”We Did It, Jackie!” Jackie Walorski: 1963-2022

This week two very important things happened. I’ll start with the first one.

1. On Wednesday, August 3, 2022, Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorski went to be with Jesus. 

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind about that. She spoke openly of her relationship with Jesus Christ. She spoke in churches, giving her testimony. And, she and her husband spent four years of their married life in Romania as missionaries.

According to the Elkhart County sheriff's office, the most current information is that the SUV in which Jackie and two of her staff members were traveling crossed the center line and collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle. All the occupants of both cars died quickly from the grievous wounds they sustained in the crash.

I was heartbroken by the news. It didn’t help that Eric and I led the worship that night at church and Eric had picked out “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.” Thankfully, I could just mostly play my drum and not sing, because I could not sing the verse about “when this feeble life is o’er” without crying and I knew it.

President Trump offered his condolences on Truth Social and mentioned that she was a good friend. Immediately, vigilante Democrat trolls called him a liar because he probably had no idea who she was, and of course he couldn’t have been her friend.

But Jackie was everybody’s friend. She was very tall, and probably could almost look him in the eye. She was knowledgeable, intelligent, beautiful, and very energetic. I’ve never known any politician I liked as well.

People on social media have offered me condolences, saying they knew she was my friend because of what I posted. Again, if you just knew Jackie, she was your friend.

Jackie was a hugger. She just was.

In 2010, four of our kids, from Robyn on down to Vivian, were signed up for Student Action Teams (SAT’s) with Generation Joshua (GenJ)—an arm of Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). We worked on Jackie’s first Congressional campaign that year, in South Bend*. That suited us just fine—it was our own district. I also brought several grandkids, who were a little too young for the job but could come as long as they stayed with Grandma. We only worked part of the time and then had to come home so I could work the polls in Liberty Township. Robyn took the grandkids on Sunday to see Jackie speak at the Delphi First Assembly instead of having them go to our own church, but she heard Jackie give her Christian testimony.

*Note for non-Hoosiers: South Bend is up north.

Joe Donnelly was our Congressman at the time, and he had presented himself as a “moderate Democrat” who was pro-life. We knew better and desired to see him ousted. We knew he was a corrupt politician, and it showed that year when his campaign pumped megabucks into the third party candidate’s campaign, which siphoned off potential voters for Jackie. The Libertarian garnered far more votes than he ever would have, advertising that he was the only true conservative in the race. Jackie lost by a slim 1% margin.

Fortunately for us, Donnelly had greater aspirations and he vacated his Congressional seat in 2012 so he could run for a fancier one in the Senate.

Then, as Senator, when it came to Obamacare, Donnelly was infamously part of a group of supposedly pro-life Democrats who held out against it because it would fund abortion. At the last minute, Donnelly caved along with the others, just like Joe Manchin with “Build Back Better,” betraying the pro-life cause and making socialist healthcare the law of the land. Obamacare did fund abortion—everywhere you looked. Donnelly only lasted one term as a U.S. Senator. The voters did not forget.

But with Donnelly out of the way, and after the Congressional districts were all rearranged, Jackie ran again in 2012 and the GenJ’ers were once again deployed to her campaign. Robyn was too old now, but I still had Valerie, David, and Vivian. At the same time, I was able to also bring with me four of Lisa’s kids: Jay, Joy, Sarah, and Abby. Our family unit was an entire team. 

Shortly after we arrived, we were rerouted. It seemed some of the GenJ’ers who had been assigned to work for Governor Mike Pence’s reelection team had been no-show’s. So, since Governor Pence said in no uncertain terms that he needed his GenJ’ers, we went to Indy. How could we argue with the Governor?

Rather self-explanatory—That’s Mike Pence in the blue shirt.

We did campaign for him, and stood in line for the pizza that night… and the next day… until it became apparent that campaigning for Mike Pence meant a LOT of pizza. Meanwhile, the Walorski team was really short-handed. They just needed about 8-10 people. I said, “We are 8.” So we were pulled, along with a couple of teenage boys, and deployed back to South Bend in my pretty rusty van.

