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Welcome to the Friday Five! Every Friday we share our top five articles, stories, and quotes for you to read and share with your friends and church families.

We would be very grateful if you could make a donation of $100, $50, $25, or $10 today towards our work producing these Friday Fives and fighting for your values on the public square!

1. NC VALUES: 📢 Gov. Cooper is trying to bully them.

Governor Cooper was able to put enough pressure on members of his own party to vote against their consciences. Now that he is running out of options, he's adopted the strategy of a bully, calling out four Republicans by name in his response. He has announced that before he vetoes the bill he will travel the state this week in an effort to put pressure on at least one Republican to vote to sustain his veto. In Nebraska, pro-life legislation was thwarted when just a single Republican held out voting for their pro-life bill's advance.

We can't let that happen in North Carolina.

We applaud General Assembly members who took this courageous first step in protecting life for the unborn and providing care for pregnant women in hard circumstances by passing the “Care for Women, Children and Families Act.” However, Governor Cooper is expected to veto the legislation.

Would you please consider taking a minute to contact your legislator using this tool, and encourage them to override Gov. Cooper’s expected veto?

2. LIFE NEWS: North Carolina Gov Roy Cooper Promises to Veto Bill Protecting Babies From Abortions

"North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has threatened to veto a pro-life bill the state legislature approved on Thursday that would protect babies from abortions. The modest bill bans abortions after 12 weeks and include numerous provisions to provide support for pregnant women as well as making sure they can receive emergency health care.

The Senate voted 29-20 to approve the Care for Women, Children, and Families Act a day after the House also passed it on a veto-proof margin.

Although both chambers have the votes to approve the measure over his veto, Cooper still bashed the common sense measure."

3. NORTH STATE JOURNAL: Cooper to hold ‘veto rally’ of abortion bill the day before Mother’s Day

"The day before Mother’s Day, North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper will be holding a 'veto rally' for the bill that reduces elective abortions from 20 weeks to 12. Cooper made the announcement on Twitter, asking the public to 'Join Governor Cooper on Saturday as he vetoes this dangerous abortion ban and rallies supporters to help sustain his veto.'”

"The fact the governor is holding a “veto rally” for the abortion measure on Mother’s Day weekend was highlighted by Laura Macklem, the communications director for NC Values Coalition.”

4. NC VALUES: Pro-life rally this Saturday

We have formed an alliance of pro-life groups across the state to stand together in support of SB 20, "Care for Women, Children, and Families Act," while Governor Roy Cooper partners with Planned Parenthood for a rally to support his veto. Please JOIN US this coming Saturday, May 13, 2023, to unify our voices to support mothers and preborn babies. Rally to be held at 10am in front of the Legislative Building (16 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601).

Learn more: https://ncvalues.org/event/pro-life-rally/

5. CAROLINA JOURNAL: Private schools targeted in Opportunity Scholarship lawsuit seek sanctions

"Sixteen private schools in Durham and Cumberland counties are seeking more than $25,000 from the plaintiffs and lawyers in a recently dismissed lawsuit targeting Opportunity Scholarships."

Weekly Prayer: Family

LORD, we cry out to you as Father. You are a model of the love, mercy, and authority of the perfect parent. We thank you for modeling for us what every parent should strive for, and for creating this wonderful institution called family.

LORD, we thank you for creating us with a basic nature designed to not be alone. You made us to desire the intimacy of relationships, and it is here where we experience joys indescribable: the joys of marriage, the joys of having children; the joys of seeing our children have children. What a blessing and mercy you gave us in the family! In it we find our first teachers, our first guardians, and our first authorities.

LORD, we recognize how deeply you love your children, and how deeply it pains you when they go astray. Alongside our adoration and thanksgiving, we pray in confession—as individuals and as members of larger communities—over any sins we may have committed that undermine your beloved institution. Forgive us when we endanger your institution through selfishness and arrogance. Forgive our communities and nation for attempting to redefine some of the most basic and deepest parts of being human—being made male and female, having lifelong marriage vows and responsibilities, and having parental rights over educating one's children.

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:12-17)

Amen

Will you chip in $100, $50, $25, or even $10 to help the NC Values Coalition continue to fight for your rights? You can donate by clicking here.

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Sincerely,

Tami & Team
NC Values