April 24, 2025 • 38 mins
Today, on Karl and Crew, we discussed the importance of walking in truth with the Lord. The enemy will try to plant lies in our heads to discourage and keep us from knowing the truth that God has given us. One of those truths is that we are dead to sin and alive in Christ Jesus our Lord, which is spoken about in Romans 6:11. When we know the truth, we won’t believe the lies that the enemy and the world throw at us. What lies have you believed? We also had Ginna Cross as a special guest today. Ginna is the Co-Executive Director of Alliance Family Services, a Christian organization committed to serving women and families in the Kenosha and Racine area. The organization champions the sanctity of human life, sharing the Gospel, and trusting God to transform lives. Ginna and her husband, Steve, are passionate about rescuing the preborn and proclaiming the gospel. You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.
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S1 (00:00):
Coming to you from the Morning Star Mission sponsored studio.
This is Carl and crew on Moody Radio.
S2 (00:08):
Tell you one thing I've been drilling down on lately.
This word manifestation is driving me cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. Wait.
Even with the red dye in it and the blue dye.
Those cocoa puffs, it's driving me crazy. Manifestation is everywhere.
I think it's a fad. I think we're going to
get through it. But you've heard it all these terms
(00:30):
of I want to manifest this.
S3 (00:32):
So and how I've used it or how I've not
used it, thankfully, how I've heard people use it is
this idea that, like, there's this thing that I want,
like this goal that I have. So I'm going to
somehow think about it or do certain things to sort
of manifest it into my life. Is that how you've
heard it used?
S2 (00:53):
Yeah, it's over and over. It's all over the place.
I mean, here's the deal. Here's the problem with that.
That is there's, you know, the real problem. Here's the
problem with that. You might think you're manifesting something into being,
and that further confuses you into you thinking you're the
Lord of your life. That's the problem with it. I'm
(01:14):
not even saying that. Some kind of. I'm not even
saying that the power of positive thinking is necessarily always bad,
because there is some value to thinking positively. I mean,
the Apostle Paul has a whole book about consider this.
(01:34):
Think about these things. So there's there's positive thinking that's beneficial,
but there's no thinking like thinking the truth. That's the power. See,
when you get anchored, not manifestation, but in bringing to
mind the truth of how God sees you and all
these things, it's it's awesome. So I want to illustrate
(01:56):
it this way. Sometimes you are believing a lie about
anything out there, and then you hear the truth and
you're like, whoa, now I got a goofy one for you.
About a decade ago, I was absolutely certain that I
(02:17):
heard my life hacking wife. She's an investigator and studies
the body and nutrition and stuff like that. I mean,
she goes after it. She is after it. I give
her credit for keeping me out of the coffin, man.
She's she's awesome on this stuff. But I was certain
I heard her say one morning, pepper is bad for you. Now,
(02:43):
forget how all of it went down.
S3 (02:46):
Like. Like the pepper that you sprinkle on pepper. Okay.
S2 (02:49):
Pepper. Like ground pepper. I was certain, okay. I was
certain I heard that. So years are going by and
I'm like, hey man, my wife said it, I believe it.
And I just started using Himalayan pink salt on my
eggs over medium. Just butter everywhere. By the way, if
(03:14):
you got enough, you got enough butter on your three
eggs over medium in a small pan. When the butter
can no longer sit underneath the eggs, it comes in
and pours over the top of the eggs.
S4 (03:25):
That's a lot of butter. That is a lot of butter.
S2 (03:28):
I'm telling you, it is a lot of butter, man.
So I don't I don't know what happened, but one
day I'm whipping up some eggs and I say, babe,
you want a couple of eggs? She goes, yeah. And
she whips out salt and she whips out pepper. This
is a true story, guys, and you might call me
a knucklehead. Whatever. And she starts peppering her eggs and
(03:49):
I said, I thought you told me Pepper was not
really that good for you? She goes, I never said that.
I said, babe, are you know, now I'm like, I've
been a decade going down this path, like not having pepper,
and I love Pepper and I'm like, babe, I'm certain
you told me. She said, bub, look at me. I
(04:12):
would have never told you that.
S4 (04:15):
Oh, Carl, you missed out on so many years of Pepper, dude.
S2 (04:18):
No. Now, now, now I got animated. I'm like, you're
joking me right now. You're you're. You're telling me Pepper
is okay? She goes, bub, pepper is good for you.
Let me list all the ways it's good for you.
It was like, you know, I felt a little bit silly.
(04:39):
It's like, yeah, pepper probably isn't that bad. I mean,
God made this, and people harvest it. And now, you know,
I caused our GDP nationally to go down as a
result of me not consuming pepper for ten years.
S4 (04:55):
Wow.
S2 (04:57):
I'm telling you, it was a huge aha moment. So
we're going to flip this around. But I just want
to have some fun here for a moment. What did
you think along the lines of just general stuff that's
bad or you shouldn't do that or you shouldn't do
that or this or that. And then you found out, whoa,
(05:19):
I got some bad information. What was it? I'm dying
to hear it. Text in right now. We're going to
take your text. You got some bad information, and for years,
you were living a lie. And the truth would have
set you free. And for me, it's pepper on eggs.
And now I'm making up for lost time.
S4 (05:39):
Double pepper on everything.
S2 (05:42):
805. Five five 7898 800 555. 78. 98. Give us
a text. Ali's going to read them out. What is
that crazy thing that for years you thought, I can't
do that, I shouldn't do that. And then you find out, Shazam!
I can give us a text.
S1 (05:59):
She was trying to earn her way to God, but
God showed her she didn't have to. Ali is in
the crew. It's Carl and crew on Moody Radio.
S2 (06:09):
Scotland crew mornings. All right, here's what we are asking you.
What did you believe about general life stuff going on
out there? And you're like, you found out, oh my goodness,
that was a lie. And I was not believing the truth. Ali,
have we got some respondents coming in here?
S3 (06:26):
We do. This one deals with something mom told them.
Mom told me I had the most sensitive ears ever,
and that getting my ears pierced would probably damage them.
So for years they apparently avoided it and finally got
my ears pierced in 2016. I don't know at what
(06:46):
point at how old they were at that point. But
avoidance for a while because that's what mom said, this
one I love. It deals with a little bit of
a language. Um, difference.
S4 (06:57):
Challenge.
S3 (06:57):
Yeah. They said my Spanish was not that good. I
had always told my Spanish coworkers to put Jose Cristo
Cristo into their heart, which is Joe Christ. That's the translation.
S2 (07:13):
Okay.
S4 (07:14):
That's good. Oh. Oh, that is good.
S2 (07:19):
That's so good.
S4 (07:20):
Oh, I love it.
S5 (07:21):
Oh my goodness.
S2 (07:23):
Oh my goodness. There's some funny ones coming in here.
Some we shall not mention. Oh my word.
S3 (07:28):
Oh here's a common one. I was told that if
I swallowed my gum, it would take seven years to
get through my diet.
S4 (07:35):
Why is that a thing? I'm still.
S2 (07:36):
Believing.
S4 (07:37):
That seven years is the exact number that I believe.
S3 (07:39):
I think that's what people were told. I think the
other one was like, if you swallow a watermelon seed,
it can grow a watermelon in your stomach.
S4 (07:46):
Oh come on. I remember that one.
S3 (07:48):
Yes, I remember being told that.
S4 (07:50):
Me too.
S2 (07:51):
Really?
S4 (07:52):
Oh, yeah. Well, how about.
S2 (07:53):
The swimming one? Remember, you can't eat 30 minutes.
S4 (07:57):
You gotta wait.
S3 (07:57):
30.
S4 (07:58):
Minutes, you know.
S2 (07:59):
Well, I think the parents wanted pool time.
S4 (08:01):
No.
S2 (08:02):
Really, I think they wanted kids out of the pool.
S4 (08:05):
You don't need to wait 30 minutes.
S3 (08:06):
I mean, that one seems like it's just common sense. Like,
if you just eat three hamburgers and then go jump
in the pool. It seems like a bad idea.
S4 (08:13):
That might not be.
S3 (08:14):
The best.
S4 (08:15):
But, I mean, if you're going lap swimming, you probably
don't want to eat three hamburgers.
S2 (08:19):
All you do is belch in the pool. That's all
that happens. That's it. Boop. Well, my.
S4 (08:24):
Burger.
S2 (08:25):
Burger appreciation boys in the water. All right, all right.
So we're obviously flipping this thing around because in Romans
611 this is so important. So you must also consider
yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
This word consider in the Greek language means to count
(08:48):
as true. To think deliberately and intentionally. And here's the
question we've got for you today. And I'm asking you
to call in right now. What's a lie you believed
about yourself? And how did the truth set you free?
You begin to ruminate, calculate. You were deliberate. You were
intentional going, no, that is not true about me. What lie?
(09:13):
What's a lie you believed about yourself? And how did
the truth set you free? 855 five 7898. Give us
a call 805 55, 78, 98.
