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Tanya Ditty

Live From Texas! National Prayer Roundtables

By | News and Events, SPSV 2022 | No Comments

No matter what state you live in, we invite you to Concerned Women for America’s (CWA) Facebook Live national roundtable prayer events, where we will discuss important issues impacting Americans and then spend time in prayer for the General Election. Each prayer event will be unique, so we invite you to join us for each event.

 
Our next two roundtables will take place in the important state of Texas. We believe that the battle for the soul of America is going to be won on our knees before a sovereign God. Please watch on Facebook and pray with us! Your prayers will make a difference!

 
Saturday, October 29 @ 2:30 p.m. CT [3:30 p.m. ET; 1:30 p.m. MT; 12:30 p.m. PT] – Live from Houston.
This event will be unique. It will be in English and Spanish. Our prayer roundtable guests will include Jenna Ellis, Dr. Alveda King, Sonya Ashton, and our Spanish-speaking staff, Mario Diaz, Esq., and Ana Castillo. Join us live here. Join us on Facebook.

 

Tuesday, November 1 @ 7:00 p.m. CT [8:00 p.m. ET; 5:00 p.m. MT; 4:00 p.m. PT] – Live from Dallas.
CWA’s CEO and President, Penny Nance, will be joined by pro-life activist, author and speaker, Toni McFadden, Carolyn Cline, President of Women’s Health Center, June Hunt, founder of Hope For The Heart, and Young Women for America leader, Tyvery Mack. Join us on Facebook.

 

Our prayers do make a difference. Do not give up hope. Join CWA as we lead the nation in prayer.

National Prayer Roundtable Event-Live from Atlanta

By | News and Events, SPSV 2022 | No Comments

No matter what state you live in, we invite you to Concerned Women for America’s (CWA) Facebook Live national roundtable prayer events, where we will discuss important issues impacting Americans and then spend time in prayer for the General Election. Each prayer event will be unique, so we invite you to join us for each event.

 

We will be live from the battleground state of Georgia. We believe that the battle for the soul of America is going to be won on our knees before a sovereign God. Please watch on Facebook and pray with us! Your prayers will make a difference!

 
Here are the details:
Date: Tuesday, October 25
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern [6:00 p.m. Central; 5:00 p.m. Mountain; 4:00 p.m. Pacific)
Event link: CWA Facebook

 

Join Us! She Prays She Votes National Prayer Roundtable Events

By | News and Events, SPSV 2022 | No Comments

No matter what state you live in, we invite you to Concerned Women for America’s (CWA) Facebook Live national roundtable prayer events, where we will discuss important issues impacting Americans and then spend time in prayer for the General Election. Each prayer event will be unique, so we invite you to join us for each event.

 

Our first two roundtables will be live from the battleground state of Pennsylvania. We believe that the battle for the soul of America is going to be won on our knees before a sovereign God. Please watch on Facebook and pray with us! Your prayers will make a difference!

 

Thursday, October 20 @ 7:00 p.m. EST [6:00 p.m. CST; 5:00 p.m. MT; 4:00 p.m. PT] – Live from Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Joining Penny Nance will be Constitutional Law Attorney and podcaster, Jenna Ellis, Esq., CWA’s Pennsylvania State Director, Dilonna Coran, and Young Women for America National Director Annabelle Rutledge. Facebook Live

 

Our prayers do make a difference. Do not give up hope. Join CWA as we lead the nation in prayer.

Our CWA Role as We Head into Election

By | News and Events, SPSV 2022 | No Comments

As we approach Election Day 2022, these words that were written ten years ago still ring true today. 

 

Concerned Women for America (CWA) was founded upon the idea that God’s standards needed to be America’s standards. Mrs. LaHaye was concerned that our nation was drifting away from God’s best and decided to take a stand for truth. CWA has been standing for truth since then. Truth cannot be bent, stretched, or gotten around. It stands alone while all else around it shakes and is destroyed. Our politicians were trying to pass the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) to “help” women, but Mrs. LaHaye saw through the veil of deception and reminded America of God’s intended role for women. In the end, truth prevailed, and this amendment was not passed.

 

The role of CWA is to remind, educate, and inspire us to call this nation back to Biblical principles. What happens in the public sector (public policy) affects us all. We want our laws to protect the freedoms we have in Jesus Christ. We want our laws to honor God. We want our elected officials to be full of the fear of the Lord because that is where wisdom is found. In every branch of government at every level God’s truth needs to be respected. Where this is not happening, CWA needs to be there to call to account those responsible. That is the work of CWA. We watch what is happening in the public square and strive to be an influence for good, for Godly standards and truth.

