Abide in Liberty: Recent Episodes
Braeden Hayes
A podcast empowering patriots everywhere to re-enthrone faith, family, and freedom as the bedrock pillars of liberty in education, our communities and our nation.
Abide in Liberty is officially coming to an end, but not before summarizing the key takeaways from the podcast. I also take the time to make good on my promise to share parent feedback from the No Screen November challenge. Thank you to all who have listened all this time, and God bless!
This week I wrap up the seven-part series on the Miracles of the American Revolution. In this episode I pay my tribute to the miracle of George Washington. Not only was his placement in history miraculous, but his comportment before, during, and after the American Revolution are remarkable in ways we take for granted today. He defied history to become the father of a free nation when most in his position would have followed history’s pattern of becoming just another dime-a-dozen tyrant.
For part 6 of our series on the many miracles of the American Revolution, I share the story of the Battle of Yorktown in a way that you may have never heard it before. It's been a long time since the full story of the American Revolution has been allowed to grace the classrooms of public schools, but this final episode in the great war for independence could not have come to its victorious conclusion without God's aide. Join me in learning about, remembering, and celebrating this amazing conclusion to a war that American should never have been able to win. This is one you don't want to miss.
Valley Forge was undoubtably an extremely difficult time for Washington and for the Continental Army. But because this was such a difficult situation, it's also a prime place to look for God's hand and for His miracles, and we are not disappointed in our search. There are many miracles, not the least of which is how he helped them weather the difficulties and come out the other side stronger than ever. Although we don't see these trying episodes in our lives as miracles and blessings while we go through them, that doesn't make them any less miraculous in how transformative they are.
If you have been following along with us in our No-Screen November screen fast, you should have just a few days left of the fast. If you haven't decided what your long-term changes are going to be, now's the time to firm those up. In this episode, we address some other common parent concerns, provide a list of good "house rules" that we recommend all families implement going forward, and talk about how the trend in modern education to merge schools with screens is harmful and needs a major course correction, and that can start with you and I.
If you started the No-Screen November fast with us on November 6th, you should just now be entering week three. You are almost through with the fast, and hopefully you've seen plenty of evidence to convince you that unhealthy screen usage has been affecting all members of the family. These past weeks have allowed you to catch a glimpse of just how good life can be without the negative influences of abundant screens in your life, and hopefully your ready to seriously consider implementing some long-term changes in your family. That's what this episode is all about - planning for the future and starting to craft a long-term plan.
We are one week into the No-Screen November challenge. Most kids and even parents should be able to see some benefits already. We shared some early positive feedback from families who started the challenge early. If you haven't seen any progress yet, we provide some areas you might need to trouble shoot. If you HAVE seen significant progress, we talk about how important it is to avoid the temptation to get lax on the no-screen rules. The benefits compound each week, so don't let off the gas!
Outline:
0:15: Introduction
0:55: Concerns from parents and participants
1:27: The electronic babysitter and the importance of breaks for parents
5:17: What if other experts don't thing screens are a big deal
7:49: How will I get a hold of my kids!?
11:55: The electronic elimination diet
13:52: Early No-Screen November success stories
18:44: Improvement you might seen after one week of the screen fast
20:28: Why you might not have seen these benefits yet / troubleshooting ideas
26:15: Personal reflections - what have we noticed in ourselves as adults?
28:14: Key takeaways from week one of the screen fast - power forward!
29:39: What to expect in week #2
30:37: You don't have to worry about what happens after the fast... not yet anyways
I originally anticipated only spending one week on No Screen November, but after all the feedback we've received and the concerns that parents have shared with us, we have a lot more to talk about that we hope will be helpful to you in beginning and sustaining a screen fast, and then continuing many of those habits for years to come. We spent a lot of last week talking about the negative impacts of screens, but this week, we focus on painting a picture of the amazing things you can expect by taking control of screen usage in your families and getting each member more fully engaged in the real world.
Outline:
0:15 - Intro: More on No Screen November
4:02 - Information correction from last week's episode
5:00 - Concern #1: medium vs content
8:18 - Concern #2: How can my kids have a "normal" social life without screens
11:24 - Concern #3: Teenage textersations
15:26 - Concern #4: Preparing kids early to live in a screen-filled world
19:48 - Concern #5: "But the Church is using screens for missionary work"
20:53 - Concern $6: Using shame and fear to motivate the screen fast
25:49 - What to have in place before beginning the screen fast
30:20 - What a brain needs to develop normally
34:47 - What benefits you should see during No Screen November
40:03 - Case study #1 - Billy's social blossoming
44:04 - Case study #2 - James' slow decline
45:22 - Case study #3 - Liam overcomes some enormous challenges
47:35 - Likely cause of IQ decline in recent years
49:02 - We can reverse course in our families and our community!!
