Friday, December 25, 2015

Christian Principles Matter


Christmas and the lead up to it has given me time to be contemplative about what has happened in my life over the last few 0months. I have found myself taking the high road in arguments more, perhaps reflecting the leadership of the Cruz campaign but also reflecting what I've learned from the pastor and members of Marion Avenue Baptist Church.

A bright light was shown before me the first Sunday I stepped foot in Marion Avenue Baptist Church. I've been going to church my whole life and knew that I was a Christian, but I didn't know how to actually be a Christian. I hope I don't lose you. I had slipped into thinking that Christianity was a works based faith rather that a faith based upon God's grace. The works come after the grace, not prior to. The work of a Christian is the work of trying, while all the time failing, to be more like Jesus. Perhaps the man that has had the greatest impact on my life in recent years has been Marlin Bontrager, just by asking me to come to church with him and his amazing family. Becky and Marlin have raised the most impressive bunch of children I've ever seen. I enjoy their company and I hope to call them friends for the rest of my life, no matter where God leads my life. Pastor Joseph Brown also must be commended for showing me that I can be both bold in my opinions and faithful to Jesus.

This has helped me to realize that I should not expect anything of anyone that I first wouldn't do myself. A great weight has been lifted off of my shoulders in realizing that faith only need be placed in God and not man. There is truth in knowing the peace that passes all understanding.

Christian principles are also the reason that I see the good in the campaign I've decided to invest my time and effort in. It has a trickle down effect. I see a noticeable difference in the way people that are backing this campaign deal with other people and the way people invested in other campaigns do. Those of us in the #CruzCrew will defend Ted and his family but we don't go out of our way to besmirch someone for being who they are unless they tell lies about Ted Cruz, his family or one of our many supporters. I will not hesitate to stand up for my friends and many involved with the campaign are my friends. Many other candidates' supporters, namely of the national Republican "front runner" see no need to have a foundation in moral or ethical principle. They only see the need to destroy the system. While I see the system as being fundamentally broken too, I also realize that there needs to be a principled plan to fix the system. Destroying something and hoping that someone has the right ideas to fix it just because you like the way that person talks to the people you hate(and hate is the right word) is a fool's errand. What someone says today must judged against what they have said in the past if they have shown no actual change of heart or conversion. If someone comes to God through Jesus, I truly believe they will change. If not, I see no real evidence of change.

Barrack Obama was elected on hopes and whims of people who saw him as a transformational figure with no evidence of him doing any of what he said. The current Donald Trump phenomenon is eerily similar in construct. A giant swell of support for someone just because "he fights" against the bogey man of political correctness in the same way that Barrack Obama fought against "corporate America" and for the "people". Political correctness is dispatched with the truth, not hot air and empty promises.

As a common saying goes, if I were put on trial for being a Christian, I would hope there would be enough evidence to convict me. I don't know if I'm there yet, but I'm trying. What is disappointing is the large number of people that spout conservative Christian views when running for office but show nothing of the sort once they are elected. We even see it with candidates that have had a modicum of success in years past that have now had the Ted Cruz light shown upon them. They are actually just big government social conservatives that are not interested in liberty or freedom. All they want is their world view to be imposed by government. As Christians, that type of thinking should terrify us. All we need is the freedom to worship and tell people of our faith though deeds and words. Having a President that believes in Jesus is important, even paramount, but I also think that same President should also know that government should be smaller and less intrusive. I think this is where the self centered big government social conservatives lose most voters. Ted Cruz is happy to take questions from atheist voters and will happily tell them they are free to worship, or not, of their own free will, but their free will stops at the point of someone else practicing their constitutionally protected rights. He will then tell them he hopes they choose to follow Jesus, but that must be their own decision and no one else's.


I have waited so long for a leader to actually turn us toward Constitutional government. Frankly, I think this election is more important that any of us actually knows. As Christians, we mustn't push our views by making the government do our biding, rather we must show people the way through being ambassadors for our faith in Jesus Christ and showing people His grace but we must also not be afraid to call out those who treat Christianity as a weapon for their own purposes. While we may have the armor of God, we can't force someone to believe. Belief comes through being born again in Christ, not the strong arm of the government. The government, when directed by just men, will allow His Church to regain its rightful place in American society through free will and Christian example.

All of this doesn't mean that we should slink away and not be involved in the process of electing our leaders. Quite the opposite is true. We must be quick to defend what we know is true and just as quick to call out wrong doing. We must be more discerning and less tolerant of injustice. We must elect leaders that will respect our faith, our churches and allow freedom and liberty to rule the land for all people. We can be both good Christians and advocates for smaller, less intrusive government.