S1 (09:26):
She's a choreographer extraordinaire, and everything is Greek to her.
Super die is in the crew. It's Carl and crew
on Moody Radio.
S2 (09:36):
Power of positive thinking. Yeah, yeah. You can go to
Philippians chapter four. For sheer power of truthful thinking, that
positive thinking that Paul has in mind is really embedded
in truth. This is what we find in verse 11
of Romans six. So you also must consider yourselves dead
to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Its
(09:59):
huge lynchpin verse that's followed by then let not sin,
therefore reign in your mortal body. So what's Paul teaching here?
He's saying that what we believe matters big time. The
question of what's the lie you believed about yourself? And
how did the truth set you free? Super die. What's
on your heart?
S6 (10:18):
I believed I was not lovable in any way, shape
or form. Matter of fact, I was a mistake and
really had no purpose other than causing others. Probably inconvenience.
So the idea of just being unlovable really carried with
me for a very, very long time. Truth being several verses,
of course. The entire word of God.
S4 (10:37):
But for starters.
S6 (10:38):
For starters, let's go there. But to narrow it a bit,
I mean, obviously John 316, God so loved the world.
He gave his one and only son. Christ would die
on a cross for me, that unlovable person. But my
most favorite verse, and maybe you've heard me say it. This,
of course, is out of Romans, and it's Romans 839. Nothing.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God. He
(11:01):
treasures me. I was made with a purpose. And that
was not only mind blowing for me, but heart blowing
for me as well.
S2 (11:10):
And see, when.
S4 (11:11):
You.
S6 (11:11):
Everything.
S2 (11:12):
Now, from time to time, you must have to recapture
that right? Because the old snake comes in and tries
to rip us off. You have to think deliberately and intentionally.
S6 (11:22):
Of.
S2 (11:22):
Course. And and look, look what that does. You walk
a little more briskly following Jesus when you know that, right?
Super die.
S6 (11:30):
You walk more briskly. You serve better. You serve others better,
you love better. You become better hands in the feet
of Christ to others, because you have that story and
you know, and you really, at least for me, you
really know the transforming power of being loved unconditionally. That's
(11:51):
a big word to add to that love unconditionally.
S2 (11:53):
Romans eight is rocked us all.
S4 (11:56):
But it's my verse.
S2 (11:57):
I'm so pumped for you. Super day. I'm so pumped
for you. That's so cool. Super day.
S4 (12:05):
Yeah.
S6 (12:06):
Yes. I get a little emotional just talking about it.
S5 (12:08):
Oh I know. Okay.
S6 (12:10):
I'm good. I'm good.
S4 (12:11):
Goodness of God, man.
S5 (12:12):
All right. Let her up for air.
S4 (12:13):
Super young thunder.
S2 (12:14):
Let's super up for air. What's on your heart, man?
S4 (12:16):
Yeah. The lie I believed was that Romans 715 which says.
For I do not understand my own actions. For I
do not do what I want, but I do the
very thing I hate. I, I believed the lie that
that was just how life went.
S2 (12:31):
And what a great insight.
S4 (12:33):
Yeah. And that. You know what? So you're just stuck
with some things sometimes, and that's how it's always gonna be.
And that's what you can expect out of life. And
and I think part of me, I told myself that
because it lowered the bar of expectation a little bit,
but it's not. That was when I kind of had
the I was supposed to do everything. I was supposed
to muster up the strength to get it done, but
(12:55):
I know now that that's not the truth at all.
The truth is, is that a life fully surrendered and
submitted to God? He's going to give you the power
to overcome the things that you never thought you could.
S2 (13:08):
Yeah. What a great thing. A lot of people this
is a grave error. They look at Romans seven, foolish man,
that I am that which I want to do, I
don't do, and that which I do, I don't want
to do. But we've we've got to read on because
I'd loved it was many years ago. I read I
forget who the author was, but he said the great
tragedy in the American church is that we've made this
(13:31):
a proof text for our failings. Yeah. And we've looked
at the Apostle Paul and said, yep, that's my life. Boy,
I really resonate with Paul. Paul wasn't leaving us there.
He went on to say, who will rescue me from
this body of sin and death? Praise be to the
Lord Jesus Christ. You know what's interesting about that passage
(13:53):
that you referred to a lot? And I'm glad you
mentioned this young thunder. The word me or I in
about ten verses is used about 15 times, and God
is absent from that whole stretch of text. Yeah. So
what Paul's saying is, and there's a lot of debate
around is this pre regenerate Paul pre born again Paul
(14:14):
pre Damascus road Paul or is this post Damascus road.
Kind of the common everyday struggle. Doesn't matter what it is.
I lean toward the latter. Now I used to be
the former, but I believe that what Paul's saying is
let me tell you about life. But let me tell
you who liberates you from what you think is status
(14:37):
quo Christianity.
S4 (14:38):
Mhm. It's it's half of the truth. It is that
when we are left to our own devices, this is
the life that we will live when we live in
our own strength. This is what you can expect. But
when we, when we give it to God, when we
surrender and when we lean into Him and His power,
it changes the whole game. It changes the whole situation around.
(15:00):
And so we can't we can't live life saying, well,
this is the whole thing when it's really the first
half before the change comes.
S2 (15:07):
Yeah. I mean, praise be to God. I was I
was talking with someone yesterday about Romans 4567, which are
these hinge passages about this victory over sin primarily? I mean,
you got to remember, this resurrection power is first and
(15:28):
foremost conquering, missing the mark in our life. We're all
shooting arrows. We're all throwing spears, so to speak. With
every decision, every action, everything that we do. And the
beautiful thing about the power of not only the cross,
but the empty tomb, is that we have victory over
sin and darkness. And frankly, it's it's high time I'm
(15:50):
using a dad term there. My dad used to always
say that, son, it's high time you start. It's high
time you start believing it. Boom, crew. It's high time
you start believing it. Count. It is true. Think deliberately. Intentionally.
Super precious story. Girl, you are loved. You are lovable.
(16:13):
God loves you.
S6 (16:15):
Yes.
S2 (16:16):
Amen. Somebody doesn't want their name, social security number. Because
we're going to get the Maranatha Booty Kickers.
S5 (16:23):
Wait wait wait. Now.
S4 (16:26):
Take them down.
S5 (16:27):
Thank you.
S2 (16:28):
Take those suckers out. They're going.
S5 (16:30):
Down. Wow.
S2 (16:31):
And young Thunder eye. These are.
S5 (16:33):
Two.
S2 (16:34):
Huge ones you guys just mentioned. Because young Thunder, I
got to tell you, man, too many people have looked
at Romans seven and they've gone. Yeah, boy, sure resonate
with Paul.
S4 (16:46):
Yeah.
S2 (16:46):
Have. Which I want to do. I just don't do it.
And that which I do, I don't want to do.
Read on friend.
S4 (16:52):
Read on, read on.
S2 (16:53):
Read on, friend.
S4 (16:54):
And lean into God. Because if you're trying to do
it by yourself, this will be your experience. But don't
lean into yourself. Lean into the one who can change everything. Amen.
S2 (17:04):
Boom and believe it, man, what a powerful truth. Live
in it.
S1 (17:10):
Today he was sharing the gospel on the radio and
then he got saved. Young thunders in the crew. It's
Carl and crew on Moody Radio.
S3 (17:20):
Well, it's a great, great question for you this morning.
What is that lie that you believed about yourself, and
how did the truth set you free? So many ways
you could go with this. But there are things that
we believe to be true about ourselves. Maybe because what
we absorb from culture, maybe what our parents told us,
maybe what we saw on the internet. Dawn from New Orleans.
What did you believe about yourself and how did the
(17:43):
truth set you free?
S7 (17:45):
I was told by a great uncle that I was ugly,
and for many years I believed it. And then one
day I was reading, you know, spending a lot of
time in the word of God. And he said I
was beautiful. And I said it out loud, and I said, yes.
The more time I spend with the Lord, the more
beautiful I am.
S3 (18:03):
Don, how did that change things for you? Because that's
especially as a woman, those that subtle lie of you're
not attractive, you're ugly, you don't look this way or
that way. How did that change for you when it
when when you really felt the word of God and
took that in like, no, I'm beautiful because he made me.
S7 (18:23):
It just came on like, all of a sudden. Well,
many years of spending time in the Lord. And what
I started doing at that point is telling women that
they're beautiful. Anytime somebody walks in. Good morning. Beautiful. Hello, beautiful.
Because I wanted them to feel, you know, the way
I never did. And one asked me, why do you.
(18:46):
Why do you say I'm beautiful? I said, because the
Lord created you. And you are his beauty. And never
believe anything else. That you are beautiful in Jesus.
S3 (18:55):
Don, thank you so much. Sweet call from New Orleans.
I know that that resonates with a lot of people,
and it's so much more than a little CoverGirl or Maybelline.
