Abortion Hurts Families--A Personal Story

For those who know me or who have followed my writing over the years, it should come as no surprise when I say that I am passionately pro-life. I have not shied away from speaking and writing about this issue and have always been crystal clear about where I stand. My deep convictions in this regard stem from a few different roots that are all intertwined to make me who I am today. At the very core, as a born-again Christian with deep love for my Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that every life, born and unborn, is created in the image of Almighty God and has intrinsic worth and value. I believe God’s Word that says “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb,” (Psalm 139:13). I believe God’s Word which instructs “You shall not murder,” (Exodus 20:13) and that God hates “hands that shed innocent blood,” (Proverbs 6:17). I cannot see abortion as anything other than the intentional ending of an innocent life. In short, abortion is murder, and it is morally wrong.

I am also the parent of a child with Down syndrome. My heart breaks as I consider how many women choose to and/or are pressured to abort their precious children with an extra chromosome. Some nations have even boasted of nearly “eradicating” Down syndrome through this evil practice in eugenics. It is my desire to demonstrate to others how very valuable every child is, regardless of any disabilities or struggles they may have. Our sweet Benjamin has been a source of much learning, growth, and joy in our lives, and it is my privilege to be his mother! 

What I have not shared up to this point is that there is another very personal reason I am passionately pro-life. This reason is very deep, at times very raw, and certainly very real. I have not had the liberty to write openly about this until now, though it’s been burning inside of me for years. The burden I carry is one that I believe countless others carry as well, though it seems there are few stories to be found. I carry the grief and pain of having lost a sibling to abortion. And now it’s time to tell my story…

I grew up as the oldest of two, with one younger brother. Whenever I saw families with sisters, there was always a sense of longing inside of me. Though I wouldn’t have even known how to give voice to it at the time, there was always a part of me that felt like I “should” have a sister—as though she was “missing” somehow. My parents were divorced when I was eight years old, but the longing within remained. I even unknowingly embarrassed my single mom at a Sunday evening church service when I was ten years old. Christmas was just around the corner, and our pastor asked the small group gathered what we would ask for if we could have anything we wanted. Without considering any logistics or ramifications, I shot my hand up and wholeheartedly declared, “A sister!” I was perplexed by the laughter that followed and the red blush that crept up my mother’s face!

It would be a few years later, at age thirteen, that I would learn a dark secret—one that would shock, rattle, and confuse me—one from which the full weight of impact would not hit me until my young adult years. With a heavy countenance and pain-filled voice, my mom disclosed to me that I was not actually her first baby. As a teenager only a few years older than myself, she had been taken advantage of by an older boyfriend and over the course of time ended up pregnant. When my grandma found out, she only offered one course of action—abortion. It was 1970, and abortion was only legal in a few states, New York being one. They took a snowy flight to this destination a few days before Thanksgiving, where a Planned Parenthood completed the bloody deed. She estimates that she would have been 14-15 weeks gestation at the time. In only a few short years, the nation’s doors would be swung open to the mass, legalized bloodshed of the innocent that continues to plague our nation to this day. My mom and my unborn sibling were some of the early victims of this monstrosity, and the effects for her have been lifelong (more on that later). 

As a thirteen-year-old, I didn’t really know how to process what she was telling me. I was only mildly familiar with what abortion even entailed—I certainly didn’t know the gruesome reality of the procedures. But I was left feeling hurt, angry, and confused. Why did my grandma do what she did? Why didn’t she want her grandbaby? Why didn’t my mom try to stop it? How was I to process that I could have had an older sibling? After the initial shock, however, I buried the issue deep inside, and it would be years before it would surface again.  

Fast forward to December 31, 2004. I was twenty-two years old and had just graduated from Oklahoma Wesleyan University that spring. Shawn and I were in a serious dating relationship, though not yet engaged. We had recently been introduced to the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO, where they have literally held unbroken day and night worship and prayer since 1999. They were hosting their annual One Thing Conference—a gathering especially targeting young adults with a call to make knowing Jesus the center of their lives and to usher in the New Year with teaching, worship, and prayer. We carpooled with a group of friends to attend the event. That weekend was lifechanging and a turning point for me in many ways, but I want to focus on one particular incident that truly rocked my world.