 

It sounds like a tall order, but rest assured you are not alone. The power of God’s Spirit in you will cause you to be gentle, articulate, and kind, as well as assertive, bold, and uncompromising on truth. You will be respected as you engage others on the issues because of the power of the Spirit poured upon you through prayer. Prayer must always precede action, but action must always follow prayer. These are the tools CWA employs to earn the “lady-like,” professional reputation we enjoy as an organization. You are able because our God is able! Now get out there and make a difference.

 

This article by CWA’s former North Texas Director Kia Mutranowski appeared in the January 2012 CWA of Texas Newsletter

Why You Should Vote – The State of the Nation

By | News and Events, SPSV 2022 | No Comments

A Note from Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America

 

As a mom, I can’t help but be concerned about our state and our nation’s future as I watch the massive leadership failures we have witnessed in recent years.

 

Current radically liberal leadership has failed us and is putting our families at risk. We are not safe.

 

Our children are not safe in our classrooms. Instead, they are targeted for indoctrination by those pushing radical race and gender-based theories that shame them for the way they were created.

 

Our economic future is not safe. Radical policies are crushing our bottom line. Everything from gas prices to the cost of meat in the supermarket —not to mention other necessities like healthcare and transportation— is skyrocketing with many red flags on the horizon.

 

Our streets are not safe. Crime is at an all-time high even as the Left calls for defunding the police.

 

Children in the womb are certainly not safe. While the Dobbs decision opened the door for states to put restrictions on abortion, some states have moved in the opposite direction and are making an industry of providing abortions.   

 

Our military is becoming a social experiment with a “woke” philosophy guiding military decision-making and leadership.  After so many of our veterans and their families made great sacrifices in service to our nation, it is hard to see our military being weakened by these philosophies.

 

This is why CWA will be traveling around our great nation, engaging our communities in a time of prayer for the upcoming election.  We will keep you informed about important election dates and will provide you with information that we pray will be helpful to you and your family and friends as you make your decisions about voting.  Watch for our emails and pass them on to others. 

 

Vote knowledgeably,

Penny Nance

Voting Is Every Citizen’s Duty

By | News and Events, SPSV 2022 | No Comments

Voting Is Every Citizen's Duty

Constitution of the United States, Fifteenth Amendment, Section 1 – 1870
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged … on the account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”
 
Constitution of the United States, Nineteenth Amendment, Section 1 – 1920
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged … on the account of sex. 
 
The right to vote has been important in the history of our nation. Battles were fought and waged for many years across this country to provide EVERYONE the right to vote. 
– Listen to some voices from the past –

Civil Rights slogan: 
“One man, one vote”
 
Susan B. Anthony, social reformer and women’s rights activist,
speech before her trial for voting – 1873

“Here, in the first paragraph of the Declaration [of Independence], is the assertion of the natural right of all to the ballot, for how can ‘the consent of the governed” be given, if the right to vote be denied?”
 
Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States,
Speech at Bloomington, Illinois – 1856

“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”
 
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States
“Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.”

Concerned Women for America has prepared resources to help you be a part of getting people registered to vote. Download these resources and use them in your church and community.
 
Be an informed voter by knowing your state’s election laws,  reviewing CWALAC’s Congressional Scorecard for the 117th Congress-First Session, and checking how the candidates in your state are rated using iVoterGuide.

CWA Launches She Prays, She Votes 2022

By | News and Events, SPSV 2022 | No Comments

“Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.” Nehemiah 4:14

Remember the Lord Who is great and awesome … This is the Lord Who moves the hearts of the king like rivers of water. He is the One in absolute control. There is nothing better that we can do for this nation than to pray. When we pray, God’s Spirit moves across the land.

And fight … What does the “fight” look like?

  • The fight is you studying the candidates and then going to vote for the ones who reflect your values.
  • The fight is you driving an elderly friend or neighbor to the polls to vote.
  • The fight is you volunteering to be a poll worker or poll watcher.
  • The fight is you taking care of your young friends’ children, so they can go vote.
  • The fight is you volunteering to make phone calls on behalf of that candidate who shares your values.
  • The fight is you on your knees before the God Who places all people in positions of authority.
  • The fight is you beseeching God for our nation and our nation’s leaders.