It's the beauty that radiates from the inside because you
are his. Coming up, more of your stories first, Jonathan,
let's check news.
S4 (19:16):
Let's get you updated with a couple of your top
stories today. Russia has dropped dozens of missiles on the
capital of Ukraine. Ukraine's air force says around 70 missiles
fell on Kyiv earlier today, while over 100 Russian drones
targeted the city. Ukrainian officials say at least nine people
were killed in the assault, which hit over a dozen locations,
including residential buildings. They say more people could be trapped
(19:39):
under the rubble and that a search and rescue operation
is underway. This marks the deadliest attack on Kyiv since
last July, when nearly three dozen people were killed in
a Russian airstrike that targeted a hospital and a residential neighborhood.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced he would be cutting a short,
cutting short a trip to South Africa following today's bloodshed.
(20:00):
Birth rates in the U.S. are at a near record low.
New data released by the CDC says about 3.6 million
babies were born in the U.S. last year. That's a 1%
increase from 2023, which saw an all time low birth
rate in the U.S.. The Trump administration has been considering
new policies to encourage women to have more babies, including
giving $5,000 in cash to each woman who gives birth.
(20:23):
I'm Jonathan, and that is your update.
S2 (20:26):
That's one way to get the birth rate up. Five
grand bonus for having a kid.
S4 (20:30):
Yeah. No kidding. Yeah. I'll tell you what, though. I've
got a kid. $5,000 doesn't cut the whole thing. No.
Shouldn't be the reason you have a kid.
S2 (20:37):
Do it. Do a quick calc for me here. What's it?
What's it cost? Well, I'll tell you what, though, Jonathan,
in all seriousness, it's not a reason to have a kid.
But it for some people it. But for some people
it makes the potentiality of having that baby more and
maybe even keeping that baby that you're wondering what to
do a whole lot more plausible.
S4 (20:58):
I think that's fair. Yeah, I think that's fair.
S2 (21:00):
It's an amazing thing. What's it cost to raise a
child from birth to 18 these days? There we go.
Let me see here. He's working.
S5 (21:07):
It. Well, he's.
S2 (21:08):
Working.
S5 (21:08):
It.
S3 (21:09):
I'm trying to think.
S5 (21:11):
It's a big.
S3 (21:12):
Number one season of travel basketball. And you're almost halfway
to that.
S4 (21:19):
So it's. uh, it's 310 to $414,000, with the average
cost a year, around $23,000.
S5 (21:27):
Yep.
S4 (21:28):
Sounds about right.
S2 (21:29):
That's a chunk of change.
S4 (21:30):
Yeah, a little a little chunk.
S2 (21:31):
I got a buddy with 12 kids.
S4 (21:34):
Wow.
S2 (21:35):
Do the math on that one real quick.
S4 (21:37):
Uh, okay. Hold on. Let me get a calculator.
S3 (21:39):
I feel like there has to. It probably goes down.
There's got to be some ratio.
S5 (21:42):
I don't know how it decreases. It might be hand-me-downs. Yeah.
S3 (21:47):
Hand-me-downs.
S6 (21:48):
Yeah.
S3 (21:49):
You know.
S6 (21:50):
Something in there is.
S3 (21:50):
Free child care. As kids, older kids get young or
old enough to care for the little ones. I think
it does get cheaper by the dozen.
S4 (21:58):
If it did at if it doesn't get cheaper, it
would be about $5 million.
S3 (22:02):
Yeah, I think it has to get cheaper.
S4 (22:04):
I think.
S5 (22:04):
So. A little bit. I agree.
S6 (22:05):
With.
S5 (22:06):
Ellie.
S2 (22:06):
You can have 12 kids for a whopping low, low price,
including depreciation and re-use jeans for $3.8 million.
S4 (22:14):
That's the thing, is the reuse clothes, man, that's a
big one. Hand-me-downs. I mean, I was the fourth kid
in my family. I don't know if I got.
S5 (22:21):
New clothes.
S3 (22:22):
By the time the jeans made it to.
S5 (22:23):
You.
S2 (22:25):
And the chance of them going out to chick fil
A together is slim to none. I mean, you're at
home having chick mahem.
S5 (22:31):
Yeah, exactly.
S4 (22:32):
We are eating out was a rarity when I was
a kid. That was not a thing. So it's. It's
different now, man. Going out to eat, I feel like,
is like a common thing for everybody now. And it
was not when I was a kid.
S5 (22:46):
No, but.
S2 (22:46):
That's wild that you say that. Because for for me,
growing up, it was lucky. Wishbone once a.
S5 (22:53):
Month.
S4 (22:54):
Yes.
S2 (22:54):
And lucky wishbone was like, whoa. And then on occasion,
dad would look at me and go, mom and I
are popping for cheese on the burgers tonight.
S5 (23:04):
Whoa! We got cheese on the burgers. You gotta be
kidding me. Dad is doing well, man. He is.
S2 (23:12):
Rolling.
S5 (23:12):
In.
S8 (23:13):
A good month.
S5 (23:14):
It's a good month in the closet home.
S2 (23:17):
Oh, isn't that funny how things change? Yeah, there is
a lot of presumption. I mean, I'm not trying to
sound old, but there's a lot of presumption, including first.
First time home buyer. Man. Whoa, Nelly. I remember our
first time home. We had radon in the basement in
our 800 square foot home on New Mexico Avenue in Denver, Colorado.
S4 (23:41):
What's radon?
S2 (23:42):
Complete with gases that are not good.
S5 (23:44):
For you.
S2 (23:44):
Coming out downstairs. I mean, it was rough.
S5 (23:48):
Wow. Oh. It's horrible.
S9 (23:50):
Just a funny thing. Oh, for goodness sakes.
S2 (23:54):
Oh, for goodness sakes. Life is life funny. Come on, guys.
S4 (23:58):
Oh, yeah. There's so many different things that we can
all relate to, no matter the generation or the time
you grew up. Some fun things to talk back and
forth about.
S5 (24:06):
All right.
S2 (24:08):
What happens when you believe and put shoe leather to it?
That's what I'm kicking around in my brain. Think about it.
because I think having a doctrinal statement or positions of belief,
or knowing your identity in Christ and knowing that you've
been called to be his workmanship, being called to be
his workmanship and knowing God uniquely designed me. He gave
(24:29):
me special gifts, talents, time, talent, treasure to use for
his glory. But we never roll up our sleeves. We
got a problem there. Houston, we got to turn that
one around. And boy, have we got a vision for
you coming up of turning it around. This is mercy me.
Good morning. Boom. Crew helping you take your next step
(24:51):
with Jesus. Believe it.
S1 (24:54):
He was running from God, but God's love brought him home.
Carl is in the crew. It's Carl and crew on
Moody Radio.
S2 (25:03):
If you are a Christ follower, you share with myself. Ali,
super die young Thunder, this commitment. That man. Every baby
AB deserves a fair shot at living in this world
from the womb all the way to the grave. And it's.
It's one thing to champion that. It's another thing to
roll up your sleeves, though. And I think that's what
(25:24):
we're constantly looking for, are what are the bigger yeses
out there that will help us stand in a way
that gives us some credibility?
S5 (25:32):
Ali.
S3 (25:33):
Absolutely. I think that that's what it's all about. I
think the those who are critical of the pro-life position
are looking for. Are you willing to put your money
where your mouth.
S5 (25:42):
Is, so.
S3 (25:42):
To speak? Jenna Cross joining us right now, co executive
director of Alliance Family Services, a Christian organization serving women
and families in the communities of Kenosha and Racine and expanding,
as I'll let her explain, she's also a registered nurse
and a mom of six. Jenna, give us a little
bit more about the work that you're doing.
S10 (26:01):
Yes. At Alliance Family Services, we want to rescue the
pre-born and care for their mothers. And so what that
looks like is we are opening pregnancy clinics in various places,
especially where we can reach those who are considering abortion
and empower them to choose life. So we currently have
four clinic locations. We're looking to expand that to having
(26:22):
30 clinics across the country by 2030. We have a
mobile clinic that we park right in front of a
busy Planned Parenthood location, where we're working to reach women
who are walking in to have abortions and offer them
an alternative. Share the gospel with them. We also have
a maternity home, where we're able to care for women
who may be the reason they're considering abortion is because
(26:43):
of lack of housing options. We are able to love
and care for them with the love of Christ.
S2 (26:48):
These mobile clinics. Jenna. Um, it almost gives me a
little bit nervous. And I'm bold. How in the world
does this work? And just practically, you roll these things up.
I mean, there's federal laws and state laws that prohibit
certain proximities, aren't there? How in the world do you
get the attention? And what's the fruit that's coming out
(27:09):
of this. Once you get the attention of a woman
and begin to talk with her. Give us some stories.
S10 (27:15):
Different states have different laws of proximity. Um, where we park,
which is right now in Milwaukee, we're able to park
in a public street right in front of the abortion clinic.
