Uncertainty

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I am a writer, truth seeker and conference speaker

I pray daily that through Jesus, God will anoint my mind, my writing, my connections

No one knows everything;
No one has all the answers.
The nature of deception
is you don’t know when you are deceived.
God is the source of all truth.
It is His desire to lead His people
into TRUTH.
TRUTH is ultimately found in Jesus.
Absorbing ourselves in Jesus
Will lead to discovering TRUTH
In every important area of life.
Absorbing ourselves in seeking truth
Will ultimately lead to Jesus.
To understand the conflicts of today
You need to know the foundation of all conflict.
There are many interpretations of history,
Ultimately it is HIS story –
The work God has been doing
In the world from the beginning.
Satan told Eve lies. She questioned God and
God’s intentions for her and for mankind.
Satan continues to spread lies,
Manipulating humans
to doubt God and rebel against Him.
There are many theories
about what’s wrong with
Our world and how to fix it.
If we leave God out of our thoughts
We’ll never get the big picture right.
If we don’t acknowledge the conflict
Between good and evil;
The existence of Satan;
Realize His tactics, strategy and goals,
We are especially vulnerable to deception.
What if much of the history we’ve been
Taught is actually manipulation –
Distortions designed to fool us?
What if much of the news reported
in our present world
Is a distortion of facts
Designed to impact our behavior and response?

I don’t have all the answers,
But many rational intelligent people
Are asking questions.
Serious, important questions.
About the Reserve Bank, the economy,
wars, Presidential Assassinations,
current events, journalism,
media ownership, health treatments.

Jesus was sent to earth by God.
His purpose was to bring salvation
to all nations – not just Jews.
He was promised by God LONG ago.
Jesus is the fulfillment
of God’s promise to ALL mankind;
A light to reveal God.
“This child is destined
to cause many to stumble,
But will be a joy to many others.
He is the revealer of the
deepest thoughts of our hearts.“[1]
“In Him all the fullness of the Godhead
dwells in bodily form.”[2]
He has shared His fullness
with those who accept Him.
“You have been given fullness in Christ,
Who is head over every
power and authority.”[3]

There is no need to fear.
Jesus wants to connect with you.
Once connected, He lives in you.
He is more powerful than anything you will ever face.
He will lead you to truth, light and life.

DSC_0062Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus, seeker of truth and health. Facing a world quite different from the one in which I grew up, I seek to research and understand the very real dangers threatening the health and freedom of today’s parents, providing information to navigate towards joyful family living!

 

  • [1] Simeon, Luke 2:34-35
  • [2] Paul, Colossians 2:9
  • [3] Paul, Colossians 2:10

Leaders and others

(Reflections from Mark 14:33-71)

Righteous, God-fearing, clear thinking,
compassionate leaders are hard to find.
A leader that starts that way
has a difficult time
maintaining his integrity
in light of his power and position above others.
Power truly corrupts.

Jesus was taken before the leaders –
the main stakeholders of the time –
for judgment.
Mark tells us,
“They took Jesus before the High Priest,
leading priests, elders
and teachers of religious law.”
The ‘important’ people;
The people of standing in the community;
The people who had the ability
to determine your future;
The people you didn’t want to offend.

Yet the entire High Counsel
Found no substantial evidence.
There was nothing in anything
Jesus had ever done
That they could fault.

Yet they wanted desperately
For Him to die.
They were worried about
Their own positions;
Their careers;
Their authority.

So they tried to get false witnesses
To make up stories;
To tell lies;

To support their desires,
Their conclusions.
Important people make significant decisions.
They rebel against God,
Deny His power and authority.
Their decisions reverberate to
Impact communities, countries, the world.

Small people also deny God
In our own small way –
For self-protection.
We don’t want to stand out in the crowd;
Don’t want to put ourselves in jeopardy.
We are afraid to declare our personal experience
with the living God.
We curse ourselves instead;
Seek to blend into our culture.

While Jesus faced the significant leaders,
Peter blended in the crowd of onlookers.
Jesus was cursed – He was taking our curse.
Peter cursed Himself,
“A curse on me if I’m lying –
I don’t know this man.”

Inside Jesus was declaring His Godhead:
I AM
Outside Peter wallows in fear.

Where am I today?

