Many of my fellow Patriots are struggling with discouragement about the condition of our country. Not just the political turmoil, but the moral condition. Knowing our nation’s moral compass is broken, what does the future hold? One of our Founding Fathers, John Adams, said: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Don’t give up hope for this upcoming generation. I believe God is raising up a new generation of godly young men and women who will impact our nation. In November, around Veterans Day, I was invited to speak at a banquet in Big Sandy, Texas.

While Big Sandy is NOT big, what’s happening there is. Big Sandy is the home of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). I was invited to speak at its annual banquet to honor veterans and first responders. I was familiar with the school. One of my former Teen Challenge leaders had four out of five of his kids attend the school. IBLP is a Christian discipleship ministry focused on encouraging individuals and families to live their lives centered on Jesus Christ and His Word.

There was one program that grabbed my attention. It’s called the ALERT ACADEMY. Here’s the description of the program: “The Air Land Emergency Resource Team is a Christian discipleship and service program that trains young men to meet needs in time of crisis. ALERT will help you grow physically and spiritually, teach you to be ready to serve with a Christlike attitude, and train you with skills you can use wherever God’s calling takes you.”

ALERT trains young men to be first responders or law enforcement. It’s very rigorous! We toured the campus with the son of my former staff member. During the tour, and before and after the banquet, I probably talked to 20-25 of these young men. I was impressed with their attitudes and commitment. Many volunteered to serve at the banquet to honor their communities’ first responders.

Something else really impressed me. There was a wall of former graduates who had joined the military after completing the ALERT Academy. There were 75 names and photos on the wall, but I learned that was not everyone. Staff there said there were at least 10 other graduates who enlisted whose photos were not on the wall. They thought as many as 100 graduates served or are serving in our military.

Another photo impacted me. ALERT graduate Caleb Nelson, who had also been an instructor at ALERT, joined the U.S. Navy and became a Navy Seal. At 26 years of age, Nelson was killed in Afghanistan when his vehicle hit an IED, leaving a wife and two children behind. Here are a few comments about Caleb from his team members:

• “Caleb was a moral sounding board.”

• “It was his faith that everyone respected about him.”

His commanding officer said:

• “His tireless professionalism, inspiring passion for life and his humble and selfless service to our country made him a role model for all who knew him.”

Let’s not give up on this generation. Instead, let’s encourage it, believe in it, and support programs like ALERT. It can make a difference in our nation.

Something to pray about!