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Faith & Values


Why does this iconic phrase have such a pull on us?
In the beginning, when he created mankind to be in relationship with Him, God gave us freedom of choice so we would have the free will to choose Him—or not—so we would not have a coerced relationship with Him. To this day, each individual has to make the choice to accept God; no one can do it for you. That is true freedom. He hardwired it into us. Freedom of our will is a longing in the deepest parts of us. Down through the ages, we see that ‘governments’ have been organized

Margaret Cantrell
3 days ago2 min read


American Patriot Series – Samuel Adams, The Man Who Kept the Revolution Alive
Thomas Jefferson called him “truly the Man of the Revolution.” Governor Thomas Hutchinson called him the greatest incendiary in the King’s dominions. Both were describing the same Bostonian: Samuel Adams, the organizer who turned local anger into a continental cause. About 1772 – Demanding the troops leave after the Massacre. Adams was born in Boston on September 27, 1722, cousin of John Adams and heir to a malt-making family. He studied at Harvard and even argued, in a thesi

Rex Ballard
5 days ago2 min read


Keeping Education the Priority: Authur Gorman Rallies Area 2 Supporters
ANDERSON, Calif. — Friends, parents, and neighbors filled the Anderson VFW on Friday, August 28, for a lively campaign dinner in support of Authur Gorman, the Area 2 incumbent seeking re-election to the Shasta County Board of Education. The cashless evening offered good food, prize drawings, a live auction, and the kind of fellowship that has marked Gorman’s years of service as a nurse, coach, father, and trustee. The night was built around the three pillars of his campaign:

Kari Chilson
Aug 314 min read


Gospel Moment - A Coat of Many Colors
Dolly Rebecca Parton went home to Jesus on August 25, 2026. She was 80. The world lost a voice. Pigeon Forge lost a daughter. Heaven gained a woman who spent her whole life glorifying God and uplifting mankind. She never hid where she came from. Fourth of twelve children in a two-room cabin on Locust Ridge in Sevier County, Tennessee. Her daddy, Robert Lee, farmed and took whatever work he could find. He could not read or write. Her mama, Avie Lee, sewed a winter coat from do

Rex Ballard
Aug 293 min read


American Patriot Series – Haym Salomon – The Financier Who Helped Buy American Independence
When Washington was unable to pay troops he said, "Send for Haym Salomon" In the closing months of the Revolutionary War, George Washington faced a crisis more dangerous than any British army. His troops were unpaid, hungry, and edging toward mutiny. The Continental Congress had no money. Robert Morris, the Superintendent of Finance, had none either. Washington’s reply was sharp and immediate: “Send for Haym Salomon.” That summons brought forward one of the most consequential

Rex Ballard
Aug 223 min read


The WNBA Has Lost Its Way
Mother and 17-year-old daughter forced to cover “XX-XY” and “For the Girls” shirts or leave Atlanta Dream-Indiana Fever game A Georgia mother and her teenage daughter say arena security singled them out during overtime of Sunday’s Indiana Fever-Atlanta Dream game, ordered them to cover their XX-XY Athletics T-shirts or face ejection, and handed them promotional Atlanta Dream “Wellness & Health Night” shirts to wear instead. Mom and daughter told to cover up XX-XY T-shirts, sa

Rex Ballard
Aug 173 min read


Apparently Satan Lives In Massachusetts
Massachusetts Legalizes Abortion Up to Birth On August 10, 2026, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (a professed Catholic) signed the Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act (H.5595 / Acts of 2026, Chapter 188), removing the state’s previous 24-week gestational limit and specific statutory exceptions for later abortions. The new law states that after 24 weeks, “an abortion may be performed by a physician based upon the professional judgment of the physician.” Governor Maura

Rex Ballard
Aug 173 min read


American Patriot Series - Marquis de Lafayette
The Hero of Two Worlds Who Crossed an Ocean for Liberty It was not that long ago. Only a little more than a decade before the American Revolution began in earnest, a young George Washington had fought against the French as a British colonial officer in the French and Indian War (1754–1763). Washington had seen French soldiers as the enemy on the frontier. Yet history turned with astonishing speed. In 1777, a nineteen-year-old French aristocrat named Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roc

