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Dr. Tim Clinton
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Dr. Tim Clinton
Welcome into Real America's Voice News. This is Sunday, the Road Forward. It's been another wild week in America and around the world. In times like these, our hope, our strength comes from the Lord. Here's a great verse to hold onto this week, Isaiah 40, 31. But those who hope in the Lord, they'll renew their strength. They'll soar on wings like eagle eagles. They'll run and not grow weary. And they'll walk and not be faint. Hey, in September is Suicide Awareness Month, World Suicide Prevention day. It's Wednesday, September 10th. Coming up, always believed that with basic knowledge and skills, everyone can help save a life. All this and more on this edition of Sunday. THE Road Forward is always a word of hope and encouragement for you and those you love, especially in these challenging times. I'm Dr. Tim Clinton. I'll be your host. Our special guest joining us this week, he's the founder and chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. Ralph Reed is back with us. He is the co host of American Sunrise right here on Real America's Voice. David Brody is with us. She is a crisis and trauma care expert, senior director of advancement, special projects and church engagement for the American association of Christian Counselors. Jennifer Ellers is back with us. He's the president of American Values and senior vice president for public policy for the Dr. James Dobson family Institute. Gary Bower is with us. Thanks for watching.
David Brody
A chance when I stand in your love.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Oh, I'm standing well, just before the holiday weekend, we went a couple of days without President Trump being very visible. Radical leftists, people in the Media kind of broke out and some speculation. A lot of people buzzing up on social media and some comments about, hey, Donald Trump may have died. Well, Trump, who, by the way, had already survived two assassination attempts. And these people are like wanting him dead or something. It's sick. It doesn't make any sense, but it shows you where that radical left really is. Their balloons, however, were burst when pictures emerge of the president playing golf with his granddaughter. President had a little fun on their expense. He went on Truth Social and said, this never felt better in my life. By the way, D.C. is a crime free zone. Hey. The New York City mayoral election is two months away and the race is getting a lot of national attention because one of the leading candidates, Mamdani, he's a Democratic socialist. And the real concern is he might win the thing. What does that say about the Big Apple? My goodness, it's hard to believe. Good news, though, is faith is back in America. Christian recording artists again are charting, and Gen Z is lighting up with fire toward faith in God. I was up in Washington this past week and went to an event talking about unite. That's that movement that's happening across college campuses. And I'll tell you what, it's so encouraging to see a generation that has been battling, especially with a lot of mental health challenges, coming to Christ and really on fire for God. Americans, however, in the midst of all this, continue to be concerned and fearful about potential acts of violence, terrorism on American soil, and rightfully so. That recent shooting at Annunciation Catholic School by a transgender person has really raised concern about increasing violence against people of faith. President Trump and his administration, they're doing everything they can, by the way, to help make America safe again. And we know this, that he made a move in D.C. and brought in the National Guard. And guess what? It's working. And now he's talking about the administration team stepping in, maybe Chicago, New York City, New Orleans and other places. The leftists, they're going crazy over it all. And September is Suicide Awareness Month. World Suicide Prevention day is Wednesday, September 10, 2025. I've always believed that if you have the right knowledge and skills, you can help save a life. And everyone should be committed to that end. Hey, we're going to pray and we're going to get started. God be with us. Pray that you use this broadcast for your glory. Thank you for this privilege, this opportunity. And I pray that you would work through each person who's part of it. We love you and thank you for your goodness and grace in Jesus name amen let's get started. Hi everyone. I'm Dr. Tim Clinton. And you know how important this is. It's my phone, it's my lifeline. It connects me with loved ones and business throughout the day, keeps me informed about the world around us. And that's why my cell service and data, they're so important to me. They have to be reliable, safe, secure. And that's why I use Patriot Mobile. Patriot Mobile is leading the way as America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. And you can enjoy nationwide coverage with access to all three major US Networks. That's right. Most importantly, when you switch to Patriot Mobile, you'll be supporting faith, family and freedom. That's right. The folks at Patriot, they've got four core values centered on defending God and country and supporting our military and the sanctity of life. I appreciate that switching. It's easy. Keep your number and phone. Or you can upgrade, make the move and defend your values without sacrificing quality or service. All you have to do is visit patriotmobile.com Again, that's patriotmobile.com Road Forward. Or you can call 972-972-972-PIOT. That's 972 Patriot. You get a free month with the promo code Road Forward. Let me repeat that. If you use the code Road Forward, you're going to receive a free month of service. Hey, everybody can use that. The information is right there on your screen. Visit again patriotmobile.com road forward or call 972 Patriot to get a free month of cellular service with the promo code Road Forward. Patriot Mobile's prices are very competitive with plans starting as low as $26. That's $26. A terrific offer from a great company that shares our values and standing with us for such a time as this. Joining us now is conservative political activist Ralph Reed. He's the founder and chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. He's authored several best selling books. His columns have appeared Times, Wall Street Journal, National Review, many more. Ralph, welcome back. Thank you for joining me.
Ralph Reed
Thanks, Tim. Good to be with you, Ralph.
Dr. Tim Clinton
We get started, boy, I'll tell you what, since January 20th again, things have been coming at us at warp speed. It's amazing. The Trump administration is blazing a trail, touching sacred cows, if you will. Hey, this interesting move recently about making America safe again and going into Washington D.C. and now he's talking about Chicago, New York, New Orleans and more. But Ralph, just your take. What do you think are probably the greatest accomplishments so far with the administration?