This week on Abide in Liberty, we take a quick break from the Miracles of the American Revolution series to kick off “No Screen November.” The screens we find ourselves surrounded with are a very new development in human history, and neither we nor our kids are responding well to their effects. We have come to accept the irritability and distractibility that accompany them as normal, but they are NOT normal. In a world where Satan runs rampant, we can’t afford to distract ourselves from God’s promptings, and we certainly can’t afford to waste any time worshipping on our glowing, pixelated altars. Join us in taking charge of our lives through a 25 day screen fast. Then after the fast, join us in deliberately crafting boundaries that ensure the negative effects of screen usage you and your kids are experiencing today do NOT return.
Outline:
0:19 - Taking a quick break from Miracles of the American Revolution
0:49 - Satan's power on the rise, we need to bring our A game, screen aren't helping
4:06 - Incentive for Liberty Youth Academy families
5:04 - Why do the No Screen November challenge?
7:33 - Behaviors resulting from screen usage
14:53 - What screens do to the body that results in these behaviors
25:16 - Using screens to "unwind" is counter productive
29:25 - Screen free road trips are AMAZING!
31:15 - Passive vs interactive screen usage | What is the No Screen November challenge
37:03 - What about after the screen fast?
42:55 - Returning to "normal" does not mean a return to screens
47:09 - Academic decline since advent of screens
49:11 - Screen fasting and screen control is NOT extreme; our world is what is extreme
53:33 - Thanksgiving break is the BEST time to do this
55:52 - Don't feel guilty for not doing this sooner
56:45 - How to do this challenge when I still have to use screen at work
1:02:38 - Boredom is a good thing! Let your children embrace it!
1:05:30 - Conclusion and wrap up
Get the full episode on the Abide in Liberty podcast wherever you get your podcasts (www.abideinliberty.com), or you can check out the podcast's YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbXG7V1wLcAb_tx0D7o0PnQ).
It's no wonder that American History in public schools went the way of the dodo about the same time that God was unceremoniously thrust from the public square back in the 60's. I've spent years studying the American Revolution, and you simply cannot make an honest study of the American Revolution without coming to the conclusion that, either the Americans were cosmically lucky to an unfathomable degree or they were supported by the hand of God. This episode is the fourth in a series of episodes on some of the coolest miracles from the American Revolution. In this episode, I share the miracles that led to an American victory at Trenton and Princeton just days before the Revolutionary War crumbled and failed. Angels were there helping keep the cause of freedom on track.
Outline:
0:15: Introduction
1:34: Battle of Trenton background
4:15: Washington refuses to give up
9:17: Inspiring the army to keep going
11:56: Crossing the Delaware and march to Trenton
15:05: Battle of Trenton and the miracles that led to victory
17:32: Army agrees to stay on one more month
20:14: Daring midnight march to Princeton
22:14: Washington risks all to motivate his soldiers
23:54: Revolution revitalized
24:31: What we learn from this - humility, righteousness, and faith make victory
26:12: Call to action - help me share this story!
It's no wonder that American History in public schools went the way of the dodo about the same time that God was unceremoniously thrust from the public square back in the 60's. I've spent years studying the American Revolution, and you simply cannot make an honest study of the American Revolution without coming to the conclusion that, either the Americans were cosmically lucky to an unfathomable degree or they were supported by the hand of God. This episode is the third in a series of episodes on some of the coolest miracles from the American Revolution. In this episode, I cover George Washington's miraculous escape from New York when, by all accounts, the American Revolution should have ended then and there.
Outline:
0:15 - Introducing the series on the miracles of the American Revolution
4:12 - Boston victory galvanized American to the cause of independence
7:06 - British move to New York
8:18 - Overview of New York geography - favorable to British
11:46 - Washington arrives in New York, followed by the British
13:43 - The British attack, American's clobbered and trapped
16:06 - Miraculous escape
21:34 - A different kind of miracle - rescuing from mistakes
It's no wonder that American History in public schools went the way of the dodo about the same time that God was unceremoniously thrust from the public square back in the 60's. I've spent years studying the American Revolution, and you simply cannot make an honest study of the American Revolution without coming to the conclusion that, either the Americans were cosmically lucky to an unfathomable degree or they were supported by the hand of God. This episode is the second in a series of episodes I'm going to do sharing some of the coolest miracles from the American Revolution. In this episode, I share with you how God succeeded in driving the British from Boston with a little bit of help from two amazing men, George Washington and Henry Knox.
