It is a miracle that we believe. It is a miracle that the disciples or the “men whom You have given Me out the world” that Jesus is praying for in John 17, believed that Jesus was sent from the Father and they received His words.

Everything throughout the Word of God is about to climax here with this one phrase – Glorify Your Son. From the time of Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden, God had a plan to redeem the earth. The plan was called JESUS. The end of the story in the book of Revelation centers around the angels, the Redeemed, and the four living creatures worshipping one person – JESUS.

In a courageous and deeply personal speech on the U.S. House floor, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina did what many women fear to do: She named names, exposed injustices, and testified to the truth that shaped her life.

Standing firm in faith and conviction and yet shaking as she spoke, she shared her harrowing experience of uncovering and exposing heinous crimes against women, all while drawing strength from God and Scripture. It was hard to listen to and even harder to absorb the reality of her story.

Is your heart at home? Your true home? Your true heart?

This world is a mess. It is saturated in chaos, riveted by war and violence, tarnished by greed and dishonesty, and shrouded in hate and confusion. Rampant immorality has made a mockery of God and goodness. Truth is dismissed as an inconvenience, and pride promoted as the way of success. 

A powerful and unexpected movement has been taking place among young people. Bible sales are on the rise, young men are returning to church, and Gen Z is showing a renewed interest in stable homes and traditional values.

Then somehow, somewhere, she came across a poem. Reading it, she prayed to God that its powerful message might have an impact on the undecided boy she loved. So, one night she placed the poem gently on the piano she knew he would play. When he read it the next morning, he was so struck he decided to put music to its words.

The recent dismissal of the Department of Justice case against Dr. Eithan Haim is not just a legal victory for one person, but a crucial moment in the fight to protect children from harm. It is also another example of the real fact that if we, as American citizens, speak up loudly and consistency against injustices and pray, vote, and engage — electing leaders who are pursuing justice — that we can see victories on the issues that we care about. 

We are never so weak and dependent on Omnipotence than in the midst of the storm. Whether it be physical, spiritual, financial, or moral, we reach to the heavens for hope and strength. We seek God’s protection and deliverance. In crisis, we learn to pray, whether we are religious or not. We do not decorate our prayers in times of trouble. We do not write them out in advance.

As a New Year begins, I want to share with you a quick story that brought me a lot of perspective this holiday season. It reminded me why First Liberty’s mission of protecting religious freedom is so important—and why we must keep fighting for religious liberty in our nation.

The first recorded words God spoke were a command: “Let there be light.” And there was light. God separated the light from the darkness when he made night and day. From the moment of man’s first sin in Eden, spiritual darkness and light have been at cosmic war with each other. The struggle has been unrelenting, fierce, and irreconcilable. It has been manifest at a million different points of conflict throughout human history.

A Roman centurion comes up to Jesus as he is teaching. A murmur ripples through the crowd—perhaps a gasp or two. This soldier of Rome represents Caesar and all that the Jewish people resent in his oppressive rule. For years they have longed for a Messiah to set them free from this cruel and arrogant yoke. 

Here is their arch-enemy, symbolized in this one man who stands now before the Rabbi.

Our pressures and problems have often blinded us to the mercy, kindness, and grace of God in our lives. In place of gratitude comes a sense of entitlement. We presume upon the mercies he gives us every moment of every day. We may even think subconsciously we are owed this; we come to expect it.

The recent election has left us with many lessons that we need to consider – particularly for the Body of Christ. In this critical moment, I believe God is speaking clearly to Christians engaged in the culture, highlighting the importance of the work we are doing and the direction we must take as we move forward in both ministry and service to others and our personal commitment to Jesus.

Suffering and waiting are part of the Christian life. Recently a friend and I have been commiserating over not having what we’ve been praying for, for so long. It’s been a long road of waiting and heartache. Sometimes, you just wonder: Why? Why am I waiting, O Lord? What lesson am I not understanding? Why must more heartache come? How much longer will I feel this way?

First Liberty recently filed an amicus brief at the U.S. Supreme Court in Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond. The case concerns the Oklahoma Charter School Board’s approval of an online Catholic school. We filed the brief on behalf of the Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Education.

Our despairing world knows so little of grace and mercy. The seeds of kindness often struggle to grow in the harsh soil of recrimination, retribution, and revenge. Being the beneficiaries of grace, should we not also be its benefactors? The fallen race of man yearns to find forgiveness, acceptance, and new life. It may not act like it, but it does, desperately.

The nation would eventually once again become the United States. But the path to reunion would be more difficult and filled with recriminations. Lincoln wanted the South restored. He never believed the confederate states had truly left the Union.

I hear it all the time: “Bunni, how in the world can you be involved in that political world?” My own father felt that politics was inherently evil for years, but the Bible provides a perspective to help us understand our role in the world, emphasizing the power of us carrying love, justice and integrity as the hands and feet of Jesus. My testimony is that I have been involved in politics for over 20 years and I still love Jesus.

It is increasingly evident that the next generation must actively shape the political landscape and get involved — as soon as possible. Engaging Christian young people in our governmental process is not just wisdom; it is a moral imperative grounded in our faith. We must pass on what we know to those who follow us.

Then, in 1864, while the blood still flowed across America’s fields, with no end in sight, a change appeared on the two-cent coin, ordered by the Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase. It would be a new national motto. Simple but profound. Clear and incontrovertible, an unchanging and ancient belief that would supersede even this war.

It would be a declaration of hope. A summons to unity. While America’s original motto focused on man’s ability to create a united nation from human diversity, this new motto, expressed in plain English, anchored the nation’s confidence in divine sovereignty. It would appear on all coins.