Ralph Reed
You know, it's such a long list, Tim. This has been an extraordinary flurry, really a blur of activity by this president and I would have never thought that we'd be saying we were glad that he had to leave the White House in 2021 and I'm not saying that now, but there is a method to the madness and in the serving of these non consecutive terms because he had a chance to think about what he wanted to do. And when he walked in the door on January 20th of this year, he knew exactly what he was doing. It was a sharp contrast to the first time he's passed the largest and broadest and deepest tax cut in U. S History. He secured the border, ending the worst humanitarian and national security crisis on our border in American history. He's making peace around the world between Rwanda and and Congo, the Democratic Republic of Condo, Congo, between India and Pakistan and many others. I think he's on his way to getting the Ukraine, Russia war resolved in the west favor. I don't think that's going to be nearly as easy.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Right.
Ralph Reed
He stood behind Israel again, Tim, and that would be one of his biggest accomplishments to allow Israel to be secure again and to destroy Iran's nuclear enrichment eventually. It was designed to be a weapons program and I would put at the top of the list, Tim, what he's done to protect innocent human life. Defunding Planned Parenthood and defending the first Amendment rights of Christians, protecting the, excuse me, creating the Religious Liberty Commission, signing an executive order to put an end to anti Christian and other anti religious bigotry as practiced by the government as was the case under the previous administration. Again, it's too long a list for this format, but it's impressive and it's formidable.
Dr. Tim Clinton
I think the American people are encouraged, Ralph. I really believe that and I think we're all kind of sitting at the edges of our seats just waiting to see what else is going to come down the highway. Ralph, I want to go back to Israel for a moment. I know your deep love for the nation of Israel, this situation over in Gaza, Hamas and stuff still going on. Are you having any conversations? Have you heard anything from BB Netanyahu and the situation there?
Ralph Reed
I haven't talked to the prime minister in a while. I was last there in in March. But I think it's pretty clear that the only way you're going to get a peace deal is if you have a partner with whom you can make peace. And unfortunately, in spite of repeated in multiple efforts by multiple intermediaries, including the uae, including Egypt, including the United states Hamas has not demonstrated itself to be a willing partner in peace. So now Israel has been left with no other alternative but to engage in a military offensive in Gaza City, which is where the remaining Hamas leaders and where the remaining hostages are held. And we'll have to see what happens there. You know, we're hoping that the remaining hostages who are alive can get out. But one way or the other, the Netanyahu government is going to keep its promise to the people of Israel that it made in the aftermath of the attack of October 7, which is they are going to destroy Hamas as a military power, they are going to dismantle it as a governing authority in Gaza, and they are going to make sure that nothing like October 7th ever happens again. And the only way to do that is to dismantle and destroy Hamas, both its military and political wings. And that's what Israel has to do at this point.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Ralph, the peace through strength message, we all believe and stand behind that. And you're seeing the work of Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Collins going on. We know that under the Biden administration, it turned into an absolute mess. Military strength was, you know, dropping that leftist ideology, transgender ideology, and more coming into the military. Now you're seeing a real focus on war fighters and military readiness. Are you encouraged in that direction, Ralph? Do you think we're getting stuff done?
Ralph Reed
I'm very encouraged. And, you know, it's not going to happen overnight. I mean, I think the seminal and defining moment of the Biden presidency occurred in August of 2021, when he unilaterally withdrew from Afghanistan, pulled all of our troops out, allowed $80 billion in U.S. military material and supplies to fall into the hands of the Taliban. You know, we, we, we lost, you know, the, the US Servicemen and women who were killed at the, at the bombing at the airport, and there were dozens more who were seriously injured. And it was the most embarrassing and humiliating withdrawal of US forces since the fall of Saigon in 1975. It was also, parenthetically, an engraved invitation sent to Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine because he knew if Biden wouldn't even defend his own troops. Sure, he certainly wasn't going to defend the Ukrainians. And the rest, unfortunately, is history. But, but Donald Trump, Secretary Hegseth, Secretary Rubio, the rest of the tremendous national security team that the President has, has already projected force against the Houthis, restoring commerce to the Red Sea against the Iranians with a masterful military strike. They're currently rebuilding and reconstituting the industrial base of the United states that will enable us. That's really the engine that drives the strongest military in the world. And through a combination of the advances in AI, the rebuilding of our military, and the golden dome that President Trump anticipates will protect the US Homeland. We're going to see the strongest military that we've seen since the height of the Cold War and we desperately need it with adversaries like Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Well, Ralph Reed, always great to have you my friend. Thank you for joining me.
Ralph Reed
Thank you, Tim.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Coming up next, he is the co host of American Sunrise right here on Real America's Voice. David Brody is with us. For more encouragement and to stay connected, follow Dr. Tim Klin on Facebook, Instagram and X. We love being a part of your life.
Podcast Advertiser / Narrator
The US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point. As demand soars from data centers and home energy use, our aging infrastructure can't keep up. And the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready, powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@propain.com shout out to Sonos for supporting today's show.