Rex Ballard
Jul 254 min read


Westside Church of Redding Inviting the Public to Its BBQ and Waterslide Events
Free BBQ and Waterslide: Sunday, July 12, and Sunday, August 9, 11:30 a.m - 1:30 p.m. Please RSVP to the Church Office: 530-241-1450 if you aren't a regular member of Westside Church of Redding and would like to attend. (This will help to ensure they cook enough hamburgers and hot dogs for the events.) The service starts at 10 a.m., and the BBQ starts at 11:30 a.m. - 8780 Swasey Dr., Redding, CA. Message from Pastor Josh and the Leadership Team: Westside Church of Redding

Elisa Ballard
Jul 71 min read


Shasta Lake’s First-Ever Drone Show Lights Up the Sky for Freedom 250 at Shasta Dam
Hundreds of synchronized drones replaced traditional fireworks in a stunning patriotic display over Shasta Lake on July 3, drawing thousands to the iconic dam for Shasta County’s debut aerial spectacle. Shasta County marked America’s 250th anniversary with a modern twist on Independence Day celebrations. On Friday evening, July 3, approximately 200 drones took to the skies above Shasta Lake near Shasta Dam in the region’s first-ever drone light show. The roughly 15- to 20-min

Rex Ballard
Jul 42 min read


New York School Board Vice President and Drag Performer Arrested on Child Sex Crime Charges
Cazenovia, New York — A high-profile school board official who also performed as a drag queen and founded a local Pride organization has been arrested on serious allegations of child sex crimes. Travis Longo, performing as “Anita Buffem,” faces state and federal charges involving explicit communications with a child under 12 and possession of child pornography- Credit: localsyr.com On June 18, 2026, New York State Police arrested Travis J. Longo (also known as Travis Barr-Lon

Rex Ballard
Jun 222 min read


John Jay – The First Chief Justice and Guardian of American Justice – American Patriot Series
In the winter of 1782, inside a modest Paris apartment, three American commissioners sat across from their British counterparts to negotiate the end of the Revolutionary War. John Jay, the tall, serious New Yorker, refused to accept terms that would leave the new nation weak or dependent. While others were willing to compromise, Jay insisted on full recognition of American independence, secure borders, and vital fishing rights off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. His firmness he

Rex Ballard
Jun 214 min read


Gospel Moment: The Hand of God Protects the Unselfish Heart
In the jungles of Vietnam, a Marine leader named Major James Capers faced an impossible moment during a desperate evacuation. His team had been ambushed. He was gravely wounded—shot and struck by shrapnel, with a broken leg—yet he had fought and led his men to the helicopter landing zone. When the overloaded chopper struggled to lift off under enemy fire and with no fuel remaining, Major Capers did something extraordinary: he tried to step off the aircraft. He was willing to

Rex Ballard
Jun 213 min read


MLB's Selective "Inclusion": Giants Force Pride Hats, Warn Players for Bible Verses on the Rainbow
In a story that perfectly captures the hypocrisy of corporate "diversity" in 2026, the San Francisco Giants hosted their annual Pride Night on June 12 against the Chicago Cubs. Players were expected to don special rainbow-themed caps featuring the team's logo in Pride colors. Several pitchers—Landen Roupp (the starter), JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker—complied but added a personal touch: they wrote "Gen 9:12-16" (or similar) on their caps with a marker. Genesis 9:12-16 recounts

Rex Ballard
Jun 173 min read


The Stark Decline of "New Age" Protestantism
Texas politician and U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico proudly identifies as a Presbyterian, a seminarian at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and an active member of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin—a congregation aligned with the progressive wing of the Presbyterian Church (USA) (PC(USA)). Talarico frequently invokes his faith to advocate for positions on abortion access, LGBTQ+ rights, and progressive social causes, reflecting the denomination’s embrac

Rex Ballard
Jun 153 min read


James Talarico and the Hollowing Out of Christianity
Is This the Best Democrats Can Offer Texas? As Texas Democrats pick state Rep. James Talarico as their 2026 U.S. Senate candidate, many voters are asking: Is this the best they have? Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, presents himself as a defender of real Christianity, but he often uses selected Bible verses to push progressive ideas on gender, life, borders, and faith. His words show more left-wing politics than solid biblical teaching. James Talarico - Credit: texastribu

Rex Ballard
Jun 143 min read
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