National Day Of Prayer

 
Today is the National Day of Prayer.  First established by Congress in 1952, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation in 1988 designating the first Thursday of May as a day of national prayer. 
 
Dr. Ronnie Floyd, of Cross Church in Springdale, Arkansas, is serving as the new president of the National Day of Prayer.  This year's theme is "Pray for America - UNITY."  It is based upon Ephesians 4:3 -- "Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." 
 
I was honored to attend a National Day of Prayer ceremony in the White House Rose Garden this morning with a diverse group of approximately 300 faith leaders.  I wish you all could have been there!  If you missed it, you can watch it here.
 
I had a front-row seat, and was invited onto the stand when the president signed a new executive order ensuring that faith-based groups can access federal resources -- without fear of onerous restrictions that compromise their values. 
 
As the president said when he made this announcement, "Faith is more powerful than government and nothing is more powerful than G-d."
 
This is the second of these annual events that President Trump has observed at the White House.  I mention that because the previous occupant of the White House stopped hosting National Day of Prayer events.  It is nice to see the tradition restored. 
 
Today, President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke openly about America's deep religious heritage and the power of faith to transform lives.  During his remarks, the president invited Jon Ponder and Richard Beasley to the stage. 
 
At the age of 38, Ponder was sentenced to federal prison for robbing a bank.  In jail, he spent time in solitary confinement.  One night, he heard a broadcast by Billy Graham and dedicated his life to Christ. 
 
The day after Ponder's release from prison, he got a visit from Richard Beasley, the FBI agent who arrested Ponder.  Beasley had been praying for Ponder and the two men have been friends ever since. 
 
The friendship of Ponder, who is black, and Beasley, who is white, is a great example of the unity that comes through faith.
 
As President Trump and Vice President Pence spoke, I was struck by how unapologetic their remarks were in the face of the left's constant attacks on our Judeo-Christian culture. 
 
I thought back to the past administration, to the repeated assaults on life and marriage, the indifference to Christian persecution overseas and the growing harassment of men and women of faith here in America. 
 
We should take nothing for granted, my friends.  Not even our most cherished liberties.
 
Please stand with me now.  
 
Help us stay on the front lines in the good fight for faith, family and freedom!
 
 
 
Not Going Away
 
From the beginning, legal advisers have assured the president that the Russia collusion/special counsel's investigation would be going away soon.  It is obvious that it is not going away anytime soon.  That being the case, it is good to see that Rudy Giuliani has joined the president's legal team.  
 
If Republicans suffer an average loss in the November mid-term elections, they will lose the House.  Liberals are demanding that Democrat leaders impeach the president.  So it is smart for Trump to bring on people with experience in these matters. 
 
Ultimately, it is up to the voters.  The outcome of the November elections will determine whether impeachment proceedings go forward or not.  And if current trends hold, there could be some surprising results.
 
 
 
The Kanye Effect?
 
Remember when I recently suggested Kanye West may have sparked a major cultural shift?  (Yes, I realize he is controversial and I have criticized him before.) 
 
But when he spoke positively about Donald Trump and the predictable left-wing avalanche hit him, West, unlike Shania Twain and other celebrities, didn't back down.  He doubled down.  And his independence has terrified the left because it strikes at the heart of modern day identity politics and the left's power.
 
Maxine Waters accused West of "talking out of turn."  She added, "Maybe he should think twice about politics and maybe not have so much to say."
 
Whether Waters likes it or not, there may be a Kanye effect taking place in politics today.  According to the latest Reuters poll, Trump's approval rating among blacks has doubled in the past week.
 
 
 
Scouts
 
The Boy Scouts of America have become the latest group to cave to the left's jihad against cultural norms.  After caving in to political correctness a few years ago, the Boy Scouts started admitting girls.  Now the organization has announced that it is dropping "Boy" from its name.  They are just "Scouts."
 
Boys and girls are different. That is a fundamental truth whether the left wants to accept it or not. 
 
That is why there used to be a national organization to teach boys how to grow up to be good men and a national organization, the Girl Scouts, to teach and mold young girls.  In the lexicon of our country, if you wanted to know if a man had good character, they used to say, "Yeah, he's a real Boy Scout." 
 
But we won't be saying that anymore, and that's a real shame.