“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.

It has been an absolute honor to serve as chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, and I am proud of the changes our committee has strategically implemented to strengthen our party, take back the House, and retire Nancy Pelosi.

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

For at least a half-century now, every special pleader in America has made the following argument: Yeah, but what if we were black?

Here’s a link to the column.

If you listen to the White House, the latest inflation data is cause for celebration, like an early Christmas gift to America. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Inflation is still crushing American families, and there’s no financial cause for rejoicing—a sad situation during the holiday season.

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

What’s so special about being a woman?

Here’s a link to the editorial.

God wants to use your job to make you more like Jesus. But learning Christ-like qualities such as responsibility, character, and love is never easy.

Here’s a link to the column.

God wants to use your job to make you more like Jesus. But learning Christ-like qualities such as responsibility, character, and love is never easy.

Here’s a link to the column.