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What Can I Do?

As we have talked with people over the last couple years – usually in the setting of facilitating a constitution class - there is a common question that comes up.  The more we learn about the original intent of our founding fathers, the more we learn about how our form of government is supposed to work, the more we find out how messed up...

R.E.C.I.P.E. for Saving America

When I hear the word "Recipe", I tend to think of my Grandma's kitchen when I was a child. She would work in there for hours until all the goodness was ready and then the whole family would enjoy! The ironic thing, is even though the word "Recipe" evokes those memories, she never really used the recipe. She already knew how everything worked. She...

Being a Faithful Steward within the Family

Robert’s heart was broken for his little sister, Jina.  He remembered years ago, how he was nervous when she first talked about getting married.  I mean, Morris seemed like a good guy.  He was lots of fun and always had a flashy car. They were so young, though, were they ready?  Was Morris the right guy?  Robert remembered dismissing these...

Being a Faithful Steward in the Church

As Robert thought through the situation with his Pastor, he remembered his childhood, and how his father had taught him to honor the church leadership.  “They watch for your soul” his father would say.  “They will have to give account to God for what goes on in this church”, he often added.  Robert thought about this Bible verse to...

Who Owns This Great Mansion?

Over dinner one night, our family was discussing the idea of Unalienable Rights as described in the Declaration of Independence.  (I have never made a secret that I am a Constitution nerd – but, yes, I guess a certain amount of that extends to my family!)  We discussed the truth that our rights were endowed upon us by God – not by government. We...

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What Can I Do?

What Can I Do?

As we have talked with people over the last couple years – usually in the setting of facilitating a constitution class - there is a common question that comes up.  The more we learn about the original intent ...

R.E.C.I.P.E. for Saving America

R.E.C.I.P.E. for Saving America

When I hear the word "Recipe", I tend to think of my Grandma's kitchen when I was a child. She would work in there for hours until all the goodness was ready and then the whole family would enjoy! The ironic ...

Being a Faithful Steward within the Family

Being a Faithful Steward within the Family

Robert’s heart was broken for his little sister, Jina.  He remembered years ago, how he was nervous when she first talked about getting married.  I mean, Morris seemed like a good guy.  He was lots of fun and ...

Being a Faithful Steward in the Church

Being a Faithful Steward in the Church

As Robert thought through the situation with his Pastor, he remembered his childhood, and how his father had taught him to honor the church leadership.  “They watch for your soul” his father would say.  ...

Who Owns This Great Mansion?

Who Owns This Great Mansion?

Over dinner one night, our family was discussing the idea of Unalienable Rights as described in the Declaration of Independence.  (I have never made a secret that I am a Constitution nerd – but, yes, I guess a ...

What’s so Important about the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God?

What’s so Important about the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God?

“When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal ...

Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God

Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of ...

Trusting the Lord on An Unexpected Fishing Trip

Trusting the Lord on An Unexpected Fishing Trip

Simon is an accomplished fisherman…  he has been a fisherman as long as anyone can remember.  As far as I know, that is what he has always done, and he is good at it.  I only hope I can learn the ...

What King Uzziah Can Teach Us About Jurisdictions

What King Uzziah Can Teach Us About Jurisdictions

The young king rode through the streets among the cheering crowds.  His wavy hair shined in the sunlight below his newly donned crown.  He was just 16 years old.  As the son of King Amaziah, he was a ...

An American Joseph Story

An American Joseph Story

Most of us are familiar with the Biblical story from the Book of Genesis about a young man named Joseph.  If you aren’t, then you are in for a treat!  Begin at about Genesis chapter 37, and you won’t be able to ...

Piracies, Felonies, and War

Piracies, Felonies, and War

Hello again!  In previous articles, “A Rare and Fun Day in a Constitutional Nerd Kinda Way”, and “What Can Congress Do?”, we have been working on covering all of the enumerated powers of Congress that are listed in ...

Unalienable- What Does That Mean?

Unalienable- What Does That Mean?

Several years ago, I had a wonderful opportunity to bring my older children to hear Michael Farris speak.  His leadership is key to so many great things – Home School Legal Defense, Patrick Henry College, ...

Stuck with a Bad Haircut

Stuck with a Bad Haircut

I have 5 boys and all of them wear their hair short.  With haircuts at $10 - $15 each, it didn’t take too long for me to think about buying a set of hair clippers and cutting their hair myself!  So one ...

Why are You Suppressing the Truth?

Why are You Suppressing the Truth?

When I was running for a position on my local school board, I knocked on lots of doors and had many conversations on front porches all over my home town.  I talked about my reasons for doing this in the ...

Tourist Phobic Bears

Tourist Phobic Bears

“Morning, Jim”…  Jim nodded to acknowledge the greeting from his friend and fellow Park Ranger, Robert.  He noticed Robert did not include the normal adjective “Good” to describe the morning.  ...