Outline:
0:15 - Recap where we left off last week
2:45 - After the French and Indian war - Great Britain ticks off Boston
5:15 - The Boston Masacre
6:18 - Tea party anyone?
7:12 - The Revolutionary War officially begins - Battles of Lexington and Concord
10:00 - Siege of Boston begins
11:27 - Washington appointed commander; humbly accepts
14:51 - Taking Boston - an impossible task
15:26 - Henry Know and the cannon run
17:17 - Taking Dorchester Heights
19:32 - The British abandon Boston; American should never have succeeded
23:17 - A parable for us today
It's no wonder that American History in public schools went the way of the dodo about the same time that God was unceremoniously thrust from the public square back in the 60's. I've spent years studying the American Revolution, and you simply cannot make an honest study of the American Revolution without coming to the conclusion that, either the Americans were cosmically lucky to an unfathomable degree or they were supported by the hand of God. This episode kicks off a series of episodes I'm going to do sharing some of the coolest miracles from the American Revolution. In this episode, I set the stage by sharing a miracle that George Washington experienced years before the American Revolution that ensured he would be alive to fulfill his crucial role later in life. Make sure and listen - you'll be shocked at the story this Native American chief told about George Washington in one of the ugliest battles of the French and Indian war.
Outline:
0:15 - Introducing series of American Revolution miracles
3:21 - Prophecies of America's founding
7:41 - George Washington and the national covenant
11:37 - Why have you never heard about these miracles?
14:11 - The first miracle - Washington's miraculous preservation
Constitution Day is to Independence Day what Easter is to Christmas. Without Easter, there would be no Christmas because it's the resurrection that makes Christ's birth notable. Similarly, without Constitution Day, there would be no reason to celebrate Independence Day as we would have likely been swallowed back up by the British Empire, and you know they don't celebrate the 4th of July. Join this podcast for a little history and for my tribute to a group of men who were truly remarkable and are deserving of our heartfelt gratitude. We should be making more statues of them, not tearing down the ones we have.
0:00 Introduction
2:33 Declaration of Independence overview
3:28 Articles of Confederation (our first constitution) and all the problems it caused
6:30: Constitutional Convention convened to amend Articles of Confederation
7:52: Washington, Hamilton, and Madison had different plans though
10:33: The Constitution was signed, but that wasn't the end
13:59: Four miracles that made the Constitution possible
20:22: The best spirits God could find, they were NOT evil
I start by sharing my experience training our dog. After that, I walk you through how that led me to some insights into the importance of discipline. Self discipline has almost become a four letter word in our culture, but rather than run from it, we desperately need to reinstate its importance in our personal lives, our family lives and in our society at large if we ever wish to return to being a nation capable of governing itself. I also share some thoughts on principles we should keep in mind while disciplining our children. Join me for the second of this two part series, and recommit to leading a disciplined life of Christian service.
I start by sharing my experience training our dog. After that, I walk you through how that led me to some insights into the importance of discipline. Self discipline has almost become a four letter word in our culture, but rather than run from it, we desperately need to reinstate its importance in our personal lives, our family lives and in our society at large if we ever wish to return to being a nation capable of governing itself. I also share some thoughts on principles we should keep in mind while disciplining our children. Join me for the first of this two part series, and recommit to leading a disciplined life of Christian service.
While Trump proclaims his intentions to retaliate for the persecution he has undergone if he is able to reclaim the White House, Oliver Anthony shares what we actually need to change the individual and collective souls of America. The answer is not retaliation and revenge, it's not Trump, and it certainly isn't Biden. What we need is virtuous charitable leadership that will put God first before all other considerations. Only by playing for God's team do we open ourselves up to his power and aid. We didn't become a nation without Him, and we will be powerless to repair our nation without Him.
