Rocky Mountain Voice

Menu

Author: Drake Hunter

Devotional: When the truth calls you back into formation
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, Devotional, Top Stories

Devotional: When the truth calls you back into formation

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church I remember the day truth found me, normative truth that is, and it wasn’t in a church pew or quiet devotional moment. It was on a drill pad, surrounded by hundreds of Airmen at Lackland Air Force Base, standing at attention in full formation. I was in Basic Military Training, still full of fight, pride, and the need to prove myself.  When the Training Instructors (TIs) clocked out for the day, I’d go looking for a different kind of training, one that involved fists, not formation. I would stir up fights in the dorms, trying to dominate the other guys in our squadron.  In other words, I thought I was all that and a bag of Doritos with a Mountain Dew on the side, so much so–that I thought I was getting away with...
Read More
Devotional: When your worldview wears on you like sagging pants
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, Top Stories

Devotional: When your worldview wears on you like sagging pants

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice We are now into our series, The Belt of Truth. In the introduction, we learned that trust is the foundation needed to build it, and that only comes through truth. Additionally, we covered the various aspects we will explore throughout this series: subjective, objective, normative, absolute, and applied truth. Let’s dive into subjective truth to keep the series moving. Shall we?    I used to think sagging pants were just a phase… until I became a youth pastor. It started at home with my oldest son, Joshua, who is now 36, but was 15 at the time. I’ll never forget the day he shuffled into the room with his pants hanging on for dear life, no belt in sight—just a whole lot of confidence and a look ...
Read More
Hunter: ‘Real people doing real things’—NoCo Legislative Wrap-Up rallies the grassroots
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Hunter: ‘Real people doing real things’—NoCo Legislative Wrap-Up rallies the grassroots

Drake Hunter | Commentary, RMV NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice Last night’s Northeast Colorado Legislative Wrap-Up at Rez Church in Loveland wasn’t just a review of bills and budgets—it was, for many of us, a clear-eyed call to civic action. Several hundred attendees gathered to hear from elected officials representing Colorado’s northeastern counties, including a few rising voices in the state’s Republican ranks. Among them were Reps. Ryan Gonzalez and Carlos Barron, two principled young leaders quickly gaining traction with voters across Colorado. The event was thoughtfully organized by NoCo Wrap-Up, marking its inaugural year. Well-coordinated and engaging, it was also refreshingly focused on substance over spectacle. It set a high bar and laid the foundation for what many...
Read More
Hunter: Rural leadership shines through in Fort Morgan Chamber’s future
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Hunter: Rural leadership shines through in Fort Morgan Chamber’s future

Drake Hunter | Commentary, RMV NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice When rural Colorado shows up for each other, the whole state gets stronger. That belief echoed throughout the Off-the-Clock Networking Hour on June 25, where Leticia Morales was welcomed as Executive Director of the Fort Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce.  Held in the spirit of connection and collaboration, the event brought together local leaders, media partners, and civic voices who share a common goal: strengthening the bonds that make Morgan County, and all of Colorado, thrive. As a lifelong resident of Morgan County, Morales’ appointment represents both a homegrown success story and a bold step forward for the Chamber’s vision. “This is more than just a new chapter for me, it’s a new opportunity for all...
Read More
Devotional: Be a Twinkie in a Ding Dong world
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, Devotional, Top Stories

Devotional: Be a Twinkie in a Ding Dong world

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church Let me take you back to the year 1988—my early days as a Christian, stationed in Germany with the United States Air Force. I was a brand-new convert, ready to charge hell with a squirt gun. Freshly saved and fully fired up, I figured the best way to show my faith was with the biggest King James Bible I could find. In Germany. That was no easy task. But I found a Christian bookstore, marched in, and said something like, “Give me the real deal.” What they handed me was less a Bible and more a leather-bound briefcase of holy intimidation. It had gold letters on the front, multiple bookmarks, and enough weight to count as carry-on luggage. I was thrilled. I thought, The bigger the Bible, the greater the faith. Here I...
Read More
Devotional: The belt of truth—where trust finds its anchor
No Comments
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, Devotional, Top Stories