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I just added the Sonos Arc Ultra to my home theater and folks, it's a game changer. The surround sound is so immersive, I swear I heard the turf crunch during kickoff. And the bass, it hits like a powerhouse running back in the open field. Plus, it looks clean. Sleek design that fits right in with my setup. Whether I'm watching live games or catching up on film, Sonos makes it feel like I'm in the stadium. If you want sound that performs like a first round pick, Sonos Arc Ultra is the move. Explore the lineup@sonos.com we all have that piece.
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Mary Kathryn Hamm
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Carol Markowitz
And I'm Carol Markowitz. We've been in political media for a long time.
Mary Kathryn Hamm
Long enough to know that it's gotten, well, a little insane.
Carol Markowitz
That's why we started Normalely a podcast for people who are over the hysteria and just want clarity.
Mary Kathryn Hamm
We talk about the issues that actually matter to the country without panic, without yelling and with a healthy dose of humor.
Carol Markowitz
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Mary Kathryn Hamm
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Dr. Tim Clinton
Joining us now is David Brody, journalist, author, reporter, host of American Sunrise on Real America's Voice. He also is a commentator for cbn, the Christian Broadcasting Network. David, welcome. Thank you for joining me.
David Brody
Tim, thanks for. Thanks for having me.
Ralph Reed
Appreciate it.
Dr. Tim Clinton
David. We get started making America safe again, been a big issue. You go all the way back to the open borders and what we saw, this flood of people coming across, many thought, and they knew that there were a lot of terrorists in there that just, you know, it got to the heart of who we are as families, individuals in our bedroom communities. And people again have been really concerned about what's happening. Washington D.C. the President said, hey, we got a mess going on up here. Let's make D.C. safe again. And so he calls in the National Guard, things started changing and now he's looking at Chicago, New Orleans, New York City and more. David, talk to us about safety, how important it is to the American people and what you think the administration is doing right?
David Brody
Well, maybe some. We should get to the Democrats, Tim, and talk, have them talk about safety for a second because they clearly are anti safety. This just in from political or politics 101. Not the best campaign message to be anti safety, Tim.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Him.
David Brody
And if you think you mentioned immigration, I mean they were pro illegal immigration and now they're anti safety. I mean, think about what they're really saying is like, no, no, no, we understand crime is, is a problem in our city, but we got this. We can handle this. Really? You can handle it? Show us the evidence. The evidence is just not there. And this idea that crime is down. Down from what exactly? Look, there's so many different problems there, but what the president is doing is, you know, a lot of liberal critics say he's breaking the rules, not breaking the Rules, he's breaking the norms. And. And that's. Something has to change. I think the road ahead, though, Tim, is going to be a constitutional fight. Can President Trump specifically go into a Chicago to Baltimore and other cities, not D.C. d.C. Is different. He's got the ability to do that at least for 30 days, but can he do it in other cities? And I think that's the constitutional fight ahead. There's the Posse Coma Thomas act, which we've heard a lot about. People are like, the what and the what act? People don't really quite understand it. But I'll just simply say this, that the problem could be for President Trump here is that if. Unless he invokes the Insurrection act, which would be interesting to go forward on that one. But the problem could be, is that presidents in the past have brought in the National Guard in other Cities, Little Rock Nine. I mean, the Detroit Riots of 67, the LA Riots with Rodney King in 92. I mean, the National Guard has been federalized, but never for actual, like, kind of crime. Overall, if there's actually been one incident that doesn't spark it, then typically that has not been done. I shouldn't say typically, it's never been done. So I think that's kind of, kind of the legal road ahead as to whether or not this can be done. But he's doing something, Tim.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Annunciation School up there, Catholic school in Minneapolis, another transgender shooter, number one. It brings a lot of fear to parents when we're going back to school. Here we are in the early phases of a new academic year, but at the same time, it's raising concerns about transgender ideology, which we saw railroaded down our throats in the prior administration, and the rise of violence toward people of faith. David, connect dots here for us and just your thoughts.
David Brody
Well, the dots are pretty clear, but if you watch MSNBC and cnn, the dots are nowhere to be found. Matter of fact, they're just, you know, the minute, you know, the fact that this gunman who's now dead was transgender, they were like, okay, let's move on to the next thing that we can bash Trump about, or they'll go to gun safety and all of that. But look, look at the DSM 5, right? I mean, the DSM 5 literally categories categorized, excuse me, gender dysphoria as a mental illness. Now, it's called a. A congruence or an incongruence. Excuse me, an incongruence, which is absolutely ridiculous. I mean, you know, obviously all about this, Tim. I mean, the fact that they're Backpedaling on this, I mean, gender dysphoria, let's be clear, is real, but real in the sense that it's been manufactured by so many F. If a 2 year old boy picks up a Barbie doll, like I said, at the age of two, then all of a sudden, you know, they have to question. The parents are now starting to question gender and now that's. The son wants to become a daughter at the age of four because he likes to play with a couple Barbie dolls. Come on. So, so this, this is a big, big problem and you know, look, there's so much more to unpack. But the question is, a lot of folks talk about gun safety and gun regulations, but the truth of the matter is, Tim, as you know, we had a mental illness problem or mental illness problems in this country, and that must be addressed. But it's only going to be addressed if people are actually speaking truth. Truth to power.