Find me on Twitter (usually fighting off some leftist or progressive leaning Republican afraid their K Street money will dry up with the election of Ted Cruz)

Email me

tedcruz.org


#CruzCrew #CruzCountry #Iowa #iacaucus #Hawkeyes #Cyclones

Saturday, December 5, 2015

A New Perspective

Today, a new perspective washed over me. I was talking to a former member of the Iowa State Republican Central Committee who had resigned in order to endorse Ted Cruz for President. As a State Central Committee member, he had to remain impartial until the nominee is named. He told me he could no longer sit on the sidelines after he had just held his 7 month old grand niece. He was afraid for her future. At that moment, I felt the tears well up in my eyes as I thought of my 17 month old nephew, Wyatt.

I want my nephew to grow up in a free and prosperous country where he can achieve anything with the only limitation being his own desire. I want him to grow up in a country that is secure from outside attack and free from those who may want to bring her down from the inside. I want him to be able to go to church and worship with no repercussions. I want him to be able to keep more of what he earns so that he can provide for his own family one day. I fear that is being lost. He is why I fight. My friends and family are why I fight. I have met so many great young people over the past few months of being a part of this campaign. They deserve better too.

I fight in the arena of ideas now. Ted Cruz has shown me how. Use other's words against them when needed. Show them the error of their ways without ever striking a physical blow. There is a better way and it can be done by following me, by following us. I urge every reader of this to get off their couch and be a leader, even if you are only leading one other person. Be a fisher of men, so to speak. Can you reach everyone? Nope. But those than can be reached need to know you are there and you aren't going away.

For so long, people have been following fads. Whether it be a fad diet, a fad workout, a fad style of dress or a fad in who to vote for. I am done following fads and celebrity. I'm here to follow an actual leader and in doing so, become a leader myself. Some are afraid to speak out. I don't really understand that fear but the time is now to stop being persuaded by a snake oil salesman or a person promising to give you everything for free. Now is the time to stand with someone that respects you as an individual. After all, the individual is the only minority that really matters. Join me in helping Ted Cruz become the next president of the United States. You might even learn something about yourself along the way.

Find me on Twitter.

Email me to volunteer for Ted in Iowa. (You can do it from anywhere in the country with just an internet connection or a smart phone).

#CruzCrew #iacaucus #Iowa #TedCruz #Leadership

Thursday, December 3, 2015

An Update from Iowa

Senator Ted Cruz with Congressman Louie Gohmert in an Iowa gas station. 100 people showed up in a town of 600. Good thing the fire department didn't show up.
I feel the tide moving here in Iowa. I've been to multiple campaign events with Ted Cruz over the last few weeks and we are now looking for larger venues. My fellow members of the Cruz campaign here in Iowa keep impressing me with their dedication. Our county chairs, field directors and office staff are beyond dedicated. I've seen several put in multiple 14 or 15 hour days. Speaking for myself, I've been at campaign events until after midnight and then had to drive 4 hours through a blizzard to get home and I'd do it again.

Ted Cruz in Bettendorf, IA(The best campaign stop I've ever seen, by the way)

Politics is an odd thing. I've talked to reporters from the New York Times, Politico, 9News in Denver, the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the Des Moines Register and many local TV stations. I've done on camera work for a commercial. Much of this is quite odd for someone that is used to just being a voter when it comes time to vote every fourth November. Senator Ted Cruz and his family have inspired me to be involved and I don't see myself going back to the old, complacent way of approaching politics. 

We can all be involved. Maybe not to this level, but on some level. We all need to pay heed to what is being done in our names in Washington, DC, our State Houses and even our local politics. As Rush Limbaugh says, everything has a root in politics. I urge you all to stand and be counted.

I won't write too much more but the following needs to be said.

Daniel Bradshaw made these two pies(oven provided by the Bontrager Family of Kalona) for the Marion Ave Baptist Church Pie Auction to benefit the Live Animal Christmas Play. He brought in $150.

I want to thank Lyndsey Blagrave(Hardest working person I've met and she always has a word of encouragement to be shared.), Daniel Bradshaw(He made two Ted Cruz logo pecan pies for the Marion Ave Baptist Church Pie Auction and a he's True Patriot!), Blue Hybner(He thinks 32 degrees is cold. He ain't seen nothing yet.), Caleb Bryant Humphrey(He's little nutty about guns and the West Wing, but in a conservative way.) and Alex Seavey(She laughs at the start of a joke, not so much at the end.) for their absolute commitment to helping Senator Ted Cruz win here in Iowa. They are all young people that I've come to know through their efforts here in Iowa and they are all away from home. They are to be commended for their great personal sacrifice to drop everything and come to Iowa with no family, only to find a group of people ready to greet them with open arms. Any time I need something or have information to share, they are ready to help. I will miss every one of them once this experience is over after February 1st and we all have to go our separate ways. Bryan English needs to be commended too. He is the Iowa campaign director and is a good and honorable man. He isn't your typical slimy politico. He's a Christian family man who just happens to have a great passion for God, Iowa and our country.

I'll write more of an update after this Saturday's Rising Tide Summit in Cedar Rapids. It is going to be a big event and Ted Cruz will light the place on fire(figuratively, of course).




#CruzCrew #TedCruz #iacaucus #Iowa