Devotional: The belt of truth—where trust finds its anchor

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church If there’s one thing that holds relationships, communities, and even entire cultures together, it’s trust. But trust isn’t something that floats around waiting to be found—it’s something built. And like any lasting structure, it’s built on a solid foundation. That foundation, according to Scripture and life experience alike, builds trust through the truth. As someone who gets to wear a few meaningful hats—Pastor at Elevating Life Church, founder of Four-Dimensional Living, and Ambassador for Rocky Mountain Voice—I find myself constantly in conversations where people are searching for one thing: a reality they can trust. And the more I listen, the more I’m convinced: trust can’t grow where truth is absent. It withers under lie...
Read More
Hunter: A Father’s Day tribute to the men who carried us
No Comments
Top Stories, Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Hunter: A Father’s Day tribute to the men who carried us

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice What makes a man a great father? Not just in the sentimental sense, but in the enduring, full-bodied, legacy-building kind of way? As we celebrate Father’s Day, we at Rocky Mountain Voice would like to invite you on a journey – a journey through time, reflecting on the enduring impact of fathers. From the respected fathers of our past, to the steady hands of today’s dads, to the hopeful plans we dream of in future fatherhood, there’s a theme – a thread, if you will. It’s not power or perfection. It’s about being genuine, having good character, and delivering a benevolent performance, all of which are interwoven in how a man shows up for his family, his work, and his world. In every generation, there's a breed of me...
Read More
Hunter: More than a price tag—what that doggie in the window really cost
No Comments
Approved, Commentary, National, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Hunter: More than a price tag—what that doggie in the window really cost

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice How much is that doggie in the window? Remember this cheerful tune? It’s a jingle from another era, when the dream of a family pet felt as simple as a walk past a shop window. But today, that question echoes with heavier meaning. In the aftermath of COVID-19, animal shelters across the country are overwhelmed—not with hopeful adopters, but with returned, surrendered, and abandoned dogs. What was once a feel-good moment, the impulse to bring home a furry companion during lockdown, has for many turned into complete heartbreak. Behind the catchy melody lies a more sobering truth: the real cost of pet ownership goes far beyond the price tag. The surge in pet adoptions during the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedent...
Read More
Devotional: The breastplate of righteousness isn’t a costume—it’s combat gear
No Comments
Approved, Commentary, Devotional, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Devotional: The breastplate of righteousness isn’t a costume—it’s combat gear

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church Reflecting on the lives of remarkable figures—Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, etc.—we discover a golden thread that weaves through each of their stories: character. If asked how to live a good, just, and meaningful life, each would likely point not to power, fame, wealth, or status but to the inner life—the heart. Real character, a character that can meet the demands of a harsh reality, they’d say, isn’t a PR stunt; it’s forged in private, rooted in virtue, and revealed in action. It’s one thing to know what’s right…it’s another to live it. That’s the difference between fantasy and fact. In this mini-series, we’ve suited up with the Breastplate of Righteousness, anchoring ourselves not in...
Read More
Hunter: Dear Common Sense on using your voice without becoming part of the chaos
No Comments
Approved, Commentary, National, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Hunter: Dear Common Sense on using your voice without becoming part of the chaos

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice “Dear Common Sense” is a no-nonsense advice column for those who still believe truth matters, leadership is earned, and common sense isn’t so common anymore. Each issue tackles real questions from real people, offering grounded wisdom for speaking up, leading well, and living with integrity in a noisy world. No shouting. No spin. Just clarity with character.  Let’s lean into our first entry. Shall we? Dear Common Sense, I care about this country, probably more than I let on. And I’m not one to sit on my hands when something needs to be said. But these days, it feels like speaking up just adds to the noise. I don’t want to keep my mouth shut, but I don’t want to add to the shouting match either. ...
Read More