A Tale of Two Men

A Tale of Two Men

On September 6, 1620, a small ship called The Mayflower departed Plymouth Harbor in England, headed for the new world.  The passengers of this humble vessel were the Pilgrims that would later form the colony at ...

Officials Under Authority

Officials Under Authority

“And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come ...

What is the Standard Measurement?

What is the Standard Measurement?

My wife and I have 6 children.  Our oldest is our only daughter and the younger 5 are all boys.  So, it is reaching back there a ways, but I remember when our daughter was little, maybe 3 or 4 years ...

Teaching the Greatest of the Great- Grapevine Studies

Teaching the Greatest of the Great- Grapevine Studies

Have you ever used the expression, “Don’t let the good be the enemy of the great”?  The idea is that there are lots of “good” things out there and we could go crazy trying to chase them all.  The danger is If we ...

What CAN Congress do?

What CAN Congress do?

Hey…  welcome yall…  if you have been reading this blog for any period of time at all, you know how I like to write.  I like to open with a fun, light hearted story that will illustrate the material ...

Answering God’s Call- Why I’m Running for School Board

Answering God’s Call- Why I’m Running for School Board

On February 24, 1836, LtCol William Barret Travis was in command at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas in a precarious situation.  The following is a letter he dispatched on that day: To the People of Texas ...

A Rare and Fun Day in a Constitutional Nerd Kinda Way

A Rare and Fun Day in a Constitutional Nerd Kinda Way

“Hey, come here, look at this!”  My wife tilted the computer monitor so I could see it clearly.  We have often been quite critical of our Representative in the U.S. House, and one of our Senators from ...

One Out of Five Stars- Checks and Balances on the Judicial Branch

One Out of Five Stars- Checks and Balances on the Judicial Branch

The year is 1985.  With Christmas quickly approaching, you have been keeping an eye out for great gifts for those special people on your list.  You think of an item your sister might like – a new cassette ...

Who are Your Representatives and How Did They Vote? 

Who are Your Representatives and How Did They Vote? 

In the last article in this series, “The Voice of We the People”, we began a discussion about Congress.  We said Congress is designed to be the most powerful branch of our government, and is designed to be the ...

The Real Hope of the World

The Real Hope of the World

As you know, here at Patriot’s Hope, we are normally busy pointing out things we can learn from the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and ways to hold our officials ...

The Voice of “We the People”

The Voice of “We the People”

In the government our founders created and gave us, the voice of “We the People” is designed to be heard primarily through our representatives in Congress.  Our founders were very careful not to place too much ...

Happy Thanksgiving from Patriot’s Hope

Happy Thanksgiving from Patriot’s Hope

"In such a state of things it is, in an especial manner, our duty as people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God and to implore Him to ...

Broken Promises

Broken Promises

The destructive events of the last few weeks rolled around endlessly in Jina’s mind.  Everything she loved in her life had come crashing down around her.  Tossing and turning, she watched each hour come ...

Little Johnny’s Dollars

Little Johnny’s Dollars

     If you’re a parent, you know that feeling you get when your child has been too quiet for too long.  At some point, something clicks in your mind, and you realize you have had several minutes of uninterrupted ...

The Value of the Constitution

The Value of the Constitution

I’ve heard a story of a grandfather who gave his granddaughter an old, dusty car that had been in his barn for years.  She was appreciative but didn’t really need a car, and she certainly wasn’t interested in the ...

Born to be a Car Thief

Born to be a Car Thief

     As Morris stepped on the gas pedal, the sleek, beautiful Ferrari leaped into the night.  He had done this many times before but never lost his enthusiasm for the way exotic sports cars ...

Convention of States- Is it a Good Idea?

Convention of States- Is it a Good Idea?

In Federalist #45 of the Federalist Papers, James Madison, regarded as the Father of our Constitution, said, “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government, are few and defined. Those ...

Article 5- The Two Ways to Amend the Constitution

Article 5- The Two Ways to Amend the Constitution

When someone opposes something that I love or believe in, I sometimes find that I want to react on the defensive.  I may only have a partial understanding of what the other person is saying, but if I’m not careful, ...

The Birth of a Nation

The Birth of a Nation

In July 1776, a new nation was born.  She was (and still is) a nation like no other.  Her birth was a direct result of the diligent study and courageous action of generations of Godly men of the previous ...

Strengthen the Family through Reading (and a Free Audio Book!)

Strengthen the Family through Reading (and a Free Audio Book!)

Have you ever been sitting in your living room or around the kitchen table and the conversation turns to a book you've recently read? Have you heard children trying to talk over each other as they excitedly tell ...

The Murder of Limited Government

The Murder of Limited Government

It is all too painfully familiar.  Once again, our nation is reeling from a mass murder event.  Once again, we mourn the loss of innocent life.  Once again, we hear the stories and see the pictures ...

Does Free Speech Still Exist in America?

Does Free Speech Still Exist in America?

As an entrepreneurial young American, imagine you are going to open a hot dog stand.  You make elaborate plans of how you will bring hot dogs to the park on the beautiful summer days around lunch time where ...

