Welcome to the Friday Five! Every Friday we share our top five articles, stories, and quotes for you to read and share with your friends and church families.

We would be very grateful if you could make a donation of $100, $50, $25, or $10 today towards our work producing these Friday Fives and fighting for your values on the public square!

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1. VOTE EARLY: You have only two days left to vote early!

If you are able, we would be grateful if you go vote early for pro-values congressional, judicial, legislative, and school board candidates, such as those we’ve endorsed. You can also check out a sample of your ballot and how pro-values your candidates are via our sponsored 2022 iVoterGuide. Check out these resources and other important election information on our NC Values Election Toolkit.

You have until tomorrow, Saturday, November 5th, at 3:00pm to beat the hassle of Election Day crowds by voting early in-person. If you have not registered to vote, you can still do it in-person during one-stop voting.

ICYMI: Check out this great pro-life GOTV video launched by our sister organization, The Institute for Faith & Family.

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2. NC VALUES OPINION: Activist judges are silencing NC voters

Need some extra motivation to get you out the door to vote? Check out these two great opinion articles by our own NC Values Press & Political Director, Laura Macklem, as featured on the cover of The Carolina Journal

“Supreme Court Judicial Candidate Lucy Inman said in a recent interview when it comes to her rulings on the bench, she would “stand up for what is right.” In other words, her opinion will be the deciding factor, not the law. This alarming, bold admission shows judicial activism is becoming an accepted practice, and maybe it’s because voters don’t understand activist judges are silencing their voices.

A month before the 2022 primary early voting, NC Values Coalition released a poll showing 82 percent of North Carolinians were undecided on who to support in the state Supreme Court race. For the Court of Appeals race, 87 percent were undecided. Even though the results of judicial races can have longer-term impacts than legislative, voters don’t give these candidates the same attention. With concerns of judicial activism and non-Constitutional interpretation of the law, voters need to know judicial races are crucial and often the most important.”

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3. NC VALUES OPINION: Hyper-political culture means added importance for school board races

“Seventy-five percent of North Carolina children attend public schools, down from 85% a few years ago. Enrollment spiraled with COVID as students struggled with remote learning, mandates, and parental discovery of school-sponsored pornographic materials and politically charged curriculum. A recent report released by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics revealed that North Carolina student test scores are the lowest in two decades on national math and reading tests. This devastating report should shake up undecided voters, and at least pique the interest of those who previously dismissed the idea of voting for school board.”

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4. NC VALUES: We’re hiring! Director of Donor Relations

The North Carolina Values Coalition seeks a talented, resilient, and enthusiastic professional to serve as the Director of Donor Relations for both the North Carolina Values Coalition and the Institute for Faith & Family. This role offers an unparalleled opportunity to build lasting relationships with committed donors and ministry partners across North Carolina, to build your professional skills while working alongside respected and thoughtful leaders, and to deploy your talents and work ethic to advance sound public policy, and ultimately God’s Kingdom on earth.

5. DAILY SIGNAL: Parents lose appeal for custody of teen identifying as transgender, told they can’t discuss gender identity with child outside of therapy

“The Court of Appeals of Indiana on Friday affirmed a trial court decision removing a 17-year-old minor from the custody of his parents for their refusal to affirm him in a female gender identity. The case displays the messy, personal qualities in a gender identity crisis, as well as the disastrous implications of permitting the transgender ideology to gain a foothold in law.”

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Weekly Prayer: Life

LORD, we recognize that you are Sovereign over all creation. We recognize you made man from the dust, and in your mercy, you crowned creation with man and woman made in your image. What a wonder it is that you would bestow upon us this blessing and responsibility!

LORD, may we not take this blessing for granted. We pray that this great responsibility and dignity may motivate us to love You, our neighbors, and our families more. LORD, may we as a culture truly see and believe that children are a blessing from the LORD—born or unborn; able or disabled. All children should have an opportunity to experience the liberty of life. LORD, make us your vehicle to change our culture into one that cherishes and protects life. Keep at the forefront of our minds our responsibilities to respect, cherish, and serve the youngest and oldest in our society.

Finally, LORD, we pray even further for our children. Across our state, country, and world, an entire generation of youth have seen their lives and education ruptured by the pandemic and its closing of schools. Father, as a result so many of these children are not only wounded by the quality of their education, but by a likely onslaught of mental illness brought about by social isolation. LORD, bring them hope and healing as only You can.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'” (Matthew 18:1-6)

Amen

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Will you chip in $100, $50, $25, or even $10 to help the NC Values Coalition continue to fight for your rights? You can donate by clicking here.

Sincerely,
Tami & Team
NC Values

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