There is hope
Peter’s life profoundly demonstrates hope.
From coward to confident.
Read the book of Acts.

How did he do it?
A contrite heart, he broke down and wept.
Seeking Jesus, desperately running
To the news of His resurrection, He
Experienced hope, restoration and power.

The bold power of God
Working through Peter.

God is looking for agents of
His power on earth today.
Leaders who will maintain Him as Lord
Despite any responsibility they receive.
Leaders who will not fear man,
But Fear only God.

God is looking for small people
Willing to proclaim Jesus
As their source of hope and truth.

12

Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus Christ and truth seeker, especially in the areas of health and children. Facing a world quite different from the one in which I grew up, I seek to research and understand the true route to health, freedom and joyful family living!

 

Charleston June 2015

NewspaperLet’s be clear.

We don’t know what happened in Charleston. We weren’t there.

There are many disturbing facts involved in this event. Nearly everyone who has heard about it is disturbed, but depending on the individual, they may be disturbed in different ways for different reasons.

Some things that may impact your perception of the events in Charleston:

  • Your personal background and beliefs;
  • Your awareness and interpretation of world events;
  • Your level of trust in the media;
  • Your level of trust in the US government and affiliated organizations;
  • Your personal religious connections and affiliations.

These things play a significant role in how we view the facts and evidence presented about the events in Charleston. Discussions of the evidence can make for some lively debates, or heated arguments.

Whatever our interpretation or understanding of the facts, we can all feel unsettled, and perhaps personally threatened. We might feel our own personal safety is eroding. We may be confused. We may experience strong emotions like fear, anger, or betrayal. We may have someone or some group we target with these emotions or we may have no idea where to direct our strong feelings.

What is the answer? How can we live in such a tenuous state? How do we make sense of the information available to us?

No matter what your conclusions are about who was involved in the Charleston incident, who is to blame, and what the real facts are, here is a viewpoint that can bring insight and comfort to anyone willing to listen and seek truth. In this radio interview aired on prime time in Atlanta, Pastor Andy Stanley, Leader of North Point Ministries, seeks to answer questions like, “How does something like this happen?”, “What is God’s role in it?”, “What do I do with this fear; this emotional sludge?” Here is the link to a 12-minute very interesting discussion.

No matter how you perceive or interpret the events in Charleston, it is clear that this event sparks fear, confusion, hatred and anger.

As a Christian I know Jesus taught that all those negative emotions originate from one place. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

We are in the midst of a spiritual battle. Wether we know it or not; whether we acknowledge it or not. There are forces of evil who seek to steal our peace, hope and confidence.

Jesus is not surprised by the state of our world, but He wants so much more for us. He has defeated the enemy (the thief) and can bring peace, confidence, clarity, wisdom, and discernment in the midst of all circumstances – for all who accept Him.

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle over them, triumphing over them through the cross.” Colossians 2:15

Are you His?

In these crazy troubling times I find my anchor in Jesus. I need a daily refreshing shower in His life-giving word. I stopped listening to most news broadcasts in January of 1997. I realized most of the news was negative and beyond my control. When something important happens someone usually tells me about it.

I thrive by seeking the wisdom of Jesus through the ancient texts we know as the Bible, every single day. I pray you too will experience the peace and comfort of Jesus in these stormy turbulent times.

Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate about Jesus, seeking truth and health.

 

I will NOT shrink back

Pinochio Told Lies

Beware of those who lie

Christians – I’ve got an important message to share with you. If you’re not a Christian, you need to know, Christians aren’t perfect. We make a lot of mistakes. One of our biggest mistakes has been putting 100% trust in the schemes of men – especially the medical schemes. Modern medicine has made some wonderful accomplishments. If you have a serious accident they do an amazing job of putting you back together. But western medicine has a rather abysmal record in helping healthy people stay healthy.

I seek to love God with all that I am. Nothing would give me greater delight than sharing the great message that Jesus came to demonstrate: God’s grace. I’ve experienced His grace personally and dramatically and seek to share all that I’ve been blessed to receive with others.

Inspired by Paul in Acts 20, I never want to shrink back from sharing this powerful truth – the same message the early followers of Jesus recorded and which has been collected into what we call the New Testament – the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and having faith in Jesus.