SAT’s are intense, very hard work, hours and hours of phone banking and lit (literature) drops. GenJ’ers are known for not doing the “walk lists” while walking, but by running. It’s a friendly competition—like “Team A made 2,021 phone contacts and 450 door knocks today. Team B only made 1,076 phone contacts and 437 door knocks. Team A wins the prize! Yay!” This last-minute GOTV (Get Out The Vote) effort is usually one week, including Election Day itself and any victory parties afterwards (that are decent and non-alcoholic). Nobody gets results like GenJ, a.k.a. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Campaigners.” 

A particularly efficient GenJ’er, working two phones at the same time.

As a mom there among the troops, I tried to also keep an eye on the health of the kids in my charge. I had all the band-aids, cough drops, and such. I strongly advised some of them to cut back on the Mountain Dews and candy bars (which seemed to be unlimited and eternal). Some of the kids got sun-burned, some got chewed out on the phone and suffered mental anguish, and I got pushed down in the parking lot by an over-exuberant grandkid hugger. But that’s the hazards of war.

Above all of the normal GenJ experience and adrenaline, we knew in our hearts that Jackie was different. She was not just any old politician who was pretty good, at least better than the Democrat. Jackie was for real. And Jackie cared about us. Her mom, Martha, made us home cooked meals for dinner every day, and they were REALLY tasty meals.

Jackie checked up on us, bragged on us, talked with us about the issues, and hugged us. There was nothing as motivational as just seeing her walk through the door at campaign headquarters, pose with us for pictures, and give us high five’s. 

Picture taken by Jackie herself, in Kokomo, with Robyn and grandkids above my head.

Not one of our group, but the camaraderie was infectious.

This was Jackie with all of us on the GenJ team in 2012. Somehow I always end up on the front row.

If we started to go stir-crazy from sitting too long at the phone bank, we did something crazy like standing on a major street corner and waving signs at the cars. 

And then, on Election Night, we found out that Jackie had won, and we were pretty choked up about it. It finally worked! Praise the Lord!

The sights and sounds of the Victory Party are still fresh in my mind because I stumbled onto a video David took that night. Sarah was always the dancer grandkid and she had some good moves. Vivian and I got into the act too, when we could. 

Yes, we were excited! But when Jackie showed up to the victory party and gave her acceptance speech, well, I won’t give you a cliché’ like “there was not a dry eye” but I know there were some tears. 

Dear Jackie! Dear, dear Jackie! We were so honored to help you succeed Joe Donnelly! We knew that you were truly pro-life, and we so desperately needed you!

After campaigning, I was always invited to march with Jackie at parades via email, and I did once in Logansport since it was close. She was just as personable at a parade as anywhere else, and you loved doing it for her, no matter how sweaty you were or how tired you got from so much walking. And when she gave her first speech in Congress, we watched that. 

Speaking of Congressional speeches, here was her speech in Congress on January 21 of this year: Don’t let anybody tell you she was a moderate. Click on the picture and listen to our Jackie!

A few months later, in May, a pro-abortion activist nearly ran over her as she was meeting with prolifers praying outside the abortion mill in her hometown. 

Jackie won that night in 2012, but so also did Governor Pence, and another young man was re-elected: a homeschooler, who had spoken with the GenJ’ers in a training session and motivated us as well: Timothy Wesco had first won Jackie’s seat in the Indiana House of Representatives the year Jackie lost her race. When he first ran, it seemed like he was barely old enough to do it, and he came from a family even larger than ours. His whole family was there to cheer him on and so did Jackie. I know a few of our daughters had a crush on him too.

Jackie with Timothy Wesco

Now, the other important thing that happened this week was this:

2. On Friday night, August 5, 2022, Indiana became the first state in the nation to hold a special session and successfully enact an abortion ban after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

The Indiana legislature was under a LOT of pressure and was very weary of folks on both sides who were making demands of them. But they got something passed and signed by Governor Holcomb, that will be a framework for bringing the abortion cartel in Indiana to a halt at last.

SB-1 was not a complete abortion ban—there are still some tweaks that should be made in the future: for instance, there don’t seem to be any meaningful punishments for transgressing the law. So, in the Indianapolis area, the word is, law enforcement doesn’t intend to enforce it. There are exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother, all of which can be interpreted broadly and allow for too many abortions. Some of this needs to be tightened, but it’s a better bill than when it started. Of course the media is quoting far more pro-abortion people and entities than pro-lifers.

The very good thing is, all abortion that come under the exceptions have to be done in a hospital or in a clinic affiliated with a hospital. That means, free-standing abortion mills, particularly Planned Parenthood ones, will have to close next month. That will be the answer to prayer we’ve been looking forward to for a long time.

