NationBuilder

Dear Friend,

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: We wish you a wonderful Independence Day weekend

We wish you and your family a happy and patriotic Independence Day. We are thankful to be one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice, for all.

May God bless these United States.

2. NC VALUES: It’s important that life, family, and freedom values are preserved in the Republican Party Platform.

The NC Values Coalition has joined Family Research Council Action and Chairman Tony Perkins, who is an elected member of the Republican National Committee (RNC) Platform Committee from Louisiana, in conjunction with scores of other conservative groups to launch the Platform Integrity Project. Our coalition seeks to work with the RNC and the Trump campaign for an open process that will help ensure the preservation of the GOP’s solidly conservative platform that contains longstanding pro-life, pro-family, and pro-freedom planks. This effort will, for the first time, score individual votes of platform delegates.

Research shows that elected leaders vote in line with their party’s platform over 80% of the time and this guiding document sets the standard for the party. The GOP Platform has a strong pro-life, pro-family, and pro-freedom track record. To learn more about our effort to encourage our state’s delegates to protect these fundamental issues when they meet in Milwaukee to draft the new Platform on July 8 and 9, visit platformintegrityproject.com.

3. NC VALUES: Will they pass it?

Unfortunately, it seems like the NC House and Senate are playing political football with the state budget, all while 58,400 Opportunity Scholarship families stand waitlisted and waiting. Now we are facing whether or not they will make good on their promises to fund the Opportunity Scholarship. We believe they will, but given that the short legislative session adjourned last Thursday, and legislators are returning to do business only 6 more days this year, they really need to hear from you now.

If the NC General Assembly doesn’t agree to a budget, that means these families will continue to be stuck in academic limbo. Worse, their children may get stuck in woke, failing, or dangerous schools.

📢 Would you help us protect and empower families by clicking here to contact members of your NC General Assembly right now? It only takes a minute or two, and it makes a big impact.

4. NEWS & OBSERVER: Lack of a budget deal on private school vouchers leaves NC families angry and in limbo

"Moore said both chambers will continue to negotiate on the voucher funding. The N.C. Values Coalition sent an email Tuesday asking its supporters to urge lawmakers to make good on their promises to fund the Opportunity Scholarship.'

'If the NC General Assembly doesn’t agree to a budget, that means these families will continue to be stuck in academic limbo,' according to the N.C. Values Coalition. 'Worse, their children may get stuck in woke, failing, or dangerous schools.' But Long said PEFNC is already hearing from parents on the wait list who say they’ll have to abandon their plans to attend a private school this fall. 'We are just hearing from so many families that wanted to make the change but who could not,' Long said."

5. NORTH STATE JOURNAL: Supreme Court will take up state bans on gender-affirming care for minors

"The Supreme Court on Monday jumped into the fight over transgender rights, agreeing to hear an appeal from the Biden administration seeking to block state bans on gender-affirming care. The justices’ action comes as Republican-led states have enacted a variety of restrictions on health care for transgender people, school sports participation, bathroom usage and drag shows. The administration and Democratic-led states have extended protections for transgender people, including a new federal regulation that seeks to protect transgender students."

Weekly Prayer: Life

LORD, we recognize that you are Sovereign over all creation. We recognize you made man from the dust, and in your mercy, you crowned creation with man and woman made in your image. What a wonder it is that you would bestow upon us this blessing and responsibility!

LORD, may we not take this blessing for granted. We pray that this great responsibility and dignity may motivate us to love You, our neighbors, and our families more. LORD, may we as a culture truly see and believe that children are a blessing from the LORD—born or unborn; able or disabled. All children should have an opportunity to experience the liberty of life. LORD, make us your vehicle to change our culture into one that cherishes and protects life. Keep at the forefront of our minds our responsibilities to respect, cherish, and serve the youngest and oldest in our society.

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'" (Matthew 18:1-6)

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