Regent Law for Family Restoration

 

At Regent Law prospective lawyers are equipped to be practice-ready and purpose-driven, prepared to foster family restoration wherever that potential might exist. Last month we honored the top students in each of our classes and you can see the joy on the face of the student who earned the top award for Family Law.    

You can use this same measuring stick for evaluating your voting ballot this election day, whether you realize it or not. Here is a brief Top 5 Overview of why you will be voting on family restoration in this year’s ballot: 

1.      Protection of Life – for a list of State Abortion Initiatives see https://regentfamilyrestoration.blogspot.com/2024/09/early-voting-and-state-abortion.html.

2.      Marriage, Gender, & Sexuality - God designed marriage as a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman, and He called male and female “very good.” Judges and State representative's views on marriage, gender, and sexuality matter as you vote.

3.      Education - Parents are responsible for their children’s education and decisions surrounding that education as part of their constitutionally protected fundamental right to direct the upbringing of your children.  Vote for School Board positions with this in mind.

4.      Party Platforms - Vote using a Biblical Roadmap to Party Platforms – found here at State Voting Resources | Christians Engaged – Pray Vote Engage.

5.      Children – Children and their best interests are the key factor in every state or judicial decision where children are involved.  Choose representatives who will focus on a child’s best interests, rather than on the rights of adults.  

            Family restoration remains a daunting task in light of each of these ballot areas.  That is why it is all the more true that you and I have a new opportunity to shine light on a confused culture. Recommit your efforts to your own marriage, your own children, and your own family, and start with your vote. 

What God Says to the Victims of Infidelity

 

This guest post is from Regent Family Law student, Caroline Jackey:

Infidelity can deeply wound a relationship, leaving spouses and children grappling with emotional devastation and turmoil. This kind of betrayal is profound, and the aftermath can trigger intense grief, trauma, and bitterness. Victims of infidelity experience trauma akin to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Long-term effects on mental health, such as anxiety, depression, and pervasive mistrust, can linger, casting a shadow over future relationships and personal well-being. Children, too, bear the weight of infidelity's aftermath, experiencing confusion, anxiety, and a profound sense of instability. Caught in the crossfire, they may internalize guilt and responsibility, struggling to navigate their emotions and perceptions of love and faithfulness. Disrupted parent-child relationships, loyalty conflicts, and pervasive mistrust can further worsen their distress, shaping their worldview and future relationships.

            Often, in the face of infidelity, the only thing that Christian victims are told is “Forgive.” And yes, the Bible emphasizes the importance of forgiveness in rebuilding trust, highlighting the transformative power of forgiveness in healing broken relationships and restoring trust. James 5:16 encourages confession and prayer as means of healing and restoring trust, highlighting the significance of humility, forgiveness, honesty, and a commitment to reconciliation, with faith in God's guidance and grace throughout the process.

            However, what Christians who have experienced infidelity should be told first is that it is okay to grieve and be hurt. No matter where we live or who we are, God sees us, and He knows every detail of our pain. He also doesn’t waste the pain in our lives. Psalm 139:23 encourages us that God sees us in every moment of our lives: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” And because God feels our pain, victims can feel angry, hurt, sad, depressed, or betrayed, and God will be with them in their hurt and comfort them (Psalm 56:8).

Child Heart Disease Connected with Covid Vaccines

A recent study involving 1.7 million children found that myocarditis and pericarditis (heart-related illnesses) only appeared in children who had received COVID mRNA vaccines, as reported by noted lawyer and pediatrician Dr. Simon Gold.  

According to the study, not a single unvaccinated child in the group suffered from these heart-related problems.  This is a somewhat shocking revelation in light of the current medical practice of encouraging child vaccinations.

Parents need to be proactive in discussing these facts with their family pediatrician and doctors, to be certain that the vaccines that are recommended for your children are truly necessary.  Being proactive to protect your children is an important part of family restoration.  

Read the study at pic.twitter.com/aI6Vs5XeC0.

Love and Law: Covenant Marriage in Louisiana

 

This blog post is courtesy of Nicole Hudgens, Regent Family Law student:

 

Should Christians ever pursue divorce? That is a hard question—one that many Christians avoid because the topic far too often incites heartbreaking pain. Perhaps, when addressing the topic of marriage and divorce, the first question should be: how are Christian marriages formed and strengthened?

In Matthew 19, Jesus was asked about divorce. Instead of answering with a simple, “yes” or “no,” he reframed the issue and asked a different question:

Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh,’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.                                  - Matthew 19:3-6

Here, Jesus restarts the conversation with God’s heart for marriage. God’s intent was that a man and a woman be joined so closely together in spirit, soul, and body, that they become one being. The fascinating part of this passage is that God Himself is the architect of this beautiful union, designed to last a lifetime.

