Friday, February 6, 2015
From: Carol Bauer
Personal Note
Readers of Gary’s “End of Day” report may know that my 91-year-old mother passed away last month. Though Mom had resided in a nursing home since a stroke eight years ago and was in declining health, there was no sense that she was close to death. In fact, I had spoken to her only hours earlier.
I would like to thank so many of you who have sent cards, notes, emails or in many other wonderful ways remembered my mother and offered prayers and words of comfort to me and our family. The outpouring has meant the world to us and has provided peace in the midst of grief. As a believer, I know my mother is now in the presence of her Lord and that brings me hope. Thank you, my friends.
Capital Prayer Alert
As you know, my wife, Carol, prepares a prayer alert about once a month. I hope you will share Carol’s thoughts with your friends and fellow worshippers. Thank you for taking an interest in her monthly devotion. — Gary
The 114th Congress has been sworn in, early votes have been cast, the State of the Union Address has been delivered, the president has unveiled his budget and the new legislative season is well underway. I’m certain that many of you would give the new Congress mixed marks at best.
It seems to have begun with fits and starts, leadership challenges, missed opportunities and haphazard messaging. All the while, the president charges forward with an agenda as if the November elections never happened. What’s wrong with this picture, you ask?
Votes have been scheduled only to be cancelled soon afterwards. The leadership seems testy and quick to rein in anyone not towing its line. There seems to be a lack of coordination in strategy and messaging from one side of the Capitol to the other.
Part of the growing pains can be attributed to the fact that Republicans now control both the House and Senate. Though House Republicans have been in the majority for the past four years, Senate Republicans are taking on a new role. That translates into changes in committee chairmanships, committee memberships and control of the agenda. Plus, it is a very different role to lead than to react to the other party’s agenda.
And the two chambers are not yet used to flexing their muscles together as a co-equal branch of government. Once this is all taken into consideration it becomes a bit easier to understand, though no less frustrating.
Please pray for the newly-elected Congress and its leadership as they settle in to their new roles and responsibilities. Ask God to prompt them to remember their constitutional duties to their constituents and their responsibilities as a co-equal branch of government.
Pray that they would be true to their promises and vote as they promised they would. Pray that they would look for opportunities to lead together in a strategic alliance that would be evident to the public.
Ask God to grant them wisdom to not just react but to be proactive and to have a long-term game plan on a variety of key issues. Pray that divisions would be minimized.
Finally, pray for our country in the critical months ahead. It feels as if we are at an international crossroads. Islamist terrorist groups are on the rise and U.S. leadership seems befuddled and overcome with inertia.
As one terrorist incident after another occurs across several continents, our leadership seems more ready to try to manage the threat and the message than to acknowledge the extent of the problem. While America was obsessed with “Deflate-gate,” ISIS marched on and our president is unwilling to accurately name the enemy.
Ask God to open the eyes of the American people to the evil that is ISIS and demand leadership worthy of the most powerful nation on earth. Pray that though we may have many disagreements we would join together in recognizing the breadth and depth of this challenge and cry out to our elected leaders to meet it head on. Ask God to protect those who serve in our military and in the armed forces of our allied nations who will be on the front line of our actions.
Thank you.
If you are interested in receiving Mr. Bauer’s daily report by e-mail, please call 703-671-9700, visit SIGN UP FOR GARY BAUER’S “END OF DAY REPORT” or simply send a reply e-mail titled “Subscribe” and include your name and address.
Visit End of Day archives to share reports on Facebook. Follow Gary On Facebook And Twitter.
To be removed from Gary Bauer’s End of Day distribution list, please reply to this message with “Remove” in the subject line.
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations to American Values are tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. You may donate online by visiting our website or by using the following address in your web browser: https://www.ouramericanvalues.org/american-values-contribution or you may mail contributions to the following address:
American Values
2800 Shirlington Road
Suite 950
Arlington, VA 22206
Phone: 703-671-9700
Fax: 703-671-1680
