It was August 2021. I had just been cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Countless thoughts raced through my mind.

Here’s a link to the editorial.

An activist whose job it is to help LGBTQ+ youth made an astonishing claim during a congressional hearing in mid-December: That detransitioning is not a “real thing.”

Here’s a link to the editorial.

The greatest gift you’ve ever been given wasn’t bought in a store. No cash exchanged hands. It wasn’t even wrapped.

Here’s a link to the story.

It’s called the most wonderful time of the year. But for many people, it doesn’t feel that way. Maybe instead of wonder, you’ve found worry this Christmas season. Instead of experiencing peace on Earth, you’re overwhelmed by stress.

Here’s a link to the column.

CNN — On Tuesday, prosecutors from the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment that revealed eight criminal charges against former FTX head Sam Bankman-Fried, including wire fraud and several counts of conspiracy. And the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged him with defrauding customers and investors.

Here’s a link to the editorial at CNN.

Leaving aside any possible undeclared motives for leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent, Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has said some things that have needed to be said for a long time.

Here’s a link to the editorial at Fox News.

“Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” — 1 Timothy 4:12

Imagine you need to get up early in the morning to go to campus because you were leaving for a team tournament by 6:30 a.m. Just before bed, you get a call from a teammate asking that you call in the morning to make sure she is up and doesn’t miss the bus. That’s an extra step in a morning that you are already wishing you could add sleep to. But you say you will and set another reminder on your phone to make the call.

Your teammate is counting on you to ensure she arrives at school, and you take it as your responsibility. Your teammate is holding you accountable for doing the task of wake-up duty, and you owe it to yourself to see that you have maybe one extra alarm set to ensure you get that call to your teammate.

Accountability is an incredibly powerful and important piece of a well-formed team. It’s a willingness to take responsibility for our actions, even when it’s hard. It’s what fuses us together, that our teammates know we are there for them no matter what.

We also hold ourselves accountable to our spiritual teammates. If you and some friends choose a Bible study to do together, make sure you do the reading each week. If you say you’re going to pray for someone who is going through a hard time, make sure you say a prayer before you even are done with the conversation. As Jesus lived a life of accountability to God the Father while on Earth, we too should commit to Him through our actions, mental determination and heart.

As believers, we are invited into one another’s lives. We are to build each other up, stand firm in the faith and challenge our people to grow in faith. We should never be satisfied with the status quo, and in a world where it’s easy to shirk responsibility and avoid doing the hard work of commitment, we look to the approval of Jesus as we submit to His authority for our lives. Let’s make the decision to be responsible to our teammates, coaches and community and hold ourselves to the standard of Christ.

This year’s disastrous election in Illinois has sparked a fierce debate within the Republican Party, and predictably, the party’s left flank is blaming conservatives for its demise.

Here’s a link to the editorial at Chicago Tribune.

CNN— In 1961, after a CIA-backed invasion of Cuba failed spectacularly, President John F. Kennedy said of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, “Victory has 100 fathers and defeat is an orphan.”

Here’s a link to the editorial at CNN.

Christmas is all about Good News. But it’s not the good news of special gifts. It’s not the good news of a big meal. It’s not even the good news of spending time with friends and family.

Here’s a link to the column.