So when women are even coming in, we can offer
her literature. We can say, hey, we have free services today.
We'd love to serve you and help you. There was
a couple who came, who we reached. They had an ultrasound,
(27:37):
but they were just with all of their different circumstances.
We're staying yet we're still going to have an abortion.
We just. This is not our time in our life
when we can do this. They were quite far along
in their pregnancy, and so we offered them all kinds
of help. If you change your mind, if you reconsider,
please come to us. We want to help you. And
then a couple of weeks later, the same couple came
(27:57):
back with their appointment to Planned Parenthood. They went inside
Planned Parenthood in order to move forward with the abortion.
But while in there, that woman texted our staff member
out on the sidewalk and said, can I see my
baby one last time before we do this? And we said, absolutely.
They came into the mobile clinic and saw their baby,
and they said, do you think it's a boy or
(28:19):
a girl? Um, and when they got the answer, God
just moved on their hearts. They said, we can't do this.
We need to have this child. Um, and so we
were able to give them that day. Tons of things
that they needed for their little one will continue to
walk alongside them. But that's just one example of many, many.
We've deterred nearly 100 women just in the last few
months that we've been parked outside of parenthood, from going
(28:41):
into Planned Parenthood, and offered them hope and solutions instead.
S3 (28:44):
Jenna Cross, our guest right now with Alliance Family Services,
now 2022, the Dobbs decision ended the constitutional right to abortion.
It was a decision that pro-life activists, Christ followers cheered.
What has been the practical implications of what the abortion landscape,
if I could use that term, has been since then.
S10 (29:07):
Been very interesting because of course, as we celebrated the
end of that incredibly unjust decision, we continue to look
at the facts that abortion is still legal across the country, uh,
that we actually need to protect that preborn child's constitutional
right to life. So all of the laws across the
country are still very unjust. We need to work towards
(29:28):
legislation that will actually bring equal protection for the Preborn.
And it's exciting that those works are happening. So yeah,
that is where we will actually see those numbers start
to decline across the country as we're able to advance
those just laws.
S2 (29:42):
Jenna, I've heard some crazy stats about when a when
a woman sometimes with her man, but when a woman
sees the image and what blows my mind with our
little grandchild, little baby Kate. I'm a grandpa. Um, but
little baby Kate's pictures are so clear. I mean, the
(30:03):
every moving little part of this little child is your
goal to give them a look at this child? Is
that one of the biggest and most effective strategies in
saving these lives?
S10 (30:16):
Absolutely. And you're exactly right. Every child is created in
the image of God. And we can say when we
see these children, we can think, how could someone possibly, uh,
how could someone possibly, you know, end the life of
their child, especially when they see their child? But the
reality is, yes, for many people, when they see that
life on the screen, you know, that is enough. But
(30:38):
the other reality is that we live in a place
where the law has informed the conscience. It actually doesn't
matter if you look at that screen and say, oh yes,
that is a child. What matters the most? This is
what our laws have educated people to believe. What matters
most is my own desires. That matters more than anything else.
(30:59):
And so it's really the time that we live in,
and that is where Christians need to come in and say, no,
that is wrong. We protect children at all costs and
we will help you with your circumstances.
S3 (31:12):
Jenna, I'm curious what caused you to become so passionate
about this beyond your general conviction as a Christ follower,
that this is just wrong? What is. What has God
put on your heart that's caused you to devote so
much of your life's work to this?
S10 (31:26):
My parents really instilled in me the value of human life,
but it was around 2016 during the election when it
was talk about the Supreme Court, what that would mean,
really understanding the Holocaust has happened in our nation and
recognizing this is an issue that every Christian needs to
be involved in. And the Lord really broke the hearts
of my husband and I during that time and just thought,
(31:48):
we need to start getting involved. So we just started
meeting with other other Christians and praying, and the Lord
began to open up doors for us to be able
to do more, until in 2021, we stepped fully into
doing this work and at the rates that we are
3500 innocent lives today. This is the key issue. You know,
there are many issues in our country, but it comes
(32:09):
down to we are under judgment when we are a
nation that performs child sacrifice. And so this is something
I believe every Christian needs to care about. There are
ways that you can be a part of fighting this atrocity.
We can't become weary of it. We can't see it
as just another political issue. It is not. It is
a key, core issue that we all need to engage in.
S2 (32:31):
Yeah. This leads to a lot of discussion, Jenna, because
the question is, what do you do in a culture
much like in the days when King Josiah came to
power in Judah and he saw baby sacrifice happening with
Manasseh and Amon, his dad and granddad? I mean, it
was going on then. And the question is, how do
(32:52):
you get at these folks and reach them with this
hope and this greater vision for their life. We can't
not hear a story. You must have a victory story.
That's like. Oh, Carl and Ali and boom crew. This
is it right here. What's on your heart?
S10 (33:08):
Yeah. So many stories. I mean, we have a woman
who recently shared her story with us who? She had
actually taken abortion pills. Um, she took those pills, and
she immediately regretted it, so she called. Um. She searched.
Is there anything I can do? And she got connected
to our clinic. She came in, and we were able
to give her abortion pill reversal. She has twins today
(33:29):
because of this change of heart. So, yes, there is
so much hope. You know, in Ecclesiastes 811 it says,
because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily,
the heart of the children of man is fully set
to do evil. As you referenced, this has been happening
all through history where child sacrifice was prominent. And so
(33:49):
we know if we can actually move towards Christians being
engaged in getting godly, just laws set into place we
can actually protect. That's the compassionate thing to do. But
this is on us as Christians to say we are
the ones that actually know what godly laws are, and
we are the ones that need to be advocating for them.
S2 (34:10):
Jenna, I love your passion. I mean, it is on fire.
You're using no nonsense words. It's accurate. I mean, some
might be inclined to try to soft sell it a
little bit. I happen to really appreciate it. On the
flip side of this, you're talking to thousands of women
and some men that have been a part of this
kind of sacrifice in the past. And I know that
(34:33):
you've experienced God's grace. What's your message to those listening
right now that, frankly, have been taken back in time,
a week, a month, a year, three decades? What do
you say to them, Jenna?
S10 (34:47):
Yeah, well, my message to you is that I've been
forgiven of so much. And that's why Jesus Christ came.
That's why he died. And you can, just like me,
receive the forgiveness of Christ. When you repent, you put
your faith in Christ and you turn to him. His
forgiveness covers all sin. That includes the sin of abortion,
(35:07):
the sin of murder. This is something that Christ came
for and he wants to set you free. So if
you're living in bondage in in just shame and regret,
Christ actually wants to set you free.
S2 (35:18):
Jenna Cross, your message is compelling. It kind of stops
people in their tracks, and it's courageous and hopeful all
at the same time. How do Christians handle this? Are
you finding most people want to partner with you, or
do you find some resistance?
S10 (35:36):
There are times when there's some resistance. I think as
a church and in the within the pro-life movement, we've
often just watered down and softened things to try to
make them more palatable. But then what can happen is
actually we're getting away from the truth and we're not
bringing in biblical truth to situations, and then we're not
going to have impact. The salt has lost its saltiness.
(35:58):
So what we're finding is people are hearing our message
and our are excited that there are people that are
just willing to say things straight and people that are
willing to really go at this issue aggressively and not
try to soften it.
S2 (36:13):
Boom, crew. This is a ministry, Alliance, Family Services, that
is not only really catching fire here in the Chicagoland area.
And I mean, God is on the move through it.
Their hope is to go much more broadly. Some of
you might benefit from just taking a look at what
they're doing, spurred something on in you to even work
locally where you are. But we'd love to give you
(36:33):
a link so that you can see what God is
doing in Kenosha and Racine and beyond. And this is courage.
This is compelling, and it's offering hope and healing. So
let's give away that link.
S3 (36:45):
Just text Alliance to 800 555 7898 98. Text align
to 800 555. 78. 98.
S1 (36:55):
This is curling crew on Moody Radio.
S2 (37:00):
Belief is a powerful thing. And belief is, um. Um.
It's more than just knowledge and assent. It's. It's putting
a stake in the ground going, I believe, and it
causes our feet to move across. What an amazing woman
of God and her husband, co-directors of Alliance. And wow,
(37:23):
it's a beautiful thing. Sometimes you look at the courage
of people and you think, oh boy, that's a certain
set of people over there. They must have a lot
of theological training. A lot of they must have been
born with a passion for no God bursts that in us, right, Ali?
S3 (37:38):
Absolutely. I mean, because it's that's not a popular position
to have right now.
S5 (37:45):
No.
S3 (37:45):
And she's unafraid. Raid.
S2 (37:50):
Yeah. And here's the here's the beautiful thing. I think
it's taste and see that the Lord is good. I
don't know what God has placed in your heart, that
it's like a stake in the ground, I believe. Fill
in the blank. I believe that lost people matter to God.
Let's go. Let's put shoe leather to it. I believe
that the body of Christ needs to be encouraged because
(38:11):
I benefit from it. Let's go put shoe leather to it.
