in making them aware of Satan, or the evil force in life, which they can read of, in the Bible, which is freely available at the Hall. A scientific study was recently done, which concluded that teenage brains are not developed enough to be aware of, or recognize, consequences. I try to help them see consequences.

I believe my program has had a positive impact on the kids and I don’t want to see it end. I believe the kids need to hear the things I share. I have many letters of thanks from the kids.

I asked the Chaplin if I could come back as a religious volunteer but was told, “no”, because I am not clergy. There seems to be no open window for me to talk to the kids. Either I come in as a clergy or I don’t mention God. Is this a freedom of speech issue? It amazes because I hear some of the coaches, who care for these kids, use the words, God and Jesus Christ as profanity toward then and around them, often. Is there not a

Sadly, after ten years, I was suspended from presenting my volunteer program BE A WINNER IN LIFE to incarcerated kids at Juvenile Hall, (Youth Jail) because my book, of the same name, mentions God, Jesus Christ and Satan.

I have presented my program to over 10,000 young people, at the Hall, in San Diego. It has been well received by the kids. Over the years, I was never told, by those in authority, that I did anything wrong.

I felt good with my progress with the kids and then things changed when I wrote my book! I was given permission to donate one to each unit by the then training officer and her supervisor.

The books were in the units, for some time and then a new training officer took over and on May 5th, 2003, I was suspended because I was told my book contained religion.

My suspension was for one month and I could return if I did not mention God in my program, and if I wrote a description of what I will say to the kids. I was also told I could no longer speak to the kids one-on-one. Many kids ask to talk to me. I have mentored some of them and seen amazingly good changes in their lives.

This suspension deeply hurts me because my mission is to try to save these kids from a life of crime, and help them make good choices, so they can have happy and successful lives. I am a mother and grandmother who cares.

I do this by sharing my life with them. I tell them of my troubled childhood with an alcoholic father, that I was a victim of a drunk driver and how I started to go down the wrong road, as a teenager, drinking alcohol, too. I tell them my Dad died an alcoholic, and his death was the life-changing event, which lead me to pray to God and ask for help to change my life. I then chose not to drink alcohol and to make better choices. As a result, my life and my family’s life have turned out very well, better than my dad and my alcoholic grandfather.

I tell these young people they have the ability to have a good life too. I talk about the good and evil forces in life. I tell them to think of consequences before they act, go to school, work hard, don’t use drugs or alcohol, make goals, be obedient, choose good friends, be honest, get rid of anger and hatred, be morally clean and have a positive attitude. I also encourage them to pray, read scriptures and go to their church.

To be totally honest, I do have a desire to share the spiritual things, which I have discovered in my life, which have brought happiness and success to my family and me. To share those truths I wrote my book, as a supplement to my verbal program, for the kids who might want to read it. My desire is to keep as many kids out of Juvenile Hall as I can. My book contains the things I have discovered most helpful to them. I have also included a chapter written by Dr. Orval Nelson, a child development and family relations councilor, who has more experience, than I have, with young people and families.

My book is a Christian book. When I donate it to the units, I put on the outside cover, ‘This is a Christian Book,’ so the kids can choose if they want to read it or not.

I know there is a fine line here because there are kids in Juvenile Hall, from other countries and faiths. When I talk to them individually I encourage their individual beliefs and the beliefs of their parents. It is not my right to sway them away from their family’s beliefs. I know that not everyone believes in Jesus Christ,

that is why, when I put it into the units, I state it is a Christian book.

I am committed not to promote my own faith or church, but because we are a God fearing country, I see nothing wrong in encouraging them to pray and read their scriptures and go to their church. I don’t even see anything wrong in making them aware of Satan, or the evil force in life, which they can read of, in the Bible, which is freely available at the Hall. A scientific study was recently done, which concluded that teenage brains are not developed enough to be aware of, or recognize, consequences. I try to help them see consequences.

I believe my program has had a positive impact on the kids and I don’t want to see it end. I believe the kids need to hear the things I share. I have many letters of thanks from the kids.

I asked the Chaplin if I could come back as a religious volunteer but was told, “no”, because I am not clergy. There seems to be no open window for me to talk to the kids. Either I come in as a clergy or I don’t mention God. Is this a freedom of speech issue? It amazes because I hear some of the coaches, who care for these kids, use the words, God and Jesus Christ as profanity toward then and around them, often. Is there not a

say to the kids. I was also told I could no longer speak to the kids one-on-one. Many kids ask to talk to me. I have mentored some of them and seen amazingly good changes in their lives.

This suspension deeply hurts me because my mission is to try to save these kids from a life of crime, and help them make good choices, so they can have happy and successful lives. I am a mother and grandmother who cares.