Dr. Tim Clinton
David, this week, over the last couple of weeks, we've lost a couple of real lions, if you will, in the Christian faith. Thinking about John, John MacArthur and thinking about James Dobson. And I can't think of people who are more bold about righteousness and culture, trying to really speak biblical truth. David, you know, in the midst of it, we look back and think, boy, I'll tell you what, those are voices crying in the wilderness. Those are voices who, quote, paved a way for us, you know, that to quote, stand boldly for what we believe. David, the church needs to rise up and find her place and we need to pray earnestly. And I'll use that in the right way that God would raise up a generation who would not bow the knee but stand for truth in love. Can you talk to us about just your thoughts on the loss of those two.
David Brody
100%. I, I met John MacArthur once, but Dr. Dobson, I, I've known for quite some time and we had a relationship and let me just. I call him Dr. Dobson because that's what he is, right? Not James or Jim. You know, I mean, to me he was always Dr. Dobson. Why? Because when I gave my life to Christ back in 1988 and then we had kids starting in 1991, guess what we were doing? That's right. We were putting in growing kids God's way. And of course we, we would talk to, we would go to focus on the family and we would do use all of their resources and all of his books. And then I got to know him personally later on as I began working at the Christian Broadcasting Network. What a wonderful giant of a man. And talk about you talk about generations. Tim. Generational change, yes, that is, I mean, there's so many legacies he's got, but generational change is definitely one of them. Look at Focus on the Family. Look at what he's done with family, specifically about how they, they know him. They know him, but they know of his works. And they know most importantly about Jesus because he was preaching the gospel every step of the way. And especially from a clinical perspective and from a psychological perspective, which back then at the time was really trend setting and groundbreaking.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Yeah. I'll tell you what, no one has done more for the family in our lifetime than Dr. James C. Dobson, 100%. And John MacArthur, a man who just stood boldly and preached, I mean, profoundly from the pulpit about honoring Christ. And we honor that legacy, too. David Brady, always great to see you, my friend. Thank you for joining me.
David Brody
Thanks, Tim. Love being on with you.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Coming up next, crisis and trauma care expert, senior director of advancement, special projects and church engagement for the American association of Christian Counselors. Jennifer Ellers is back with. Hi, everyone. I'm Dr. Tim Clinton. And you know how important this is. It's my phone. It's my lifeline. It connects me with loved ones and business throughout the day, keeps me informed about the world around us. And that's why my cell service and data, they're so important to me. They have to be reliable, safe, secure. And that's why I use Patriot Mobile. Patriot Mobile is leading the way as America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. And you can enjoy nationwide coverage with access to all three major US Networks. That's right. Most importantly, when you switch to Patriot Mobile, you'll be supporting faith, family and freedom. That's right. The folks at Patriot, they've got four core values centered on defending God and country and supporting our military, military and the sanctity of life. I appreciate that switching. It's easy. Keep your number and phone. Or you can upgrade, make the move and defend your values without sacrificing quality or service. All you have to do is visit patriotmobile.com again. That's patriotmobile.com forward/road forward. Or you can call 972-972-072-PROTRIOT. That's 972 PATRIOT. You get a free month with the promo code Road Forward. Let me repeat that. If you use the code Road Forward, you're gonna receive a free month of service. Hey, everybody can use that. The information is right there on your screen. Visit again patriotmobile.com forward/road forward or call 972 Patriot to get a free month of cellular service with the promo code Road Forward. Patriot Mobile's prices are very competitive, with plans starting as low as $26. That's $26. A terrific offer from a great company that shares our values and standing with us for such a time as this.
Podcast Advertiser / Narrator
The US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point. As demand soars from data centers and home energy use, our aging infrastructure can't keep up, and the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready, powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com shout out to Sonos for supporting today's show.
Sonos Advertiser
I just added the Sonos Arc Ultra to my home theater and folks, it's a game changer. The surround sound is so immersive, I swear I heard the turf crunch during kickoff. And the bass. It hits like a powerhouse running back in the open field. Plus it looks clean. Sleek design that fits right in with my setup. Whether I'm watching live games or catching up on film, Sonos makes it feel like I'm in the stadium. If you want sound that performs like a first round pick, Sonos Arc Ultra is the move. Explore the lineup@sonos.com we all have that piece.
eBay Advertiser
You know the one, the thing that's so you. You've basically become known for it. And if you don't have yours yet, you'll find it on ebay. Putting you on here fashionistas. Ebay is where you'll find those. One of a kind. Can't stop researching. Stay up dreaming about pieces again and again. I'm talking that Miu Miu off the Runway. Red leather bomber, the Cousteau Barcelona top with the cowboy on it. Or that Patagonia fleece in the 2017 colorway. All these finds are on ebay and they even offer millions of main character pieces backed by authenticity guarantee. Ebay is the place for pre loved and vintage fashion. Ebay Things people love hey there.
Mary Kathryn Hamm
I'm Mary Kathryn Hamm.
Carol Markowitz
And I'm Carol Markowitz. We've been in political media for a long time.
Mary Kathryn Hamm
Long enough to know that it's gotten, well, a little insane.
Carol Markowitz
That's why we started Normalely, a podcast for people who are over the hysteria and just want clarity.
Mary Kathryn Hamm
We talk about the issues that actually matter to the country without panic, without yelling, and with a healthy dose of humor.
Carol Markowitz
We don't take ourselves too seriously, but we do take the truth seriously.
