President Trump will address a joint session of Congress later tonight—but Democrats won’t be rolling out the red carpet.

The Washington Post reports that some Democrats may refuse to shake the president’s hand as he enters the House chamber.

This is the actual headline: “Democrats’ dilemma: To shake or not to shake President Trump’s hand.”

It’s not Congress, folks. It’s grade school.

It’s not the first time the opposition party has disrespected the president. More than a third of congressional Democrats boycotted his inauguration. And an alarming number refuse to even acknowledge that he won the 2016 presidential election. 

But tonight’s stunt may very well define the Party of Obama for whom they really are: petty, vindictive and downright inhospitable.

And I would expect nothing less from a bunch of liberals who have gone out of their way to try and delegitimize a duly elected president.

We’ve seen their hired guns at work in town hall meetings across the fruited plain—causing mayhem—heckling preachers and disrespecting veterans.

Democrats are clearly lacking in the social graces necessary for a civil society.  

But just in case one or two Democrats extend their hand and say howdy-do—the president might want to bring along some hand sanitizer—or a wet wipe.

Heaven forbid the leader of the free world gets a case of the cooties. {eoa}

For the first time since he took office, President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress for what will be the equivalent of a State of the Union speech.

Prior to the speech in the House of Representatives chamber, the White House has provided a number of clues about what the speech will entail. The first is the list of guests the president and first lady have invited to sit in the gallery to observe the speech.

They are (descriptions provided by the White House Communications Office):

• Megan Crowley: At 15 months old, Megan was diagnosed with Pompe Disease and not expected to live more than a few short years. To look for a cure, her father founded Novazyme Pharmaceuticals, a five-person startup that he built into a 100-person company. Megan, age 20, is now a sophomore at Notre Dame.
• Jessica Davis and Susan Oliver: Jessica and Susan are the widows of Detective Michael Davis and Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver, who were California police officers killed in the line of duty in 2014 by an illegal immigrant. Their names are memorialized in the Davis-Oliver bill, which is aimed to increase cooperation between Federal and local officials to enforce our Nation’s immigration laws.
• Denisha Merriweather: After struggling with coursework as a child and switching schools often, Denisha moved in with her godmother and enrolled in the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. She began going to a private school, Esprit de Corps Center for Learning, and would go on to be the first member of her family to graduate from high school and college.
• Maureen McCarthy Scalia: Maureen is the widow of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and the mother of their nine children. This month, President Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to succeed Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court.
• Jamiel Shaw, Sr.: Mr. Shaw’s son, Jamiel Jr., was a high school football star before he was tragically shot by an illegal immigrant, who was also a gang member, in 2008.

Clearly, the president’s speech will line out his budget priorities, including specifics about cuts and increases in spending. But, it will also include mentions of small businesses and job creation, violence against law enforcement, school choice, the Supreme Court nomination and immigration.

The president’s speech will begin shortly after 8 p.m. EST. {eoa}

Austin Harrouff, more commonly known as the “face biter” for the gruesome way he allegedly murdered a couple, says he was fleeing a demon at the time of the slayings.

In an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw, Harrouff describes a “dark figure” named “Daniel” when the TV psychologist asked about the “devil” talking to him. 

“When I saw him it wasn’t like a clear person, it was like a dark figure, because it was like pitch-black outside and I couldn’t really see, but I heard his voice, distinctly, and when I saw him, I just got scared out of my mind,” Harrouff said. 

Harrouff was later found biting the face off one of his alleged victims, who had been stabbed to death.

“At the end, I remember saving a dog and hijacking a car, and then it’s a blur,” Harrouff said. “It’s like it happened, but, like, I wasn’t aware of it at the time …I’m so sorry. It’s like a nightmare. I never wanted this to happen.” {eoa}

Abortion activists frequently use cases of rape or incest to justify abortion. It’s an argument we’ve heard over and over again: “No woman would want to give birth to a child conceived in such trauma! We must keep abortion legal for these hard cases,” they say. 

They never mind the fact that lives conceived due to rape or incest make up less than one percent of all abortions. But pro-choice advocates have no problem citing these hard cases to justify 100 percent of abortions on demand. 

Yes, there are rare cases when a woman gets pregnant against her will in a traumatic experience like rape or incest. Everyone agrees that we must show the utmost compassion and care toward victims of sexual assault. Everyone also agrees that the perpetrator should face the harshest legal consequences. 

Yet does that change the humanity of the preborn child already growing in the womb? 

Pro-life advocates argue that life begins at conception, as science confirms. At that point, another human being is formed with her own set of DNA—and her own set of rights.

As a person, she is separate from her mother and father. Her rights are not determined by who her parents are, what they did, or whether they want her or not. If pro-lifers are to be consistent, this must also apply to children conceived in cases of rape or incest. 

