Monthly Prayer Alert from Carol Bauer Fighting For Faith, Family & Freedom Sunday, July 17, 2022 To: Friends & Supporters From: Carol Bauer As you know, my wife, Carol, prepares a monthly prayer alert. I hope you will share Carol's thoughts with your friends and fellow worshipers. Thank you for taking an interest in her monthly devotion. --Gary  We are living in unsettling times and the feeling of unease seems to grow by the day. Inflation hits our families daily as we shop for groceries, fill up our cars with gas or stop at a fast-food location. No category of expenses has been spared and everyone is affected, though lower and middle-income families are hit the hardest. Violence in our major cities increases by the day. Much of it is random and it is affecting so many children! There's no relief in sight and we are only at the midpoint of the summer. The federal government's lack of control at the southern border leaves us with no sense of who and what is entering the country undetected. A working immigration system seems quaint and out of date. The role of the United States on the world stage is being challenged by adversaries across the globe who seem emboldened by hesitancy and no clear vision on the part of our leadership. On a more personal level, the education of our children and grandchildren has taken a hard turn away from the basics that would help us as a nation, and instead seems focused on racial and gender issues, which will only divide us further. And, there's an unease that a wholesale loss of religious liberty and free speech rights could be in the offing. The U.S. seems to be in reactive mode on both foreign and domestic policy. Where there is leadership, it is in the wrong direction. Otherwise, the country seems adrift and rudderless. Across America people of all stripes are not only questioning the direction of the country but also the man at the helm. To put it kindly, the president is showing his age, and it is clear for all, friend and foe alike, to see. I suspect if you are like me, you hold your breath when there's an unscripted presidential moment, worried about what comes next. In short, it just feels like everyday life is living on the edge mired in uncertainty and fear. There's that middle of the night sense of dread in the pit of your stomach. And, there's the nagging question of whether we are up to the task ahead since it seems like our divisions outweigh our unity. Any student of history can tell you that the nation has been through refining fires before. Whether it's the Civil War of the 1860's, the Great Depression, the political turmoil of the 1960's and 1970's or the gut punch of September 11, 2001, we have seen and weathered a great deal and come out stronger. Yet, this time the unease seems to be within ourselves, self-inflicted. It feels like we have lost our direction, our sense of purpose, our soul, our unity. Then the question becomes, “What next?” First, we can prayerfully take to heart the words of Paul in Philippians 4:6: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Our Heavenly Father desires that in times like these we turn to Him in prayer and present our requests to Him. Share your worries, fears, helplessness and concerns. They are no surprise to Him. He delights in our turning to Him for comfort and peace in times of distress. He desires to help us through difficult days and longs to be part of our everyday lives in difficult times. And, just as importantly, the Lord desires to share in our everyday joys and accomplishments. Men and women of faith following the biblical command to "choose life" just recently saw a day many had prayed for and worked toward for decades. In supporting crisis pregnancy centers, walking alongside concerned yet courageous pregnant women, spreading new information on the viability of the youngest among us, supporting pro-life candidates and a host of other activities, we celebrated a tremendous victory with the end of Roe v. Wade. Now, we the people, will have the final say on the issue of abortion. What a testament to the broad-based involvement of faithful believers exercising their right to pray and influence the culture! It is a clear reminder that in placing each of us in this special country at this time in history, God can guide us as we work to change the trajectory of our nation. Second, when you look at the long list of challenges facing our country it is clear that many of them have come about due to vast cultural changes or years of incremental moves in the wrong direction now reaching critical mass. Most of these changes are away from biblical truths that have stood the test of time. For decades too many in church leadership have discouraged congregants from political involvement as if the church and its people would be immune to the culture. They saw the church as a bubble that could insulate itself from the world around it. I doubt those days ever existed, but if they ever did those folks have been proven terribly wrong. The church is battered by the loss of religious liberty and the freedom to speak out on cultural issues. Racial and gender issues are tearing us apart. The church has the answer in that each of us is created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth, but we need to find our voice. The stakes are high -- the very ability to worship and practice our faith is at stake outside of that church bubble. The corporate church, as an institution, and each of us as individuals needs to embrace the opportunities we have been given by speaking up in defense of our beliefs, registering to vote and voting, and encouraging others of like mind to take their biblical beliefs into the public square. Do not throw away the gift of being born in the United States at "such a time as this." Keep uppermost in your minds how individual involvement on our knees, praying, in our homes and in the political sphere resulted in the recent Supreme Court victory we are now savoring. Heavenly Father, we thank you for moving among us over so many decades and through so many people to bring about a major cultural victory. Embolden each of us to use this opportunity to spread the life-giving message in our families, churches and communities. Thank you for undergirding the efforts of your people as they faced harassment, deception, discouragement and lies. Never let us forget that just as You were with Daniel in the lion’s den, You were by our side over the decades. Lord, prompt us to continue our involvement as the fight for the humanity of the preborn moves closer to home, to the states where each of us reside. Give us courage, words, influence and opportunities. Lead us to the best facts, the most winsome words and the best ways to show encouragement and support for pregnant women in need. Dear God, help us to show love where others show hate and anger. Lord, we pray that You would protect those who serve on our Supreme Court and at all levels of our justice system. Keep them and their families safe. Steel their wills so they would not be influenced by angry mobs stalking them at their homes and as they live their daily lives. Move in the hearts of politicians and journalists so they would not misrepresent the actual facts of overturning Roe v. Wade. May their outrageous behavior and words actually serve to undercut their cause. Heavenly Father, we rejoice in Your presence in the dark and discouraging days and in the days when there is positive change in our world. Help us to remain strong, steadfast and be salt and light in the world around us. MAKE YOUR TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION NOW As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations to American Values are tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. 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