Mary Kathryn Hamm
So if you're into common sense, sanity and some occasional sass, you're our kind of people. Catch new episodes of Normally every Tuesday.
Carol Markowitz
And Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Joining us now is Jennifer Ellis. She is a professional counselor, life coach, crisis response trainer, author, speaker. She also serves as senior director of Advancement, Special projects and church engagement. That's a mouthful for the American Association Christian Counselors. Jennifer, welcome. Thank you for joining me.
Jennifer Ellers
It is my pleasure, Tim. And you know I am always passionate about talking about this issue. So whenever we have the opportunity, I'm there.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Jennifer, September is known as Suicide Awareness month. I think September 10th coming up is that kind of World Suicide Prevention Day. And Jennifer, I don't think there's a word that strikes more fear in the hearts of a parent. Good night. I think everybody than the word suicide. Talk to us about how serious this issue really is in culture.
Jennifer Ellers
It is very serious. It couldn't be more serious than it is in these last few years, especially Tim. But really for about the last few decades we have had a major, major issue with suicide. We've seen the numbers continue to go up and up each year, really since about the early 2 2000s. And in spite of all the efforts for many mental health organizations, aacc just one among those trying to educate, train, do more prevention efforts, we've still been seeing those numbers go up. Now good news is that there was a very, very slight decline in the most recent verified numbers we have, which were for 2023. But that is not a reason to back problem because the truth is so many people close to about 49,000 people died by suicide in the last year. We have the verified numbers. And so it is still a very, very significant problem across our population.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Jennifer, a lot of people are saying it's the number two cause of death for our kids. That in and of itself is just breathtaking really, because suicide and kids don't go together. Jennifer, talk to us about some of the factors that lead up to that kind of action. What's going on in the heart. I heard a lot of people discuss the word rumination lately that that's like the mind won't shut off when you get stuck into something and it gets into chaos. And it's that 2, 3, 4, 5 o' clock in the morning stuff that just won't go away. But Jennifer, what have you found in working with people through the years well.
Jennifer Ellers
There are so many things. And Tim, let's break it down into both risk factors and warning signs. And in risk factors, we know that any significant mental health problem that you struggle with, from depression being the one of the most common, but also anxiety, ptsd, any kind of addiction, those are all significant risk factors for suicide. And particularly some types of mental health issues, such as bipolar disorder, have a really, really high suicide risk that come along with them. But really, anyone can be at risk when things happen like a major loss. And certainly that can be a death of someone close to you, but it can be the loss of a job, it can be the loss of a relationship through breakup or divorce. It can be any kind of major financial or legal struggle. When those kind of life situations happen, that's when we know that the risk of risk goes up for people. We also know that there are warning signs when people start really changing how they interact with people around them or the world. If you see a dramatic change in that, that could be a warning sign. But I really try to encourage people now, Tim, to go beyond the risk factors and warning signs and have conversations with the people you love, especially your kids, your spouse, your closest friends. And when you know they're going through a difficult time or they're even talking about any kind of struggle, that's time to say, have you ever thought about suicide? Because when we have those conversations, even when someone hasn't indicated to us that they are thinking that, we start to take away the stigma. We start to encourage them to know that they have a place that they can talk about it if they ever do start to think that way.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Jennifer, I know that you and your work with the American association of Christian Counselors have put together a special training program on suicide awareness and prevention. And I think it's called the HF3R project. And you've done one for youth, too. Can you talk a little bit about the purpose behind that and its value?
Jennifer Ellers
Yeah, and we really just did the HF3R program to make everyone more aware about the factors of suicide and how to intervene. Because while mental health professionals need training, we know that the first line of defense is every person, every person in every church in every family across the world needs to be better educated. And that's when we're really going to start to see the numbers change and we're going to start to turn this thing around. So I would encourage every person to take these. It's just three hours. So three hours of your time. You can do it in groups, you can do it by yourself. You can do it online. But really think about it. Take three evenings and while you're having your dinner break or your lunch hour, you watch one of these sessions and you come out of this with a lot more knowledge and more equipping. So you can be that person that intervenes when someone you know love or someone in your life or your church is suicidal.
Dr. Tim Clinton
So that website again is on your screen right now. Just go up there. You can learn everything about the curriculum. By the way, it's on video. You can study 24, 7, 365. So in other words, you can jump up there anytime you want and get in this training program. Jennifer Bring it back to our hope in God and we anchor ourselves there.
Jennifer Ellers
We know that God doesn't want anyone to take their own life. And the truth is, you mentioned hope earlier, Tim, and that is where hope is right. And so directing people toward faith in Christ and certainly the community that we, we want to be around us in the body of Christ are some of the most protective factors for suicide. By the way, research also shows that having a strong faith is a protective factor for suicide. It doesn't mean that Christians don't get suicidal. Please hear me. Because we go through hard times and Satan wants to slip in and try to whisper lies in a Christian's ear that the world would be better off without you. But the truth is everyone is created with a purpose. And in the long run, Tim, we know that really connecting with that purpose, the meaning and purpose in our life is what prevents suicide for people. Because when we know that there is a reason, reason for us to be here, that we can contribute meaningfully to the world. And we know that God has a purpose for every person that has ever been born. When we connect people to that purpose and faith is really the doorway to that, that's when people regain that hope that perhaps they've lost or struggled with.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Jennifer Ellis, always wonderful having you. Thank you so much for joining me.