In a head to head debate where logic and common sense are allowed, it's not hard to defeat the arguments of transgender activists. This movement has only been so successful because it has figured out how to shout so loudly that neither they nor you can hear the arguments against it. Cold logic though, does not also help though when on a personal level you are required to confront this issue with some you love. How do you balance Christian love with a bold declaration of Christian and scientific truth? Join me in this podcast where I share some principles that have helped me navigate this tricky balancing act in my life.
Allowing people and countries to specialize in certain things has undoubtedly raised the standard of living for most people on the globe. If there's one thing that COVID taught us though, it's that specializing too much and sacrificing self reliance on the altar of efficiency and maximizing the amount of stuff we can produce and consume is a terrible idea. In this series, I explain some basic economic principles and show how specialization tempered with a focus on self reliance around the necessities of life is not only a good idea, but it's essential for surviving the calamities foretold prior to the second coming of Christ.
Allowing people and countries to specialize in certain things has undoubtedly raised the standard of living for most people on the globe. If there's one thing that COVID taught us though, it's that specializing too much and sacrificing self reliance on the altar of efficiency and maximizing the amount of stuff we can produce and consume is a terrible idea. In this series, I explain some basic economic principles and show how specialization tempered with a focus on self reliance around the necessities of life is not only a good idea, but it's essential for surviving the calamities foretold prior to the second coming of Christ.
George Washington's farewell address was simply nothing short of prophetic. Join me in the third of this three-part series where we read excerpts from his farewell address where he warned us of the very mistakes we are making today. Then join me in imagining what America could be like if we simply heeded his council. It's not too late to learn wisdom from those who went before us and who spent far more time in selfless service of their country than most of us could ever hope to equal.
George Washington's farewell address was simply nothing short of prophetic. Join me in the first of this three-part series where we read excerpts from his farewell address where he warned us of the very mistakes we are making today. Then join me in imagining what America could be like if we simply heeded his council. It's not too late to learn wisdom from those who went before us and who spent far more time in selfless service of their country than most of us could ever hope to equal.
George Washington's farewell address was simply nothing short of prophetic. Join me in the first of this three-part series where we read excerpts from his farewell address where he warned us of the very mistakes we are making today. Then join me in imagining what America could be like if we simply heeded his council. It's not too late to learn wisdom from those who went before us and who spent far more time in selfless service of their country than most of us could ever hope to equal.
In this episode, we follow up last week's discussion of childhood sex slavery with the other great evil plaguing our time - abortion. Just like we have to animate ourselves to do something, ANYTHING, to end child slavery, we have to do something to end the mass genocide of unborn children that has been legalized and celebrated the world over.
"How can a people like this, that are without civilization— (And only a few years have passed away, and they were a civil and a delightsome people)... How can a people like this, whose delight is in so much abomination—How can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment against us? Behold, my heart cries: Wo unto this people. Come out in judgment, O God, and hide their sins, and wickedness, and abominations from before thy face!"
"The children of God are not for sale." This movie was incredible, and if you are reading this, stop and go see the movie. After the movie, come back and listen to this podcast where I go through my thoughts and feelings from the movie as well as what we should do to take the next steps. Feeling bad about it isn't enough. We can all do something...
To celebrate the 4th of July, I pay my tribute to Thomas Jefferson by providing a defense for him against some of his most scathing critiques. Some of them are downright false and others are taken horribly out of context. Join me as we learn about him, the world he lived in, and his incredible contribution to freedom for countless individuals.
I can't led pride month pass without a conversation about the link between a society practiced in bridling sexual appetites and liberty. A society full of people that can't govern their sexual impulses is simply a society in decline. There is no example in history of a society who survived a wholesale acceptance of immorality. Strangely enough, if you struggle to control basis human impulses, you don't have the moral backbone to be able to handle maximum freedom.
Trump's arraignment has been all over the news, in large part because of Biden's departure from hundreds of years of precedent of NOT using political power to go after political opponents. This is the stuff that banana republics and dictatorships are made of. In Trump's speech after the arraignment, he said the cat is out of the bag, and there's no going back. If elected president in 2024, he says, he'll go after Biden in retaliation. Join me in this podcast where I make the case that we don't just have to accept our induction into banana republican-hood. We can reverse course, but it takes a special king of leader. A leader made of the same stuff that George Washington was made of... And that's not Trump.