On the last day of the conference, Lou Engle got up to speak and to lead in a time of intercession for the ending of abortion in America. I was not familiar with him before this time, but he is truly a father in the prayer movement, having founded The Call, which drew large gatherings of solemn assemblies for prayer and fasting all across the nation. For the last twenty years he has also carried what he believes is a divine mandate to raise of a generation of intercessors who will fast and pray for the ending of abortion in America. As he spoke, his overwhelming passion and conviction for this issue were provoking, convicting, and deeply inspiring.

As we moved into a time of prayer following his message, I felt a deep impression to pray for women whose wombs had been damaged during abortions, resulting in future infertility. I prayed that God would not only heal their hearts but would heal their bodies, making their wombs functional again. I prayed that justice and redemption for the loss of their aborted babies’ lives would come through future children born to them who would carry the justice cry of heaven concerning this shedding of innocent blood and would be used in their generation to be a voice for the voiceless. As I prayed, I felt the Holy Spirit speak to my heart as clear as day, “You are one of those babies!” I. Was. Stunned. I immediately began to weep, completely overwhelmed. I know that thought did not originate from me. It was nowhere on my screen. How could it be that my own birth and life could be part of an answer to a prayer I was now praying? Something deep had taken place inside of me, and I knew that I could never be silent or apathetic about this issue again!

I’m really stepping out on a limb even sharing that particular piece of my story. It is so deep, and so precious to me that I don’t want to treat it lightly, and hesitated putting it out there for all to see, knowing the potential misunderstandings and criticisms that could come as a result. However, this story has been burning in me for so long. I feel like it’s time to get it out. All of it. Lord, use this as You will.

Shawn and I were married at the end of 2005, and in 2007 we both were hired to work at The Salvation Army (TSA), following Shawn’s graduation. I worked there until 2009 when our first child was born. During the two years at TSA, Shawn and I participated in and spearheaded multiple prayer initiatives. We also had permission from our supervisor to use the chapel after hours whenever we wanted to come to pray. One particular evening as we were praying there together, we focused our intercession on the issue of abortion. Without warning, deep sobs erupted from the core of my being. At the time we were struggling with infertility, and longing for a baby of our own. As I wept over all the precious babies whose lives were being ripped apart, it suddenly became really real to me for the first time that I had truly lost a sibling. It was my first experience of grieving for the relationship that was lost.

Now that I’ve really opened the door of vulnerability, I’m going to take it deeper. Fast forward to April 5, 2012. It was Good Friday, and I was standing in the Dallas Convention Center with over 4,000 other women for the Esther Call. Once again, I was directly impacted by Lou Engle’s ministry, as he had spearheaded this one day gathering of fasting and prayer for women to cry out to the Lord for the ending of abortion in our land. It was named the Esther Call after Queen Esther from the Bible, who petitioned the king to reverse the evil death decree against her people the Jews. In the same way we were petitioning the King of Kings to bring revival to our land and reverse the death decree of legalized abortion. Leading up to this powerful gathering was the 21 day Back to Life Prayer Walk. Beginning in Houston at the largest Planned Parenthood facility in the nation, 39 women, representing 39 years (at the time) of legalized abortion walked 250 miles to Dallas, the “birthplace” of Roe v. Wade. They called it the “Women’s Trail of Tears.” As they walked, they were interviewed about their personal stories and why they chose to walk for the ending of abortion. Some were post-abortive women, living with the grief and pain over their decision to end their child’s life. Some were abortion survivors. Some, like me, had lost siblings through abortion. Their stories were powerful.

Over the course of the day I heard testimonies that hit a deep place within me. Stories of men, women, and children who always felt like someone was “missing” from their family, only to later learn that their sibling had been aborted. The grief, pain, and loss are real, but these stories are rarely heard. I finally understood the gaping hole I had felt as a child with my longing for a sister. Another woman shared about an experience she had, either a dream or a vision (I can’t remember), in which she saw a multitude of babies in heaven who had been aborted. They were holding mantles, representing the purpose and destiny that was supposed to mark their lives but were never given a chance. In this experience, she saw the babies throwing the mantles down to earth and asking the Lord that someone would pick them up and carry them.