So, we are rejoicing! God has done a wonderful work in Indiana. This time last year, we weren’t clear how He would do it, but we just prayed every day at 3:00 that God would shut down the Lafayette Planned Parenthood. Now, with the overturning of Roe v. Wade and this special session, He has shut down all of them!

Our dear Jackie would have loved to have seen this day…

Timothy Wesco wrote this poignant memorial on his Facebook page on Saturday:

“On July 1, I attended the grand opening of the beautiful new facility of RETA, a pregnancy resource center in Elkhart. I spotted my Congresswoman, Jackie Walorski and went over to greet her. She gave me a hug as she always did, and we talked enthusiastically about the recent Supreme Court Dobbs decision and the upcoming Special Session of the Indiana General Assembly. She then leaned in, and said to me, “Whatever you do, just shut down that abortion clinic in my district.”

“Yesterday, I resolutely voted for Senate Bill 1, which was passed by the Indiana General Assembly, and signed by the Governor.

“Senate Bill 1 will shut down the abortion clinic in South Bend.

“We did it, Jackie.”

Yes, we did it. This was a team effort. We needed Jackie in the Congress. We needed Timothy Wesco in the State House. Timothy needed his homeschooling family, and both of them needed my kids and grandkids in Generation Joshua to help them across the finish line. We needed Hoosier Amy Coney Barrett and her Notre Dame Law School training and experience. We needed President Trump to put ACB on the Supreme Court.

And when it was all said and done, we needed to know we had a network of unassuming but caring crisis pregnancy centers alive, growing, and flourishing, to care for all those moms who don’t know (because the abortion cartel wants them ignorant) that they have a real good option in giving birth to the child God has blessed them with.

So it was a long time in coming, but God knew His answer was on the way. It was just way too complex for Him to explain it to us. Everything had to be in place. We just needed to trust Him.

We had heard for so long: “The Bible says ‘If my people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive, and I will heal their land.’ That means, Christians, it’s up to us! We need to pray!’”

And in my heart, I thought, “But we do, and we have been. How could we pray any more feverishly and effectively than we have been already?”

But He did hear. He really did!

That is not to say the work is over. The goal still is, to make abortion—not “safe legal, and rare,” which was lying rhetoric from the pro-aborts—but totally unheard of and unthinkable.

Ah, Lord, our hearts were heavy to lose such a great warrior in Congress. We do not understand Your plans, never have. But we know that this accident did not take You by surprise. We pray now for Jackie’s family, and for the families of Emma Thompson, Zach Potts, and Edith too, who was in the other car. Help them to find healing and comfort in You.

Show us who can fill Jackie’s shoes. That will be a very hard task, so the Republican leadership needs great wisdom.

And we pray that we as Christians would not stop doing pro-life work… ever. Help us make a difference in people’s lives by showing them Jesus.

It is in His Name we pray, Amen.

I Can Only Imagine: The Rapture

These days, some simple things we enjoyed (and took for granted) in 2019 are no longer there, and we all have our examples. One such example at our church is “special music.” For the most part, we don’t have that as a naturally-occurring element in every service anymore, although we have had more occasions lately.

I remember attending a workshop for church singers once, or maybe this principle is resident in my brain because it was a report from someone who attended it. The precept was:

 

Never sing a song that doesn’t apply to you.

 

This had to do with testimony songs: for instance, the kind that talk about living a decadent lifestyle before coming to the Lord—if that really didn’t happen to you. It is by far more practical to stick with already-written songs about the goodness and grace of Jesus than to sing the ones that mention your former lifestyle. It’s even hard to do the ones that say something like “I’m just a man… “ if you’re a woman.

It is even a little bit questionable to have a whole congregation singing a song about how “I love you with my whole heart,”… if some people in attendance have never even been in a church before. Except that somehow, over time, learning songs like that in church and singing them with everybody else can cause them to become internalized and eventually come true.

There is a song that everybody but me likes, and I dislike it for the aforementioned reasons. You may have guessed what it is from looking at this post’s title. But it is the imaginings of the songwriter about what Heaven will be like, and what he will do when he stands before the Lord. (Dance, kneel, sing, keep silent… ?)