I believe that children need to have words of affirmation
spoken over them. Speak it. I mean, fill in the blank.
Here's the beautiful thing when we believe the truth about
who God is, how he operates, and how he wants
(38:33):
to use us, the next step is ours. So then.
So then that's what. That's what we find over and
over in the book of Romans. If this is true,
then this can happen. What a blessing.
Coming to you from the Morning Star Mission sponsored studio.
This is Carl and crew on Moody Radio.
S2 (00:08):
Tell you one thing I've been drilling down on lately.
This word manifestation is driving me cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. Wait.
Even with the red dye in it and the blue dye.
Those cocoa puffs, it's driving me crazy. Manifestation is everywhere.
I think it's a fad. I think we're going to
get through it. But you've heard it all these terms
(00:30):
of I want to manifest this.
S3 (00:32):
So and how I've used it or how I've not
used it, thankfully, how I've heard people use it is
this idea that, like, there's this thing that I want,
like this goal that I have. So I'm going to
somehow think about it or do certain things to sort
of manifest it into my life. Is that how you've
heard it used?
S2 (00:53):
Yeah, it's over and over. It's all over the place.
I mean, here's the deal. Here's the problem with that.
That is there's, you know, the real problem. Here's the
problem with that. You might think you're manifesting something into being,
and that further confuses you into you thinking you're the
Lord of your life. That's the problem with it. I'm
(01:14):
not even saying that. Some kind of. I'm not even
saying that the power of positive thinking is necessarily always bad,
because there is some value to thinking positively. I mean,
the Apostle Paul has a whole book about consider this.
(01:34):
Think about these things. So there's there's positive thinking that's beneficial,
but there's no thinking like thinking the truth. That's the power. See,
when you get anchored, not manifestation, but in bringing to
mind the truth of how God sees you and all
these things, it's it's awesome. So I want to illustrate
(01:56):
it this way. Sometimes you are believing a lie about
anything out there, and then you hear the truth and
you're like, whoa, now I got a goofy one for you.
About a decade ago, I was absolutely certain that I
(02:17):
heard my life hacking wife. She's an investigator and studies
the body and nutrition and stuff like that. I mean,
she goes after it. She is after it. I give
her credit for keeping me out of the coffin, man.
She's she's awesome on this stuff. But I was certain
I heard her say one morning, pepper is bad for you. Now,
(02:43):
forget how all of it went down.
S3 (02:46):
Like. Like the pepper that you sprinkle on pepper. Okay.
S2 (02:49):
Pepper. Like ground pepper. I was certain, okay. I was
certain I heard that. So years are going by and
I'm like, hey man, my wife said it, I believe it.
And I just started using Himalayan pink salt on my
eggs over medium. Just butter everywhere. By the way, if
(03:14):
you got enough, you got enough butter on your three
eggs over medium in a small pan. When the butter
can no longer sit underneath the eggs, it comes in
and pours over the top of the eggs.
S4 (03:25):
That's a lot of butter. That is a lot of butter.
S2 (03:28):
I'm telling you, it is a lot of butter, man.
So I don't I don't know what happened, but one
day I'm whipping up some eggs and I say, babe,
you want a couple of eggs? She goes, yeah. And
she whips out salt and she whips out pepper. This
is a true story, guys, and you might call me
a knucklehead. Whatever. And she starts peppering her eggs and
(03:49):
I said, I thought you told me Pepper was not
really that good for you? She goes, I never said that.
I said, babe, are you know, now I'm like, I've
been a decade going down this path, like not having pepper,
and I love Pepper and I'm like, babe, I'm certain
you told me. She said, bub, look at me. I
(04:12):
would have never told you that.
S4 (04:15):
Oh, Carl, you missed out on so many years of Pepper, dude.
S2 (04:18):
No. Now, now, now I got animated. I'm like, you're
joking me right now. You're you're. You're telling me Pepper
is okay? She goes, bub, pepper is good for you.
Let me list all the ways it's good for you.
It was like, you know, I felt a little bit silly.
(04:39):
It's like, yeah, pepper probably isn't that bad. I mean,
God made this, and people harvest it. And now, you know,
I caused our GDP nationally to go down as a
result of me not consuming pepper for ten years.
S4 (04:55):
Wow.
S2 (04:57):
I'm telling you, it was a huge aha moment. So
we're going to flip this around. But I just want
to have some fun here for a moment. What did
you think along the lines of just general stuff that's
bad or you shouldn't do that or you shouldn't do
that or this or that. And then you found out, whoa,
(05:19):
I got some bad information. What was it? I'm dying
to hear it. Text in right now. We're going to
take your text. You got some bad information, and for years,
you were living a lie. And the truth would have
set you free. And for me, it's pepper on eggs.
And now I'm making up for lost time.
S4 (05:39):
Double pepper on everything.
S2 (05:42):
805. Five five 7898 800 555. 78. 98. Give us
a text. Ali's going to read them out. What is
that crazy thing that for years you thought, I can't
do that, I shouldn't do that. And then you find out, Shazam!
I can give us a text.
S1 (05:59):
She was trying to earn her way to God, but
God showed her she didn't have to. Ali is in
the crew. It's Carl and crew on Moody Radio.
S2 (06:09):
Scotland crew mornings. All right, here's what we are asking you.
What did you believe about general life stuff going on
out there? And you're like, you found out, oh my goodness,
that was a lie. And I was not believing the truth. Ali,
have we got some respondents coming in here?
S3 (06:26):
We do. This one deals with something mom told them.
Mom told me I had the most sensitive ears ever,
and that getting my ears pierced would probably damage them.
So for years they apparently avoided it and finally got
my ears pierced in 2016. I don't know at what
(06:46):
point at how old they were at that point. But
avoidance for a while because that's what mom said, this
one I love. It deals with a little bit of
a language. Um, difference.
S4 (06:57):
Challenge.
S3 (06:57):
Yeah. They said my Spanish was not that good. I
had always told my Spanish coworkers to put Jose Cristo
Cristo into their heart, which is Joe Christ. That's the translation.
S2 (07:13):
Okay.
S4 (07:14):
That's good. Oh. Oh, that is good.
S2 (07:19):
That's so good.
S4 (07:20):
Oh, I love it.
S5 (07:21):
Oh my goodness.
S2 (07:23):
Oh my goodness. There's some funny ones coming in here.
Some we shall not mention. Oh my word.
S3 (07:28):
Oh here's a common one. I was told that if
I swallowed my gum, it would take seven years to
get through my diet.
S4 (07:35):
Why is that a thing? I'm still.
S2 (07:36):
Believing.
S4 (07:37):
That seven years is the exact number that I believe.
S3 (07:39):
I think that's what people were told. I think the
other one was like, if you swallow a watermelon seed,
it can grow a watermelon in your stomach.
S4 (07:46):
Oh come on. I remember that one.
S3 (07:48):
Yes, I remember being told that.
S4 (07:50):
Me too.
S2 (07:51):
Really?
S4 (07:52):
Oh, yeah. Well, how about.
S2 (07:53):
The swimming one? Remember, you can't eat 30 minutes.
S4 (07:57):
You gotta wait.
S3 (07:57):
30.
S4 (07:58):
Minutes, you know.
S2 (07:59):
Well, I think the parents wanted pool time.
S4 (08:01):
No.
S2 (08:02):
Really, I think they wanted kids out of the pool.
S4 (08:05):
You don't need to wait 30 minutes.
S3 (08:06):
I mean, that one seems like it's just common sense. Like,
if you just eat three hamburgers and then go jump
in the pool. It seems like a bad idea.
S4 (08:13):
That might not be.
S3 (08:14):
The best.
S4 (08:15):
But, I mean, if you're going lap swimming, you probably
don't want to eat three hamburgers.
S2 (08:19):
All you do is belch in the pool. That's all
that happens. That's it. Boop. Well, my.
S4 (08:24):
Burger.
S2 (08:25):
Burger appreciation boys in the water. All right, all right.
So we're obviously flipping this thing around because in Romans
611 this is so important. So you must also consider
yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
This word consider in the Greek language means to count
(08:48):
as true. To think deliberately and intentionally. And here's the
question we've got for you today. And I'm asking you
to call in right now. What's a lie you believed
about yourself? And how did the truth set you free?
You begin to ruminate, calculate. You were deliberate. You were
intentional going, no, that is not true about me. What lie?
(09:13):
What's a lie you believed about yourself? And how did
the truth set you free? 855 five 7898. Give us
a call 805 55, 78, 98.
S1 (09:26):
She's a choreographer extraordinaire, and everything is Greek to her.
Super die is in the crew. It's Carl and crew
on Moody Radio.
S2 (09:36):
Power of positive thinking. Yeah, yeah. You can go to
Philippians chapter four. For sheer power of truthful thinking, that
positive thinking that Paul has in mind is really embedded
in truth. This is what we find in verse 11
of Romans six. So you also must consider yourselves dead
to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Its
(09:59):
huge lynchpin verse that's followed by then let not sin,
therefore reign in your mortal body. So what's Paul teaching here?