This world is insane, and evil is everywhere. I don't know if Armageddon is right around the corner. But if it is, I talk what we need to have in place to be prepared for it. I also talk about how fear is the least of the feelings we should have about end-of-days tribulation because, on the other side of the hard, is Christ's coming and 1000 years of unparalleled peace. The Founder pushed through the terrible because they hoped for something better on the other side of that. We know what's on the other side of the crazy, and it's amazing beyond imagination! This is one episode that you don't want to miss. The future is bright, and we can be prepared for it if we lay it all on the altar and let God direct our footsteps.
The House just passed a spending bill in order to avoid breaching the debt ceiling. Some paint this as a great victory, others as a necessary compromise, but the truth is that Congress is absolutely out of control and the “right” path should have been obvious to Republicans and Democrats alike given the shaky economic environment we find ourselves in and the already insane amount of debt our country carries. Rather than behave responsibly, our representatives seem determined to drive us over a financial cliff as quickly as humanly possible. You don’t want to miss this episode. I go into the history of the national debt, the tenuous situation we find ourselves in, and the mindset we need to have if we are to have a hope of course correcting.
In this episode, Braeden looks at how immigration laws and policies in recent years as well as Congress' bad habit of raising the debt ceiling and passing continuing resolutions are unconstitutional and violates the rule of law. He also talks about how desperately we need to elect leaders who will do what is right, legal, and Constitutional even if it is unpopular and goes against our personal preferences. We must choose righteousness over all else. When we choose wickedness, the destruction is what we can expect.
Politicians these days might talk about separation of powers and checks and balances, but they are more buzzwords than guiding principles. That needs to change. In this episode, I deep dive into both in preparation for next week's episode where I will explain several contemporary issues where they have been violated and ignored and what we can expect in the future if we allow that to continue.
Braeden shares a scripture about the Good Shepherd and the importance of relying on Him to keep the ravenous wolves out. He looks at different ways our society has allowed ravenous wolves to, not only enter our fold, but in many cases we've given them a place of honor. One of the biggest "wolves" we've allowed into most of our homes is the wolf of undermining families and motherhood in particular. Mothers are NOT dumb or clueless. They are the authors of our future, and they deserve more respect than any job, degree, or worldly achievement. God bless all the faithful mothers out there!
Braeden talks about how evil is more in your face than ever before. Or is it? Turns out, we are repeating a pattern that has been seen many times throughout history. The difference this time is, God wins and completely annihilates evil in the end. What part are we supposed to play in that? Give this episode a listen to find out.
Part 1 (0:00) - I read a comment from YouTube from a person claiming that God is completely indiscernible and that as believers we will ourselves into belief with no evidence or real reason whatsoever. I take that argument apart and show how each person can learn for his and herself whether God is real using the scientific method.
Part 2 (10:30) - Few moments during the Revolutionary War are more iconic than the crossing of the Delaware River. I summarize the event, highlight George Washington and his unbelievable courage to attempt such a feat in the first place, and share some of the lessons and application for our day that I gather from this incredible event.
There are some things that we demand excellence in: sports, entertainment, and technology just to name a few. On the flip side, our moral center is decaying, our population and the rising generation are less and less educated each year, and faith is out of favor. We find ourselves in the dangerous position of demanding excellence in all the wrong things and settling for mediocrity in all the right things. It's high time for a priority adjustment.
There's been a lot of talk in the news about inflation and interest rates for at least a year now, and the financial world just got dealt another devastating blow with the failure of a couple not insignificant banks in mid March. Join me for the last of four episodes dedicated to learning the basics of macroeconomic financial policy, the role the Fed plays in that, and how they control vital aspects of the economy. I also explore some of the history that set the stage for real trouble with the advent of COVID, and where that has led to today with out of control inflation and panic over bank closures.
There's been a lot of talk in the news about inflation and interest rates for at least a year now, and the financial world just got dealt another devastating blow with the failure of a couple not insignificant banks in mid March. Join me for the third of four episodes dedicated to learning the basics of macroeconomic financial policy, the role the Fed plays in that, and how they control vital aspects of the economy. I also explore some of the history that set the stage for real trouble with the advent of COVID, and where that has led to today with out of control inflation and panic over bank closures.
There's been a lot of talk in the news about inflation and interest rates for at least a year now, and the financial world just got dealt another devastating blow with the failure of a couple not insignificant banks in mid March. Join me for the second of four episodes dedicated to learning the basics of macroeconomic financial policy, the role the Fed plays in that, and how they control vital aspects of the economy. I also explore some of the history that set the stage for real trouble with the advent of COVID, and where that has led to today with out of control inflation and panic over bank closures.