In the time between now and Election Day, Concerned Women for America is going to provide you with resources to help you engage in the fight. Over the next few weeks, we will be providing you with information that will be helpful in getting yourself and others registered to vote.

We encourage you to read each of our emails for She Votes, She Prays 2022. They will share new information about how you can remember “the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.” Nehemiah 4:14

Arizona: Help Us Ensure Election Integrity in 2022

By | Arizona | No Comments

The 2022 elections are upon us, and we need your help to ensure that every eligible vote counts in Arizona! Here are ways to engage:

  1. Serve as poll workers. Poll worker hiring is done at the county level. Click here for 2022 County Poll Worker Information. Use can also use the poll worker lookup toolto find information on being a poll worker in your community, including requirements, hours, pay, training, and more.
  2. Serve as poll challengers and watchers during early voting and on Election Day. Click here for poll watcher qualifications by state and here for laws governing observers by state.
  3. Ensure Arizonans are registered to vote. We have made it easy for you. Download our Conducting a Voter Registration Drive: Instructions and helpful tips.
  4. Be an informed voter by checking out CWALAC Congressional Scorecard for the 114th Congress-First Sessionand iVoterGuide.

 

Other helpful links:

 

Election Dates

General Election
Tuesday, October 11, 2022 – Deadline for voter registration
Wednesday, October 12 – Early voting beings/ballots mailed if requested
Friday, October 28 – Deadline to request ballot-by-mail
November 8, 2022 – Election Date

CWA Responds to The Passing of Rep. Jackie Walorski

By | Legislative Updates, News and Events | No Comments

“We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Indiana) and her two staff members. We were blessed to hear from Rep. Walorski in Indiana along our Women for Amy bus tour. Her heart for the Lord and for the people she served will not be forgotten.

 

“Please join us in lifting up the family members and friends of Rep. Walorski and her staff members.”

 

Penny Nance
CEO and President
Concerned Women for America

Baby in womb

Nance Responds to Kansas Anti-Abortion Amendment Defeat

By | News and Events, Press Releases, Sanctity of Life | No Comments

Penny Nance, Concerned Women for America’s CEO and President, had this to say concerning the defeat of the Kansas Value Them Both amendment:

 

“The disappointing results on the Kansas pro-life amendment will serve as a great motivator for the pro-life movement going forward. It reveals what we already knew: we have much work to do to promote a culture of love and life in every state. 

“The good news is that we are free to do that work with the Supreme Court out of the way unconstitutionally mandating what every state must do. We embrace the opportunity to do the hard work necessary to change hearts and minds— however long it takes. But, we must do better to counter the lies of abortion extremists and to be strategic in our education and outreach. 

“This is the democratic process at work. The battle to protect human life at all stages continues. We are confident in our position to achieve ultimate victory.”

Biden’s Justice Department Advances Abortion Lies Tries to Invalidate Democratic Process

By | Dobbs, News and Events, Press Releases, Sanctity of Life | No Comments

For Immediate Release
August 2, 2022
Contact: [email protected]

 

Washington, D.C. –  On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against the State of Idaho, claiming the state’s ban on abortion violates federal law. This is the first lawsuit filed against a state by the DOJ since the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on June 24, sending the battle to protect life back to the people in the democratic process.

 

“When our country is facing record crime and murder in our streets, President Joe Biden’s Justice Department sues Idaho over a state law that protects life,” stated Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America (CWA), the nation’s largest women’s public policy organization. “This time, they want to spend resources against the people of Idaho who, in compliance with the U.S. Constitution, have exercised their right to protect life in their state. The DOJ is moving in response to the lies of abortion advocates, not to the actual law. Women will always get the necessary medical care they need during pregnancy, and the Idaho law makes that clear.”

According to the DOJ’s false claims, Idaho’s law, which prohibits abortions except when necessary to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest, violates the federal act requiring hospitals to give medically necessary treatment to patients visiting emergency rooms.

 

“The Biden Administration will stop at nothing when it comes to using scare tactics to trick women into believing that bans on abortion mean that they will not receive the proper medical treatment that they need during pregnancy,” said Nance.

 

CWA and Young Women for America state leaders and activists continue the work at the state and federal levels to make sure the voice of the people is heard through the democratic process.

 

For interviews or additional information, please contact [email protected].

 

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Concerned Women for America is the nation’s largest public policy organization for women; dedicated to promoting Biblical values and Constitutional principles. More information is available at www.ConcernedWomen.org.