This really resonated within me. I began to pray that God would redeem the destiny of my lost sibling in my life. I had no idea what that would really mean, but the prayer came from deep inside. I also asked the Lord if my aborted sibling was a boy or a girl, and I felt Him speak to my heart as clear as day that the baby was a girl, only reinforcing to me why I had always longed for a sister.

At one point we were also encouraged to declare out loud with one voice that “Children are a blessing from the Lord!” I joined in with this declaration with wholehearted fervor and a deep ache inside. At the time we only had Benjamin, and I already mentioned that I had struggled with infertility prior to his conception. We had been praying for a second child for nearly two years, and the longing at times was overwhelming. Little did I know that less than a year later our beautiful daughter Joelle would be born. Josiah would follow in 2015 and Ava Rose in 2018. The Lord has blessed us indeed!

I returned home from the Esther Call, feeling very glad that I had attended, but at the same time strangely numb. However, that would soon change. On the morning of Easter Sunday, I was getting ready for church and pondering the recent gathering. I considered the confirmation the Lord gave me about losing a sister. I considered that my mom had always known she wanted to name her first daughter “Dana.” She had told me that if she had ever had a second daughter, she would have named her “Charlotte.” I felt like a ton of bricks hit me as I realized that my aborted sister would have been Dana, and I would have been Charlotte. It may sound strange, but I almost began to feel somewhat of an identity crisis in that moment. It also felt so incredibly unfair that I had been given the gift of life while she had been deprived of hers. Suddenly a DEEP well of grief opened up from inside, and the tears flowed for the rest of the day. I was part of the worship team at our small church at the time, and I could hardly sing through my tears and pain. Later in the day I was literally curled up on our bed sobbing and wailing with grief. It caught Shawn completely off guard, and he wasn’t sure how to best help me or to respond. It caught me off guard as well. I had never grieved in such a deep way before. It felt like the years of a lifetime of loss were all surfacing at once, and it was suffocating! Before the evening was out, I had written a poem to my sister. I have been very vulnerable with everything I have shared thus far, but I’m not ready to be that vulnerable. I don’t know if I will ever share what was written that day or not, but it was what I needed to do at the time.

When I considered our names that morning, I looked up the meaning of “Charlotte” in a baby name book. One meaning was “little woman.” One of the meanings for “Dana” is “bright as day.” As I grieved and processed, I felt the Lord comforting my heart that I’m not simply a “little woman,” but one who has been called to shine as “bright as day” for Him and for His Kingdom. I knew that part of how I could honor my sister and help to protect other women from the pain my mom experienced, would be to take an unapologetic stand for life and continue as a voice for the voiceless. I could also do so by welcoming all the children the Lord would be pleased to bless me with and model to others the beauty and value of motherhood. As the years have passed, this fire within me has not dwindled, but continued to burn stronger and hotter. I will continue to cherish my children and the gift of motherhood as I pray for the sanctity of life to be highly valued in our nation and the scourge of death to be ended. I will continue to pray for post-abortive women to finding healing and wholeness in Jesus Christ and have the courage to share their stories with the world. I will rejoice in the fact that I will get to meet my sister one day in eternity. What a beautiful reunion that will be!

*As mentioned at the beginning of this post, this is a story I have waited long to tell, but in honor of my mother, I knew it had to be when she was ready. This week marks the 50-year anniversary of her abortion. She has lived with decades of grief and regret. She experienced physical damage from her abortion that nearly caused her to miscarry my brother. The emotional wounds, however, have been deep and lifelong. This year she had the courage to share her experience in her own words on her personal blog. I am including a link to her written story (much shorter than mine), and I encourage you to read it here. I love you, Mom!    

 

The Moral Argument

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month--a month to celebrate the lives and stories of individuals with Down syndrome and the beauty of each one. Our sweet son Benjamin is no exception. He has brought joy to our family and to the lives of so many others who know him, and I am proud to call him my son! 