I do this by sharing my life with them. I tell them of my troubled childhood with an alcoholic father, that I was a victim of a drunk driver and how I started to go down the wrong road, as a teenager, drinking alcohol, too. I tell them my Dad died an alcoholic, and his death was the life-changing event, which lead me to pray to God and ask for help to change my life. I then chose not to drink alcohol and to make better choices. As a result, my life and my family’s life have turned out very well, better than my dad and my alcoholic grandfather.

I tell these young people they have the ability to have a good life too. I talk about the good and evil forces in life. I tell them to think of consequences before they act, go to school, work hard, don’t use drugs or alcohol, make goals, be obedient, choose good friends, be honest, get rid of anger and hatred, be morally clean and have a positive attitude. I also encourage them to pray, read scriptures and go to their church.

To be totally honest, I do have a desire to share the spiritual things, which I have discovered in my life, which have brought happiness and success to my family and me. To share those truths I wrote my book, as a supplement to my verbal program, for the kids who might want to read it. My desire is to keep as many kids out of Juvenile Hall as I can. My book contains the things I have discovered most helpful to them. I have also included a chapter written by Dr. Orval Nelson, a child development and family relations councilor, who has more experience, than I have, with young people and families.

My book is a Christian book. When I donate it to the units, I put on the outside cover, ‘This is a Christian Book,’ so the kids can choose if they want to read it or not.

I know there is a fine line here because there are kids in Juvenile Hall, from other countries and faiths. When I talk to them individually I encourage their individual beliefs and the beliefs of their parents. It is not my right to sway them away from their family’s beliefs. I know that not everyone believes in Jesus Christ,

that is why, when I put it into the units, I state it is a Christian book.

I am committed not to promote my own faith or church, but because we are a God fearing country, I see nothing wrong in encouraging them to pray and read their scriptures and go to their church. I don’t even see anything wrong in making them aware of Satan, or the evil force in life, which they can read of, in the Bible, which is freely available at the Hall. A scientific study was recently done, which concluded that teenage brains are not developed enough to be aware of, or recognize, consequences. I try to help them see consequences.

I believe my program has had a positive impact on the kids and I don’t want to see it end. I believe the kids need to hear the things I share. I have many letters of thanks from the kids.

I asked the Chaplin if I could come back as a religious volunteer but was told, “no”, because I am not clergy. There seems to be no open window for me to talk to the kids. Either I come in as a clergy or I don’t mention God. Is this a freedom of speech issue? It amazes because I hear some of the coaches, who care for these kids, use the words, God and Jesus Christ as profanity toward then and around them, often. Is there not a

alcoholic grandfather.

I tell these young people they have the ability to have a good life too. I talk about the good and evil forces in life. I tell them to think of consequences before they act, go to school, work hard, don’t use drugs or alcohol, make goals, be obedient, choose good friends, be honest, get rid of anger and hatred, be morally clean and have a positive attitude. I also encourage them to pray, read scriptures and go to their church.

To be totally honest, I do have a desire to share the spiritual things, which I have discovered in my life, which have brought happiness and success to my family and me. To share those truths I wrote my book, as a supplement to my verbal program, for the kids who might want to read it. My desire is to keep as many kids out of Juvenile Hall as I can. My book contains the things I have discovered most helpful to them. I have also included a chapter written by Dr. Orval Nelson, a child development and family relations councilor, who has more experience, than I have, with young people and families.

My book is a Christian book. When I donate it to the units, I put on the outside cover, ‘This is a Christian Book,’ so the kids can choose if they want to read it or not.

I know there is a fine line here because there are kids in Juvenile Hall, from other countries and faiths. When I talk to them individually I encourage their individual beliefs and the beliefs of their parents. It is not my right to sway them away from their family’s beliefs. I know that not everyone believes in Jesus Christ,

that is why, when I put it into the units, I state it is a Christian book.

I am committed not to promote my own faith or church, but because we are a God fearing country, I see nothing wrong in encouraging them to pray and read their scriptures and go to their church. I don’t even see anything wrong in making them aware of Satan, or the evil force in life, which they can read of, in the Bible, which is freely available at the Hall. A scientific study was recently done, which concluded that teenage brains are not developed enough to be aware of, or recognize, consequences. I try to help them see consequences.

I believe my program has had a positive impact on the kids and I don’t want to see it end. I believe the kids need to hear the things I share. I have many letters of thanks from the kids.

I asked the Chaplin if I could come back as a religious volunteer but was told, “no”, because I am not clergy. There seems to be no open window for me to talk to the kids. Either I come in as a clergy or I don’t mention God. Is this a freedom of speech issue? It amazes because I hear some of the coaches, who care for these kids, use the words, God and Jesus Christ as profanity toward then and around them, often. Is there not a

a child development and family relations councilor, who has more experience, than I have, with young people and families.

