Living in the “in between”
This past Sunday, our pastor (Josh Skjoldal, Evangel Church) preached a message on the last phrase of the Apostle’s Creed, “…and the life everlasting”. It was a great message and got me thinking about eternity, our resurrected life with God, and our role right now as Christians.
The concept of eternity is difficult for us to grasp as humans, since we think in linear time. In fact, I recall reading somewhere that doctors claim individuals can’t fully grasp even linear time until age 25. I’m definitely not 25 and still have the common experience of time “speeding up” or “slowing down,” as I’m sure you do, so I’m not sure we entirely get it either. If we can’t seem to even have a complete sense of linear time, how can we possibly understand eternity?
The most vivid and helpful explanation for me came from something I read years ago. I don’t remember the author (C.S. Lewis?), but it described our physical life right now as a ruler, which makes sense to all of us thinking in linear time. However, it then asked you to imagine that the ruler was sitting in a puddle of water, which surrounded the whole thing. That puddle touched all stages of our linear life simultaneously and extended forward and backwards beyond the linear part represented by the ruler. In fact, if the puddle was to become a lake or ocean, it would touch all of our life in an almost infinite way.
While the metaphor has its limitations, as do all metaphors, we might be able to think of ourselves as having existed before time “in the puddle,” then becoming part of this linear timeframe (the ruler), and eventually passing onto glory as we become part of the puddle extending beyond the ruler once again.
OK, enough of this philosophical musing – what do I mean by the “in between”? I am referring to your and my lives here, right now, as living human beings on earth. We are in between what we were before birth and what we will be after death, but does it really matter? Think about Ecclesiastes if you want a rather depressing take on this.
I believe that our goal as Christians in this life is to become more Christ-like and thereby glorify God to the greatest extent we can in all we do. For some of us, this takes the shape of raising our children in the faith or preaching the Gospel. For others, it means doing our accounting the best we can or perhaps raising crops or cattle according to God’s calling on our life. For me, it means working in the policy world to glorify God by trying to ensure that our society is grounded in biblical values. All of these matter because He who created us did so for an express purpose – to glorify Him.
Eternity is a tough concept, and I have to admit that if I turned in the above thoughts as a college paper, I’d be lucky to get a B grade. However, let me leave you with this. Notice that even when bound within the linear time constraints of the ruler, we are still living as part of eternity, surrounded by the puddle. So, we are both in the “in between” and in the infinite. It matters. We have been, are right now, and will in the future be eternal beings, not unlike our Creator. Let’s make the most of it as we dwell in the “in between.”
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
In Christ Alone” by Keith Getty/Stuart Townend
Caution: Ovens are Really Hot!
Thanksgiving can be quite the event. I don’t know about your household, but our Thanksgivings are marked with funny, heartfelt, and sometimes comically strange moments. Read on.
The tradition in our family is that I make most of Thanksgiving dinner. As a result, this includes many Jorritsma traditions such as never timing the turkey correctly with other dishes (the solution involves lots of aluminum foil), at some point burning myself on the oven or stovetop, the traditional groans and moans when we need to put up the Christmas tree on full stomachs, and so on.
My daughter recently reminded me that a couple years ago, Mom asked me where the potatoes were and my reply was, “on top of the Christmas tree.” The looks I got from everyone are hard to describe. Ironically, I was actually correct, but my answer was comically strange when taken out of context. You see, I had put the potatoes in the garage to keep them cold, and for some reason chose to put them on top of the box holding our artificial Christmas tree. Context is everything.
This got me to thinking about what our FPAND/NDFA Thanksgivings have looked like over the past few years, so I dug up my old emails and this is what I found.
2016: “Those opposed to our values are going to be fighting even harder than before; in the media, legislatures, Congress, and the courts. While we are tempted to rest on our laurels, they are right now regrouping and planning the next round of battles.”
2017: I apparently forgot to do a Thanksgiving email. My belated apologies.
2018: I talked about the challenges we were fighting for, “parental rights in health care for minors, school choice, and the rights of preborn children…the freedom to exercise your faith in your place of business…”
2019: Things to be thankful for “could be gone far faster than you or I can imagine. We see girls on sports teams competing with boys who ‘identify as a girl.’ The news broadcasts almost daily how another company, public figure, church, or other entity has sacrificed biblical values on the altar of political correctness. We see bakers, photographers, and other business owners taken to court over their religious freedoms… Hard work no longer guarantees commensurate rewards you can keep. The Left and the Right bicker on seemly every issue.”
2020: “I really don’t need to list the mess that 2020 has become – you all know it. From riots to political hate on a grand scale, and of course our ever-present COVID virus. We even hear health experts suggesting that we have family members use something like Zoom to be part of our Thanksgiving celebration, instead of coming over in person.”