I will, however, be taking this blog post in a rather unexpected direction today, as something has been weighing heavily on my heart. While this is a month to celebrate the LIVES of people with Down syndrome, the heartbreaking reality is that many of these precious lives were never even given the chance to live. According to an article by The Tennessean, "The best calculations suggest that 67% of US pregnancies where it is suggested that the baby would be born with Down syndrome end in abortion."  The seeming prevalence of Down syndrome related abortions has even led some states to seek passage of legislation that would prohibit abortions solely based on a pre-natal diagnosis of Down syndrome. Of course many cry "foul" at such laws, claiming they unfairly limit a woman's "right" to an abortion. Others say (rightfully so) that it is a form of discrimination to end the life of a child through abortion simply because they have a disability. Yet let's take a moment to consider what legislation like this is really saying...

If it is discrimination to abort a child due to a disability, then clearly that child is a PERSON who has rights and is deserving of protection. This immediately blasts a hole in the entire abortion debate. If it is wrong to end the life of a pre-born baby due to a disability, then WHY ON EARTH would it be okay to end the life of a pre-born baby who does not have a disability? The baby in the womb cannot be considered a person in only select circumstances but not in others for convenience sake. Human beings give birth to human beings. The baby inside the womb is just as human as the baby outside the womb. Abortion ends a human life. Abortion. Is. Murder.

This brings me to my next point. In addition to all the euphemisms about it being "the woman's body" and "the woman's choice," one of the most trumpeted arguments favoring abortion is "Well, you can't legislate morality." Is that so? Well how is it then that we have any laws? By their very nature, laws are more often than not the legislation of morality. We have laws that prohibit theft, rape, murder, fraud, domestic violence, child abuse, etc. All of these are moral issues, and we rightly have a system of laws in place to seek to protect against such behaviors. When these laws are violated, consequences are to follow. Without the legislation of morality we would live in frightening anarchy. 

On a side note, many of the laws we have are rooted (whether intentionally or not) in the wisdom of the 10 Commandments found in scripture. I believe that much of the breakdown we have seen in our society in recent generations has been because we have moved further and further away from God's commandments, which are not meant to be a hindrance but a protection. For example, how much heartache would be avoided in the lives of countless families and individuals if we followed the wisdom of God's law to not commit adultery? 

Since the Garden of Eden, Satan has been waging war against women and against her seed. All throughout human history he has sought to destroy the fruit of the womb. When the ancient Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, Satan worked through Pharaoh with the evil decree to throw all the newborn Hebrew baby boys into the Nile River. After taking possession of the Promised Land, Israel would later come under God's judgement for their adoption of the wicked pagan practices of the nations around them--one of the most horrific being child sacrifice. 

"You shall not worship the Lord your God that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods."

Deuteronomy 12:31

"But they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works; they served their idols which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood."

Psalm 106:35-38

In the New Testament we see King Herod issue the death decree against every male child two years old and under in his demonic attempt to kill the baby Jesus. History itself is littered with horrific human rights abuses and genocide, including infants and children. Over 61 MILLION babies have been aborted in the US since the fateful passage of Roe vs. Wade in 1973. Are we any less barbaric than the ancient pagan practices of child sacrifice? Living babies are violently suctioned, ripped apart piece by piece, poisoned, and chemically burned in our various methods of "women's healthcare." Satan has destroyed generations through our legalized murder as the world triumphantly cheers that we are "empowering women." God have mercy on us!

Another widespread argument used to justify legalized abortion is that if we do abolish it, women will still seek abortion and many will die from "back alley" abortions and unsanitary conditions. The premise of this argument has already been refuted (see here ). Also, though it often goes unreported, women still die from complications related to "safe and legal" abortions. Still the logic goes, "If women are going to do it anyway, we better make it legal so we can make it safer." Let's dig a little deeper into this rationale... 