How to Do More than Just Vote

How to Do More than Just Vote

This past week I received an email newsletter from iVoterGuide. When I read it, I knew immediately that this fit in exactly with the goal of the Action Steps series here at Patriot's Hope. Pay attention to what ...

Family Jurisdiction and Government Overreach

Family Jurisdiction and Government Overreach

“Let me show you my room, Daddy!”  The young boy’s eyes beamed with excitement.  He had been working on cleaning up all morning and was anxious to share the unusually good results.  His father had ...

Become a Constitution Coach

Become a Constitution Coach

“We in America do not have government by the majority – we have government by the majority who participate…  All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”-Thomas ...

What is the Significance of the Oath of Office?

What is the Significance of the Oath of Office?

Every one of us can probably recall many times when a cute little child wanted something…  maybe it was a tasty treat from the dessert table at Thanksgiving or maybe the church potluck.  Often that ...

Are “General Welfare” and “Necessary and Proper” Clauses Constitutional Exceptions to Enumerated Powers? 

Are “General Welfare” and “Necessary and Proper” Clauses Constitutional Exceptions to Enumerated Powers? 

Are there exceptions to enumerated powers? In several of our articles including, “What are Enumerated Powers”, and others, we talk much about enumerated powers.  We show how the original intent of our ...

Help Send Young Patriots to Patriot Academy Leadership Congress

Help Send Young Patriots to Patriot Academy Leadership Congress

** Update! Tuition for all three of our Leadership students has been completely covered! We are blown away and humbled by the beyond generous contributions of so many of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you! We ...

Can Americans Add New Enumerated Powers?

Can Americans Add New Enumerated Powers?

In our articles entitled, “What are Enumerated Powers”, and “Enumerated Powers Defined in the Constitution”, we discussed the important, American ideas of Enumerated Powers and Limited Government.  If done ...

Does the Constitution Restrict American Citizens?

Does the Constitution Restrict American Citizens?

I remember the story of a High School Valedictorian who was planning his speech for the graduation ceremony.  The school said that due to the “Constitutional” requirement of “Separation of Church and State”, ...

Merry Christmas from Patriot’s Hope

Merry Christmas from Patriot’s Hope

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ...

A Farmer’s Lesson on Holding Elected Officials Accountable

A Farmer’s Lesson on Holding Elected Officials Accountable

I have always liked stories of Davy Crockett.  As a Texan, in my mind, Davy Crockett will always be the legendary hero of the Alamo.  Later in my life, I learned he was also a Congressman from Tennessee ...

A Democracy and Why We Don’t Want It

A Democracy and Why We Don’t Want It

“Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, ...

Enumerated Powers Defined in the Constitution

Enumerated Powers Defined in the Constitution

One evening I received a call on my old, out of date cell phone from my mobile phone company offering me an amazing deal.  If I added a line to my plan, and committed to 2 more years of service, then they ...

What are “Enumerated Powers”?

What are “Enumerated Powers”?

The first few words of the Preamble of our Constitution are likely familiar to us.  Those famous words begin, “We the People of the United States…”  We may even remember a popular (and very important!) ...

Encourage Each Other in the Truth

Encourage Each Other in the Truth

Encourage is the "E" in R.E.C.I.P.E. What did you think about history class back in school?  I am willing to bet your answer to that question has much to do with how the material was presented to you.  ...

The Importance of Prayer

The Importance of Prayer

Prayer is the “P” in R.E.C.I.P.E. Since even before our founding, we have always been a nation of prayer.  Our forefathers understood that prayer was key to wisdom and God’s blessing.  During our ...

Foundational Principles of the United States- What are they?

Foundational Principles of the United States- What are they?

Many times, people will speak with confidence about what they believe to be “Foundational” principles of our nation.  They will often say those principles are the modern (false) idea of “Separation of Church ...

What is Original Intent and Does it Matter?

What is Original Intent and Does it Matter?

"Intent" is the "I" in R.E.C.I.P.E. When we say "Original Intent", we simply mean going back to what the founders originally meant when they wrote the documents upon which our nation was founded. I find it ...

The Truth is…

The Truth is…

"Correct" is the "C" in R.E.C.I.P.E. “God who gave us life gave us liberty.  And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the ...

You Can’t Defend Your Rights if You Don’t Know Your Rights

You Can’t Defend Your Rights if You Don’t Know Your Rights

"Equip" is the "E" in R.E.C.I.P.E. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, ...

Does Repentance Matter?

Does Repentance Matter?

"Repent" is the "R" in R.E.C.I.P.E. Will we Succeed as a Nation? In the winter of 1777, Benjamin Rush sat next to John Adams in Congress, and whispered to him, and asked Mr. Adams if he thought “we should ...

Why Jurisdictions Matter

Why Jurisdictions Matter

Imagine you’re having lunch at a local sandwich shop.  The County Sheriff walks in and orders a sandwich.  He proceeds to eat his lunch among the other customers.  However, when it is time to leave, ...

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