Let’s look at it this way, to echo the message of my video on this topic: If your dad commits a crime, do you go to jail for it? Or, if your dad abused your mom, do you also get punished? Should our parents’ crime decide our worth and decide whether we live or die?

Thankfully, our justice system doesn’t punish us if our parents do something wrong. Only the person who did the crime has to pay for the crime—not their families and not their innocent children. 

But when we, as a society, advocate for the death of children conceived in rape or incest, we are rejecting that sense of justice. What we’re saying is the child must also pay for the crime, despite the fact that she had nothing to do with the original act.

While pro-choice advocates promote abortion as the answer, the fact is, abortion can never erase the trauma. Abortion is not a neutral act. In fact, abortion is an additional act of violence—this time, against an innocent child. Let’s not forget that the child is just as much a victim as the mother. 

How human are the children conceived in rape or incest? The stories of Ryan Bomberger and Rebecca Kiessling bring to light the incredible value of their lives and unique journeys. Today, these pro-life advocates fight for the right to life of all children—even those conceived in rape, as they were.

With the support of those around them, women who’ve been raped are strong enough to overcome and believe for redemption. A precious child could be the one redeeming good that comes out of such trauma. {eoa}

Lisa Smiley is a mother of four precious children, including one now with his Creator in Heaven. She earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of California-Irvine. Lisa blogs at as well as for Bound4LIFE International, a grassroots movement to pray for the ending of abortion, carry the spirit of adoption, and believe for revival and reformation. Together with her husband James, they raise their family in the Dallas area.

Reprinted with permission from Bound4LIFE International.

The Environmental Protection Agency is poised to receive a 24-percent funding cut and a reduction in staff of 20 percent under the Trump administration’s first proposed budget, according to multiple news reports Tuesday.

The EPA received $8.1 billion in the current budget but is expected to receive just $6.1 billion in the new one. The agency’s workforce, currently at about 15,000 federal employees, is expected to be cut to about 12,000, according to the reports.

Myron Ebell of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian think tank, led the Trump transition team’s EPA “landing team.” He also played a big role in developing the proposed budget cuts for the agency.

According to The Daily Caller:

Trump’s plan to cut EPA’ budget 24 percent mirrors recommendations given to him by the agency transition team. That plan advised cuts outside of state and tribal grants, which make up about 43 percent of EPA’s budget.

In that case, EPA will have to cut 24 percent from its $4.6 billion budget for federal programs, payroll and contracts. That’s effectively a 42 percent budget cut once state and tribal grants are excluded.

Ebell said Trump will likely cut EPA climate programs, like he promised on the campaign trail, but could also end up laying off agency staffers in D.C. or reduce the size of field offices. Top officials told Axios to expect “massive, transformational cuts, particularly to climate-change programs.”

“Businesses have to do this all the time,” Ebell said. “The federal government never has to undergo this market discipline.”

These cuts appear to align with Trump’s campaign promise to scrap his predecessor’s “Climate Action Plan” and to refocus the EPA on its original mission: air and water quality regulations. In a press conference Monday, Office of Management & Budget Director Mick Mulvaney noted the notifications sent out to federal agencies this week was not the full budget, which will likely be completed in May. {eoa}

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is apparently not a big fan of gopher wood.

The group of perpetually offended atheists, agnostics and freethinkers pitched a fit the other day over a Virginia recreation center’s upcoming visit to the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum.

The Christiansburg Recreation Center had planned the two-day outing for senior citizens, and it sounded like it would’ve been one heck of a fun road trip.

But the out-of-town atheists pitched a hissy fit. They said the trip constituted a public endorsement of Christianity—and was therefore against the law.

“Advertising and organizing a trip to a Christian ministry constitutes government endorsement of religion and alienates those Christiansburg residents who are not Christian and who are non-religious,” FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel wrote in a letter to town leaders.

The Ark Encounter is a ministry run by Ken Ham—described by the atheists as the man behind the “notorious” Creation Museum.

“This message is insulting and degrading to residents who choose not to participate in religious activities,” Seidel wrote.

So, a few thoughts.

First, if you are a local atheist resident and Noah’s Ark makes you sea sick—don’t go on the trip. Nobody’s forcing you to participate.

Second, I find it ironic that atheists living in a town called Christiansburg would be terribly offended by a cherished Bible story.

Sadly, town leaders decided to cancel the trip. They said their decision had nothing to do with the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Instead, they said not many people signed up for the trip. It’s a dubious explanation at best.

I suspect town leaders did not want to rock the boat—so they decided to abandon ship.

They should’ve told the atheists to go walk the plank—or hoist a sail up their stern. {eoa}

After years of deep inner healing after dabbling in the occult and witchcraft, Beth Eckert has become an expert of sorts in the supernatural.  