He's saying that what we believe matters big time. The
question of what's the lie you believed about yourself? And
how did the truth set you free? Super die. What's
on your heart?
S6 (10:18):
I believed I was not lovable in any way, shape
or form. Matter of fact, I was a mistake and
really had no purpose other than causing others. Probably inconvenience.
So the idea of just being unlovable really carried with
me for a very, very long time. Truth being several verses,
of course. The entire word of God.
S4 (10:37):
But for starters.
S6 (10:38):
For starters, let's go there. But to narrow it a bit,
I mean, obviously John 316, God so loved the world.
He gave his one and only son. Christ would die
on a cross for me, that unlovable person. But my
most favorite verse, and maybe you've heard me say it. This,
of course, is out of Romans, and it's Romans 839. Nothing.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God. He
(11:01):
treasures me. I was made with a purpose. And that
was not only mind blowing for me, but heart blowing
for me as well.
S2 (11:10):
And see, when.
S4 (11:11):
You.
S6 (11:11):
Everything.
S2 (11:12):
Now, from time to time, you must have to recapture
that right? Because the old snake comes in and tries
to rip us off. You have to think deliberately and intentionally.
S6 (11:22):
Of.
S2 (11:22):
Course. And and look, look what that does. You walk
a little more briskly following Jesus when you know that, right?
Super die.
S6 (11:30):
You walk more briskly. You serve better. You serve others better,
you love better. You become better hands in the feet
of Christ to others, because you have that story and
you know, and you really, at least for me, you
really know the transforming power of being loved unconditionally. That's
(11:51):
a big word to add to that love unconditionally.
S2 (11:53):
Romans eight is rocked us all.
S4 (11:56):
But it's my verse.
S2 (11:57):
I'm so pumped for you. Super day. I'm so pumped
for you. That's so cool. Super day.
S4 (12:05):
Yeah.
S6 (12:06):
Yes. I get a little emotional just talking about it.
S5 (12:08):
Oh I know. Okay.
S6 (12:10):
I'm good. I'm good.
S4 (12:11):
Goodness of God, man.
S5 (12:12):
All right. Let her up for air.
S4 (12:13):
Super young thunder.
S2 (12:14):
Let's super up for air. What's on your heart, man?
S4 (12:16):
Yeah. The lie I believed was that Romans 715 which says.
For I do not understand my own actions. For I
do not do what I want, but I do the
very thing I hate. I, I believed the lie that
that was just how life went.
S2 (12:31):
And what a great insight.
S4 (12:33):
Yeah. And that. You know what? So you're just stuck
with some things sometimes, and that's how it's always gonna be.
And that's what you can expect out of life. And
and I think part of me, I told myself that
because it lowered the bar of expectation a little bit,
but it's not. That was when I kind of had
the I was supposed to do everything. I was supposed
to muster up the strength to get it done, but
(12:55):
I know now that that's not the truth at all.
The truth is, is that a life fully surrendered and
submitted to God? He's going to give you the power
to overcome the things that you never thought you could.
S2 (13:08):
Yeah. What a great thing. A lot of people this
is a grave error. They look at Romans seven, foolish man,
that I am that which I want to do, I
don't do, and that which I do, I don't want
to do. But we've we've got to read on because
I'd loved it was many years ago. I read I
forget who the author was, but he said the great
tragedy in the American church is that we've made this
(13:31):
a proof text for our failings. Yeah. And we've looked
at the Apostle Paul and said, yep, that's my life. Boy,
I really resonate with Paul. Paul wasn't leaving us there.
He went on to say, who will rescue me from
this body of sin and death? Praise be to the
Lord Jesus Christ. You know what's interesting about that passage
(13:53):
that you referred to a lot? And I'm glad you
mentioned this young thunder. The word me or I in
about ten verses is used about 15 times, and God
is absent from that whole stretch of text. Yeah. So
what Paul's saying is, and there's a lot of debate
around is this pre regenerate Paul pre born again Paul
(14:14):
pre Damascus road Paul or is this post Damascus road.
Kind of the common everyday struggle. Doesn't matter what it is.
I lean toward the latter. Now I used to be
the former, but I believe that what Paul's saying is
let me tell you about life. But let me tell
you who liberates you from what you think is status
(14:37):
quo Christianity.
S4 (14:38):
Mhm. It's it's half of the truth. It is that
when we are left to our own devices, this is
the life that we will live when we live in
our own strength. This is what you can expect. But
when we, when we give it to God, when we
surrender and when we lean into Him and His power,
it changes the whole game. It changes the whole situation around.
(15:00):
And so we can't we can't live life saying, well,
this is the whole thing when it's really the first
half before the change comes.
S2 (15:07):
Yeah. I mean, praise be to God. I was I
was talking with someone yesterday about Romans 4567, which are
these hinge passages about this victory over sin primarily? I mean,
you got to remember, this resurrection power is first and
(15:28):
foremost conquering, missing the mark in our life. We're all
shooting arrows. We're all throwing spears, so to speak. With
every decision, every action, everything that we do. And the
beautiful thing about the power of not only the cross,
but the empty tomb, is that we have victory over
sin and darkness. And frankly, it's it's high time I'm
(15:50):
using a dad term there. My dad used to always
say that, son, it's high time you start. It's high
time you start believing it. Boom, crew. It's high time
you start believing it. Count. It is true. Think deliberately. Intentionally.
Super precious story. Girl, you are loved. You are lovable.
(16:13):
God loves you.
S6 (16:15):
Yes.
S2 (16:16):
Amen. Somebody doesn't want their name, social security number. Because
we're going to get the Maranatha Booty Kickers.
S5 (16:23):
Wait wait wait. Now.
S4 (16:26):
Take them down.
S5 (16:27):
Thank you.
S2 (16:28):
Take those suckers out. They're going.
S5 (16:30):
Down. Wow.
S2 (16:31):
And young Thunder eye. These are.
S5 (16:33):
Two.
S2 (16:34):
Huge ones you guys just mentioned. Because young Thunder, I
got to tell you, man, too many people have looked
at Romans seven and they've gone. Yeah, boy, sure resonate
with Paul.
S4 (16:46):
Yeah.
S2 (16:46):
Have. Which I want to do. I just don't do it.
And that which I do, I don't want to do.
Read on friend.
S4 (16:52):
Read on, read on.
S2 (16:53):
Read on, friend.
S4 (16:54):
And lean into God. Because if you're trying to do
it by yourself, this will be your experience. But don't
lean into yourself. Lean into the one who can change everything. Amen.
S2 (17:04):
Boom and believe it, man, what a powerful truth. Live
in it.
S1 (17:10):
Today he was sharing the gospel on the radio and
then he got saved. Young thunders in the crew. It's
Carl and crew on Moody Radio.
S3 (17:20):
Well, it's a great, great question for you this morning.
What is that lie that you believed about yourself, and
how did the truth set you free? So many ways
you could go with this. But there are things that
we believe to be true about ourselves. Maybe because what
we absorb from culture, maybe what our parents told us,
maybe what we saw on the internet. Dawn from New Orleans.
What did you believe about yourself and how did the
(17:43):
truth set you free?
S7 (17:45):
I was told by a great uncle that I was ugly,
and for many years I believed it. And then one
day I was reading, you know, spending a lot of
time in the word of God. And he said I
was beautiful. And I said it out loud, and I said, yes.
The more time I spend with the Lord, the more
beautiful I am.
S3 (18:03):
Don, how did that change things for you? Because that's
especially as a woman, those that subtle lie of you're
not attractive, you're ugly, you don't look this way or
that way. How did that change for you when it
when when you really felt the word of God and
took that in like, no, I'm beautiful because he made me.
S7 (18:23):
It just came on like, all of a sudden. Well,
many years of spending time in the Lord. And what
I started doing at that point is telling women that
they're beautiful. Anytime somebody walks in. Good morning. Beautiful. Hello, beautiful.
Because I wanted them to feel, you know, the way
I never did. And one asked me, why do you.
(18:46):
Why do you say I'm beautiful? I said, because the
Lord created you. And you are his beauty. And never
believe anything else. That you are beautiful in Jesus.
S3 (18:55):
Don, thank you so much. Sweet call from New Orleans.
I know that that resonates with a lot of people,
and it's so much more than a little CoverGirl or Maybelline.
It's the beauty that radiates from the inside because you
are his. Coming up, more of your stories first, Jonathan,
let's check news.