Jennifer Ellers
It's my pleasure and thank you for addressing this really important issue.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Coming up next, he's the President of American Values and Senior Vice President for Public policy for the Dr. James Dobson family Institute. Gary Bauer is with us. For more encouragement and to stay connected, follow Dr. Tim Clinton on Facebook, Instagram and X. We love being a part of your life.
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Mary Kathryn Hamm
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Carol Markowitz
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Dr. Tim Clinton
Joining us now is Gary Bauer. Bauer served in President Ronald Reagan's administration for eight years as under Secretary of Education and Chief domestic policy advisor. Today he serves as president of American values and educational nonprofit and Senior Vice President of Public policy for the Dr. James Dobson family Institute. Gary, welcome back. Good to see you, my friend.
Gary Bauer
Thank you, Tim Great to be with you. We had a little bit of a summer respite there, but it's great to be back in the saddle.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Well, Gary, we've got a lot to talk about. I want to go first of all to Minneapolis. That recent horrific shooting up there at Annunciation Catholic School. I think kindergartners through eighth graders up there. What, what a nightmare. And Gary, in the middle of it, we learned that the shooter was a transgender person. This transgender ideology stuff is just unreal in culture. And Gary, there's been recent. Well, this has gone on for a little bit. People of faith are concerned about this violence being perpetrated by transgender people toward people of faith.
Gary Bauer
Well, you're absolutely right, Tim. Look, you and I talk, many, have talked many times about this, and it's a frequent conversation in the church world that in addition to all the battles that are going on, we're in a spiritual war.
Dr. Tim Clinton
We are.
Gary Bauer
And seldom has an event taken place where that spiritual warfare was so evident as what happened that morning in Minneapolis. On the one hand, you had people that believe God is getting their kids out of bed, hurrying them through breakfast, buckling them up in the cars and taking them to the church school combination, the church of the Annunciation. And while they're there being read to from the scripture, while they're being told by an adult Christian there in the sanctuary that God is always with us, even in the darkness. Darkness was approaching them in the form in the person of somebody that believed God isn't. He mocked God, he hated God. He used Jesus as a target in the months leading up to this terrible event to do target practice on he etched on his guns, where is your God now? So this was a definite clash of. Of good and evil. Yeah, I. I would say, and I know it'll, you know, it'll hurt some ears. In our secular word, this was a clash between God and Satan played out in the world among human beings. And so a terrible event for sure. But it also, as it was happening, in the aftermath of it happening, there was this unbelievable attack by left wing politicians, neo Marxist politicians and elected officials who in their own way joined the shooter in mocking the prayers of Christians. Yeah, they basically said the same thing the shooter did.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Yeah. When people of faith are faced with a traumatic situation, they go to their knees, they pray to God, they cry out to God and ask God to intervene in those moments. And they looked to God for peace and comfort. Gary, in the midst of it, you're right. Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki basically said, enough with those prayers. And Governor Newsom tweeted something along the lines of, hey, they were praying when they got shot. I just. I couldn't even believe that he would go that low, seriously, and tweet something like that. Gary, what do you make of that kind of rhetoric that, you know, it's almost the very. Like, the very thing they say they're against is what they're perpetrating.
Gary Bauer
Well, well said. I mean, that guy could be vice president of the United States right now. Yeah, imagine that. So, look, he's got blood on his hands because as governor, he got a letter from religious leaders in the state a couple of years ago, both Catholic leaders and some Protestant leaders, all of whom ran religious schools, and they were getting an increasing number of death threats from radical leftists and others in. In. In the state. And the. The governor. And they asked the governor for additional security for private schools, religious schools. And he not only did not do that, he held a big event in his offices declaring the state a transgender sanctuary state. So he is, so far. I mean, this is the guy that put tampons in the boys bathrooms because he says to us that boys can get pregnant and boys have periods. I mean, this is insanity. And it's all over the political left today. The. The comments on prayers. Tim, you. You said it. Well, prayers aren't a magic lamp that we rub and get three promises. Prayers are the way we share our heart with God and listen for his desires for us. We use prayers to praise God, to give him thanksgiving, to ask for help when we're going through difficult periods, to ask for forgiveness. There's many purposes of prayer. And I would argue, Tim, that in spite of the mocking of the killer and of these liberal Democrat politicians, I believe God was there that morning. The man had three guns. There was nobody armed in the sanctuary. It wouldn't have been a surprise if 50 children had been killed, but two were, and that's bad enough, But I believe even then, God's merciful hand interfered.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Gary, you and I have had many conversations about righteousness in culture, and over the last few weeks, we have watched a couple of our lions of in the faith go on to be with the Lord. I'm thinking of Dr. John MacArthur, one of the great pastors of our day, went on to be with the Lord, and then our dear friend of ours, Dr. James Dobson. Gary, you were very close to Dr. Dobson. You and I have had many moments together with him, had a lot of life with him, appreciate his voice, but I can't think of anyone who stood more firmly for the family, first of all, and then for the things of God, and was unashamed and by the way, not. He wasn't afraid. He was courageous, you know, to stand up and be a voice crying out in the darkness, if you will, that God would do something for our great country. I've been with him, Gary, where you shed tears, but some reflections from your heart about Dr. Dobson.