Paul further expounds on the beauty and mystery of God’s design for marriage. Paul begins Ephesians 5 stating, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2.  Paul further explains the love of a husband and respect of a wife reflect the relationship between Christ and His Church. The love produced in marriage is made through the offering and sacrifice of each spouse for the other. (See Ephesians 5:22-33.)

A Christian couple should diligently seek Scripture and wise counsel when forming and strengthening their marriage. There are also often untapped resources that may be utilized as a couple begins building their marriage –including a few state laws. Three states have noteworthy laws which strengthen marriages – these are called Covenant Marriage Laws.

In 1997, Louisiana introduced the first Covenant Marriage Law proposal. Arkansas (Ark. Code. Ann. § 9-11-803-9-11-810) and Arizona (Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 25-901-25-906) followed suit. A Covenant Marriage gives soon-to-be-wed couples an option to include additional legal safeguards within their marriage agreement. Under the law, LA. Stat. Ann. § 9:272, the couple choosing a Covenant Marriage specifically commits to the following:

·                A lifetime of marriage “so long as they both shall live,”

·                disclosing “everything which could adversely affect” their decision to marry their spouse prior to the marriage;

·                receiving premarital counseling from a counselor who will help the couple understand the solemnity of their commitment;

·                “tak[ing] all reasonable efforts to preserve [the] marriage,” after the wedding, “including marital counseling,” when the relationship encounters difficulties. 

These safeguards, should the couple choose them, hold the couple accountable in beginning their marriage with honesty, transparency, wise counsel, and deep commitment. When difficulties in the relationship arise, the couple’s commitment is reinforced through counsel and a connection to resources which will strengthen the relationship.

The law allows for separation or divorce for limited reasons such as adultery, cruelty, abandonment, and certain crimes under LA. Stat. Ann.  § 9.307 — and rightly so. But the couple’s legally enforced commitment and counseling may help the couple avoid these situations. And while the Bible allows divorce, it is not the end of the story. The Gospel invites those who have experienced divorce to know that hope, healing, and abundant life are found in Christ—no matter the circumstance. 

While the law of man cannot heal hearts, God can. And His heart is for His children to be healed and made whole, including from the deep wounds of divorce.

Covenant marriage laws are one of countless resources to help set couples up for a life-long, loving marriage. Rather than opt for divorce when a couple comes to an impasse in their relationship, a Covenant Marriage is designed to help couples work through their challenges and stay together when difficulties arise.

God’s heart for marriage continues to be just as it was from the beginning: one man, one woman, joined together by His love. And perhaps, the more we seek Him and understand His heart, the more our hearts for one another will look like His. This is what family restoration looks like.

 

 

Pray for the Restoration of Israeli Families

 

October 7 marks the severe, heinous, and barbaric attack that raped and murdered and killed thousands, kidnapped hundreds, and sparked a serious global rise of antisemitism. The challenges now faced by Israel and Jewish people in a post-October 7th world are more significant than ever imagined.  Pray for the restoration of families …

 

Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.

A Song of Ascents, of David.

Psalm 122 

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let’s go to the house of the Lord.”
² Our feet are standing
Within your gates, Jerusalem,
³ Jerusalem, that has been built
As a city that is firmly joined together;
⁴ To which the tribes go up, the tribes of ^[a]the Lord—
^[b]An ordinance for Israel—
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.
⁵ For thrones were set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.

⁶ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
⁷ May peace be within your walls,
And prosperity within your palaces.”
⁸ For the sake of my brothers and my friends,
I will now say, “May peace be within you.”
⁹ For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.

Footnotes

1. Psalm 122:4 Heb Yah
2. Psalm 122:4 Or A testimony

Early Voting and State Abortion Initiatives

Abortion Amendments are on state ballots this fall along with the Presidential election, and these state initiatives provide a critical reason to be sure to vote this election season.  

Ten states have an abortion amendment on their ballot.  Although the language of these proposed amendments can be intentionally vague, the lack of clarity does not change the fact that they will be adding a right to abortion to that state’s constitution.  Citizens who want to protect human life at all stages and restore families should vote NO on these extreme amendments.

Details for each state can be found by clicking here or on the links below.

Arizona  Missouri   Nevada Colorado    Montana  New York Florida Nebraska  South Dakota Maryland

Abortion proponents began inserting abortion into state constitutions two years ago and are working hard to march through other states with their agenda, which disregards preborn human life.  As you enter the voting booth - whether early or on election day - your vote to protect human life can make a big difference to the future of a child. Your vote can go a long way toward family restoration.