There's been a lot of talk in the news about inflation and interest rates for at least a year now, and the financial world just got dealt another devastating blow with the failure of a couple not insignificant banks in mid March. Join me for the first of four episodes dedicated to learning the basics of macroeconomic financial policy, the role the Fed plays in that, and how they control vital aspects of the economy. I also explore some of the history that set the stage for real trouble with the advent of COVID, and where that has led to today with out of control inflation and panic over bank closures.
I've been studying prophecies of the last days recently, and it hit me more than ever just how many of those prophecies we are hitting, and so many of them directly impact our liberties. Don't miss out on the second of this two part series where I take the last days' prophecies from a single chapter in scripture and talk about the modern day fulfillment of them. If you missed Part 1, you'll want to go back and listen to it first.
I've been studying prophecies of the last days recently, and it hit me more than ever just how many of those prophecies we are hitting, and so many of them directly impact our liberties. Don't miss out on the first of this two part series where I take the last days' prophecies from a single chapter in scripture and talk about the modern day fulfillment of them.
In this episode, I address the issue of screen usage for both adults and children. As we've been discussing the past weeks the importance of bringing everything we are to bear on helping solve the world's problems, one of the greatest hindrances to our own progress and that of our children is the hours we waste on mindless entertainment and glowing screens. Make sure to listen to gain motivation to make a change and for practical suggestions for how to correct this disturbing trend.
As the information age matures, how in the world do we sift through all the information and differing points of view to determine what is real, what is true, and what God wants and expects of us. There's really only once source for truth when even our senses can be so easily deceived, and that Christ. Our relationship with him and ability to hear His will for us through the Holy Spirit is more important now than ever.
In this episode I share one of the main things that I think holds us Christians back from being a more active voice for truth, especially in a country where we are still (for the time being) in the majority. Satan has done a fantastic job of getting us to consume endless amounts of empty calorie entertainment. There is so much good, spiritually nutritious things for us to spend our time with that we don't really need the fluff. We need to seek out of the best books words of wisdom. I also share a couple experiences I've recently had with some of those "best books" and how filling our lives with them can build in us the strength we need to confront the evil that is gaining strength and momentum.
In last week's episode, I mentioned that I would love for my Christian moral code to be the adopted moral code of our country. I stand by that, but in this episode I explain how that desire is not tyrannical but democratic. We should all vote our consciences and push for what we believe to be right. In a country that is majority Christian though, how is it that there is so much evil in our country? I think we've bought the lie that Christ would want us to be nice and keep our mouths shut even though that's not what he did, and that's not what we should do. It's time shout our discipleship and make our voices heard!
A common defense any time a moral issue comes up in the political sphere is that you can't legislate morality because that would somehow be violating the freedom of religion clause in the Bill of Rights. In this episode I outline the impossibility of trying to exclude morality from legislation or trying to separate morality from religion. Neither are possible. Someone's morality has to win, and in a Republic, that should be the majority, but as Christians, we conceded to defeat to a foe with inferior numbers and inferior moral standing. It's time to stand up and make our voices heard.
My family and I recently moved to a new home and that came with a new church congregation. When we moved we were told it would be a difficult congregation to be a part of because there weren't many young families, but what I found was a glimpse of Zion. In this episode I share those observations in the hopes that we can all work on creating that same environment wherever we happen to be.
All too often, I think we place limitations on ourselves. We were given weakness, not to hamstring us, but to force us to our knees. If we humble ourselves, God can turn those weaknesses into strengths. He has some impossible things he needs each of us to do, at least they're impossible to us, but if we let our own limited view of our potential stop us from trying, we are limiting what God can accomplish through us. Be sure to listen to the entire episode to learn about some incredible people in history that we can look to as examples of those who embraced the hard and the impossible and went on to do some incredible things with God's help.
When President Biden signed the student loan forgiveness executive order, there was an uproar of approval on one side and disapproval on the other. Social media was inundated with petty bickering. In this episode, we try to elevate the conversation and the analysis but evaluating this executive order, not on the basis of party preferences, but on the basis of sound, timeless principles of freedom. Don't miss it!
In this episode, I interview my mother, Stephanie Dale, who founded Liberty Youth Academy. Her story is incredibly inspirational and is a great example of what it takes to stand up against evil, consecrate our lives to God, and find greater meaning in sacrifice and faith. Don't miss it!