The thing is, I have my own imaginings, and they’re not the same as his. I just don’t have a song for it, and I wouldn’t expect others to sing it with me if I did. But here are my musings about what the Rapture might be like, or what I would like to see—if I could have my say-so.

I have imagined the Rapture, and I know there are those who would rather not read yet another post about it. But the subject excites my imagination and gives me hope. Paul says in 2 Timothy:

“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

~2 Tim. 4:8 

I love the very thought of His appearing, and hope to see that happen in my lifetime. So, according to this verse, what is waiting for me? A crown! Yes, there is a special crown awaiting those who are still saying, in the face of many naysayers, “My Jesus is coming to get me!” 

My friends and I were all saying “Maranatha!” when I was in high school, during the Jesus Movement, and flashing each other the “one way” symbol, pointing up to Heaven with raised index finger. 

We studied Revelation and speculated on when the Rapture might be. I have an audio tape that Eric recorded for me the year we got married, where he was dreaming of our future together and saying we might have to live in a cave someday, but that he would get me a kitten. Pastor Chuck Smith, though he has passed on to his eternal reward, has been castigated, and people say he has been entirely discredited, because in one of his recorded sermons, he gave a year he believed would be the time of Christ’s return. (Gasp!)  Truth be told, I also have done a bit of “date setting” -- but my folly was not recorded and used as required curriculum in Bible colleges.

“But Margie,” you may say, “you were in high school about 50 years ago. Isn’t that too long to wait expectantly? Can’t you just move on from that, and accept that it probably isn’t going to happen, at least in your lifetime?”

Nope! Every day that passes makes me one day closer to Jesus’ return. And it still excites me!

So, I imagine what the crown will look like. I imagine what it will be like when He, the Righteous Judge, places it on my head. I just don’t think there will be a barrel of them at Heaven's door so everybody can grab one on their way in. They will not be mass-produced plastic, made in China, with fake gems. No, these crowns will be more real than anything we have touched in this life. And Jesus will put one on my head.

I imagine what it will be like going up. Here’s a popular old toe-tapper song about “That Great Gettin’ Up Morning.” by the Gaither Vocal Band. Enjoy!

In That Great Gettin' Up Mornin' (Live At Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC/2018)

The song mentions chariots a-comin’. This is a reference to Elijah, the prophet of God who was taken up to Heaven without dying, a picture of the Rapture of the saints. There are some misunderstandings about this trip, however. Elijah didn’t get a chariot ride, and neither shall we. The fiery chariot and fiery horses were a way to separate Elijah from Elisha, like a police barricade. And then Elijah was taken to Heaven in a whirlwind. 

“Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”

~2 Kings 2:11

That doesn’t seem to be the way we’ll go, but it had to be a pretty uplifting experience! 

The song also mentions the white robes. There are several places in Revelation that mention our white garments, white robes, or fine linen, clean and bright. 

“‘Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’

“And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”

~Revelation 19:7-8

In fact, we’ll have white horses to go with the white robes, when we come back again to earth as Christ’s wife and also as Christ’s army. I wonder about my white horse—do I get to keep him, or will he be a rental, like Shadowfax in the Lord of the Rings? And what will my white robe look like? I can only imagine—I know it will be very beautiful!—but something tells me it won’t pick up rust stains, the way my white clothes do when washed in Burrows well water.

I had conversations a long time ago with my good friend Ayelet, who lives in the Judean hills in Israel. She told me that I just had to see Jerusalem, and if I never got to do it in this life, that I should fly over it on our way up during the Rapture. We promised each other that I would fly over that way and join up with her before making my final ascent, and the picture in my mind is still a vivid memory.

I have also imagined what various skeptics will do, those whom I know are Christians but who say they don’t believe in the Rapture. Will they be kicking and screaming with a terrified look on their faces when they are “snatched away”? Because even if they don’t get the crown I mentioned, I can’t imagine that God would leave them here when it’s time to go. Or, will they relax and rise, just as happy to escape this broken world as I am?

I have imagined folks I know, my brothers and sister in Christ, who have Charcot-Marie-Tooth Syndrome, Huntington’s Disease, weak hearts, bad knees, bum backs, Alzheimer’s, PTSD, chronic fatigue, partial deafness and blindness, Parkinson’s, vaccine injuries, cancer, and more, who will suddenly be in no more pain. All knee braces and canes, walkers, wheelchairs, hearing aids, dental plates, pacemakers, and glasses will stay here. There isn’t any need for any of that in Heaven. My friends will all be set free.