Meet Our Summer Intern: Faith Ozenbaugh

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Hello! My name is Faith Ozenbaugh, and I am overjoyed to be a part of the Concerned Women for America (CWA) team this summer as the Donor Relations intern. I am from a small town in the Central Valley of California, where my family farms almonds. Living in Washington, D.C., has been a fun adjustment for me, and I am loving the east coast life and getting to work alongside so many wonderful people here at CWA’s National Headquarters.

 

I just finished my sophomore year at California Baptist University (Lance Up!), where I am double majoring in Public Relations and Christian Behavioral Science. I am involved in what some say is “too many things,” including singing in the University Choir and Orchestra, being a campus tour guide, playing intramurals (of which flag football is my favorite J), and serving in children’s ministry at my church. My first two years of college have been so fruitful as I learn to understand the depth of God’s grace and what it means to walk by faith every day.

 

When I started to think about what I wanted to do for the summer, I assumed I would be interning for a small non-profit back home and continuing to teach swim lessons as I’ve done for the past five summers. But God had a different plan for me, and I am so grateful that I answered His call to come to Washington, D.C. It has been incredible to see Him orchestrating my every step leading up to this time, and I sit in awe as He weaves together my story for His glory. CWA has truly been the best place I have ever had the privilege of working, and I have learned so much even in the short time I’ve been here.  

 

Growing up, I was always told I had a “zest for life,” but I often didn’t know where to direct my passion. I enjoyed sports and music, but I wanted to combine my heart for the Lord and my passion for conservative values in a tangible way. Enter … CWA! I love the heart of this organization and their boldness in action. I firmly believe that any righteous change we wish to see on earth starts with Christians. Of CWA’s seven core issues, the sanctity of life is one issue about which I am extremely passionate. I yearn to see abortion end with my generation and for our nation to turn its eyes upon Jesus.

 

In the future, I plan to obtain my master’s degree, and I hope to use my love for public speaking and writing as a full-time career, in whatever sphere or capacity that may be. I pray that the Lord will continue to direct me where He would have me impact the most people and best serve Him.

 

Pro-life speaker Seth Gruber, once said, “What we do in this life echoes in eternity.” This truth always sticks with me. I pray that my life would echo a love for family, country, and above all, a deep love for Christ. I am so thankful for this season of life, and I look forward to continuing the mission of CWA during my time here!

CWA Representing You in the Senate

By | Dobbs, Louisiana, Missouri, News and Events, Sanctity of Life, Texas | No Comments

By Susanna Edgecomb, CWA’s Government Relations Summer Intern

 

Congress has returned from recess after the recent Supreme Court decision, Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization, which released us from the death grip of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey and leaves the question of abortion policy to the people and their elected representatives. The U.S. Senate and House scheduled multiple hearings on Dobbs. Concerned Women for America (CWA) had front row seats to the hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, the first of five congressional hearings in the first work week following Dobbs. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, House Oversight and Reform, House Judiciary and House Energy and Commerce committees also had hearings.

 

Concerned Women for America and Young Women for America (YWA) leaders from Iowa, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri, and Arkansas were there to represent the women back home who have prayed for years for a decision like Dobbs. The leaders had the opportunity to meet with Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to share their thanks for standing for the sanctity of life. This is only the tip of the iceberg of ways that CWA and YWA are championing the cause for life in their respective states.

 

Every CWA chapter has been engaged on the issue of life for decades. We recall some of their efforts with thanksgiving to Almighty God: CWA of Iowa lobbied for pro-life legislation on the state level. They also prayed outside abortion clinics. CWA of Louisiana prayed outside abortion clinics, lobbied on the state level for pro-life legislation, and participated in the Louisiana March for Life. CWA representatives in Texas prayed outside abortion clinics and lobbied on the state level for pro-life legislation. CWA of Missouri participated in the Missouri March for Life and 40 Days for Life. The Missouri Team also lobbied on the state level and prayed outside abortion clinics. A YWA chapter in Arkansas participated in the state March for Life and volunteered at a local pregnancy resource center. YWA in Arkansas hosted a pro-life conference and prayed outside abortion clinics as well.

 

There is so much work that goes unnoticed, and this is only a small sample of some of the work our leaders have done in select states across the country. We thank each of you for being part of the movement that brought about this great post-Roe era. You oversee the most important work for life—the work that happens at home. But there is much work to be done, and we will continue to equip you to fight for a day when abortion is not only illegal but unthinkable.

