Women of Intelligent Faith

Growing up blonde had some advantages and disadvantages. One disadvantage is suffering through one dumb blonde joke after another. Then after I became an attorney, I endured one silly lawyer joke after another. My daughter, Megan, loved to tease me with the double whammy--dumb blonde/dumb lawyer jokes. I wonder just how many women are treated like they are dumb blondes, regardless of their hair color. Or just as bad, I wonder how many women hold this view of themselves. Sadly many girls grow up thinking that their looks are more important than their minds. But guess what I discovered? Women (and men) are created in the image of God! And my God is smart. In fact, Jesus is the smartest man who ever lived. (Yes I ripped off this idea from the brilliant Dallas Willard.) So let's not fool ourselves, ladies, into thinking our minds don't matter. We were created to be smart. Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all y...

I am thrilled to announce that John and I have recently acquired this beautiful building in Panora, IA for our office space.  On the lower level will be Stewart Law & Mediation, PLLC. On the upper level will be Ratio Christi International. Stay tuned for Grand Opening information...

          Earlier this year, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services unveiled a new policy now known at the “HHS Mandate.” The new Mandate would require nearly all private health insurance plans to include coverage for all FDA-approved prescription contraceptive drugs and devices, surgical sterilizations and abortion-inducing drugs—drugs that interfere with implantation in the womb and therefore destroy the life of a human being in the earliest stage of development. This Mandate is the result of Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “Obamacare,” passed in 2010. Although the HHS Mandate provides an exemption for “religious employers,” the exemption is so narrow, most religious institutions providing health, educational or charitable services will have no protection.           On February 10, 2012, responding to intense opposition from a broad spectrum of religious institutions all over the c...

Now licensed to practice law in Iowa in addition to California!

Islamic leaders have a constitutional right to build the mosque at Ground Zero because of "religious freedom," but they should be sensitive to the complaints of others and not build it. This sentiment is frequently repeated in the news by well-meaning conservatives. The question is, do they really have a constitutional right to build it? Not if it is financed by terrorists or those bent on destroying America--that would be treason. There is no constitutional protection for treason. Bryan Fischer recently wrote an interesting article for American Family Association worth pondering, arguing against 1st Amendment protection for building the mosque near Ground Zero. Fischer wrote, "Our enemy is authentic Islam and our enemies are devout Muslims who actually believe in their holy scripture and are determined to follow the sacred teachings of their god. They are our enemies for the simple reason that their god commands them to kill us. ..All this blather about religious li...

Are you following the news? I mean, the real news. And, are you following world events? It is interesting, as John and I travel the world, I have come to discover that much of the rest of the world is quite knowledgeable and conversant with world events, even those in developing third world nations. At home in America though, I find fewer people taking the time to stay abreast of global events.  At a time such as this, I urge Americans to wake up and pay attention. Global events are impacting law, culture, and religious liberty in America. Have you heard about the Defamation of Religion resolution? The ACLJ had this to say: The United Nations (U.N.) is currently considering a ''Defamation of Religions'' resolution being pushed by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the largest group of nations within the U.N.The resolution would criminalize the proclamation of the Gospel worldwide - an issue with such international ramifications, we've responded wi...

President Obama hums a familiar tune — we need education reform to better prepare our children to be successful in college and the workplace. But exactly what does he propose? In his education initiative, the Zero to Five Plan, President Obama proposes “early care and education for infants.” To implement this, states will be given grants to start moving towards universal preschools. Obama’s theory is the earlier children begin formal education, the better chance they have to compete in the global economy. However, a 2005 Stanford University study found, “attendance in preschool centers, even for short periods of time each week, hinders the rate at which young children develop social skills and display the motivation to engage classroom task.” According to a report by the Southwest Policy Institute, "Contrary to common belief, early institutional schooling can harm children emotionally, intellectually and socially, and may later lead to greater peer dependency." Child psyc...