Gary Bauer
Well, Tim, I first met Dr. Dobson when I was in the Reagan administration, and I know it will shock your listeners that I was rather aggressive during those years in combating liberals and leftists in Washington, and I got in more than my share of controversy. And Dr. Dobson called me one day. We had not met before, and he said, I like what you're saying, Gary, and I'd like to put you on the radio so you can explain what it is you're trying to do as you work for President Reagan. And he did that over and over and over again. In fact, over the years, I believe the last time anybody checked it out, I was a guest on his radio show more than anybody else. Over all those years, I was thinking about a lot of different personal things that happened with him. But I think one I want to mention, because it wasn't just one single event, it was a regular thing that happened after I left government and I was leading the family research council, Dr. Dobson would come to Washington and we would go up to Capitol Hill together. We'd meet members of Congress, we would run into senators and congressmen, and inevitably during that day, something would come up. We would find out about a bad piece of legislation or something one of those lefties were trying to do in the House or Senate. And he would turn to me and say, gary, let's tape a radio show right now and warn the public. So we'd go off to a corner and tape a show. He'd put it up immediately, and inevitably, Tim, the next day when that show would run, my phone would start ringing from congressmen and senators saying, what did you and Dobson do? The PH in my office are ringing off the hook. So Jim was a fighter, and we caused quite a bit of indigestion on Capitol Hill. And anytime you can do that, that's a. That's a plus.
Dr. Tim Clinton
You know, I was reflecting on him recently, Gary, and I was thinking, you know, if he were here in this moment, he'd say, number one, make sure of Christ. Make sure you know him and you have a personal relationship with him and be there in heaven. And then number two, he'd say, until then, hold the line, Gary. Hold the line. Don't waver. Stand strong for truth. Stand strong for righteousness and culture and do it in love. But hold the line, Gary. To that end, we're going to hold the line together and be strong. And just your closing thought on Dr. Dobson as we go.
Gary Bauer
He'll be deeply missed. I think the country would be in much worse shape if Dr. Dobson hadn't been holding the line over the years. But Tim, you know, I know we all yearn to stand before the throne and hear those words. Well done, good and faithful servant. He's heard those words. His faith has become sight. And whenever our time comes to have that moment. But I have no doubt we'll get a great welcome in the Heavens by Dr. James Dobson.
Dr. Tim Clinton
Gary Bauer, Always great to have you, my friend. Thank you for joining me.
Gary Bauer
Great to be with you.
Dr. Tim Clinton
For more encouragement and to stay connected, follow Dr. Tim Klin on Facebook, Instagram and X. We love being a part of your life. Hey, in closing, these are unprecedented times, difficult times. But I know this. God's in control. I believe he's at work. Hope you'll press in close to him in his heart. Know that God loves you. He wants to be in your life. Our hope, our strength comes from the Lord. Here's an encouraging verse again from the Bible to hold on to this week. Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 31. It's one of my favorite verses. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They'll run and not grow weary. They'll walk and not be faint. I hope you know that again, you can look to God for wisdom and direction in your everyday life. Let me also say this, though. I've learned as a professional counselor that it's normal to have concern, maybe some fear or worry, especially when life's not the way it's supposed to be. But I've also learned this too, that if you aren't careful, it can begin to consume you, control you. You can easily lose perspective. For some, they feel like they've lost hope. It can get so dark. Some would feel like life would be better off without them. Say this every week. You don't have to live like that. Simply taking a step, reaching out for help. It's often the gateway to a new day or a new you. And if you or someone you love is struggling, I hope you'll do that. I hope you'll reach out for help. There are wonderful counselors and pastors who care, who can help you find the help, help and answers that you're looking for. There are wonderful resources too that I'd love to connect you with. Go up on our website for more information. That's AACC.net that's AACC.net or check out our new website, ChristianCareConnect.com where you might be able to get connected with a mental health professional who could encourage your heart. If you don't have a personal relationship with God in Christ. Every week I like to make that opportunity available to you. You can ask God to come into your life right now. Ask him to forgive you of your sin and to be your Lord and Savior. Simply praying a prayer from your heart to God's heart, something like this, and you can repeat after me, Lord Jesus, I need you. I'm broken, I'm a sinner. And I know that you came and that you died for my sins. I want to turn from them and invite you into my heart, into my life. I want to trust you and I want to follow you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for giving your life for me. Thank you for the gift of grace, for forgiveness and the gift of eternal life of heaven. I pray all this in Jesus name. Amen. You know what the Bible says? The Bible says in Romans 10, 9 that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, the Bible says this, you will be saved. Best thing you can do right now is go tell someone about the decision you made and live for God the rest of your life. He'll give you the strength, I believe, to do that. You're struggling with hopelessness. You think it's really dark and you need help. Right now in this moment, I want to encourage you to pick up the phone and dial 988-988. That's the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 9 8, 8. And before we go, maybe God's gifted you with a heart to help other people. Maybe you understand darkness. You've been down that road and God brought you up out of that and you want to be maybe a part of a program that would help other people. Hope you'll consider being a part of our mental Health Coach first responder program. You can enroll right now and be on your way to becoming a board certified mental health coach. Over 70,000 people have now enrolled. Everything you need to know about it is up at our website called lightuniversity.com mental health coach. It's a 42 hour training program featuring some of the best and leading ministry and mental health experts in the world, all on video and online. You can study 247, 365. The best news, this program of study costs about 2,400 bucks, but there might be a scholarship up there for someone just like you. Lightuniversity.com Mental health coach, I'm Dr. Tim Clinton. As always, thanks for watching. See you next week right here on Sunday, the road forward on Real America's Voice. Thanks for watching.
