Passing the Torch of Freedom and Hope

A Backyard Gathering to Strengthen, Encourage, and Stand Together

“You were created for such a time as this.”

Those words spoken to Esther echo through history, reminding us that God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things when they surrender to Him. Esther was just a young woman, hidden in a palace, yet God equipped her to stand before a king and intercede for her people. She fasted, prayed, and trusted the Lord to give her the courage she needed.

In much the same way, Charlie Kirk was called and God equipped him. He was a young man who chose not to follow the world’s path of college but instead to follow God’s direction. His faith in Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life gave him courage, wisdom, and purpose. And just as Esther was sent into the king’s courts, Charlie was sent onto the very campuses he once chose not to attend, to speak truth and hope, the kind the world hates to hear.

God still raises up Esthers today. When we yield ourselves fully to Him, He equips us with boldness, love, joy, and a sense of mission that only comes from His Spirit. The same God who prepared Esther and who equips men like Charlie has also placed you in this moment of history for His purposes.

But like Esther, we must prepare. We must pray, fast, repent, and discipline ourselves to walk in God’s ways. True freedom and lasting liberty are not found in compromise with the world but in obedience to Christ.

This truth runs all through Scripture. God delights in using the ordinary and the overlooked. The only qualification was their willingness. God provided everything else.

Moses stuttered, yet God put His words in his mouth and used him to lead Israel out of Egypt. Gideon saw himself as the least, yet God turned him into a mighty warrior who led a small army to victory. David was a shepherd boy, overlooked even by his own father, yet God anointed him king and gave him the courage to face Goliath.

In the New Testament, Peter was a fisherman, uneducated and impulsive, yet God used him to preach at Pentecost where thousands came to faith. Mary was a young girl from a humble village, yet she was chosen to carry the Savior. Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, became one of the greatest missionaries the church has ever known.

None of them were qualified. What set them apart was their willingness to say yes to God. And when they did, He gave them everything they needed.

The pattern has not changed. Esther, Charlie Kirk, you, and me, we are all part of the same story. God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called.

And then there is my story. By the world’s standards, I wasn’t qualified to be an Idaho State Senator. People often asked me, “What makes you think you’re qualified?” My answer was simple. I am over 21, and I am a U.S. citizen. Those are the only two qualifications to run for office.

What the world calls unqualified, God can use. I don’t have a college degree, but I do have strong principles and a Biblical worldview. That is the same foundation our Founders relied on when they formed this Constitutional Republic. Man’s education cannot replace God’s wisdom.

So when people doubted me, I stood on this truth. God equips those He calls. Just as He equipped Esther to face the king, David to face Goliath, and Peter to preach the gospel, He equips me for the task He has given me. Like Esther, like Charlie Kirk, and like all who have said, “Here I am, Lord. Send me,” I trust Him to provide the courage, wisdom, and strength I need, not because of who I am, but because of who He is.

And the same is true for you. You were created for this moment. You were placed here, in this time in history, for a reason. God has equipped you with everything you need to stand for truth, to love boldly, and to live faithfully in a world that desperately needs Him.

So I ask you, if not now, when? If not you, who?

Join me, not only in fighting to pass on the torch of freedom, but also the torch of hope. Without hope, there is no will to fight, no reason to continue. Let us leave a legacy that proves we were willing to choose faith over fear, steadfastness over ease, and courage over compromise. May it be said of us that in our time, we stood firm and we passed the light on to the next generation.

This is why it matters that we come together and my Backyard Bash couldn’t be happening at a better time. We need one another. We need to build each other up, strengthen relationships, and bring comfort in this season of sorrow. We need encouragement to engage, because the time is now. I hope you’ll join us. We need you. I need you. Together, we can stand stronger, with faith, with courage, and with hope.

---

Before the loss of Charlie, I attended the State Freedom Caucus Summit in Texas. At the time, it didn’t feel right to post about it during a nation in mourning. But the Summit itself was a beautiful time of coming together with other states who are fighting many of the same battles we face here in Idaho, runaway government growth, dependency on a broke federal government, DEI nonsense, broken education systems, illegal immigration, and the list goes on.

What’s amazing is hearing their stories. Leadership in other states stripping them of their committees, their bills get buried, and roadblocks get thrown up at every turn, all because they dare to fight for the people instead of protecting government power. Patterns start to emerge real quick: there are those who defend government, and those who defend the people. And government always loves to control.

That’s why I’m proud to say Idaho is now officially recognized as a member of the State Freedom Caucus. It’s been a long time coming, but we are standing shoulder to shoulder with other states who refuse to bow to broken systems.

I even made a short video of our time in Texas, you’ll want to see it!