 

If you would like to join these efforts in your state, click here.

Meet Our Summer Intern: Susanna Edgecomb

By | News and Events | No Comments

Hello! My name is Susanna Edgecomb, and I’m the Government Relations Intern here at Concerned Women for America (CWA).

 

I am from Madison, Alabama, and attend the University of Alabama. I’m a junior studying Social Work and Political Science, and after I graduate, I will then likely continue my education in graduate school.  

 

Before I came to college, I never cared much for politics or public policy. I knew what I believed in and would vote accordingly, but I never considered it a possible career field. Then at college, I became involved in a Young Americans for Freedom Chapter and Young Women for America, CWA’s collegiate leadership program. With my involvement in these organizations, I educated myself and discovered that maybe I could make a difference in the world of public policy.

 

In Young Women for America, we always say we were made “for such a time as this.” This comes from Esther 4:14, where Queen Esther is about to risk her life to save her people. The verse has been my motto for the past year as I’ve been unsure of my future path. When I meditate on the words of Esther 4:14, I know He is guiding me, which helps me to know I can fully trust the Lord with my future.

 

Thanks to this incredible internship at CWA, I feel like I have found the path on which I belong. Working in a Christ-centered environment has opened my eyes to all the good in this world that so often feels hopeless. Making a difference in the world through policy change has become my future endeavor, and I hope to change this world for the better.

 

Concerned Women for America is the perfect mix of faith and politics of which I have long desired to be a part. CWA’s core issues have been fundamental in developing my own political views, and it’s a dream to work for an organization with such a beautiful history. This summer will be a joyful part of that history with the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. To be standing outside the Supreme Court at such a historic moment in time, I know that God has placed me here “for such a time as this.”

Meet Our Summer Intern: Abigail DeJarnatt

By | News and Events | No Comments

Hello! I am Abigail DeJarnatt and I am thrilled to be the Young Women for America (YWA) intern at Concerned Women for America (CWA) this summer. I grew up in Northwest Arkansas in a wonderful Christian family who have helped me grow strong in my relationship with Jesus.

 

It is truly only by the grace of God that I am here today. When I started college at the University of Arkansas in the fall of 2019, I thought I had my life planned out—but God had other, better plans. Though I once thought I would be a speech pathologist, God has taken me on an incredible journey, destroying every single one of my plans and calling me into the intersection of Christianity and politics. Praise God that His ways are so much better than mine!

 

Part of God’s faithfulness was introducing me to CWA. In 2021, I attended Turning Point USA’s Young Women’s Leadership Summit and heard Annabelle Rutledge (YWA’s National Director) explain the heart of CWA. The fact that CWA is entirely focused on advocating for Biblical values in public policy was so appealing to me that I immediately left the session to find the YWA table to learn more about this organization. I loved that YWA’s conservatism was anchored in Jesus. By August, I joined the YWA Ambassador program and was so grateful for the opportunity to join CWA at the Supreme Court on December 1, 2021, for the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization oral arguments prayer rally.

 

I have been so blessed by the CWA and YWA community and cannot fully explain what a blessing it is to be around such Christlike women (and men) each day of this internship. Not only am I learning about how to grow the YWA program and write educational content, but I am learning about how to love and serve others well in the workplace.

 

As I move toward graduating in December of this year (with a degree in news/editorial journalism), my prayer is that I get to continue working in the intersection of Christianity and politics until God closes that door. I want to help Christian women understand how their faith directly applies to culture and public policy. It is truly amazing to me how the Word of God speaks to each and every issue our society faces. Jesus is the answer to all the questions our world is desperately asking—He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Consequently, I think that political discourse has an incredible capacity to advance the Gospel, and I am so thankful for the work CWA does to promote the good news of Jesus.

 

(As a side note, I praise God that He allowed us to be present when Roe v. Wade was overturned! That is a moment I will never forget—best internship ever!)

Meet Karen Pennington – Colorado’s New State Director

By | Colorado, News and Events | No Comments

I am thrilled to introduce you to Karen Pennington, Concerned Women for America’s (CWA) new Colorado State Director. She first engaged with CWA in the late 1980s while attending a Colorado Prayer/Action Chapter as a young mother. In 2020, after becoming very concerned about the country and the lack of conservative female voices and intentional prayer in Colorado, Karen started a Prayer/Action Chapter to address the seven CWA core issues.