This message has changed the entire world, has powerfully brought transformation to individual lives throughout all cultures for 2000 years, has transformed my world, and can transform yours as you fully embrace it.

In the same way, I can’t shrink back from sharing facts and evidence I have discovered in the arena of health. Jesus warned us to watch out for false prophets and deceivers, those who twist truth for their benefit and our harm (read more in these two chapters: Matthew 7 & 24). He specifically said we need to watch out for the doctrine, i.e. teaching, of the leaders (Mark 8:15). Paul, Peter and John all repeatedly warned about deceivers.[1]

Deceivers distort truth for their own gain and often cause harm to others. Nowhere is this distortion more evident than in the arena of healthcare, and particularly the realm of pregnancy, birth and neonatal care practiced by most sophisticated highly trained professionals in western countries. There is a lot of money at stake. Not every professional knowingly practices deception. Some are victims of the deception themselves. Their training has been built on a false foundation.[2]

Too many parents have learned the hard way and experienced devastating health outcomes that impact their family forever. Vaccine injury is real. Some babies die. Some are severely injured. (see further Healthy Babies Don’t Just Die, Healthy Babies Don’t Just Develop Autism, How Many Shots?, It Wasn’t the Truck, Are Non-vaccinated Kids Healthy?).

We need to seek truth in every realm of life. We need to beware of deceivers. We need to ask more questions. We need to question the answers we are given and the source of those answers. We live in a fallen world. We have a real enemy. We need to seek Jesus and the wisdom He wants to give us.

Christian doctors, grandparents, parents, and educators need to seek truth and real scientific support for every procedure they agree to for their children. We also need to be bold enough to find helpful ways to share the truth we discover with others. Our children have been entrusted to us. Jesus said we should welcome children and never harm them. The punishment is severe for those who harm children.[3]

Becky on stageAuthor: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate about following Jesus, truth and health.

[1] Warnings about deception and deceivers. Read the whole chapters to get more context.  Paul: 2 Thessalonians 2:11, Colossians 2:4 and 8, 2 Timothy 2:26, 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 2:26, 2 Timothy 3:13, Galatians 1:7, Acts 20:28-30; Peter: 2 Peter 2:2-3, 2 Peter 3:16-17; John: 1 John 4:6, 2 John 7-8, Revelation 13:14; James: James 1:16.

[2] Jesus explains that the foundation of our lives is critically important in Matthew 7 “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on the rock. The rains came down, the streams rose, the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mind and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams  rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

[3] Mark 9:42 “If you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck.”

I confess – I want to be Great

handsI confess: I have this insatiable desire to be noticed, to be right, to be appreciated.

I remember observing the same quality in my five children as they grew up. “Mom, did you see that?” It comes naturally.

At one point in my life this desire propelled me in a negative direction. I wanted to be stronger and more popular – so I was a bit of a bully.

I wanted to be noticed – so I tried hard to fit into the crowd – much to my personal detriment.

I desperately wanted acceptance. It seems humans are hard-wired as acceptance magnets.

Fortunately, Jesus knows all about this desire – AND – He says it’s OK – AND – He explains exactly how we can be TRULY GREAT!

In Matthew 18 Jesus describes exactly what it takes to be great

I tell you the truth, [i.e. pay attention]

unless you turn from your sins

and become like little children

you will never get into the

Kingdom of Heaven.

So anyone who becomes

as humble as this little child

is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Wow. I find this soooooo encouraging. Greatness is actually within my capacity. I can be childish. I know I can. I can figure this out. I can be great in the eyes of Jesus who communicated to us the heart of God! Wow.

What best characterizes a child?

  • Absolute trust. They are bonded to their adults and they trust implicitly.
  • Absolute dependency. They know they need help. Growing up is all about growing in ability, but children recognize they need help from the adults in their life.
  • Confidence in their adults. They sometimes ask the impossible with absolute confidence that the powerful people in their life will be able to make it happen.
  • Effusive in affection. Babies and toddlers have moments when they will absolutely smother you with affection; Not always, but delightful precious moments.
  • Relaxed and at peace in the loving arms of their parent – when they are asleep they are angelic!
  • Seek safety and refuge in storms. They know where to turn when they are having challenges.

Jesus says I need these qualities – directed towards HIM, and that is my route to greatness. It’s not a secret. It is simple.