My book is a Christian book. When I donate it to the units, I put on the outside cover, ‘This is a Christian Book,’ so the kids can choose if they want to read it or not.

I know there is a fine line here because there are kids in Juvenile Hall, from other countries and faiths. When I talk to them individually I encourage their individual beliefs and the beliefs of their parents. It is not my right to sway them away from their family’s beliefs. I know that not everyone believes in Jesus Christ,

that is why, when I put it into the units, I state it is a Christian book.

I am committed not to promote my own faith or church, but because we are a God fearing country, I see nothing wrong in encouraging them to pray and read their scriptures and go to their church. I don’t even see anything wrong in making them aware of Satan, or the evil force in life, which they can read of, in the Bible, which is freely available at the Hall. A scientific study was recently done, which concluded that teenage brains are not developed enough to be aware of, or recognize, consequences. I try to help them see consequences.

I believe my program has had a positive impact on the kids and I don’t want to see it end. I believe the kids need to hear the things I share. I have many letters of thanks from the kids.

I asked the Chaplin if I could come back as a religious volunteer but was told, “no”, because I am not clergy. There seems to be no open window for me to talk to the kids. Either I come in as a clergy or I don’t mention God. Is this a freedom of speech issue? It amazes because I hear some of the coaches, who care for these kids, use the words, God and Jesus Christ as profanity toward then and around them, often. Is there not a

in making them aware of Satan, or the evil force in life, which they can read of, in the Bible, which is freely available at the Hall. A scientific study was recently done, which concluded that teenage brains are not developed enough to be aware of, or recognize, consequences. I try to help them see consequences.

I believe my program has had a positive impact on the kids and I don’t want to see it end. I believe the kids need to hear the things I share. I have many letters of thanks from the kids.

I asked the Chaplin if I could come back as a religious volunteer but was told, “no”, because I am not clergy. There seems to be no open window for me to talk to the kids. Either I come in as a clergy or I don’t mention God. Is this a freedom of speech issue? It amazes because I hear some of the coaches, who care for these kids, use the words, God and Jesus Christ as profanity toward then and around them, often. Is there not a double standard here? To be fair, there are many people who work at Juvenile Hall who are very respectful to the kids.

I guess I am the latest victim of the movement intent on banning God from our lives. Based on their theory, mentioning God is in violation of the separation of church and state, as defined by the United States Constitution. I believe we should re-think this statement. I don’t believe it was ever intended to ban God!

I understand people’s fear of having their religious freedoms taken away, but I believe it is not faiths, beliefs, or even individual churches, which take away peoples freedom. It is our intolerance of others and our desire to have others think as we do. We each have the right to believe, according to the dictates of our own hearts, but we do not have the right to force our beliefs on others. If our belief is causing hatred toward others, it is wrong. Our beliefs should cause us to love one another, not make divisions. We should respect each other because we do believe!

The reality is, none of us will know who is right or who is wrong, until we die. In the mean time, we need to do what is right then we can live in a world where we all will have peace and happiness.

In the end, if there is a God, which I believe there is, his true followers will be the pure in heart - not just the ones who have a membership in any church or belief. My philosophy is, ‘anything good is of God and anything evil is of Satan.’ It really comes down to a fight between good and evil. We each need to look into our own hearts to see what side we are on. Isn’t it said, “By their works yea shall know them?”

I was very shocked by my suspension and wonder if other believers are aware of the power of this movement, to ban God. If we allow it to succeed, there will be devastating affects on each of us, and on our country. Clarence Thomas notes; that when we threw God out of the public schools, other things, like drugs, violence and worse took His place. Think of how easy it was for them to get prayer out of the schools!

Christians and God fearing people must ban together, forget our differences and fight the evil force intend on taking God completely out of our lives and our country.

As for me, I will not allow my belief in God to be taken away from me and I will continue to encourage young people to choose good over evil.

I am troubled, at this point, as to what I should do about my program at Juvenile Hall. Should I go back, under their terms and try to help the kids, the best I can? If any of you have suggestions, I will appreciate them.

My question to you is, “what are you doing to help preserve the religious freedoms we all enjoy and take for granted? Christopher Ruddy noted Our National Motto is “In God We Trust”. We know that nations who have banned God have suffered. In the name of a Godless humanity, Nazi Germany, Communist Russia and Red China murdered more people last century than all of the casualties from all the wars of history combined.

George Washington said: “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and to humbly implore His protection and favor.” May God bless us all!