Dear CWA of Washington Member,
Do you feel as if you’re in the midst of a social/moral tornado? There is so much swirling around us right now that it’s sometimes hard to keep our focus on God and His Holy Word. That is precisely when we need to stop and pray, bringing us back to focus and remembering Ephesians 6:10-20: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil … Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
May we continue as an organization, and individuals, to stand in these evil days; knowing that our strength to stand comes from God alone.
CWA remains the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization. I think Abigail Adams would be a member. I own a t-shirt with one of my favorite quotes from her on it: “If we are to have Heroes, Statesmen, & Philosophers we should have learned women.” She wrote that in a letter to her husband. John. on August 14, 1776, while he was off fighting for the freedom of this nation and she was tending to all the business at their farm in Massachusetts, a role she continued to play for the many years that John traveled. She might have been called a housewife in those days, but from the letters I’ve read from her to John and to Thomas Jefferson, she also was indeed a learned woman and one of the founders of our nation, supporting,encouraging, and emboldening many others from the home front.
PRAISE & PRAYER
40 DAYS FOR LIFE reports that this spring’s campaign saw 341 cities and 30 countries participate, making it their largest spring campaign ever. Thirteen thousand unborn babies will live because of the wonderful, prayerful witness of community volunteers who stand quietly outside abortion facilities to demonstrate their love for babies and their parents. Praise God! If you were one of those volunteers, CWA thanks you.
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE – SPECIAL SESSION: The first Special Session officially ends May 23. Pray for a “breakthrough” in the budget negotiations for basic education. Continue to pray for our state legislators and staff for strength, stamina, wisdom and discernment.
PRAY FOR RIGHTEOUS RULERS IN WASHINGTON STATE! Pray for Godly individuals to accept the call now to run for office in the upcoming years’ campaigns.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Continue to pray for wisdom and understanding for our President. Pray he will rise above the rhetoric surrounding him, follow the Lord wholeheartedly (even as King David with his mistakes), and step into the role God has purposed for him.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM / WASHINGTON STATE SUPREME COURT – STUTZMAN CASE: The Washington State Supreme Court ruled against florist Barronelle Stutzman on Thursday, February 16, determining that the government can force Barronelle Stutzman – and by extension, other Washingtonians, to create artistic expression and participate in events with which they personally disagree. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represented Barronelle Stutzman, whom the state attorney general and the American Civil Liberties Union sued for acting consistent with her faith. This case is being appealed to the United States Supreme Court. This decision at the Washington Supreme Court clearly exhibits the need for religious liberty protections in this state and country. It will probably be September before we know if the Court will accept the case. Pray that they will.
THOSE ENDURING RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION: Please continue in prayer for those in Washington state going through religious persecution – Mrs. Stutzman, the Stormans (case concluded), Coach Kennedy (no current details available), plus the Kleins in Oregon who lost their family bakery. All of those individuals and their families have carried a heavy load and appreciated our prayers for justice to be served in their battles for their First Amendment rights to live out their sincerely held religious beliefs in the public arena, including their businesses and occupations. Please keep them in prayer for peace and perseverance. The Kleins simply chose not to bake a cake for a homosexual wedding and for that choice they lost their bakery. Coach Kennedy was fired for simply kneeling to pray after football games. The Stormans chose not to participate in any form of abortion, lost their case in Washington, then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court which declined to accept their case. Stutzman’s case is ongoing. While the case details vary, it’s obvious that the outcome of all the religious liberty cases around the nation will affect each of us as we stand fast in defense of our religious liberty and Biblical principles.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
EDUCATION
GOOD FIRST STEP ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BY PRESIDENT TRUMP: Visit CWA’s national website for an insightful article by CWA’s Legal Counsel, Mario Diaz, Esq.
ACTION
SIGN THE “JUST WANT PRIVACY” PETITION: No law should ever force girls or women to share their bathrooms, locker rooms, or gym showers with grown males. “Just Want Privacy” needs to collect 330,000 signatures by July 1 to qualify for the ballot. Initiative 1552 will require schools to maintain separate facilities for boys and girls and allow businesses to manage their private areas in the way they feel is best. Excerpt from Initiative 1552, “The people of Washington state find they have a reasonable expectation of privacy and safety for themselves, their children, their families, and others in places separated for female use only or male use only such as restrooms, bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, and changing areas, and that promoting and protecting their privacy and safety is a serious matter of legitimate public concern. The people further find that schools, in particular, are places where a child’s privacy and safety should be promoted and protected and that students should never be forced into environments where they may be viewed in various stages of undress by members of the opposite sex or gender, or where they may view members of the opposite sex or gender in various stages of undress. The people also find that forcing female and male students to share private facilities such as restrooms, bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, and changing areas with each other will create significant risks of embarrassment, shame, emotional harm, or psychological injury to students . . . .” Copies of Initiative 1552 are available for pick up around the state (https://justwantprivacy.org/petition-request-form). Please pick up petitions and gather as many signatures as possible. Again, we have until July 1.
SUPPORT RELIGIOUS RIGHTS: HB 1602, relating to protecting the first amendment rights of school sports coaches and others; etc., sits in the House Judiciary Committee. It would be wonderful to see the bill proceed to floor votes, but at the very least it is a good start and will appear again next year. Click here to view the bill text, its status, and more.
Please contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee. Ask them to vote YES on HB 1602. Email and/or call them. Leave a message for them after hours if that works best for you. Be sure to let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Washington.
Seek Him this day my friends, put on the armor of God, rejoice, pray without ceasing, give thanks. Then, having done all, stand.
Thank you for being a part of CWA!
In His Service,
Maureen Richardson
State Director
CWA of Washington
director@washington.cwfa.org
wa.cwfa.org
425-869-1923
Take the next step!
- Join a Prayer/Action chapter. Contact me today to find out if there is a CWA chapter in your area.
- Please donate to CWA of Washington. Our state organization is run exclusively by volunteers and supported 100 percent through donations.
- If someone forwarded you this e-alert and you would like to be on our e-alert list, contact me, and I will be happy to add you.