There will be no more food allergies, no gluten intolerance. There will be plenty of food, but no more obesity, no more belly fat. We will have new, glorified bodies, with no more itchy skin or ridged fingernails from psoriasis, no more malfunctioning hearts or kidneys… or anything! I have looked in the mirror and tried to imagine what I will look like without saggy skin with wrinkles, sores, and stretch marks, and without any broken teeth. Will I even get some of my hair back? No glasses?

I have imagined flying in an airplane, looking out the window and down at the clouds, and seeing Jesus standing there. Maybe folks on airplanes will be among the first to spot Him! If the Rapture happens while I’m flying, will I be one of the first to be with Jesus? Will I go down to Him or up to Him?

I have imagined being in a car driving alongside a graveyard when the Rapture happens, and seeing our own dead ancestors popping out before we ever go. Will I recognize any of them?

I have imagined the Wedding of the Lamb, and its accompanying feast—it will be such a grand time! 

Have you ever wondered why the book of the Song of Solomon is in the Bible? Aside from being the best song Solomon ever wrote (Song of Songs), it has other significance. It talks about married love, and yet, though there is a strong yearning for each other in the song, the lovemaking doesn’t reach the expected conclusion. This is where it touches upon the holy. Our Jesus longs for us right now, with the longing of a bridegroom, watching over us with divine anticipation. But the fulfillment hasn’t happened yet.

This is not just about us, the Church, as we wait for the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise to return—and for most of us, that is probably no more than 50 years—it is also about Jesus, who has literally been waiting over 2,000 years before He could finally have His bride, the Church. 

How will I feel when He says to me:

“You are all fair, my love, And there is no spot in you.”

~Song of Solomon 4:7

Or when I say:

“His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me.”

~Song of Solomon 2:6

So this is what I imagine. There is a great multitude who will be arrayed in white robes. There will be people of every tribe and every tongue, who will be in Heaven worshiping our King Jesus and praising Him for His salvation. But it will be to me as if I am the only one, and the instant I am translated into Heaven, I will be in His warm embrace. There will be no delay either, and no long lines. I will not get to pass by Jerusalem, nor will I be smugly watching those who didn’t think there would be a Rapture. In the twinkling of an eye, I will snatched up, to be with my Savior, my Bridegroom, forever.

That’s it. 

I should write a song …

Do You Need College?

Charlie Kirk is the founder of Turning Point USA, and he has a new book out: The College Scam. 

The promo for the book says:

“We all know that colleges are filled with far-left professors, but the truth is much worse. Anti-American ideals are thriving, progressives repress speech, and brainwashing is the norm. In The College Scam, Charlie Kirk puts the college industry on trial with a ten-count indictment of why academia has lost all credibility.” 

Moreover, Charlie Kirk is not the first to level these charges. An internet search for “College Scam” does not turn up his book as the first result. Rather, there are several articles equally critical of the college system, and people have been saying the same thing for decades.

There are two great evils in the world, yea, three make God’s people groan:

That millions of innocent human beings are killed while still in their mothers’ wombs, and the assassins get obscenely rich charging their mothers for the service.

That a man intent on destroying our nation sits in the White House, and we the taxpayers are paying him and his staff to do it.

That millions of our best and brightest youth are being brainwashed for four years in leftist / communist indoctrination camps called colleges and universities, but their unsuspecting parents are expected to pay for it and many will put themselves in debt up to their necks for a couple of decades.

~The Book of Margie, Chapter 2:1-4

Okay, I know, that’s not in the Bible. But honestly, we need to use the money with which God has entrusted us wisely. So, we must properly evaluate where it’s going.

My Experience

In the early 1980s, I studied for a while at Purdue University on the G.I. Bill. Purdue was just across the river from where we lived in Lafayette. In fact, during the summer, to avoid having to drive the family car on campus, I enjoyed early morning bike rides, crossing the bridge to reach my classes and returning home before my family missed me.

Naively, I believed I would learn how to be a better writer. It turns out that Purdue really wanted me to appreciate paintings of naked bodies and learn to view feminism and humanism in a positive light. I was supposed to learn to accept that what I thought was evil could actually be good. We read books presenting examples of such “situational ethics” so that any semblance of absolute truth resident in our souls could be erased.

