Monsters are real. And sometimes, when grownups don’t act, the monsters hurt children.

Here’s a link to the editorial at Illinois News Network.

The 24-hour national pep rally for Tiger Woods was still going strong Monday evening when word came from Paris of a fire that was engulfing Notre Dame Cathedral. Woods’ Presidential Medal of Freedom worthy accomplishment of keeping a little white ball out of a creek was quickly and rightfully replaced by a different story, a bigger story, an international story, the story of the loss of a structure that was both an architectural marvel and a monument to faith.

Here’s a link to the editorial at the Southern Illinoisan.

You Don’t Have to Live in Fear
by Rick Warren

“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them . . . There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:16, 18 NIV).

Setbacks will come your way. You can’t avoid them. You may lose a job, a relationship, or your health. And when you do, you start to fear.

But you don’t have to stay afraid. Here are two important steps you need to take to break free from fear:
Remember how much God loves you. He will never stop loving you. He won’t love you any more or any less. His love is unconditional and eternal. The Bible says, “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them . . . There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:16, 18 NIV).
When you invite God into the front door of your life, fear goes out the back door. Love and fear can’t stay together. In real love, there is no fear.
God is perfect love, and he drives out all fear. The more you get to know God, the less you’ll be afraid.
Remember that God’s plan is good. God doesn’t have bad plans for you. That doesn’t mean nothing bad will happen to you. But the Bible tells us in Romans 8:28, “We know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans” (TLB).

The Bible says “all that happens” fits into God’s good plan—not just the good stuff. He can and will bring good out of anything.

When Jesus died on the cross, God brought tremendous good out of the bad. Anyone can bring good out of good. God specializes in bringing good out of bad.
Both of those truths revolve around this one: You must choose faith over fear. When you’re experiencing a setback, trusting that God loves you and has a plan for you isn’t easy, but it’s the only path forward.
If you’re tired of being in prison and you want to walk through the door to freedom, you can pray a simple prayer of belief today. Just say, “Lord, I bring you the things that have imprisoned me, things I’ve been ashamed of, regrets, resentments, and worries. I don’t want to live that way anymore. I want to live a life of freedom. Today, I want to walk through the door of freedom—your Son, Jesus Christ. As much as I know how, I want to follow you. I ask you to come into my life and fill me with your love and your Spirit. Push all the fear out. Push all the pain out. Fill me with a new sense of hope. I don’t want to live in prison anymore. I want to walk through the doors of opportunity that you have planned for me. I’m asking you today to save me and to accept me into your family. I ask this in your name. Amen.”
If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at Rick@PastorRick.com and let me know about it. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
Talk It Over

Why is it so easy to choose fear over faith when you’re facing trials?
How can God’s Word help you remember how much he loves you?
What areas of your life might make you question the goodness of God’s plan? Ask God to help you trust him in those specific areas.

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.

Illinoisans have been hearing their state is shrinking for five years now. But new figures released Thursday say something they’ve never heard.

Here’s a link to the editorial at Illinois News Network.

The rural City of Marengo is located in western McHenry County, about 60 miles northwest of Chicago.
Here’s a link to the editorial at Illinois News Network.

Critics are correct: President Trump was wrong when he threatened to release tens of thousands of asylum seekers into sanctuary cities.

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

You Are Called to Be Free
by Rick Warren

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free” (Galatians 5:13 NIV).

God wants you to live in freedom. Let that sink in for a bit.

In fact, the Bible says, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free” (Galatians 5:13 NIV). Freedom is your calling. God doesn’t want you to live a buttoned-down, constrained life. He wants you to have an abundant life.
Jesus says, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT).
If you’re not living a full and satisfying life, it’s not because God doesn’t want you to have it. He wants to set you free from:
The pain from your past. This is the regret or resentment that keeps you from being all God wants you to be.
The pressures of your present. This is the stress or exhaustion you face trying to manage the complexities of everyday life.
The pessimism about tomorrow. These are the worries about your future or the futures of those you love.
God wants you to be free of all of that.
To do so, plug in to the power of Easter. God has made available to you the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead 2,000 years ago.
The Bible says, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead” (Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT).
The same power that blew the door off Jesus’ tomb will blow open the prison doors that hold you back.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
Talk It Over

What past regrets and resentment have kept you from knowing God’s best for your life?
What worries and stress do you want Jesus to free you from today?
How do you plug in to the power of the Resurrection?

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.

The cornerstone of J.B. Pritzker’s political career has arrived. A graduated income tax is moving.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, is a wake-goer, a practitioner of a Chicago political tradition of Irish Catholic Democrats, one that comes with its own strict rituals:

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

Predicting what history will decide was significant is always dicey. But in the context of our fractured nation and the nonstop Washington tumult since 2016, events in the last three weeks have been nothing short of ­remarkable.

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