 

Karen is known for regularly speaking out at the county school board meetings on issues such as equity education, critical race theory, and charter schools. She recently rolled out a plan for churches that is a collaboration between local pregnancy centers and churches. It offers education to teens, women, and men suffering from unplanned pregnancy,  compromised sexual health, and past pregnancy decisions. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity to move to abundant life as described in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

 

Karen currently teaches as an affiliate professor for Regis University School of Nursing and Colorado Christian University Department of Nursing.

 

A note from Karen:

 

“I have come to understand more fully that prayer is a weapon we need to utilize more effectively to fight spiritual battles. With God’s grace and wisdom, I will bring a voice for Christian conservative women in public policy through CWA in Colorado and offer a Biblical perspective on current issues in the state’s political climate.”

 

A little bit more about Karen: She has spent the last 47 years in the medical field as an RN. Karen holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Illinois-Chicago and a Master’s Degree in Nursing Outcomes and a Ph.D. in Nursing Research and Philosophy of Science from the University of Colorado. She recently retired from Regis University-Denver, School of Nursing, after16 years as a Professor and Interim Dean of the School of Nursing. Karen resides in Parker, Colorado with her husband, Stephen.

 

Tanya Ditty
Vice President of Field Operations|
Concerned Women for America

 

PS: Seek the Lord and ask if He is calling you to join CWA and its movement to impact the culture for Christ through education and public policy. Contact Karen at [email protected] or at 303-903-5283. She would love to talk with you, answer your questions, and get you involved in Colorado.

Meet Ruth Smith – Florida’s New State Director

By | Florida, News and Events | No Comments

I am thrilled to introduce you to Ruth Smith, Concerned Women for America’s (CWA) new Florida State Director. Ruth is no stranger to CWA, having served as a CWA of California Prayer/Action Chapter Leader and California Area Director since the early 1990s.

 

In her role as Area Director in California, Ruth assisted in building a robust network of Prayer/Action Chapters across the state. She engaged in policy issues where she lobbied on issues impacting life and the family, along with assisting in planning pro-life/pro-family rallies. And now, Ruth is ready to bring this experience to Florida.

 

A note from Ruth:

“I love that CWA is rooted in prayer and action. I am a firm believer that we fight our battles on our knees. We have to pray, or we are powerless, and we have to take action, or our prayers are meaningless. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, ‘Silence in the face of evil is itself evil; God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.’

 

“I am grateful for the work of former State Director Terri Johannessen, now State Director Emeriti,  and look forward to continuing to provide a Christian conservative woman’s voice on current issues in Florida, and building a network of Prayer/Action Chapters around the state.”

 

A little bit more about Ruth: She has been a soprano soloist and piano teacher for decades and has performed major works with the local Master Chorale and Orchestra. Ruth is also a woman of the Word and a gifted Bible study teacher. Ruth leveraged the COVID restrictions and started teaching Bible studies online. She and her husband were missionaries to Peru, where they planted a church and taught missionary children at the Wycliffe Center in the Amazon jungle. Ruth and her husband George live in Palm Bay and have five children and 17 grandchildren.

 

Tanya Ditty
Vice President of Field Operations
Concerned Women for America

 

PS: Seek the Lord and ask if He is calling you to join CWA and its movement to impact the culture for Christ through education and public policy. Contact Ruth at [email protected] or at 760-815-9803. She would love to talk with you, answer your questions, and get you involved in Florida.

Meet Our Summer Intern: Paige Nelson

By | News and Events | No Comments

Hi all! My name is Paige Nelson, and I have the pleasure of being Concerned Women for America’s (CWA) Media and Communications intern this summer!

 

I am so blessed to be in the presence of women who embody Biblical values first and talk policy second. I am from the small town of Arlington, Washington, and am the youngest of three kids. My parents are my whole world, and it is during adventures like these that I am so thankful for Facetime. Moving across the country has been an adjustment, but the women of CWA have made my transition so smooth!

 

I am wrapping up college at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where I am obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism, as well as a minor in political science. Throughout my college experience, I have been at the forefront of public policy both on and off campus. I am a Young Women for America Ambassador and the current president of the university’s Turning Point USA chapter, where I have had the honor of equipping like-minded students with the necessary tools to win over the other side. Beyond that, I have had the privilege of attending multiple Operation Underground Railroad events that focus on ending human trafficking, as well as networking through conferences like Turning Point USA’s Young Women Leadership Summit and advocating for life in front of my peers.