Such was probably the lot of most of my classmates. But as for me, Purdue failed. 

I’m not a pushover. Neither is Eric. One time a Pentecostal-style evangelist lady tried to get people “slain in the spirit” by pushing them over. He caught onto the scheme and put his foot back to stabilize himself so he wouldn’t fall and land on his guitar. 

I also didn’t “fall” for the professor’s scheme. I told him, when he asked, why I thought the books we had been reading were evil. He decided to use me in his classes as an example, and spent at least 5 or 6 class periods arguing / debating with me in front of the stupefied students.

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

    ~Isaiah 5:20

That one very definitely IS in the Bible. 

This experience, however, was 42 years ago, and if you thought for a moment that it got any better at Purdue after that, you would be greatly mistaken. In the end, my credits expired and I didn’t get the degree.

Lisa’s Experience

Our eldest daughter Lisa has a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Indiana University and I am very proud of her because she completed her studies online (mostly from Illinois) while working full time and also homeschooling much of that time. 

I asked her about her college experience recently. Would she recommend distance learning for others, maybe even others trying to avoid communist indoctrination?

I imagine the woke factor is the same whether it’s online or not. Gender in Communications class taught that sex and gender are not the same thing. I got a B in Ethics class when I wrote a paper about abortion being wrong, even though I got A’s in every other class and I know that topic inside and out. Biology, of course, had an evolution chapter. That one was strictly a multiple choice test so it wasn’t like I even had a chance to debate it.

Lisa has college-age kids now, too:

 

I’ve even heard that some of the professors at Evangel University have some woke tendencies. It’s like cancer. Even if students don’t hear it from their professors they hear it everywhere else. Trying to avoid wokeness is like trying to keep from getting wet in a hurricane.

But it’s also one of those things where people, even if they agree, are afraid to talk about it because they don’t want to be controversial. 

Illinois is a lot more liberal. I know my kids shy away from controversy. Probably having parents on the opposite side of the political spectrum doesn’t help, either.

There was a meme I saw recently about cartoon kids in a class hearing blah blah blah about white male oppressors, with one kid asking the other, "Hey, I must be in the wrong class. Where's Calculus?" 

"This IS Calculus."

So what do you do? All the teachers are coming from the same teacher colleges. And, when college accreditation evaluation comes from woke organizations, compliance with politically correct ideology is demanded from everybody.

Here’s a story about Professor Joseph Branson, a tenured college anthropology professor at UCLA who complains of “Woke Capture” at colleges and universities, and why he decided to retire early.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/ucla-professor-retires-woke

He writes on his blog:

"[M]ainstream U.S. higher education is morally and intellectually corrupt, beyond the possibility of self-repair, and therefore no longer a worthwhile setting in which to spend my time and effort."

A.J.’s Experience

A.J. Carlson is a young friend of mine who has just spent two years of his life at Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana. 

A.J. first spent a long time evaluating various schools to find out which one would most closely align with his Biblical values. It was tough. You cannot rely strictly on a college’s website to learn about what you’ll get in exchange for your tuition. Additionally, A.J. is taking courses in elementary education. He aspires to be a teacher.

A.J. writes:

As an elementary school teacher in training, I have recognized many of the red flags that are being promoted within the school system, and the sad truth is that they have been taught in schools well before 2020. Furthermore, many teachers are being trained to teach such propaganda, including inclusivity (LGBTQ+ and SEL (socio-emotional learning), diversity (Black Adam, CRT, and revisionist history), and Keynesian economics. 

Education is not neutral ground, even in the arts and sciences. Not only do the two largest teachers unions overwhelmingly support the Left and are its largest donors, but individual teachers donate to the Left more than any occupation. Do not think that a teacher’s money and their teaching are somehow different. Furthermore, many individual “Christian” teachers also support Leftist agendas, including Red For Ed, equity, etc… 

Valerie’s Experience

Like me, our daughter Valerie didn’t finish getting the diploma, but instead quit going to college after her second year, even with an impressive four-year scholarship. She found the atmosphere spiritually oppressive. Unlike me, she went to a private Catholic college, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, which happened to be a very good one for a specific vocational pursuit—Music Therapy.

SMWC Madrigals in Ireland. Valerie is on the front row on the Right

Valerie writes:

I would still recommend SMWC and their music therapy program to anyone who's interested in studying that, but with a few stipulations: If you are a conservative Christian, you will likely get pressured with a lot of woke crap. 