2021: “That was before the fateful Presidential election of 2020, before COVID and vaccine mandates, before riots in our cities, before CRT became an abbreviation we recognize.”
Honestly, even I’m getting a little depressed writing these. So, what’s my point, other than highlighting the sad states of affairs over the past few years? I just gave you one side of the events from this time period, but now for the “rest of the story” from these years.
“May you celebrate the great blessings God has given to us as a nation and as individuals. Let’s thank Him for all those wins, and pray for his continued blessings on the work that lies before us.”
“I am personally thankful for many things. First and foremost, I am thankful for salvation in Christ. I am very thankful for a loving wife, amazing kids, and for living in this wonderful state, in spite of the winters. I am also thankful for Godly men and women who serve us in the state legislature and Congress.”
“We still have much to be thankful for. We live in a country where freedom is still greater than nearly every other country on earth. We have a definite majority of state legislators who respect biblical values and will defend them. Our country has never been more assertive to reclaim our conservative Christian values, meaning that many have been woken from their comfortable slumber and are now engaging in the fight.”
“He [George Washington] knew what mattered: that God was the source of his nation’s thanksgiving.”
Do you see the thread? The thing consistent across all these years was thankfulness for God’s provision and care of us. No matter what the problems were each year, the answer and reason for Thanksgiving was always the same.
Perhaps 2022 has been a good year for you – perhaps not. Maybe you identify with some of the anxiety found in the above quotes. Possibly you lost a loved one this year and are still mourning their passing.
I am here to assure you that the answer is still the same as it was in 2016, 2017, 2018…and indeed much further back: God watching over His people. As you know, we did not manage to dodge all the bad things that occurred over these past years, but the solution hasn’t changed.
North Dakota Family Alliance wishes you and your loved ones a blessed Thanksgiving and encourages you to remember the source of our thankfulness – God our Father. Oh, and on a side note: watch out for those ovens – they’re really hot!
And the Votes are in...
It’s over, the votes are in, and we North Dakotans have spoken. Before going into the results, just think about the fact that you voted. You had the opportunity to directly elect federal and state candidates to office, vote on important ballot measures, and make your voice heard on local issues. It’s a privilege that billions of people around the world do not have. We need to thank the Lord for the privilege to guide our country through this democratic process.
The Results
The following table summarizes results for candidates who were on the Nov. 8 ballot and who our sister organization, North Dakota Family Alliance Legislative Action (NDFALA), endorsed or publicly supported.
Election Results for Endorsed/Supported Candidates
Endorsed/Supported Candidate and OfficeResultJohn Hoeven, US Senator for North DakotaWONJason Dockter, Representative for District 7WONMatt Heilman, Representative for District 7WONCole Christensen, Representative for District 24WONDwight Kiefert, Representative for District 24WONKelby Timmons, Representative for District 26WONJeremy Olson, Representative for District 26WONKeith Boehm, Senator for District 33WONLarry Klemin, Representative for District 47WONMike Moschenbacher, Representative for District 47WONKathy Skroch, Representative for District 25LOST
As you can see, of the eleven candidates we endorsed or supported, ten won their races.That represents a 91% win rate!In addition, we came out against Measure 2 that would have legalized recreational marijuana, and that too was a win, with the measure going down to defeat.
In all these cases, thank you for making your voice heard.We didn’t get these legislators elected, you did.We simply did the research and made recommendations to help identify candidates with your values. Aside from these candidates, there were many other candidates elected to office who are God-fearing men and women and who will stand firm on their values, and we are very thankful for them as well.
The Future
As the legislative session begins, it will be all about integrating faith into public policy for these successful candidates. NDFA/NDFALA will continue to prepare for the 2023 legislative session. We already hosted two groundbreaking meetings to discuss legislation for this session: one with the major ND nonprofits that undertake policy work and the other with legislators.
There are going to be good and bad bills for families introduced into the legislature. We are committed to fight for your deeply held beliefs on all of these bills. We will pro-actively find sponsors in the legislature who will introduce and shepherd bills, and we will work with Senators and Representatives on both sides of the aisle to get the bills signed into law.
Your Role
As with the election, we will need your help accomplishing all this. You can help us in many ways.
Pray: We need your prayers to sustain our work and the work of legislators who will often come under attack for standing firm on biblical values.
Respond: If you are on our email list, you will receive important notifications concerning bills. When you see our action requests, please respond and contact your legislators. It only takes a few minutes and we promise to ask for this type of help on only most critical bills (no “crying wolf” on every bill). If you have friends who are unfamiliar with us but share your values, feel free to send them to our website to also sign up for emails.