In this episode I dive into the 2nd Amendment which guarantees to United States citizens the right to keep and bear arms without restriction. I walk through the history of this amendment, why the Founding Fathers actually wanted it in there, and how it is not outdated. I also walk through the atrocities that governments have perpetrated against their unarmed citizens in the 20th century alone. This amendment is more relevant today than ever, and we must jealously defend it if we want to have a prayer of keeping the rest of our liberties.
In this episode, I share many of the ways that evil abounds in our society and how important it is that we seek to root it out wherever we find it and in any way that we can. We have to analyze everything based on principles (not political parties) and fight anything that violates those freedoms regardless of whether the perpetrators are a part of a favored party or not. I also talk about how important it is to fight evil actions while avoiding the temptation to demonize God's children, even those who are woefully off track.
In this final installment of the overview of the 5000 Year Leap by Clean Skousen, I talk about the importance of avoiding entangling alliances, the foundational role the family plays in stable and peaceful societies, the dangers of excessive debt, and the manifest destiny our country has to spread freedom across the globe.
This week, we cover three important principles. The first is the rule of law. For so much of history, and throughout many countries today, the rule of the ruler is what reigns supreme, and that can make for turbulent societies and troubling transitions of power. Second, we explore the importance of education to maintaining freedom and we look at the educational level of early Americans. And finally, we talk about one of George Washington's favorite principles - peace through strength.
Welcome back! I begin by addressing the concept of majority rule. We might think unanimity is preferable, but in practice this leads to rule by the minority, and I explain why that is. I finish up by talking about the importance of keeping as much of the governing local as possible. This is the only way to maximize freedom and generate the best, most efficient outcomes. People know what's best for them and their local communities, not some distant federal government bureaucracy. We need to leave the federal government in charge of the few things it is best equipped to handle, and leave everything else to the states and local communities.
In this episode I cover the importance of having a written constitution (and how such a thing was an American invention) as well as the importance of limiting the government through that written Constitution to prevent centralization of power.
In today's episode, we explore the importance and key elements of the free market economy. We also look at the separation of powers and checks and balances, both what they mean and where these game changing ideas came from. All of these are key elements of a free society, and it's vital to understand them so that we can tell when they are being violated.
The first principle I talk about in this episode is the corruptibility of human nature and how power corrupts even the most virtuous and well intentioned. The Constitution was structured to prevent even the best-intentioned people from exceeding their authority.
The second principle I talk about is how without property rights and government protection of those rights, your right to life and liberty are seriously threatened. Property doesn't seem like a huge deal, but it is the linch pin of all the other rights. Listen on to find out why that is.
Welcome back! In this episode, we continue our study of the principles of liberty by looking at what has to be in place for a nation to alter its form of government, and we look at the Revolutionary War as a case study to see if it meets the criteria for a "just revolution." We applied the same principles and analysis to the Civil War. We also talked about how our country is a Constitutional Republic and NOT a democracy, and why that's a good thing.
In this episode, I continue sharing principles of freedom that our Founders believed in and which informed how they built this country. This episode explains what unalienable rights and where the come from. I also dive into the Divine Right of Kings and how revolutionary it was to build a country on the foundation of sovereignty resting with the masses. This seems obvious to us, but the implications of this shift in thinking have been staggering.
In this episode I review the first 7 principles of freedom from the book, 5000 Year Leap, that virtually all the Founding Fathers agreed with. I cover the political spectrum the Founders used (not right and left), the important of moral citizens and leaders, the role of God and religion in our country, and the difference between equal opportunity and equal outcomes. I demonstrate the importance of letting principles guide our actions with the example of abortion. You don't want to miss it!
In this episode we dive a litter deeper into the Revolutionary War and focus on the incredible persistence of George Washington. When we are doing God's work, we will face intense opposition, but he will be with there with us, like he was with the Founders during the Revolutionary War, to help assure our ultimate victory despite opposition.
In this episode, I explore the historical case study comparing the American and French Revolutions. I show how an experiment with freedom and a grounding in God led to a very different outcome in America than it did in France. I end making a plea that we make sure to keep God central in our modern efforts to reclaim liberty so that we don’t follow in France’s footsteps.