Nurturing this dependence, trust and confidence in my Heavenly Father will mold and re-shape my selfish bent.

My Father wants only the best for me. And I’m not unique – He desires to connect with every single soul – He doesn’t want to lose a single one.

He wants me to walk with a constant awareness of His presence and His desire for my good. He wants to HELP ME ACHIEVE GREATNESS!

DSC_0062Author: Becky Hastings, wife to John, has enjoyed the delightful experience of raising five children and is now blessed to watch the growth and development (albeit from too far away and too infrequently) of four grandchildren. Becky has been meeting with mothers regularly for over 30 years and blessed to have the privilege of watching a lot of children in action.

Who Am I?

At some point in our life we all feel discouraged.

Discouragement takes different forms.

I confess I have fallen prey to the lies of our enemy who would like me to stay in discouragement. Once when I was there I wrote this:

Just Wrong

If you are ever feeling similarly “wrong” here is a great antidote. A brilliant reminder we all need of who we REALLY ARE!

I am AWESOME. Not because of WHO I am, but because of WHOSE I am!

When you struggle with discouragement remember:

You are never too much

You are always enough

Regardless of who you think you are

Regardless of how you feel right now

You have world changing capability

Your responsibility is to find that world changing woman inside

and set that women free

 

Any voice that tries to tell you anything different

is from the enemy

So when you feel discouraged, say this

Not me Satan

I am a daughter of the living God

I am cherished, loved and adored above all things

By the Creator of all things

For the glory of Him who is greater than all things

I am awesome

Becky Hastings,wife, mom, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus, health promoter who tries to research, understand and share truth so people can make wise choices in our crazy mixed up, deceived world! Sometimes I’m wrong and sometimes I get discouraged!

Marriage Speaks

12LOVE SONG

Is marriage an outdated concept? We have countless songs about love in our culture. But real life doesn’t always look like our favorite love song. What do you do when your expectations of love and marriage don’t always get met? Can marriage work in our modern world? The statistics might tell us that divorce is a strong possibility, but is there anything we can do to improve our chances of success?

John CroppedLove Song is a series of four talks on relationships delivered at Longleaf Church, the first three by John & Becky Hastings and the last talk by Matthew and Rachel Hastings. John is the Senior Pastor of Longleaf Church. Matthew is Assistant Pastor at Next Level Church in Charlotte, NC. John and Becky have been married for 34 years, have five children, and four grandchildren. They share from their experience of working through the many challenges of marriage!

The topics discussed include

Toblerone Triangle cropped1. The Director’s Chair. John and Becky explore exactly who should be in charge of your relationship. In this talk Becky shares her personal experience of the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

2. Don’t Fight Fair. Do you have rules for fighting? In this talk John and Becky share some of their conflicts and growth through them.

3. Finishing Together. Is there a secret sauce for endurance? John and Becky share hope for creating a long lastings and satisfying relationship.

Matt & R cropped4. Becoming Marriageable. Matthew & Rachel Hastings share their experience of six years of marriage.

 

 

The Land in the Middle

Camel gives upOn the way to where God is taking you, in the journey of life, we sometimes find ourselves in the land in the middle: We aren’t where we were hoping to be.

We claim God is the one we seek and serve, yet there are many competing voices trying to claim our allegiance. We are often confused.

The Israelites had a tough life as slaves in Egypt. God rescued them. The rescue operation did not immediately provide the relief they expected.[1]

Unmet expectations can be our biggest discouragement.

One month after their rescue, the response of the Israelites spoke to me profoundly.

By this time they seemed to have completely forgotten their struggle and suffering in Egypt. They forgot the brutal treatment they had received at the hands of their task masters – to make bricks and collect their own straw. They forgot about how the Egyptians had loaded them down with treasure just hours prior to their escape. They forgot how God had delivered them through the Red Sea. They forgot how very recently God had miraculously provided water. They were quick to forget so many things.

One month after their rescue, they complained about the leadership of their expedition.

They romanticized their past experience to see only good, and reduced their current experience to see only bad:

“If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”[2]

The land in the middle is a challenging place to be.

Our primary focus is … ourselves. Our own comfort. Our appetites. Our safety. Our security. We like to know where we will sleep every night. We prefer indoors with a bed and pillows specifically chosen for our comfort. If someone happens to put the air conditioning too high or too low we might get annoyed. We like our meals with great regularity.

