| | 7 Interesting facts about Frederick Douglass | | Curated for you byCP Editors | | Good afternoon! It's Tuesday, February 14, and today's headlines include several facts about Frederick Douglass, a mass shooting at Michigan State University, South Dakota banning sex change surgeries and puberty blockers for children, and a pastor's sermon on the concept of "the one." | | Frederick Douglass was a prominent African American orator and campaigner for racial equality best known for his efforts to abolish slavery in the United States. Douglass, a former slave who escaped bondage to become a prominent political activist and an internationally traveled speaker, is celebrated on Feb. 14, which is traditionally identified as his birthday. In fact, Black History Month itself was scheduled for February because of both Douglass' and President Abraham Lincoln's birthdays. This article from CP highlights seven interesting facts about Douglass, including his efforts to battle segregation in the North, being licensed as a lay preacher, his support for women's suffrage, and his second wife was white. Continue reading. | | P.S. CP has launched Freedom Post, a free, twice-weekly newsletter highlighting breaking news and headlines on key issues ranging from freedom to religious liberty. Sign-up today to get Freedom Post delivered to your inbox every Monday and Thursday. Check out these headlines from our latest issue of Freedom Post:Nicaragua: Catholic bishop sentenced to 26 years in prisonChinese spy balloon: 4 more detailsKey takeaways from House hearing on Biden DOJ 'weaponization' |
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| South Dakota bans trans surgeries, puberty blockers for kids | | South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem signed House Bill 1080 into law on Monday. The "Help Not Harm" bill bans sex change surgeries and experimental puberty blockers for children and teens who struggle with their sexual identities and can be influenced into undergoing irreversible procedures, such as chemical castration. "South Dakota's kids are our future. With this legislation, we are protecting kids from harmful, permanent medical procedures. I will always stand up for the next generation of South Dakotans," Noem said in a statement. The American Principles Project praised the move, noting that South Dakota is the seventh state to pass such legislation. "The transgender industry's assault on vulnerable children is appalling. Kids rushed into dangerous, life-changing procedures without fully comprehending the consequences. Parents [were] misled or even outright cut out of the process. It is truly a horror show," stated APP President Terry Schilling. "Noem and South Dakota legislators deserve a great deal of credit for acting to protect children in their state from this medical malpractice. The momentum for this movement fighting the transgender industry continues to grow, and we're just getting started." The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, which supports the trans-ing of kids, denounced Noem's signing of the bill, claiming it will deny children the "critical support that helps struggling transgender youth grow up to become thriving transgender adults." Read more. | | Michigan State University shooting: 3 dead, 5 injured | | An armed man entered the campus of Michigan State University and opened fire on Monday, killing at least three students and wounding five others before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. MSU police reported that shots were fired near Berkey Hall on the East Lansing campus on Monday night and instructed students and others to "secure-in-place immediately." Shortly after 1 a.m. local time, the university reported that the MSU Police had located the shooter and that there was no longer a threat to the campus community. An MSU emergency alert informed students and staff that all virtual and in-person classes, athletic events, and all other campus activities are canceled for at least 48 hours. "Counseling and Psychiatric Services and the Employee Assistance Program will be making programming and services available in the coming days," the emergency alert added. Read more. | | Critics say Hamlin mocked Jesus with jacket | | Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills appeared at Super Bowl LVII wearing a jacket that some believe mocked the death of Jesus Christ. Hamlin, who is still recovering from a cardiac arrest that caused him to collapse during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in early January, was introduced as part of the game's ceremony wearing a varsity jacket designed by Kanye West that sells for approximately $175 online. The jacket has the word "ETERNAL" stitched above what appear to be reproductions of flannel Velcro characters commonly used in Sunday School lessons. The central character was a crucifix of Jesus with a grotesque rendition of His face and blood dripping from His hands and feet. Flannel-style articles of clothing, including sandals, a tattered blue sash, and a red robe, are also on the jacket. The front of it reads, "Without end or beginning / There is no Day and there is no Night" stitched in cursive, an apparent reference to Hebrews 7:3 and Revelation 22:5, respectively. While many took to social media to express thankfulness for Hamlin's recovery, others questioned his choice of clothing, with retired NFL star Adrian Peterson writing: "You should be thanking God son! This is Blasphemy!" Peterson later shared that he spoke with Hamlin about the jacket, saying, "[W]ith power and influence comes great responsibility. I apologize for offending you, I just felt offended in that moment as a man who loves and respects our Lord and Savior, Yeshua. After speaking with Damar, I have an understanding that it didn't come from a place of ill intent!" Read more. |