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Host: Dr. Tim Clinton
Guests: Ralph Reed, David Brody, Jennifer Ellers, Gary Bauer
Air Date: September 7, 2025
This episode of "THE ROAD FORWARD" on Real America’s Voice dives into the current social, political, and spiritual climate in the United States. Host Dr. Tim Clinton and a panel of conservative leaders discuss pressing news topics—including faith's persistent role in American life, public safety under the current administration, the mental health and suicide crisis, and tributes to recently lost Christian leaders. Through a lens of hope and encouragement, the panel addresses challenges facing the country, including violence, culture wars, and spiritual struggle, emphasizing reliance on faith, community, and personal action.
Segment Begins: 08:13
Reed praises President Trump’s second, non-consecutive term for intentional policy moves, contrasting it with his first:
"When he walked in the door on January 20th of this year, he knew exactly what he was doing...He’s passed the largest and broadest and deepest tax cut in U.S. History. He secured the border, ending the worst humanitarian and national security crisis on our border in American history."
— Ralph Reed, 08:44
Additional points: foreign policy achievements (Rwanda–Congo, India–Pakistan), standing with Israel, efforts at resolving the Ukraine-Russia war.
Strong emphasis on religious liberty: Executive order establishing a Religious Liberty Commission; efforts to dismantle anti-Christian bias in government.
"The Netanyahu government… is going to destroy Hamas as a military power and…dismantle it as a governing authority in Gaza."
— Ralph Reed, 12:08
"We’re going to see the strongest military that we’ve seen since the height of the Cold War and we desperately need it with adversaries like Russia, China, North Korea and Iran."
— Ralph Reed, 15:34
Segment Begins: 18:57
Discussion on deploying the National Guard in D.C. and consideration for other cities:
"This idea that crime is down. Down from what exactly?...The road ahead…is going to be a constitutional fight. Can President Trump specifically go into a Chicago or other cities, not D.C.?"
— David Brody, 20:11
Context: Presidential powers, Insurrection Act, historic precedents; growing debate over the limits of federal intervention for public safety.
In the wake of a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School by a transgender individual, Brody critiques mainstream media's handling of such violence:
"If you watch MSNBC and CNN, the dots are nowhere to be found...the fact that this gunman…was transgender, [the media] were like, okay, let’s move on to the next thing that we can bash Trump about."
— David Brody, 22:22
Criticism of shifting definitions of gender dysphoria; frames discussion as a failure to confront underlying mental health issues, calling for honest dialogue.
"What a wonderful giant of a man...so many legacies he’s got, but generational change is definitely one of them...and they know most importantly about Jesus because he was preaching the gospel every step of the way."
— David Brody on Dr. Dobson, 24:38
Segment Begins: 31:05
September is Suicide Awareness Month, with September 10th as World Suicide Prevention Day.
"It couldn’t be more serious...for about the last few decades we have had a major, major issue with suicide. We’ve seen the numbers continue to go up and up each year."
— Jennifer Ellers, 31:53
2023 saw ~49,000 deaths by suicide, with suicide as the #2 cause of death among children.
Mental illness (especially depression and bipolar), addiction, major losses (death, job, relationships), legal or financial struggles are major contributors.
Recent focus on 'rumination' (chronic, intrusive thought spirals).
Quote:
"I really try to encourage people...to go beyond the risk factors and warning signs and have conversations with the people you love…When we have those conversations, even when someone hasn’t indicated…we start to take away the stigma."
— Jennifer Ellers, 34:48
"Research also shows that having a strong faith is a protective factor for suicide...when we connect people to that purpose and faith is really the doorway to that, that’s when people regain hope."
— Jennifer Ellers, 37:12
Segment Begins: 41:32
The Minneapolis school shooting is framed as spiritual warfare:
"This was a definite clash of good and evil...this was a clash between God and Satan played out in the world among human beings."
— Gary Bauer, 43:28
Critiques responses of political leaders (Jen Psaki, Gavin Newsom) for mocking Christian prayer rather than offering support:
"Prayers aren’t a magic lamp that we rub and get three promises…Prayers are the way we share our heart with God and listen for his desires for us."
— Gary Bauer, 46:01
Emotional, personal reflection on Dr. Dobson’s legacy:
"He’ll be deeply missed…I know we all yearn to stand before the throne and hear those words—well done, good and faithful servant. He’s heard those words. His faith has become sight."
— Gary Bauer, 51:25
Echoed by Clinton:
"If he were here in this moment, he’d say, number one, make sure of Christ…hold the line, Gary. Hold the line. Don’t waver."
— Dr. Tim Clinton, 50:48
On National Security and Trump's Approach:
On the Spiritual Battle in America:
On Suicide Prevention:
On Legacy and Influence:
(Ads and non-content segments were excluded as per instructions.)
For access to mental health and suicide prevention resources, visit AACC.net or ChristianCareConnect.com.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
(Summary prepared for listeners and non-listeners alike. For full context and details, listen to the episode on your preferred platform.)