I am going to lay out a perfectly OUTRAGEOUS idea with the hopes of illustrating just how ridiculous this argument really is. Rape is against the law. Rape is violence against another human being. Rape results in mental, emotional and physical harm to the victim. Rape can result in unwanted pregnancy. Rape is against the law, yet we all know that evil individuals will still rape and women will still be hurt. So, in order to better protect women should we set up legalized "rape centers?" Should there be places where assailants could take birth control measures and women would have immediate access to physical and mental healthcare following an assault? Of course we don't want anyone to be raped, but since we know it's going to happen regardless, shouldn't we provide some legal "safety nets" to limit the damage done? Would this cause rape numbers to go down or only further incentivize the brutality? I fully realize how absolutely PREPOSTEROUS this analogy is, but is it really any less unconscionable that we think it's necessary to make the widespread murder of innocent babies legal as a "safeguard" to protect women? (On another side note, allowing abortion in the case of rape is not the answer. Sentencing an innocent child to death for the sin of the father is horrific and the violence and trauma of abortion often only ADDS to the woman's mental/emotional and even physical harm).

Legalizing the murder of babies will only lead to more widespread murder of babies--over 61 MILLION! Instead of funding abortion, why not channel resources into pregnancy care centers, adoption agencies, etc.? Don't pit the mother against the baby. Love them BOTH. 

Finally, many prefer to go the route of neutrality, claiming "I'm personally against abortion, but who am I to tell someone else what they can or cannot do?" To those I would ask, "Do you believe abortion ends the life of a human being?" If your answer is no, then you are choosing euphemism over reality and turning a blind eye to basic biology. If your answer is yes--if abortion ends the life of another human being--how can you be possibly be neutral? That would be akin to saying, "I'm personally against child abuse, or pedophilia, or human trafficking..." You get the point. How does history view those who were neutral and/or accepting of the great travesties of their time? What about those who remained silent about the horrors of slavery in America's earlier days? What about those who remained silent during the Holocaust that claimed the lives of at least 6 million Jews? 

We are at 61 MILLION BABIES and counting as the silent slaughter continues day after day and year after year. Don't tell me we cannot legislate morality. How will future generations look back on our hard-hearted apathy. LIFE. IS. PRECIOUS. Regardless of the circumstance. Regardless of the chromosome count. Regardless...

Don't stand on the sidelines of history. Let your voice be heard. Stand up for life. Cherish life. Vote for life. Future generations are counting on us...

 
    

 

 

Why I am Voting for Donald Trump

I cannot believe how much time has gone by since I last posted a blog--lots of change and transition in our lives and so much happening around the nation that most could not have fathomed 6 months ago! At some point I hope to get back on here and give some family-related updates, but that will have to wait for another day. While the ultimate purpose of this blog has never been to be political, I had some thoughts that I felt the need to get out, and this is the best platform I have to do so at this time....

I realize that the very title of this post will rub some people the wrong way. We are living in a time of great division on many levels, and people hold very strong convictions/opinions on “both sides of the aisle,” so to speak. My purpose in writing this is to share clearly and thoughtfully why I hold the convictions I do in regard to the upcoming election. 

A few disclaimers first: There are people I love and respect who hold different political views than me. I do not believe that God belongs to a political party. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I believe that both parties have many flaws, and there has definitely been corruption in both. I recognize that both candidates have flaws and areas of questionable/inappropriate conduct. My support of Donald Trump does not mean that I agree with or justify everything he says or does. The reality is, there will never be flawless leaders or governments anywhere on the earth until Jesus Christ returns. His leadership is the only perfect leadership. He is my Hope. He is my Savior. That being said, God has given us a stewardship on this earth, and I believe that as a Christian I will be held accountable for how I choose to vote. I cannot base my decisions on cultural mindsets (which are increasingly steeped in humanism/secularism) but on the Bible. The long-term ramifications for this election will affect things in our nation for long after either candidate’s presidency has ended. From a biblical perspective, I cannot in good conscience support the present platform and trajectory of the Democratic Party. I have multiple reasons for this, but I want to highlight the three most significant ones for me. 

1. Abortion 

“Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths,” (Isaiah 59:7). The Bible is clear that God hates the shedding of innocent blood (Proverbs 6:17). Over 60 million babies have been slaughtered in the womb since Roe v. Wade was passed, and the numbers keep climbing. For instance, in New York City a black woman is more likely to abort her baby than birth her baby. This is the same Democratic run city that chose to light up the WTC in pink to celebrate the passage of abortion legislation that removed virtually all restrictions on abortion up until the moment of birth. They literally cheered. Think about it…They celebrated greater “freedom” to kill babies, not to mention the mental, emotional, and often physical harm many post-abortive women suffer. 