If you can handle that and not give into the pressure to be brainwashed while also not making a lot of your classmates and teachers dislike you, you'll last longer than I did. I think it's possible, but it will be really hard and you’d better know you really want that degree. It really tests you in a lot of ways and if you can get through it without giving in, you'll probably come out a lot stronger in your convictions, while also gaining a more accurate perspective on how the world thinks. Just know what you're getting yourself into.

The nuns at Valerie’s college all went to D.C. for—not the March for Life, but for the Women’s March, if that says anything. There was no such thing as a pro-life club on campus.

Aren’t Christian schools the answer though? 

Lisa’s daughters are going to an Assembly of God college, A.J. is attending a general Christian college, and Valerie tried a Catholic college. These are all liberal arts colleges.

A.J. says:

While I will state that Christian schools are better than public schools, do not place them on a lofty pedestal. Just because the teachers adhere to Christianity, that does not always relate to their understanding of Fundamentalism or give any evidence of the influence that teacher’s unions have had on their ideology. Sadly, many of the same problems found in public schools are also in Christian schools, it is just that the guise of Christianity shields many of these teachings from being criticized. 

This brings up an important point: a friend of mine that works in campus ministry stated that it is easier to identify the Christians on a secular campus than on a Christian campus (and this applies to primary, secondary, and higher education institutions also). 

But aren’t all students at a Christian school Christians, A.J.? 

No. In fact, especially at private Christian higher education institutions, an alarming percentage of students are there because their grandparents agreed to pay the bill, for athletics, to find a spouse, or because they were not accepted at a state institution. Students on a Christian campus are expected to act the same, say the same things, and do the same activities. Christians on a secular campus stand out, but sadly, many reject their faith because of the pressure of their friend groups and professors.

A.J. and Valerie also related how many of the students coming into the college had been educated in public high schools and were already affected. So they were already affecting their peers just by being roommates.

What Can You Do?

First, let me reiterate something I talked about a few weeks ago. 

→ Homeschool! ←

If it’s even a remote possibility, you are your son or daughter’s best teacher, so get in there and do it. Here’s my short summary of our 30-some years of homeschooling.

A.J. writes:

The topic of public elementary schools has been hotly contested within the past two years since many of the social / emotional learning programs (S of the Left have been exposed since the emergence of online learning. This goes without saying, but many of these dangerous teachings entered the school system when the Bible and prayer were removed from the classroom (1962 – 1963).

Recently, a SECOND GRADE teacher recorded a TikTok video, in which she revealed that her entire class had “come out” as gender fluid. She was emotional about this moving experience. If that had been my child’s teacher, I would have been emotional too, but the emoji for it looks rather like a fire-breathing dragon.

Back to A.J.:

Even though I am training to be a teacher, I would not vouch for the public elementary school system. Granted, there are many great teachers and several great school districts. For example, 70% of teachers in the Warsaw Community School District attend church. However, that being said, I already plan to homeschool my children. 

The biggest objection against homeschooling is whether the student will be as prepared as a public school student or will they be socially awkward? As a self-taught homeschool student, yes, I realize that I may lack in some subjects but I realize that I excel in many areas of life where many others have no clue where to start. 

Furthermore, yes, I can be socially awkward at times, especially not knowing the latest movies, celebrities, music, video games, and any other trend of society, yet, not only have I learned to deal with this barrier, but I have remained nearly a straight-A student in college when many others have not. That is partly because I grew up with a strong work ethic, both in my academics when studying and in working part-time. 

There are skills that students will learn through homeschool that have not been and cannot be taught in the school system. I stand behind homeschooling as the best way to teach your children godly values and many life skills, with Christian schools as a distant second. 

Me too, A.J.! Don’t leave your child’s future to chance and destructive brainwashing. You can teach your child to read and write and do elementary school math. Or, if you can’t do that, you can at least choose your own tutors.

But Do You Actually Need College?

When I started homeschooling, it wasn’t long before I met a really sweet nurse who volunteered to be our “school nurse” at our co-op. Once when talking to me, she challenged my thinking with “Now that you know you can teach your children at home, you should also think about having your babies at home!” I resisted that one for a while and then finally gave in, finding it fit in well with what I was doing.