 

As much as I love getting into debates on the political battlefield, my true love lies elsewhere. Back in Salt Lake, I work for an amazing company that supports older women with disabilities. There I act as a direct support professional, which essentially means I take the ladies out to dinner, teach them how to maintain clean living environments, and assist them in creating healthy behavioral habits and clear boundaries. It has been an absolute joy growing with them and seeing how much progress towards normalcy they can achieve with the right support. That is part of the reason I am so passionately pro-life. Some 67% of babies in the U.S. diagnosed with Downs Syndrome in the womb are aborted. And as heartbreaking as that is, I am so thankful God has called me for such a time as this to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

 

Looking forward, I am interested in working in public policy in some sort of capacity where I can continue to advocate for and work with both children and adults with disabilities. I strongly feel as though the Lord has given me the heart to love on that specific community, and I hope someday to help create a country where we are loved as we are despite our differences. Whether that be through a nonprofit or by taking legislative action, I know I will be guided on the right path. That is why I am so excited to be here this summer because it is giving me a great visual of what it takes to run a successful organization.

 

Working at CWA feels so surreal, and I am beyond blessed to be able to work towards my career goals in an environment that lifts God’s Word. Although I know these seven weeks are going to fly by, I am excited to reflect on all that I have learned when this chapter closes. I am so thankful for this opportunity to represent Concerned Women for America as one of their interns this summer!

Happy Independence Day!

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Independence Day is celebrated across America with BBQs and sparklers in backyards, parades, and fireworks. While these events bring communities together and are a fun way to celebrate, we must never forget to be grateful for the freedom that the Lord has given to America. Praise the Lord that He showered His favor upon America in granting her independence from England over two hundred years ago.

 

Our freedom in America is a gift from the Lord. 

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights.” James 1:17

 

Take the time to say “thank you” to a soldier this Independence Day. They are the ones who selflessly serve and devote themselves to continuing to keep our country free. Make sure they know they are appreciated and valued.

 

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” – Ronald Reagan

 

Continue to fight for this great nation. Our religious liberties are constantly being threatened, and we must not be silent. Praise the Lord that we still have the ability to voice our opinion, lobby, and seek to change the nation for good. Use the voice and talents God has given you for His glory and the preservation of America.

 

Pray for America. Pray for our leaders.

 

Happy Independence Day from Concerned Women for America!

Liberty Without Religious Freedom is Bondage

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For many people today, July 4th is a holiday filled with picnics, friends, and fireworks. But it is also a commemoration of America’s Declaration of Independence. The freedom call was not only against a political and economic system, but it was also a cry for independence from the spiritual tyranny of the Anglican Church.

 

 

In 1775, there were 668 congregational churches in America. Seventy-five percent of all Americans, at that time, belonged to churches of Puritan derivation. The religious makeup was 98.4 percent Protestant, 1.4 percent Roman Catholic, and three-twentieths of one percent Jewish. America was a nation deeply concerned with religious freedom.

 

 

Religious freedom today is far from what the original founders intended. What Americans wanted was a government that did not favor one Christian sect over another. The idea was never to erode Christianity through the separation of church and state. John Jay, after the war, described the homogeneity of America in Federalist 2 (*see below).

 

 

Competition between the various churches, early Americans thought, was healthy; it kept them from becoming complacent, comfortable, and arrogant like the nationally endorsed Anglican Church. In 18th century America, men and women adhered to the Protestant conviction that all men and human institutions were fallible. Americans fought hard for seven years during the Revolutionary War to rid themselves of the shackles of imperial England and her state-controlled church.

 

 

The men who called the people of America to independence were men committed to their country and the freedom of her people. They paid a great price for our independence and religious freedom: five signers were captured by the British army and tortured; 12 men’s homes were destroyed; two had sons who died during the Revolutionary War; one had two sons taken prisoner by the British; nine signers of the Declaration died in the war.

 

 

This July 4th, let us remember those courageous men who helped to establish a free nation. Let us thank God for religious freedom won and exercise that freedom by reaching our generation with the Gospel.

 

Liberty without religious freedom is bondage.


*Federalist 2 I have taken notice that Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people – a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs, and who … fighting side by side throughout a long and bloody war, have nobly established their general liberty and independence. This country and this people seem to have been made for each other … Similar sentiments have hitherto prevailed among all orders and denominations of men among us. To all general purposes we have uniformly been one people. — John Jay