AnnaScott Cross | November 13, 2024 | SHARE: 
“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” ~ Proverbs 4:23
When I was growing up, there was a tv show that all my friends were watching. Some of the characters had attitudes and were disrespectful to others on the show; the overall morals the show promoted were fuzzy at best; and the show offered little substance that would point me to Jesus and encourage me to be more like Him. I got home one day and asked my mother if I could watch the show that all of my friends were talking about. While it was a little annoying at the time, I am so thankful that my mom took the time to walk me through how to prioritize the things I should give my time to, and how to closely look at the messages (and morals) that tv shows and other platforms are promoting.
Her work in teaching me to carefully think through what I am consuming and investing my time in has been a lifelong gift. We are surrounded by distractions designed to lure us away from Christ, and whether it is carefully choosing what we watch or how we spend our time, it is important that we guard our hearts and keep our focus on Christ.
Katy Faust is a national champion for protecting children, and in her article, she talks about the responsibility that adults have to protect children’s minds. Children have the right to innocence, and they deserve to have a childhood instead of being forced to grow up too quickly. Instead, groups across the country are creating mature content that is targeted specifically at kids, often to advance a political agenda. As adults, we should be vigilant about protecting children from harmful content and directing them towards content that builds their character and strengthens their relationship with Christ.
Unfortunately, adults often fail to protect children’s innocence, and the children are the ones forced to bear the – often devastating – consequences. In “Detransitioners: The Silenced Victims of the Transgender Movement”, Sharon Sullivan shares the story of Prisha Mosley, who became a victim of the transgender movement. Our culture is telling us that our problems are the result of being born in the wrong body or not embracing our true identity, causing thousands of children to pursue dangerous and irreversible paths in search of a solution only to realize that these “solutions” solve nothing and cause a host of life-long problems. Messages that are not based on truth can have devastating impacts, and it is critical that we keep our focus on truth to help stem the tide of this devastation.
Not only is it important to block out the dangerous messages, but it is important to intentionally invest in a Christian community and resources that will strengthen our relationship with Christ. The North Carolina Study Center is an amazing ministry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that is helping college kids do just that, working as a hub for Christian community, hospitality, and learning. Study Center staff share about the work they do at UNC-CH and that their counterparts do at universities across the state in “The North Carolina Study Center Spotlight.”
We’ve been given one life to live, and it is critical that we steward our time and attention to focus on what truly matters: our love relationship with God and with one another that glorifies God each day here on earth and for all eternity. So, guard your hearts. Spend your time on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).
Thank you for reading Family North Carolina. We hope you enjoy the content found in this edition. Please reach out to us to request more copies to share with friends and family!
AnnaScott Cross is the Communications Director for the North Carolina Family Policy Council and is Editor of Family North Carolina.
