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Bible Truth: Believers in Christ HAVE eternal life

Columnists

In a recent article appearing in the Times-Republican, AI was used to research Christianity’s view of life after death. With Easter upon us, let’s look to the Word of God itself, for guidance on what happens when we die. Genesis 2:7 tells us that God connected human beings with the rest of physical creation when He formed us, “from the dust of the ground.” In other words, we are very similar to animals both in our physiological and chemical make-up. But, when God “breathed into man the breath of life,” He was breathing a part of Himself into man. He was breathing ...

Fawning and people pleasing

Columnists

Do you tend to put others’ needs before your own? Do you have trouble saying no? Do you alter your personality in subtle ways to make yourself more likeable to others? These are signs of fawning, a type of people pleasing behavior that stems from complex trauma or adverse childhood experiences. Fawning is considered a fourth type of trauma response, adding to the more well-known responses of fight, flight, or freeze. It occurs when a person attempts to avoid harm by appeasing an abuser. Individuals may use this maladaptive coping technique to appease a perpetrator in an attempt to ...

My imaginary friend, Cappy

Columnists

When I was a little boy I had an imaginary playmate, Cappy. Being the youngest of eight children, and there being a three year gap between my next oldest sibling, a girl, Angel, and me, and being raised in rural Iowa, I had no one to play with. Angel and I, having very little in common, essentially ignored each other, like a cat and dog, because when we did acknowledge each other, we fought. The name Cappy came from me, and was a derivative of my own name, Curt, or Curtie, as I was sometimes called by my older siblings. Angel would call me Curtie to get my goat. “Curtie, stop making ...

Trump’s troubled appointees face scandals, backlash and low support

Columnists

Besides the ill-defined Iranian war, DOJ-FBI created Epstein file debacle, tariff fiasco, Venezuela, Ecuador, Greenland and Cuba interventions, special elections turning in Democrats’ favor and the ever increasing cost for gasoline, health care, mortgages, rent, prescription drugs, food, clothing, natural gas, electricity and agri-fertilizer, President Trump has other problems. YouGov polling reveals that nearly all of Trump’s second-term political appointees are net-unpopular. Let’s examine Trump’s `most troubling’ appointees. Kristi Noem Fifty-two GOP and seven Democrat ...

Democrats be warned: Trump knows your weak spots

Columnists

Sure, the “No Kings” marches drew millions rightly protesting Donald Trump’s assaults on our democratic institutions. But Democrats must dig deeper and ask how Trump could actually win another term after trying to overturn the 2020 election results with a violent attack on the Capitol. It wasn’t as though most Americans adored him. Gallup’s approval rating for Trump on election eve was a sad 46%. Trump carried the 2024 vote by playing the Democrats on three issues that aggravate even moderate Americans. They are open borders, the demonization of law enforcement and racial, ...

Inside Education: Opening doors to the future: How AEA career supports connect students to life

Columnists

What if school didn’t just prepare students for tests, but for life? Across our communities, that question is turning into action. Through work-based learning opportunities supported by Central Rivers AEA, students are stepping beyond the classroom and into the workforce. What they are discovering is transforming their futures. Central Rivers AEA partners with 30 school districts to help students explore careers through job shadows, internships and work experience. These aren’t just “extras” – they are essential experiences that help students answer the big question: ...