The ex-witch says biblically, deliverance is God saving you from your enemy.   

“While deliverance can mean casting demons out, that’s definitely not the entire scope of what deliverance is,” Eckert says.  

Deliverance can set you free right now from struggles that have plagued your life.  

Watch the video to see how.  

{eoa}

Contrary to what Senate Democrats wanted to project during debate over Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ confirmation, President Donald Trump meant every word when he said he thinks education is vital to the success of African-Americans living in inner cities.

And while DeVos’ reforms of the Department of Education are likely to go a long way toward helping children, the president has taken it upon himself to help those who are already seeking higher education through one of the nation’s historically black colleges and universities. Meeting with the leaders of those colleges, he took action not even the nation’s first African-American president, Barack Obama, was willing to take.

The president was reportedly expected to sign a new executive order Tuesday to boost HBCUs by moving the office responsible for working directly with them to the White House. The leaders of those institutions will also serve as ad hoc advisers to his urban renewal agenda.

Dr. Leonard L. Haynes III, who served as Obama’s executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which was housed in the Department of Education, hailed the move:

“It would be truly, truly historic. It’s part of a long-time dream … none of (the other presidents) had the courage to do it.”

Vice President Mike Pence and DeVos also held a listening session with the HBCU leaders during their visit to the White House. Both pledged to help the colleges, which suffered financial hardship and declining enrollments under the Obama administration’s policies on college loan debt.

“Our administration, at the president’s direction, is working to find new ways to expand your impact so that more students, especially in the underserved communities in this country, have the chance at a quality education,” Pence said at the meeting. “We want to partner with you. We want to partner with you to help train the students of today to face the challenges and to lead in America tomorrow.”

The White House issued the following readout of the meeting:

The White House Domestic Policy Council hosted a listening session today with over 60 presidents and chancellors of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Before the listening session, all of the HBCU leaders were invited to meet President Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in the Oval Office.

In the listening session, Vice President Mike Pence, along with Secretary DeVos, addressed the HBCU leaders. The HBCU listening session also included representatives from several executive departments and agencies, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and White House offices such as the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Legislative Affairs. The HBCU leaders discussed ways they could improve education and enhance the infrastructure of their schools. Participants shared expert insights on policy issues impacting their individual campuses.

Vice President Pence emphasized President Trump’s commitment to making HBCUs a priority again. Participants shared best practices and ideas on how to create a better partnership between the Trump Administration and HBCUs.

The listening session also included representatives from leading HBCU organizations: Thurgood Marshall College Fund, United Negro College Fund and National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. {eoa}

Are you out of control? I’ll admit, being in control or being the boss has always been something I highly valued. Being in charge and knowing what’s going on seemed to be where I fit in the great scheme of things. I liked leading.

As a matter of fact, I liked it so much that I was always the one to make the decisions. I wanted to direct the outcomes to be what I wanted or at least what I felt were required.

Controller Mentality

Lately, though, being in control just takes too much energy. I’m not administering or managing. I’m simply trying to control the chaos and confusion.

In case you’re wondering, that’s not working.

As a child, I didn’t like it when I saw adults in my life who seemed out of control. Even at a young age, I stepped in to be in control. At least then I’d know if supper got made or the clothes washed and dried.

Not knowing if it would get done would drive me more crazy than just doing it myself. These days, trying to do it all or make sure it all gets done is beyond exhausting and borders on a state of paralysis.

Giving God Control

Understanding this has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I handed my need to control everything to God because I no longer had the capacity to do it. I didn’t struggle with it. I just handed it to Him.

When He accepted my “gift,” I didn’t ask Him, “What do You give me in exchange?” I didn’t want anything else to manage. Still, I was immediately engulfed in peace. What a welcome relief.

Then, insight and clarity began to flood me. God gave me a gift of leadership and administration, but He gave it to me to steward. That means I only have authority over the things He hands me.

This may not be a major revelation to you, but I am not God. However, as His daughter, I can lead you to Him if I am not trying to be Him.

Resting

Some gifts God gives us flow so naturally they begin to take over our lives and we become them. When that happens, they can overwhelm us to the point of exhaustion.

We need to rest, even from our gifts. God created the heavens, earth, plants, animals, mankind and everything we need to sustain life in a mere seven days (see Gen. 1:1). But notice, on the seventh day, He rested (see Gen. 2:1). He laid His gifts aside and rested. Was He still Creator? Yes, but He didn’t let His gifts overwhelm Him.

Here’s a question I’ve been asking myself. If the God of the universe rested on the seventh day, why do I think I have to work nonstop?