If we don’t have these primary needs met we feel – forsaken, abandoned. Just like the Israelites. Only one month after experiencing their dramatic escape from the land of Egypt and watching the entire Egyptian army perish in the Red Sea that God had opened for them to pass through unharmed, they felt abandoned by God.

How short is our memory.

God has future purposes. They are for His glory – not ours. And, not for our comfort. Of course, He may bless us with comfort. But when everything is not quite perfect in our current reality, how will we respond?

Can we trust that God has a good purpose? Can we release our personal daily expectations to the greater picture of what God is doing?

It is easy to trust when we know the end of the story. When we look at the plight of the Israelites it is obvious to us that God had a plan, had the power and had an end goal. They were in the middle and couldn’t see the end.

We are all in the middle of something. It is extremely easy to default to our human comfort. It is easy to feel abandoned and forsaken by God when things are not going the way we had hoped. The Scripture is full of hope for future promises for God’s people. We need to refresh our minds every day – especially when we are getting bogged down in our current ‘not so perfect’ reality.

God is at work. He is always at work. He has higher and greater intentions than we can imagine. He is seeking those with steady hearts. He wants to refine us through our times in the middle. When we fully embrace the journey He is taking us on, with hopeful and joyful anticipation for the work only He can do, it can make the time in the middle purposeful.

Or we can look back with longing on the ‘good ol days’ and complain about our leadership. It comes very naturally.

DSC_0062 Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus, seeker of health and truth. Facing a world quite different from the one in which I grew up, I seek to research and understand the very real dangers threatening the health and freedom of today’s parents, providing information to navigate towards joyful family living while I navigate my own “land in the middle.”

_____________________

[1] Exodus, the second book in the Bible, gives a detailed account of how God brought the nation of Israel out of Egypt.

[2] Exodus 16:3

Liar Liar Pants on Fire

Blind leading blindThere are many kinds of people in the world. Perhaps they could be divided into 3 broad categories:

  1. those who never knowingly lie;
  2. those who lie occasionally;
  3. those who deliberately lie;
  4. those who perpetuate a lie because while they actually fall into category 1 above, they have believed a lie from someone who falls into category 3.

Human nature often encourages slight alterations of the truth. We want to present ourselves well. Sometimes we are not even aware that we are communicating a lie.

However, I want to focus on how to recognize those who fall into category 3. In my life I haven’t really encountered too many of this type, but as I am seeking to know and understand TRUTH in a broad range of topics, it is becoming increasingly clear that there are people who are purposefully and knowingly perpetuating lies for some motive which is not always apparent.

History is a great place to discover many lies, but it takes tenacity and digging for real evidence, to understand that some of the short paragraphs in our history books are actually more false than true.

For some time in the US we have been conditioned by our culture to believe what we are told, not to think for ourselves, and to accept the messages given by authorities without question. Dr John Taylor Gatto, a New York Teacher of the Year with over 30 years of experience, wrote about this in Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling, which was first printed in 1991 and updated in 2002.[1]

At one time I thought spies and counter intelligence agents were purely fiction. When watching episodes of Chuck with my children, I never dreamed there were real people in the real world in similar operations, but unlike Chuck and Sara, they did not have good intentions, a good conscience, or seek to do the ‘right’ thing.

There are currently government psyops seeking to impact the way you and I think. A psyop is short for “psychological operation”. The people who are given the task of implementing such operations are often referred to as an OP, or operative.

There are some general characteristics of OPs that can help us to analyze information we receive to protect us from getting duped – and thus falling into category 4 above. OPs often do a great job of fitting in, looking normal, and appearing to have the same goals and purposes of the group which they infiltrate. They often seem like ‘the most trusted individuals of all.’

Some questions are too important to get wrong. It seems the number one point to remember is – Question everything and everyone.

If there are people in our country capable of perpetuating a great lie on the entire population, you can be sure that they are also capable of mounting a significant ‘disinformation movement’ in order to lead those who might discover the lie, down a different path – a path of their own making. It is an ALTERNATIVE path, but not a path to the real TRUTH.

Thus, in the maze of alternative information sources we must be careful to question. Just because someone labels himself or herself “alternative” does not always guarantee they are a truth seeker and truth proclaimer.