Thus, I found that there were many institutions I could do without or with less of. Is it possible we can do without college in 2022 and still make a good living?

The Lord brought together many factors in our lives to finally lead the Haley family into a full-time business rebinding books and Bibles as a cottage industry. Gradually, that became a prosperous business because it is the Lord’s business. Entrepreneurs and small businesses are the backbone of this country.

And like generations of young men who inherited the family farm and continued in their father’s footsteps, learning as an apprentice in a family business is a college-less way to earn your keep. 

An apprenticeship in a different trade, such as electrical engineering, will also do well for you. And if you can stand the current military “wokeness” and the shot requirements, much of the experience is also O.J.T.—on the job training. That doesn’t require a degree, but many jobs in the military are useful in civilian life.

My Texas brother also reminds me that the nation needs tradesmen such as welders, carpenters, plumbers, and truck drivers. Absolutely! And I love this link he showed me: mikeroweWORKS Foundation When you have a flat tire, you won’t be calling someone with a degree in Gender Studies. Trade schools will help you get a real job and keep you off food stamps.

When You Have No Choice

Lisa works for the Illinois State Police. She writes:

The hard part is that many jobs still require it. Mine didn’t require a degree, but it did require four years of college or equivalency. I’m not sure what all counts as equivalency but I know military experience counts.

And of course we know that they're indoctrinating the military as well, firing the best generals and promoting the ones who care more about pronouns than readiness. We’re hoping that that is a temporary state. Train your students well before sending them off into the world, even to the military. It’s not your grandfather’s military.

But she’s right—many jobs still require that diploma. Our son David is very busy taking online classes as Lisa did, so that someday when he retires from the military, he can be an architect. That’s a job that needs a degree. In fact, he’s already got a few architecture clients.

What about a Catholic college if you’re not even Catholic?

Valerie says:

As far as Catholic goes, that didn't really come into my actual classes all that much except for singing some Catholic songs in choir and having to attend some masses. That stuff didn't bother me. 

For any kind of technical degree at any college, I wouldn't worry about it. Mostly they have to focus on the technical stuff, and the woke stuff isn't relevant to that most of the time. They might still try to slip it into the Gen Ed classes, but every student knows you can pretty much fake your way through most of those classes. 

And where it really matters, you can be honest about what you believe, and even if you get lower grades for it, those classes don't count nearly as much. You just have to pass them.

 

A.J. recommends a private Christian college over a state-run school:

As a current student at a private liberal arts institution studying Elementary Education, I will be the first to point out the flaws in the system, both in the Department of Education and the higher education system, yet I believe there are still several strong reasons for why one should invest in a private higher education institution. 

The biggest reason for me is that you are surrounding yourself with other believers, including many professors, that can help challenge you in your faith, in a good way. Plus, the learning in the classroom will be integrated with the Bible, which you will not experience at a public institution. 

Also, while I strongly recommend a private institution over a state school for higher education (some of this depends upon your desired major), do not attend a private institution to “escape” Leftist teaching. Do your research and find an institution that still stands on Biblical truths, which is more and more difficult to do. 

When I went through the college selection process, I received many great offers, including a few free rides, but I chose the best school that offered my desired academic programs in the state of Indiana. 

Even at the best school in the state, it is always important to “be Bereans” and test everything taught against Scripture. I have found several instances where equity, diversity, and SEL have been taught in the classroom, which is why as a student I will continue to not only challenge the accepted norms, but also educate fellow students to identify Leftist teaching.

Again I say, be very careful where you send your children. If you were their primary teacher during their elementary and high school years, they may feel “liberated” to learn something other than their parents’ “brainwashing.” In turn, they will open their minds to Leftist brainwashing instead. 

If you weren’t their primary teacher as they grew up, but their minds have already been open to that leftist ideology, then even a community college or trade school is dangerous, as it will be infested with teachers who will cement that ideology into their psyche. 

At a minimum, let them sit out a few years until they have matured in their faith before they enter one of these institutions. It would do them good to work a real job and save money, too, while they think about what they really want to do with their lives. And several of our kids graduated from Bible college, where they found a good, solid anchor for the future.

One more word from A.J.:

Whether you are a parent of young children or are considering attending college yourself, it is important to know and understand the nuances of what you are being taught. This means that everything should be held under a magnifying glass to compare it to God’s Word, since this is the foundation of all Christian belief and doctrine.