Beyond Us

We need to guard our gifts in a sacred place in our hearts where God holds them until we need them. Then, He pulls them out and mixes them with a capacity so far beyond ourselves that we know we are no longer in control. God is.

“God wants to use you beyond your capacity, beyond your gifts, because then He gets the glory,” Bill Johnson said.

These days I am seeking to be out of control so God can be in control. When that happens, I expect to see all of heaven break loose in my life. I will see miracles, acceleration of promises and supernatural favor in order for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (see Matt. 6:10).

All of this happens when we focus on what God wants instead of what we want. When we stop spinning in circles trying to control everything and everyone around us and just listen and follow our leader.

Good Health

We were not made to control everything. We were made to steward the things God has entrusted to us by following Him.

To do otherwise will ruin our health, but if we allow God to be in control of the outcomes in our lives, we will “glow with health” and “vibrate with life”:

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!” (Prov. 3:5-8, MSG). 

Are you ready to allow hand over to God everything you think you have to control? What are those things? Why do you continue to hang onto them when you know beyond a shadow of a doubt you can’t control the outcome anyway? Are you ready to find time to rest in Him and allow Him to carry the load for you?

I’ve given up control, and I’m learning to rest in Him, but it’s not a one-time event. I find I am daily having to give up control of some things again. God always patiently receives them back each time. Eventually, I decide it’s a welcome relief and a sweet rest to have Him be in control of every single part of me. {eoa}

Teresa Shields Parker is a wife, mother, business owner, life group leader, speaker and author of Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds and Stopped Trying to Earn God’s Favor and Sweet Grace Study Guide: Practical Steps to Lose Weight and Overcome Sugar Addiction and Sweet Freedom. Get a free chapter of her memoir on her blog at Teresa Shields . Connect with her there or on her Facebook page or Twitter.

In a new fundraising email to supporters, Family Research Council Vice President Lt. Gen. William “Jerry” Boykin (ret.) offers some electoral math that could provide a means of getting the Senate to confirm President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.

Currently, the rules of the Senate require 60 votes to invoke cloture and end debate on a Supreme Court nomination, and Republicans hold only 52 seats. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has pledged to “fight tooth and nail” against the president’s nominations, and a number of Democrats have suggested the nomination of 11th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch has “stolen” what should be D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Merrick Garland’s seat on the high court.

Here’s what Boykin had to say:

Judge Gorsuch’s Senate hearing begins in just a few weeks, and the Democrats know they have the votes to filibuster his confirmation.

Under Senate rules, we need a 60-vote supermajority to shut down any filibuster attempts.

We have 52 Republican votes in favor of Judge Gorsuch, but given that Democrats have threatened to make this a contested, intense and difficult judicial confirmation, we must get eight Democrats to join the Republicans.

With time quickly ticking away, we have got to increase the amount of pressure we’re putting on vulnerable Democrats in the Senate to ensure they can’t filibuster his confirmation.

With Judge Gorsuch’s hearing set to begin on March 20th, we only have a few weeks to convince these vulnerable Democrats to vote with the Republicans.

But, here’s the good news …

… 10 of the 25 Democrats up for re-election in 2018 are from states that President Trump won.

This means that their voters overwhelmingly supported the new administration and adamantly rejected the failed liberal policies of President Obama… so they won’t be very happy if their sitting senator votes to block President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.

That’s what gives me some hope that we can get at least eight of these 10 Democrats to vote with Republicans, but … it won’t happen by itself.

As the legislative affiliate of the Family Research Council, FRC Action has been one of the strongest rallying forces of the pro-family conservative grassroots for decades.

But we’ve never seen a fight like this in Washington.

While there are 10 vulnerable Democrats who should vote against a filibuster, radical, anti-family liberals like Elizabeth Warren, Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders are in the ears of these senators.

They’re promising them bright futures in the Democrat Party if they vote to filibuster Judge Gorsuch. They want to stop the pro-family agenda the American people voted for overwhelmingly last November.

That’s exactly why we’re going to need all the financial support we can raise to fund the social media outreach campaigns, phone calls and online petition drives, visits with Senate offices and on-the-ground education efforts that will secure confirmation for Judge Gorsuch.

Judge Gorsuch has built his career on upholding the law, regardless of his personal opinions.

He is universally respected as a man of honor and integrity.

But none of that matters to the Democrats.

They are doing everything they can to filibuster his nomination and block Judge Gorsuch from reaching the Supreme Court … just because they want to dig in their heels and stop President Trump from doing what he was elected to do.

Here’s a list of the so-called “vulnerable Democrats”—senators from states that were won by Trump last November:

• Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.)—considered the most vulnerable by The Hill newspaper
• Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.)
• Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.)
• Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.)
• Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.)
• Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)
• Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.)
• Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.)
• Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)
• Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) {eoa}