To be fair, some in the alternative media might be proclaiming lies – unknowingly – as in category 4.

Dr Judy Wood shares an important list of points to consider when evaluating information and seeking to know ‘who can I trust?'[2] This list can help provide discernment to discover if a person’s intent is to mislead, confuse, and divide. Disinformation specialists do not announce their intentions. They try to gain trust and get people to accept their ideas, then subtly lead them astray or cause a breakdown in an effective group. Even if you don’t claim to be a follower of Jesus, you can certainly see the truth of His words to his followers:  “Beware of false prophets, they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside are ferocious wolves.”[3]

  1. Does this person encourage me to think my own thoughts or do they want to pressure me to accept their thoughts as my opinion?
  2. Does this person support and encourage me to continue working independently or do they try to impede my research efforts?
  3. Does this person share facts and documented evidence or attack those with a different point of view?
  4. Does this person respect me if our opinions differ? Can they tolerate independent thought? Can we rationally discuss ideas when we differ?
  5. Does this person have any financial or career links to the points they are making?
  6. Do they resort to authority? “I’m a nurse” or “I’m a doctor” or “listen to a doctor”

Discussion in the field of vaccine research can be highly emotive. Many parents at one time were in category 4. They were lied to. They believed a lie. They believed vaccines were safe and effective, only to find they weren’t – at least in the case of their own child. They live with the pain of that decision every day of their lives as they deal with vaccine injury. To be fair, maybe their doctor also fell into category 4 – he also thought vaccines were safe and effective. However, doctors have been so conditioned, have been lied to and participated in the lie for so long, that they have a very hard time ever admitting vaccine injury – even when it is right in front of them with a patient collapsing with seizures after a vaccine or not able to walk or talk after a round of ‘boosters.’

MiSTRAL En.inddOur own personal health and safety is up to us. Strong forces stand to benefit more when we accept everything we are told by those in authority. They don’t want us to question for ourselves. That should be a big red flag in and of itself.

I wish strength and health to you and your family in your search for truth. I hope my writing might be a means of facilitating questioning and truth seeking. If you have always assumed there was a rock solid case for vaccine safety, I encourage you to seek to understand your advisor well. What are the motives or the financial ties of those who are giving your information? Don’t fall prey to the blind leading the blind.[4] If you plan on giving some vaccines please read this first. Blessings.

IMG_0423Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, and truth seeker with a passion for health, joy and Jesus Christ.

[1] John Taylor Gatto, Dumbing Us Down. 2001

[2] This is part of a list developed by Dr Judy Wood, How to Recognize an OP (Operative)  from her extensive search for truth in the 911 maze of information and disinformation.

[3] Matthew 7:15

[4] Luke 6:39 (ESV) “[Jesus] also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?'”

What to do if CPS Shows up at Your Door

Family HandsSometimes children are harmed in their homes. This does not make every parent a suspect. In our current hyper vigilant age, there are more parents being reported to CPS than ever before.

  • Loving parents who refuse a recommended medical treatment for their child can be reported by a doctor who might fear losing his license to practice medicine.
  • Neighbors or estranged family members may report a family despite the lack of grounds to support any allegations of abuse.
  • Parents with a sick child seeking a second opinion have been reported to CPS by hospital or medical authorities.

Family HeartSince more parents are experiencing a visit from CPS than ever before, and since sometimes those visits have resulted in the quick removal of children – despite no grounds to allegations of harm or abuse – it is critically important for every parent to have a good idea of how to respond to a CPS visit. Don’t think ‘it can’t happen to me.’ Take any visit by CPS seriously.

The most significant mistakes made by parents are usually in the very first encounter. If you can understand how to handle the very first encounter with CPS, you can increase your chances of maintaining your family’s rights and freedom. CPS will often seek to take a family by surprise. Be prepared.

holding the key1. THE KEY: Be polite & SAY AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. You might be terrified inside. You might be absolutely angry if you feel there is injustice going on, but the number one thing you can do is stay calm and be polite. Anything you say can be twisted. Do NOT DEFEND YOURSELF. Do NOT volunteer information.