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| Asbury University revival: Will we miss the next revival? | | SermonIndex.net founder Greg Gordon reflects on the 100-plus hour Asbury University revival, which was sparked during a normal chapel service where there was a confession of sin by a student and 30 people stayed behind to seek God. While many are rejoicing over the #asburyrevival, others have expressed criticism and doubts about what is happening. Gordon shares three key reasons people have doubts when revival takes place, including because it goes beyond our ability or experience. Read more. | | A widower's reflection on Valentine's Day: Experiencing God through tragedy | | Recent widower Curtis Schube shares what it is like to experience Valentine's Day alone for the first time in more than a decade following the death of his wife, Gabrielle. Schube, who describes how the Holy Spirit encouraged him to "Love her hard now" because "she won't be with you forever," writes that he has experienced joy in the midst of his sorrow because he has drawn closer to God than ever before. "As a recent widower, I’m as happy as I have ever been, despite crying mostly every day. I hope my story can encourage others to find this happiness," he says. "God is real! Embrace that fact. Accept Christ as your savior. Enjoy the sense of peace and happiness that He brings." Read more. |
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| Tips To Reduce Financial Stress In 2023 | | Your finances can seem like both a gift and a curse when navigating through life. It can be a sense of overwhelming accomplishment or a downward spiral that can lead to health issues if not managed. | | According to a study by Thrive Global, 90% of individuals say that money impacts their stress levels. Whether your issues are caused by a loss of employment, accumulating debt, or unforeseen bills, financial anxiety is one of the most common stressors in modern life. We are often faced with challenges when money is involved, but knowledge and planning can help alleviate much of the stress that may occur. With a wide array of resources out there, it can be hard to know where or how to start your journey, but following the tips laid out in this article can help start you down a path to reach your goal. Read more | | |
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| Podcast: Are God and science in conflict? | | On this week's episode of "The Inside Story," CP reporter Nicole Alcindor discusses whether faith and science can co-exist. She also highlights the Washington D.C.-based Museum of the Bible's new exhibit titled, "Scripture and Science: Our Universe, Ourselves, Our Place." In reflecting upon the ongoing tension between science and religion, Alcindor cautions that some people mistakenly lose God for the sake of science. "[P]eople tend to hyper-focus on the science aspect of things. And they just get lost in the science, and they lose sight of God. And we need God to understand the relationship between science and Christianity," she says. Listen now. | | Does 'the one' exist? This pastor says no | | Ahead of Valentine's Day, J. J. Vasquez, the pastor of the Orlando-based Journey Church, preached a sermon where he discussed why the idea of people trying to find the romantic partner who "God destined" as "the one who will complete me" is unrealistic for several reasons. Vasquez, who noted that the concept of "the one" is not biblical, also pointed out that the idea of "the one" would make "God's whole plan for the world" easily broken if "one person missed their person." The pastor also cautioned that buying into the idea might give a person too much power, while also ignoring the reality that some people were not meant to get married. He added that those who are meant to be single for life have been given a gift from God, explaining, "If you're single, you don't have to worry about the other pieces of the puzzle. All you got to do is connect to your purpose [in God]." Listen to the full sermon here. |
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| Sadie Robertson Huff, Jimmy Darts on living authentically | | Sadie Robertson Huff took to her "WHOA That's Good" podcast to lament that the prosperity gospel is commonly accepted among some believers. Joined by Jimmy Kellogg, who's better known as Jimmy Darts, Huff complained that the prosperity gospel's messaging is a "shame" as the duo discussed why it's "not the answer to an abundant life." Darts, who has become a popular social media influencer by sharing videos of himself performing random acts of kindness and generosity, shared advice he once received from a friend that has inspired his mission to bring joy to people's lives. "The one piece of advice that I can remember, and it has always stuck in my head, was four or five years ago, my friend, Ryan, he told me at my house once, 'Jimmy, you've got to be Santa Claus in private before you're Santa Claus in public.' ... And it was such a good reminder that you've got to do three times, 20 times more in private than you do in public." Jimmy took his friend's advice seriously, purchased and wore a Santa suit in the middle of August, and started giving more in private by taking people shopping at Walmart without sharing details with the public. Saying he's focused on living authentically, Darts added, "You can never go broke by giving." Huff compared Dart's description of living an authentic life to Proverbs 20:7, which reads, "The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!" Listen to the full episode here. | | | | | | | | Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow! -- CP Editors |
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