S4 (19:16):
Let's get you updated with a couple of your top
stories today. Russia has dropped dozens of missiles on the
capital of Ukraine. Ukraine's air force says around 70 missiles
fell on Kyiv earlier today, while over 100 Russian drones
targeted the city. Ukrainian officials say at least nine people
were killed in the assault, which hit over a dozen locations,
including residential buildings. They say more people could be trapped
(19:39):
under the rubble and that a search and rescue operation
is underway. This marks the deadliest attack on Kyiv since
last July, when nearly three dozen people were killed in
a Russian airstrike that targeted a hospital and a residential neighborhood.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced he would be cutting a short,
cutting short a trip to South Africa following today's bloodshed.
(20:00):
Birth rates in the U.S. are at a near record low.
New data released by the CDC says about 3.6 million
babies were born in the U.S. last year. That's a 1%
increase from 2023, which saw an all time low birth
rate in the U.S.. The Trump administration has been considering
new policies to encourage women to have more babies, including
giving $5,000 in cash to each woman who gives birth.
(20:23):
I'm Jonathan, and that is your update.
S2 (20:26):
That's one way to get the birth rate up. Five
grand bonus for having a kid.
S4 (20:30):
Yeah. No kidding. Yeah. I'll tell you what, though. I've
got a kid. $5,000 doesn't cut the whole thing. No.
Shouldn't be the reason you have a kid.
S2 (20:37):
Do it. Do a quick calc for me here. What's it?
What's it cost? Well, I'll tell you what, though, Jonathan,
in all seriousness, it's not a reason to have a kid.
But it for some people it. But for some people
it makes the potentiality of having that baby more and
maybe even keeping that baby that you're wondering what to
do a whole lot more plausible.
S4 (20:58):
I think that's fair. Yeah, I think that's fair.
S2 (21:00):
It's an amazing thing. What's it cost to raise a
child from birth to 18 these days? There we go.
Let me see here. He's working.
S5 (21:07):
It. Well, he's.
S2 (21:08):
Working.
S5 (21:08):
It.
S3 (21:09):
I'm trying to think.
S5 (21:11):
It's a big.
S3 (21:12):
Number one season of travel basketball. And you're almost halfway
to that.
S4 (21:19):
So it's. uh, it's 310 to $414,000, with the average
cost a year, around $23,000.
S5 (21:27):
Yep.
S4 (21:28):
Sounds about right.
S2 (21:29):
That's a chunk of change.
S4 (21:30):
Yeah, a little a little chunk.
S2 (21:31):
I got a buddy with 12 kids.
S4 (21:34):
Wow.
S2 (21:35):
Do the math on that one real quick.
S4 (21:37):
Uh, okay. Hold on. Let me get a calculator.
S3 (21:39):
I feel like there has to. It probably goes down.
There's got to be some ratio.
S5 (21:42):
I don't know how it decreases. It might be hand-me-downs. Yeah.
S3 (21:47):
Hand-me-downs.
S6 (21:48):
Yeah.
S3 (21:49):
You know.
S6 (21:50):
Something in there is.
S3 (21:50):
Free child care. As kids, older kids get young or
old enough to care for the little ones. I think
it does get cheaper by the dozen.
S4 (21:58):
If it did at if it doesn't get cheaper, it
would be about $5 million.
S3 (22:02):
Yeah, I think it has to get cheaper.
S4 (22:04):
I think.
S5 (22:04):
So. A little bit. I agree.
S6 (22:05):
With.
S5 (22:06):
Ellie.
S2 (22:06):
You can have 12 kids for a whopping low, low price,
including depreciation and re-use jeans for $3.8 million.
S4 (22:14):
That's the thing, is the reuse clothes, man, that's a
big one. Hand-me-downs. I mean, I was the fourth kid
in my family. I don't know if I got.
S5 (22:21):
New clothes.
S3 (22:22):
By the time the jeans made it to.
S5 (22:23):
You.
S2 (22:25):
And the chance of them going out to chick fil
A together is slim to none. I mean, you're at
home having chick mahem.
S5 (22:31):
Yeah, exactly.
S4 (22:32):
We are eating out was a rarity when I was
a kid. That was not a thing. So it's. It's
different now, man. Going out to eat, I feel like,
is like a common thing for everybody now. And it
was not when I was a kid.
S5 (22:46):
No, but.
S2 (22:46):
That's wild that you say that. Because for for me,
growing up, it was lucky. Wishbone once a.
S5 (22:53):
Month.
S4 (22:54):
Yes.
S2 (22:54):
And lucky wishbone was like, whoa. And then on occasion,
dad would look at me and go, mom and I
are popping for cheese on the burgers tonight.
S5 (23:04):
Whoa! We got cheese on the burgers. You gotta be
kidding me. Dad is doing well, man. He is.
S2 (23:12):
Rolling.
S5 (23:12):
In.
S8 (23:13):
A good month.
S5 (23:14):
It's a good month in the closet home.
S2 (23:17):
Oh, isn't that funny how things change? Yeah, there is
a lot of presumption. I mean, I'm not trying to
sound old, but there's a lot of presumption, including first.
First time home buyer. Man. Whoa, Nelly. I remember our
first time home. We had radon in the basement in
our 800 square foot home on New Mexico Avenue in Denver, Colorado.
S4 (23:41):
What's radon?
S2 (23:42):
Complete with gases that are not good.
S5 (23:44):
For you.
S2 (23:44):
Coming out downstairs. I mean, it was rough.
S5 (23:48):
Wow. Oh. It's horrible.
S9 (23:50):
Just a funny thing. Oh, for goodness sakes.
S2 (23:54):
Oh, for goodness sakes. Life is life funny. Come on, guys.
S4 (23:58):
Oh, yeah. There's so many different things that we can
all relate to, no matter the generation or the time
you grew up. Some fun things to talk back and
forth about.
S5 (24:06):
All right.
S2 (24:08):
What happens when you believe and put shoe leather to it?
That's what I'm kicking around in my brain. Think about it.
because I think having a doctrinal statement or positions of belief,
or knowing your identity in Christ and knowing that you've
been called to be his workmanship, being called to be
his workmanship and knowing God uniquely designed me. He gave
(24:29):
me special gifts, talents, time, talent, treasure to use for
his glory. But we never roll up our sleeves. We
got a problem there. Houston, we got to turn that
one around. And boy, have we got a vision for
you coming up of turning it around. This is mercy me.
Good morning. Boom. Crew helping you take your next step
(24:51):
with Jesus. Believe it.
S1 (24:54):
He was running from God, but God's love brought him home.
Carl is in the crew. It's Carl and crew on
Moody Radio.
S2 (25:03):
If you are a Christ follower, you share with myself. Ali,
super die young Thunder, this commitment. That man. Every baby
AB deserves a fair shot at living in this world
from the womb all the way to the grave. And it's.
It's one thing to champion that. It's another thing to
roll up your sleeves, though. And I think that's what
(25:24):
we're constantly looking for, are what are the bigger yeses
out there that will help us stand in a way
that gives us some credibility?
S5 (25:32):
Ali.
S3 (25:33):
Absolutely. I think that that's what it's all about. I
think the those who are critical of the pro-life position
are looking for. Are you willing to put your money
where your mouth.
S5 (25:42):
Is, so.
S3 (25:42):
To speak? Jenna Cross joining us right now, co executive
director of Alliance Family Services, a Christian organization serving women
and families in the communities of Kenosha and Racine and expanding,
as I'll let her explain, she's also a registered nurse
and a mom of six. Jenna, give us a little
bit more about the work that you're doing.
S10 (26:01):
Yes. At Alliance Family Services, we want to rescue the
pre-born and care for their mothers. And so what that
looks like is we are opening pregnancy clinics in various places,
especially where we can reach those who are considering abortion
and empower them to choose life. So we currently have
four clinic locations. We're looking to expand that to having
(26:22):
30 clinics across the country by 2030. We have a
mobile clinic that we park right in front of a
busy Planned Parenthood location, where we're working to reach women
who are walking in to have abortions and offer them
an alternative. Share the gospel with them. We also have
a maternity home, where we're able to care for women
who may be the reason they're considering abortion is because
(26:43):
of lack of housing options. We are able to love
and care for them with the love of Christ.
S2 (26:48):
These mobile clinics. Jenna. Um, it almost gives me a
little bit nervous. And I'm bold. How in the world
does this work? And just practically, you roll these things up.
I mean, there's federal laws and state laws that prohibit
certain proximities, aren't there? How in the world do you
get the attention? And what's the fruit that's coming out
(27:09):
of this. Once you get the attention of a woman
and begin to talk with her. Give us some stories.
S10 (27:15):
Different states have different laws of proximity. Um, where we park,
which is right now in Milwaukee, we're able to park
in a public street right in front of the abortion clinic.
So when women are even coming in, we can offer
her literature. We can say, hey, we have free services today.
We'd love to serve you and help you. There was
a couple who came, who we reached. They had an ultrasound,
(27:37):
but they were just with all of their different circumstances.
We're staying yet we're still going to have an abortion.