Domestic Abuse and the Failure of the Criminal Justice System

  

This guest post is courtesy of Alex Daniels, Regent Family Law student:

Domestic abuse is a brutal and horrifying problem that has reached epidemic proportions. Domestic abuse stands out among other crimes because, unlike other violent crimes such as robbery, which is a one-time crime, domestic abuse is an ongoing, constant cycle. This cycle is well-documented to involve three phases: (1) tension building, where the battered individual often feels like they are walking on eggshells; (2) an explosion, where abuse—often physical—occurs; and (3) the honeymoon phase, where the abuser apologizes and tries to make amends.

Yet almost without fail, the cycle restarts, and the tension starts to build again. Further, the cycle often escalates, leading to the abuser killing his victim. In fact, one found that “over half of all homicides (55.3%) were [domestic violence]-related.”

For victims, the situation often feels impossible because they feel isolated—like any attempt to reach out for help will fail, either because she will not be believed, or because her abuser will find a way to stop her, and she will be back in a worse situation than before. The situation also feels impossible because often victims truly love their abuser. They idealize him, believe he will change, and often even believe the abuse is their own fault. Finally, they are often financially dependent on him and feel unable to leave him for fear of herself or her kids.

Prosecutor offices nationwide have had to grapple with how to deal with this problem, because often the explosion and violence phase leads to the police being called and the abuser being arrested. However, when the case comes to trial, many victims either do not show up to court (which can itself lead to legal repercussions), or refuse to testify against their abuser, leading to the case being dismissed.

Unfortunately, the victim’s problem only makes sense. In many states, especially Virginia, the punishment often ends up being no more than a couple of months in prison, if he even serves time, after which time the abuser finds his victim again and punishes her for testifying against him. Further, the complex emotions of helplessness, love, and dependency on her abuser can make it that much harder to testify, because of the feeling that it will do nothing, and being conflicted over whether she even wants him to be convicted.

Because victims of domestic violence are so rarely willing to testify against their abusers, convictions against abusers are rare, and prosecutors have a hard time doing anything to help victims. In fact, a failed prosecution can sometimes serve to empower the abuser, who has just gotten away with brutally attacking his victim. Some have suggested criminal justice reforms to address this problem, and while those solutions might help, they cannot solve the root problem that women feel trapped, confused, and helpless. Instead, solutions need to be focused on other ways to help women, such as building support. Victims need voices they can trust telling them that what they are experiencing is not okay, is not their fault, and that they can do something about it. Only when women are so empowered will they be able to take the necessary steps to break free from their abusers.

The Criminal Justice system is helpful, but it is not the primary solution—or even a main solution—to the problem. Instead, it should be viewed as a tool to help those fighting to empower women to seek justice, accountability for their abusers, and peace. This is family restoration.

Can "Love is Blind" Help Break Generational Cycles?

 

This guest post is from Chloe Holden, Regent Family Law student:

Ezekiel 18:14: But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things.

Each season of Love is Blind is a reality television show that draws in viewers to see if couples can fall in love with who a person truly is without ever seeing the person; but the viewers usually end up seeing how broken people are and the devastation that brokenness brings to relationships. An experiment where couples blindly get engaged, Love is Blind is designed to offer hope that one can fall in love with someone for who they are. The test begins when they meet this new fiancé and then learn if their love is strong enough to survive external factors such as appearance and lifestyle. 

In the sixth season of Love is Blind, there was a thirty-one-year-old man, Clay, who struggled with deciding whether he would be able to get married because of all that happened in his parent’s relationship. Clay's parents were divorced and while they were married his father repeatedly cheated on his mother. Clay wanted to get married but was worried he was not ready because he was afraid that he would be unfaithful to his spouse like his father was unfaithful to his mother. 

Throughout the show, Clay repeatedly said he was afraid he was going to cheat on his fiancée and couldn’t remain faithful to her. Clay struggled with how he had cheated in past relationships, and because of the atmosphere he grew up in, he was afraid he would repeat his father’s mistakes. Clay loved his father and thought the world of him but struggled with the example his father set. Clay frequently said that he doesn’t have a good role model to follow so he doesn't know how to be a good husband and father.

At the end of the show, Clay’s mother and father have an insightful conversation where his mother tells his father, Trevor, that Clay’s relational issues stem from Trevor not being a good father or role model for Clay, and Trevor responds that his own father was never in his life, cheating him of a role model as well.

This relational brokenness is a heartbreaking cycle until someone ends it. After the show, Clay sought counseling to become a better man so that he could be a faithful and loving husband and father one day and end the generational cycle. Three cheers for Clay taking this critical step!

Our children need their fathers to be in their lives and set a good example of how to be a man and a good husband and father. It’s time our generation stops the cycle of broken homes and marriages and chooses to do the work to create a healthy marriage and family.