Dear Jack,

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 Stood for Women's Sports in D.C.

Over the course of the day, we stood shoulder to shoulder with female athletes, concerned mothers and fathers, grandparents, and families from across the country. The weather was beautiful, the turnout was strong, and the purpose was clear. As the Supreme Court considers cases like West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Hecox v. Little, which will shape the future of women’s sports nationwide, we were there to bear witness to truth, fairness, and the real people affected by these decisions.

In the middle of a full day, our team captured photos and videos that tell the story far better than words alone. I’d encourage you to take a moment to check out the gallery below and see photos and video of the faces and families that made the day so impactful.

View more: https://ncvalues.org/save-womens-sports-d-c-rally/

2. CAROLINA JOURNAL: What SCOTUS Decision on Girls’ Sports Might Mean for NC

"The US Supreme Court appears poised to uphold state laws that bar transgender women and girls from competing on female school sports teams. The Court heard oral arguments on Jan. 13, 2026, in Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J. The cases come from Idaho and West Virginia, both of which enacted laws defining eligibility for girls’ and women’s sports based on biological sex rather than gender identity.

During more than three hours of oral argument, a majority of the justices seemed skeptical of the challenges to these laws and more receptive to the states’ position. While the Court has not yet issued a decision and is unlikely to do so for several months, the questioning suggested that most justices believe states have the authority to draw sex-based lines in athletics to protect fairness and safety in competition. At the same time, some justices appeared cautious about issuing an overly broad ruling that would impose a nationwide standard, hinting instead at a narrower decision that leaves room for state discretion."

Read more: https://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/what-scotus-decision-on-girls-sports-might-mean-for-nc/

3. WNG: BACKHOLM: No Place for Flexibility

“President Trump’s suggestion that Congressional Republicans be “a little flexible” on the Hyde amendment is just the latest backstep from the pro-life positions that once had people referring to him as “the most pro-life President in history.” The Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of federal funds for abortion and has been inserted into appropriations bills since 1976. Rep. Henry Hyde was the first to insert the language and the issue has been hotly contested ever since.  

During the Clinton Administration, Republicans shut down the government rather than support spending bills that did not contain Hyde protections. During Affordable Care Act debates in the Obama Administration, pro-life Democrats—now extinct in the nation’s capital—threatened to kill the bill unless Hyde protections were in place. It was even a defining issue of the 2020 presidential election. Former President Joe Biden had supported the Hyde Amendment for decades in Congress but abandoned that position when it became a requirement for gaining the Democratic nomination for president in 2020.“

Read more: https://wng.org/opinions/no-place-for-flexibility-1768442007

4. THE FEDERALIST: North Carolina Schools Push Gender Ideology On Kids In Defiance Of State Law

"North Carolina residents want their public schools back. But it will take more than anticipated to return to a straightforward education among these pine trees. How did these educators continue for more than two years with almost no fear that they would be called to account?

Tami Fitzgerald, a lawyer who heads NCValues Coalition, explains. “Bills like the one NC passed are good bills” she says, “but they are largely unenforceable.” There must be civil penalties spelled out so that a parent can sue for damages, not merely issue an injunction. Educators who flout state law should face the unpopular consequence of seeing state funds withheld."

Read more: https://thefederalist.com/2026/01/14/north-carolina-schools-push-gender-ideology-on-kids-in-defiance-of-state-law/

5. THE HERALD SUN: More Than 100 NC Candidates Switched Parties. Here’s What They Say About Why

"The campaign effort began over the summer after educators began discussing frustrations with education policy in a Facebook group composed of educators across the state called NC Teachers United. The group concluded traditional advocacy efforts were no longer producing results and narrowed its focus to a small number of House districts held by Republican incumbents, Saylor said.

She said she spent July and August learning the mechanics of running for office — including filing deadlines, party registration rules, pay, benefits and logistics — so she could help others understand what running would realistically involve. From there, she said, the group shared information, hosted Zoom meetings and circulated step-by-step guidance for educators who might consider running."

"The North Carolina Republican Party has questioned the group’s motives, saying it is led by a registered Democrat seeking to interfere in GOP primaries and mislead voters, according to a statement previously provided to The N&O."

Read more at: https://www.heraldsun.com/news/politics-government/article314237454.html

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

Sincerely,

Tami & Team

NC Values