We just. This is not our time in our life
when we can do this. They were quite far along
in their pregnancy, and so we offered them all kinds
of help. If you change your mind, if you reconsider,
please come to us. We want to help you. And
then a couple of weeks later, the same couple came
(27:57):
back with their appointment to Planned Parenthood. They went inside
Planned Parenthood in order to move forward with the abortion.
But while in there, that woman texted our staff member
out on the sidewalk and said, can I see my
baby one last time before we do this? And we said, absolutely.
They came into the mobile clinic and saw their baby,
and they said, do you think it's a boy or
(28:19):
a girl? Um, and when they got the answer, God
just moved on their hearts. They said, we can't do this.
We need to have this child. Um, and so we
were able to give them that day. Tons of things
that they needed for their little one will continue to
walk alongside them. But that's just one example of many, many.
We've deterred nearly 100 women just in the last few
months that we've been parked outside of parenthood, from going
(28:41):
into Planned Parenthood, and offered them hope and solutions instead.
S3 (28:44):
Jenna Cross, our guest right now with Alliance Family Services,
now 2022, the Dobbs decision ended the constitutional right to abortion.
It was a decision that pro-life activists, Christ followers cheered.
What has been the practical implications of what the abortion landscape,
if I could use that term, has been since then.
S10 (29:07):
Been very interesting because of course, as we celebrated the
end of that incredibly unjust decision, we continue to look
at the facts that abortion is still legal across the country, uh,
that we actually need to protect that preborn child's constitutional
right to life. So all of the laws across the
country are still very unjust. We need to work towards
(29:28):
legislation that will actually bring equal protection for the Preborn.
And it's exciting that those works are happening. So yeah,
that is where we will actually see those numbers start
to decline across the country as we're able to advance
those just laws.
S2 (29:42):
Jenna, I've heard some crazy stats about when a when
a woman sometimes with her man, but when a woman
sees the image and what blows my mind with our
little grandchild, little baby Kate. I'm a grandpa. Um, but
little baby Kate's pictures are so clear. I mean, the
(30:03):
every moving little part of this little child is your
goal to give them a look at this child? Is
that one of the biggest and most effective strategies in
saving these lives?
S10 (30:16):
Absolutely. And you're exactly right. Every child is created in
the image of God. And we can say when we
see these children, we can think, how could someone possibly, uh,
how could someone possibly, you know, end the life of
their child, especially when they see their child? But the
reality is, yes, for many people, when they see that
life on the screen, you know, that is enough. But
(30:38):
the other reality is that we live in a place
where the law has informed the conscience. It actually doesn't
matter if you look at that screen and say, oh yes,
that is a child. What matters the most? This is
what our laws have educated people to believe. What matters
most is my own desires. That matters more than anything else.
(30:59):
And so it's really the time that we live in,
and that is where Christians need to come in and say, no,
that is wrong. We protect children at all costs and
we will help you with your circumstances.
S3 (31:12):
Jenna, I'm curious what caused you to become so passionate
about this beyond your general conviction as a Christ follower,
that this is just wrong? What is. What has God
put on your heart that's caused you to devote so
much of your life's work to this?
S10 (31:26):
My parents really instilled in me the value of human life,
but it was around 2016 during the election when it
was talk about the Supreme Court, what that would mean,
really understanding the Holocaust has happened in our nation and
recognizing this is an issue that every Christian needs to
be involved in. And the Lord really broke the hearts
of my husband and I during that time and just thought,
(31:48):
we need to start getting involved. So we just started
meeting with other other Christians and praying, and the Lord
began to open up doors for us to be able
to do more, until in 2021, we stepped fully into
doing this work and at the rates that we are
3500 innocent lives today. This is the key issue. You know,
there are many issues in our country, but it comes
(32:09):
down to we are under judgment when we are a
nation that performs child sacrifice. And so this is something
I believe every Christian needs to care about. There are
ways that you can be a part of fighting this atrocity.
We can't become weary of it. We can't see it
as just another political issue. It is not. It is
a key, core issue that we all need to engage in.
S2 (32:31):
Yeah. This leads to a lot of discussion, Jenna, because
the question is, what do you do in a culture
much like in the days when King Josiah came to
power in Judah and he saw baby sacrifice happening with
Manasseh and Amon, his dad and granddad? I mean, it
was going on then. And the question is, how do
(32:52):
you get at these folks and reach them with this
hope and this greater vision for their life. We can't
not hear a story. You must have a victory story.
That's like. Oh, Carl and Ali and boom crew. This
is it right here. What's on your heart?
S10 (33:08):
Yeah. So many stories. I mean, we have a woman
who recently shared her story with us who? She had
actually taken abortion pills. Um, she took those pills, and
she immediately regretted it, so she called. Um. She searched.
Is there anything I can do? And she got connected
to our clinic. She came in, and we were able
to give her abortion pill reversal. She has twins today
(33:29):
because of this change of heart. So, yes, there is
so much hope. You know, in Ecclesiastes 811 it says,
because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily,
the heart of the children of man is fully set
to do evil. As you referenced, this has been happening
all through history where child sacrifice was prominent. And so
(33:49):
we know if we can actually move towards Christians being
engaged in getting godly, just laws set into place we
can actually protect. That's the compassionate thing to do. But
this is on us as Christians to say we are
the ones that actually know what godly laws are, and
we are the ones that need to be advocating for them.
S2 (34:10):
Jenna, I love your passion. I mean, it is on fire.
You're using no nonsense words. It's accurate. I mean, some
might be inclined to try to soft sell it a
little bit. I happen to really appreciate it. On the
flip side of this, you're talking to thousands of women
and some men that have been a part of this
kind of sacrifice in the past. And I know that
(34:33):
you've experienced God's grace. What's your message to those listening
right now that, frankly, have been taken back in time,
a week, a month, a year, three decades? What do
you say to them, Jenna?
S10 (34:47):
Yeah, well, my message to you is that I've been
forgiven of so much. And that's why Jesus Christ came.
That's why he died. And you can, just like me,
receive the forgiveness of Christ. When you repent, you put
your faith in Christ and you turn to him. His
forgiveness covers all sin. That includes the sin of abortion,
(35:07):
the sin of murder. This is something that Christ came
for and he wants to set you free. So if
you're living in bondage in in just shame and regret,
Christ actually wants to set you free.
S2 (35:18):
Jenna Cross, your message is compelling. It kind of stops
people in their tracks, and it's courageous and hopeful all
at the same time. How do Christians handle this? Are
you finding most people want to partner with you, or
do you find some resistance?
S10 (35:36):
There are times when there's some resistance. I think as
a church and in the within the pro-life movement, we've
often just watered down and softened things to try to
make them more palatable. But then what can happen is
actually we're getting away from the truth and we're not
bringing in biblical truth to situations, and then we're not
going to have impact. The salt has lost its saltiness.
(35:58):
So what we're finding is people are hearing our message
and our are excited that there are people that are
just willing to say things straight and people that are
willing to really go at this issue aggressively and not
try to soften it.
S2 (36:13):
Boom, crew. This is a ministry, Alliance, Family Services, that
is not only really catching fire here in the Chicagoland area.
And I mean, God is on the move through it.
Their hope is to go much more broadly. Some of
you might benefit from just taking a look at what
they're doing, spurred something on in you to even work
locally where you are. But we'd love to give you
(36:33):
a link so that you can see what God is
doing in Kenosha and Racine and beyond. And this is courage.
This is compelling, and it's offering hope and healing. So
let's give away that link.
S3 (36:45):
Just text Alliance to 800 555 7898 98. Text align
to 800 555. 78. 98.
S1 (36:55):
This is curling crew on Moody Radio.
S2 (37:00):
Belief is a powerful thing. And belief is, um. Um.
It's more than just knowledge and assent. It's. It's putting
a stake in the ground going, I believe, and it
causes our feet to move across. What an amazing woman
of God and her husband, co-directors of Alliance. And wow,
(37:23):
it's a beautiful thing. Sometimes you look at the courage
of people and you think, oh boy, that's a certain
set of people over there. They must have a lot
of theological training. A lot of they must have been
born with a passion for no God bursts that in us, right, Ali?
S3 (37:38):
Absolutely. I mean, because it's that's not a popular position
to have right now.
S5 (37:45):
No.
S3 (37:45):
And she's unafraid. Raid.
S2 (37:50):
Yeah. And here's the here's the beautiful thing. I think
it's taste and see that the Lord is good. I
don't know what God has placed in your heart, that
it's like a stake in the ground, I believe. Fill
in the blank. I believe that lost people matter to God.
Let's go. Let's put shoe leather to it. I believe
that the body of Christ needs to be encouraged because
(38:11):
I benefit from it. Let's go put shoe leather to it.
I believe that children need to have words of affirmation
spoken over them. Speak it. I mean, fill in the blank.
Here's the beautiful thing when we believe the truth about
who God is, how he operates, and how he wants
(38:33):
to use us, the next step is ours. So then.
So then that's what. That's what we find over and
over in the book of Romans. If this is true,
then this can happen. What a blessing.
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