2. Do NOT let them in your house. Be nice but STAY FIRM. Have one statement ready and repeat it over and over “I know you are just doing your job, but my main obligation is to my children and to help them avoid unnecessary trauma.” If they do not have a warrant and there is no obvious emergency, they are not allowed access to your home. If a police officer is with them, they all know it is illegal to enter a home unless you CONSENT, or unless they have a warrant, or can hear an emergency situation going on. DO NOT CONSENT. 

3. Ask permission to ask THEM questions. “I realize you are just doing your job. Would it be ok if I asked you a couple of questions?” Then, ask if you can record the conversation. If you need to get your cell phone, close the door and say, “I need to get something.” These are the questions to ask them:

  • “Firstly, do you have some identification? After you get their ID, write down their name, then ask, “Can you give me the name and phone number of your supervisor?” Write it all down. Take your time.
  • Next “What are the exact allegations that have been made against me? Federal law requires that I should be informed of any allegations against me.”
  • Ask them if they have a warrant. Be direct. “Do you have a warrant to search my home or speak to my children?” If they produce a warrant make sure it is signed by a judge and dated.

Without a warrant they must gain your consent to enter your home or speak to your children. They are doing their job. Their supervisor has instructed them to make this visit and they will use whatever tactic they feel will be effective to GET MORE INFORMATION AGAINST YOU. They may alternate between: trying to be nice, being firm, threatening or trying to bargain with you. Stay immune to every tactic. Be Nice, but know your rights. Do not get caught up in their games. Don’t engage them in any discussion, except on the questions above.

4. Tell them you are going to contact your attorney and when you get them on the phone, you will allow them to speak to your attorney. Close the door. Phone your attorney so the attorney can speak to the CPS case worker and help them to leave. Your attorney will know the law and remind the case worker of your rights. It is always a good idea to have an advocate on your side.

What do I do if I don’t have an attorney?

If you are a Christian and Homeschooling, you might like to consider joining Heritage Defense.[1] If you are homeschooling you might like to join Home School Legal Defense Association who will defend you against allegations by social services as they pertain to homeschooling. Both organizations require a monthly or yearly fee but are available for telephone help immediately in any emergency situation you might face.

I pray you will never need to use this information. Unfortunately, in the present time of extensive government involvement in the lives of parents, many parents have found themselves in complex situations with CPS. It is better to be forewarned and forearmed. Your number one desire is to protect your children from harm. Too often CPS has brought more harm than help.

Please share your tips for keeping your family safe from unwarranted intrusion in the comments below.

Becky Hastings

DSC_0062Facing a world quite different from the one in which I grew up, I seek to research and understand the very real dangers threatening the health and freedom of today’s parents, providing information to navigate towards joyful family living!

 

UPDATE: My blog post has been read and shared among nearly 500,000 viewers.

If you need legal help, here is a list of possible resources. http://www.parentalrightsfoundation.org/legalhelp

There is obviously a lot of concern on the topic of CPS and protecting your family. Whether you are currently being investigated by CPS, are a non-offending parent in an open CPS case, or are a mandated reporter, this post by Women’s Justice Center in California has some great tips for “Avoiding the Abuses of Child Protective Services“. The topics presented: A. Tips on How and Where to Report Child Abuse; B. Tips for dealing with CPS if CPS has already opened a case regarding abuse of your child; and C. Tips for getting the best possible representation from your court appointed attorney.

If you’ve never heard of CPS abuses, you might be interested to watch this 13 minute video presentation by Senator Nancy Schaefer from Georgia, highlighting some of her findings after investigating the CPS system for four years. Nancy and her husband were shot and killed in 2010 in what the authorities ruled was a murder suicide. Nancy had been speaking out against CPS abuses and had written a report entitled, The Corrupt Business of the Child Protective Services which focused “on the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS). However, I believe Child Protective Services nationwide has become corrupt and that the entire system is broken almost beyond repair. I am convinced parents and families should be warned of the dangers.”

“I have witnessed such injustice and harm brought to these families that I am not sure if I even believe reform of the system is possible! The system cannot be trusted. It does not serve the people. It obliterates families and children simply because it has the power to do so. Children deserve better. Families deserve better. It’s time to pull back the curtain and set our children and families free.”

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and the needy” Proverbs 31:8-9

[1] Interview with Bradley Pierce of Heritage Defense on Law and Liberty Radio. Preserving our Freedoms, Defending Our Heritage.