Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Faith

From Grief to Grace: How Steve Witkoff Found Strength After Tragedy
New York Post, Approved, Commentary, National

From Grief to Grace: How Steve Witkoff Found Strength After Tragedy

By: Alex Witkoff | Commentary, The New York Post My father, Steve Witkoff, has always been a man of compassion. His life has been built on a simple creed: When people suffer, you do not look away — you step forward and help. He did not come from privilege. His father was a coat manufacturer, and at 29, with no financial safety net, he took the leap to start his own business. Hard work was his inheritance; perseverance his language. Even as he built a career from nothing, he never allowed success to eclipse his humanity or his devotion to family. Between 2009 and 2011, our family faced the greatest trial imaginable: My older brother, Andrew, was battling addiction — a disease that consumed his spirit but never his light. My parents surrounded him with constant care, but ...
Drawing Nearer to God, Part 3: The Bible, daily bread, not a buffet line
ScottKJames.com, Approved, Commentary, National

Drawing Nearer to God, Part 3: The Bible, daily bread, not a buffet line

By Scott K. James | Commentary, ScottKJames.com Bible reading isn’t a buffet. God gives us daily bread – just enough light for the next step. Even one verse can draw us closer to Him. This is Part Three of my seven-part Drawing Nearer to God series. I heard my pastor talk about “drawing nearer to God,” and I found myself wondering - how do I actually do that? So I did what I always do: I started digging, Googling, and writing. Now I’m sharing what I’ve discovered along the way. Here’s my confession: when it comes to reading the Bible, I’ve always felt like I’m supposed to eat a buffet but end up grabbing a granola bar. You know the feeling. Somebody at church brags about finishing the Bible in a year. Another friend quotes entire Psalms like he’s got the thing tattooed on his brai...
The Sword of the Spirit – Transformative Power
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Devotional, Top Stories

The Sword of the Spirit – Transformative Power

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 ~ When I was younger, I was fascinated with Disneyland in Anaheim, California. My dad had worked there, and my mom had books on Walt Disney—how he dreamed up new worlds, turned them into concepts, and then made them a reality. We’d watch shows about the planning, the struggles, and the breakthroughs. Then we’d stand in the park itself, surrounded by castles, rides, and lands that once existed only in his imagination. What struck me most was how a vision didn’t just stay in one man’s head—it became a place his family and millions of others could experience and enjoy. That’s the kind of transformation...
LDS Members Rally to Support Family of Michigan Church Shooter
Fox News, Approved, National

LDS Members Rally to Support Family of Michigan Church Shooter

By Greg Norman | Fox News Thomas Jacob Sanford accused of killing four people at Mormon church in Michigan before setting building ablaze. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have collectively raised more than $150,000 for the family of Thomas Jacob Sanford, the shooter who killed four people in an attack on a church in Michigan. The GiveSendGo campaign, as of Wednesday morning, has reached at least $152,000. On Sunday, Sanford opened fire at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township before setting the property ablaze. "One of the families that suffered a terrible loss on that day was the family of Thomas Jacob Sanford, the shooter. Sanford leaves behind a wife and children who must be grieving," wrote David Butler, the organ...
From mourning to mission: TIME recognizes Erika Kirk among 100 most influential rising stars
The Post Millennial, Approved, National

From mourning to mission: TIME recognizes Erika Kirk among 100 most influential rising stars

By Hannah Nightingale | The Post Millennial "Now raising two young children without her husband, what Erika Kirk models to America’s political leadership is the strength of resilience and grace." Erika Kirk, the widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and new CEO of the nationwide conservative organization, has been named one of TIME’s 100 "most influential rising stars" in the world. Kirk is listed under the "Leaders" category alongside figures like White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), and journalist Bari Weiss, among others. Kirk’s entry in the list noted her forgiveness for her husband’s killer, which was issued at his memorial service held just 11 days after Charlie Kirk was assassinated during a stop at Utah V...
The Sword of the Spirit: Trailblazing with Common Sense
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Devotional, Top Stories

The Sword of the Spirit: Trailblazing with Common Sense

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  ~ Hebrews 12:1–2 ~ Imagine you’re standing at the edge of a thick, wild forest. The trees tower, the brush is dense, and the way forward looks impossible. Behind you are people who need a path—your family, your friends, maybe even your whole community. Then you notice the weight in your hand. It’s not just any tool. It’s a sword, not for decoration, not for collecting dust, but for clearing a way forward and defending against hidden dangers. At that...
Drawing Nearer to God, Part 2: Prayer—the discipline we resist but our soul needs most
ScottKJames.com, Approved, Commentary, National

Drawing Nearer to God, Part 2: Prayer—the discipline we resist but our soul needs most

By Scott K. James | Commentary, ScottKJames.com This is Part Two of my seven-part Drawing Nearer to God series. I heard my pastor talk about “drawing nearer to God,” and I found myself wondering - how do I actually do that? So I did what I always do: I started digging, Googling, and writing. Now I’m sharing what I’ve discovered along the way. I’ll just say it up front: prayer is the discipline nobody really wants. I struggle with it – bigly! Sure, we want the results of prayer – comfort, peace, maybe even a miracle or two. But the act of prayer itself? Sitting down, bowing my head, and actually talking to the Creator of the universe? That part’s hard. I’ve been a Christian for almost 30 years, and I still wrestle with prayer. Some days it feels like I’m talking to the...
The fruit of true martyrdom: What Stephen, Bonhoeffer and Kirk reveal
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, National, Top Stories

The fruit of true martyrdom: What Stephen, Bonhoeffer and Kirk reveal

By Michael A. Hancock | Commentary, Undercurrent Substack The Test of True Martyrdom Is in the Fruit It Bears Martyrdom is a word thrown around with reckless ease. In our political and cultural vocabulary, anyone who dies for a cause is immediately baptized as a martyr. But that is a sloppy use of a sacred word. There is a difference — a decisive one — between dying for an idea and dying for Christ. And the difference shows itself in the fruit. The first Christian martyr, Stephen, wasn't executed for a partisan position or a social grievance. He was stoned because he would not soften the charge that the religious elite had betrayed and murdered the "Righteous One." He looked up to heaven and declared that he saw Christ standing at the right hand of God. His sermon enraged the Sanh...
The Sword of the Spirit: Defense in the Advance
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Devotional, Top Stories

The Sword of the Spirit: Defense in the Advance

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." ~ Psalm 119:11 ~ It’s football season in Colorado, and for us Broncos fans, there’s nothing like watching a defense stand tall. Sure, a flashy offense may steal the highlights, but every fan knows the truth: defense wins championships. Some of the most unforgettable Bronco victories weren’t just about touchdowns; they were about stops, interceptions, and holding the line when it mattered most. Now, imagine this: if truth represents the ball in play, the one thing that must cross the goal line to score points, then where does defense fit into the game of life for the Christian? Is a believer called to play defense, holding ground so the enemy can’t advance?...