Support our Work: Right now we particularly need your generous support to fund our activities during the legislative session. It is an enormous amount of work to analyze 1,000+ bills, identify those that most impact biblical values, strategize how best to act on each bill, coordinate with legislators, keep you notified on developments, and ask for your help on only
the most critical bills (i.e., no “crying wolf” on every bill). Please prayerfully consider helping underwrite our work and support our legislative efforts on behalf of your values. This year, generous donors have pledged matching funds, so that donations up to $25,000 will be matched dollar-for-dollar from now until the end of this calendar year, so be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to “give twice”.
Thank you again for voting yesterday. This election was a shining example of how Christians in North Dakota can make a difference for pro-life and pro-family biblical values!
Get your sample ballot today!
As you are most certainly aware, the midterm elections are Tuesday, and the implications are massive both here in North Dakota and across the nation. Every voter will face choices, and those choices will impact a host of issues from abortion to religious liberty, taxes, and more.
One of the worst things a voter can do, however, is to enter the ballot box not knowing who – and by extension what – they are voting for.
To assist with this problem, we’re encouraging all North Dakotans to access their sample ballot, which will show them who is appearing on their specific ballot, so they can do their research ahead of time.
Here’s how to access yours:
Start by clicking this link.
Put in your house number and zip code under “Search by Address” and hit “Search”.
Select your actual address (i.e., house number + street).
Look at the gray bar across the top and click on “My Ballot”.
The bottom item is “Sample Ballot”. Click it and then click “View Sample Ballot” on the page that pops up.
We have been asked by some of you whether we produced a voter guide for this election. Unfortunately, we have not been able to create one, given the research requirements and cost. However, we have other resources available to you on our Resources page, including voting scorecards for incumbent candidates, polling locations, how to find your legislators, new district maps, and more.
Of course, if you have any other questions about specific races, you’re always welcome to contact us at 701-355-6425 or by email at mark@ndfamilyalliance.org.
Finally, if you value NDFA’s work to promote life, marriage, religious liberty, parental rights, and the general cause of freedom, would you consider joining us with a one-time or recurring gift today?
Thank you so much for making your voice heard this coming Tuesday! We’ll see you at the ballot box!
Recreational Marijuana: Is it Really Worth the Fight?
I’m tired of hearing about recreational marijuana, and I bet you are as well. It comes up as ballot measures, such as Measure 2 on this November’s ballot. It has been introduced multiple times during legislative sessions. The media pushes it relentlessly and those who would see North Dakota fully legalize it continue to wage war by pouring millions of dollars into ND from out-of-state. After a while, you feel like just throwing up your hands and saying, “OK, it is inevitable anyway, let’s just get it over with”.
I could go into a long litany of the harmful effects of recreational marijuana. It is addictive and has adverse effects on mental health and intelligence. Driving while acutely intoxicated with marijuana greatly increases the risk of fatal motor vehicle collisions, and states with legal use of recreational marijuana have seen substantial increases in marijuana related DUIs. The lack of reliable testing methods is a direct threat to workplace safety. And the list goes on. Our organization agrees that these effects pose an undeniable danger and more than outweigh any purported benefit the other side would have us believe, not to mention mistreats our bodies from how God intended. We are proud to stand against Measure 2 with allies such as the ND Sheriffs and Deputies Association, Greater ND Chamber, ND Catholic Conference, ND Petroleum Council, and Lignite Energy Council.
Of course, those on the other side of the issue have their own arguments, from comparing legalized recreational marijuana use to legalized alcohol consumption, to noting that almost half of all states (including DC and Guam) have decriminalized it. Apparently, North Dakotans are just “sticks-in-the-mud” and are still living in the 1950s. We need to be like the “cool kids” and participate.
You’ve heard all of this and more. But I want you to focus on something a bit different. Almost all of you are parents, and some of you are even blessed to be grandparents. I want you to focus on your children and grandchildren for a moment.
Proponents of Measure 2 would argue that the ballot measure only legalizes the possession of recreational marijuana for those 21 years old and older, which is true. Based on state law, do you know what the legal age is for drinking in North Dakota? 21 years old. Purchasing cigarettes? 18 years old (federal). Viewing pornography or explicit “girly magazines”? 18 years old (federal).
Now, I’m sure your kids and grandkids generally make good decisions, but can you honestly say that they have never done nor will ever do any of the aforementioned activities while underage? Closer to home, how many of you can claim you never drank any alcohol at an age when it was illegal? So, the argument that legalized marijuana will only be more available and used by those over the age of 21 is simply untrue.
Growing up can be difficult, especially during the teen years. Our children and grandchildren are precious and we would do anything for them. How about something simple, like voting “No” on Measure 2 in the next election and eliminating one more possible enticement for them. Yes, we’re all getting tired of hearing about the issue, but think of it this way. If you would be willing to risk your life or sell your possessions to protect your children, then being tired is a poor excuse for not voting to protect them from legalized marijuana. Make the right choice for the next generations of North Dakotans. Make this decision part of a legacy you’ll be proud to hand off to them someday.