and the amount of people depending on food stamps is at record highs. Our national debt is steaming its way to $17 trillion and our deficits have never been greater. Additionally, the Democrat controlled Senate has not passed a budget in far more than 1,000 days. The Middle East is being torn apart, Islamic terrorists still threaten us daily, but the President is cutting defense. Immigration reform has stalled and attacks on Freedom of Religion have never been more prevalent. Gay marriage is becoming acceptable in more and more states and legal abortion has led to the death of over a million fetuses in the past three years. On top of all this, we are on the verge of allowing the federal government unprecedented access to our most intimate issues, our healthcare, at a cost now nearly estimated to double in just ten years. If freedom was irrelevant, would you choose to live in the United States today? We are going the wrong way down a one way street. A collision is imminent.

Presented with all this dire information, I pray to our Lord Jesus that you have all been converted or remain steadfast to Conservatism. But you still may not have an opinion or stance. I beg the question in a time like this, how could you not? I’m not asking anyone to form a radical militia, to harm others, or forcibly impose your ideals on them. That’s not freedom. That’s tyranny, and that’s what this current administration desires. We can change minds by being peaceful. We can change minds by speaking and adhering to the truth. We can change minds by placing a firm, a firm, reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence. It can be done and it must be done. Our Founding Fathers never could have imagined a time when the very form of government they created to prevent tyranny would be morphed and transformed into a power hungry menace. My friends, look around you. Listen to your heart and put your brain in the back seat for just one second. We are at a massive impasse, the likes of which may determine if our children and grandchildren will be free… or if you and I will remain free. History tells us that all those who have lost their freedom to tyranny have never tasted it again. We must all now wonder, will we be next? We are not invincible. It can happen. As surely as I live and breathe, the events of today will be in the history books of tomorrow.

I am here, though, to tell you that it doesn’t have to be this way. We don’t have to be next in line to surrender our liberties to a tyrant. We don’t have to wonder if the future will be safe for our children. We can make it safe. We can vanquish these hostile people, those who threaten our rights and freedom, and we can sleep in peace at night knowing we made a difference, that we changed the world. We were all meant to be here, at this specific point in time for a reason. We must not squander such a gift! It will take prayer and thought and soul searching, but you and I will discover our reason of being. We have a purpose. I do not believe that persecution can overcome our American spirit. I refuse to believe that we will be next to lose our freedom as I refuse to believe we can’t come together. I will choose the United States of America every time. I implore you to stand with freedom and stand with God. We can only be truly triumphant by trusting in the very Author of our unalienable rights. Turn to your neighbor and those who are already standing against liberal injustices. Help others and they will assuredly help you. Remain steadfast against all odds and we will persevere. If we are united, we can win! Today, together, we must mutually pledge our Lives, our Fortune, and our sacred Honor to ensure America and Liberty survive… because they must.