By and large, the current Democratic Party is championing abortion on demand, for any reason, up to the moment of birth. They are also adamant about continued tax payer support for Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the nation that has been caught harvesting and selling the body parts of aborted babies and has been complicit in the cover-ups of minors who are being sex-trafficked. Many times, I have heard arguments to under-cut the abortion debate through “what-about-isms” in which multiple other human rights issues are presented. I recognize that there are other serious, human rights issues in our culture that are important and in need of attention. However, I believe that abortion is the greatest human rights issue of our time and the greatest sin of our nation. There is NO OTHER demographic of people in our society who are being brutally murdered by the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS every year. It must come to an end. Donald Trump has shown more support for the pro-life movement in both word and policy than any other president in modern history. In stark contrast Joe Biden (endorsed by both Planned Parenthood and NARAL) has called abortion “essential healthcare” and vowed to “codify Roe v. Wade,” promising his support of abortion “under any circumstance.” Abortion MURDERS children. I cannot support those who support this. 

  2. Marriage/Family 

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…” (Genesis 1:27-28) From the dawn of time God created two distinct genders and ordained the sacred union of marriage between one man and one woman with the purpose of producing children, whom He calls a gift and a reward (Psalm 127:3). The marriage union itself is a prophetic picture of Jesus’ love for His Bride, the church. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,” (Ephesians 5:25). Much of the turmoil we have in our society is related to the breakdown of the nuclear family as God intended. We have de-valued both marriage and children, which has led us to an “anything goes” mentality. Our culture’s attempts to “re-define marriage” are a mockery and an affront to God’s prescribed wisdom and ways. 

Jesus dearly and deeply loves all people, including those who are living in a homosexual lifestyle. However, His love does not condone sin--not my sin, not your sin, not anyone’s sin. His love calls us to REPENTANCE from sin and a turning back to His ways. When we stray from His ways, there will always be destruction left in the wake, and we are keenly seeing it in our nation with ever increasing immorality, confusion, perversion, and broken families. 

The Democratic Party leaders have been front-runners in promoting and celebrating the re-defining of marriage and even the re-defining of genders, which is already taking a toll on religious freedom across the nation. Much of the legislation they desire to pass (and that Joe Biden said would be his first legislative priority) would gut religious freedom protections even further. Regardless of how anyone perceives his spiritual life, Donald Trump has been an advocate for preserving religious freedom in our nation. I want these protections to continue for my children and grandchildren. 

3. Support of Israel 

“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” (Genesis 12:2-3). This was God’s promise to Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel. God ordained Israel to be His chosen people—the people through whom He would send the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who offers eternal salvation to all mankind if they will place their trust in Him and submit to His Lordship. God’s promise still stands. He has not forgotten the nation of Israel. When Jesus returns again He will set up His Millennial Reign from Jerusalem.  It is my firm belief, rooted in scripture, that we cannot be rightly aligned with God if we stand against Israel. Donald Trump has shown great courage in his support for Israel, moving the embassy to Jerusalem—a promise which our nation promised long ago but never followed through with until now. I am thankful for the President’s bold stance. Within the Democratic Party, there has been a growing trend of anti-Israel sentiment, and while this may not characterize the party as a whole, it does raise concerns.

 

These three, pivotal points are the main guiding factors in how I choose to cast my vote in any election. However, I believe that this coming election may perhaps be the most consequential one of my life time thus far. I am increasingly alarmed by the Democratic Party’s push towards Socialism and Marxist ideologies. History has proven time and time again that the descent into Socialism and ultimately Communism, brings forth horrific oppression, suffering, poverty, and destruction. Millions of lives have been snuffed out in decades past (and the bloodshed continues today) in nations where this ideology has taken over. In every place this has been implemented, Christians have been persecuted. We are watching some very dangerous trends unfold in our nation at present, and I pray that America does not continue down this road. I pray that my precious children and future grandchildren will still be able to live in a nation that truly upholds freedom. I will pray for our nation. I will pray for our leaders. I will vote according to my biblical convictions in November. And above all, I will pray that God sends revival once again to America, turning the heart of our nation to Him and His ways that we can truly become “One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All!”