Show Notes
0.00 - Introduction
0:56 - Freedoms under attack
5:19 - American Revolution
11:15 - French Revolution
20:21 - God’s got to be central to today’s freedom movement
Following up on last week's episode about the importance of God in education, this week I confront the fallacy that our kids can get truth diluted with the philosophies of men at school and all the God stuff at home and have them be as strong as they could be if they were getting pure, undiluted truth in every aspect of their education. I also refute the idea that you can somehow "put on the armor of God" at home through scripture study and ignore the command to "stand in holy place and be not moved." It's not "put on the armor of God" OR "stand in holy places." It's "put on the armor of God" AND "stand in holy places." We need both for maximum spiritual protection and growth.
0:00 - Introduction
0:50 - Satan's Lies
6:25 - Stand in holy places AND put on the armor of God
7:05 - Amalickiah and DON'T abandon your place of security!
14:27 - Counter-arguments (vaccines, Daniel, in the world but not of the world)
22:37 - Vision of the tree of life and the great and spacious building
25:54 - A stripling warrior education
31:30 - Cautious that no poison should be administered among them
34:03 - What do you do about this?
35:29 - Conclusion
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Education is supposed to be so much more than just job training or career prep. This life is a short blip on the grand scale of the eternities, and it is that eternal world that is the real one. Our education and our children's education should be preparing us for that eternal world we are all aiming for. The world we live in is not the real world anymore than the testing center at your local college is the real world. This is the test, and this is where we prepare for our heavenly home. And the great thing is that an education that prepares us for eternity also does a FANTASTIC job of preparing us for this testing world.
0:00 - Introduction
0:47 - The Real Purpose of Education
7:07 - The REAL Real World
9:27 - Teach the Whole Truth and Nothing But
22:10 - The Fruits of an Un-Godly Education
24:26 - Conclusion and Introducing Next Week's Topic
Often my doubts center not around God's ability to do great things but in my own ability to do adequately do my part. In this episode I share how I recently struggled with some self doubt and what I learned about God's ability to work miracles both without our help and through imperfect people like me and you.
Show Notes0:57: Background
2:25: My struggle
4:38: Help through another person
6:43: The power of prayer
11:30: Moses trusting in God's miracles
14:24: Hezekiah trusting in God's miracles
18:47: Conclusion
In this episode, I focus on how important it is for each of us to learn truth and learn the principles of freedom that our country and its Constitution are founded on so that we can stand up and do our part to defend truth and right. We all lead busy lives, but following Christ means sacrificing some personal comforts and desires to make time to serve him, defend him, and actively work to push back the darkness. I then give a list of four things from Ezra Taft Benson that we can be doing to support the Constitution.
Show notes:
0:23: Addressing social media comments
8:28: We need to learn these things
10:43: We need to defend them, we're not too busy
14:34: What to do if you feel inadequate (I do too)
19:09: "Make the darkness tremble"
23:29: How we can defend the divinely inspired Constitution
For additional reading on these topics, I highly recommend the following sources. I do not receive any affiliate income from any of them.
- Original Intent by David Barton
- Did America Have a Christian Founding?by Mark David Hall
- The Constitution, A Heavenly Banner by Ezra Taft Benson
Those who seek to claim that the United States was NOT founded on Christianity rely on scant claims and ignore a mountain of evidence in order to make their case. Braeden addresses some of the main points they make and shares his favorite quotes from that mountain of founding-era evidence which makes it abundantly clear that this country really was founded on Christianity.
Braeden responds to comments on last week's episode about spiritual neutrality and reaffirms that faith and believe in God are not somehow intellectually inferior to atheism. Then he goes into this week's topic and explains the importance of understanding the original intent of the Constitution, how the words "separation of church and state" are not even in the Constitution, and what the founders actually intended when they wrote the first amendment guaranteeing freedom of religion. Understanding this concept is vital to preserving what religious liberties we have left and reclaiming what we've lost.
Braeden talks about how the movement to remove God from the public square and public schools beginning in the 60's in favor of Godlessness was not a step in the right direction. There's a prevalent belief that removing faith from the equation leaves you with a neutral alternative that is equally welcoming to all. In practice, that's just not the case, and I take you through some of the reasons for why that is.
In this episode, Braeden introduces himself, explains why he is doing this podcast, and previews the topics he'll be discussing in future episodes. He also outlines the underlying assumptions and perspective behind everything that he'll talk about. If you believe in God and want to see families strengthened instead of torn apart, and if you belief that the founding of our nation was inspired by God and deserves to be studied and celebrated, then you'll probably like what you hear.