Nuggets for the American Conscience: “This is our moment in time.” A time to journal!

By Oscar L. Avant

America has walked away from the Judeo-Christian values that once anchored it in greatness. We have abandoned our roots.
As a result, we find ourselves lost in a maze of problems for which we have no ready solutions. While, as a nation, we have never lived up to the ideals that are embodied in our Constitution, it has remained for us a goal and an aspiration. We can never realize this goal without God’s help.
Oscar L. Avant highlights God’s template for living—one that can get individuals and the nation as a whole back on track—in this book. If you follow this template, you will be blessed. But if you discard it, you will find yourself on your own.
Get answers to questions such as:
How can America be more responsible in its leadership?
What steps can we take to hear each other more effectively?
What are the negative consequences of turning away from God?
Why is it important to look to the Bible for moral guidance?
Written in a journal format, this book encourages you to reflect on your own deeply held values and let those thoughts guide you on how to live life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798385012398

Oscar L. Avant

Oscar L. Avant is a pastor, mentor, poet, former US Marine, and a retired engineer with several patents. He and his wife, Diana, have been married fifty-three years and provide Christian counseling. They live in Ashton, Maryland, and have two married adult children.

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Copyright © 2023 Oscar L. Avant.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

All Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1237-4 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1238-1 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1239-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023921661

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/30/2023

God provided us a template for living. When we follow it, we are blessed. When we discard it, we are on our own.

Contents

Preface

Our Changing Values

The Stranger

Truth and Lies

The Imposter

The Liar

The Masquerade

Truth, Lies, and Mistakes

Balancing Your Rights

Freedom

How Dare You

A Stilled Small Voice

God’s Little Farm

Of Human Life

Interchangeability

Decisions

Just Like Me

God Has a Plan for You

What, When, and How

Penny-wise Thoughts

The Thoughts You Think

The Bees and the Flowers

The Spring Flower

Honoring

Do the Best You Can

A Mate for Man

Woman

My Sheep, My Shepherd

The Lost Sheep

You Too Can Change the World

The Apostles

Remembered

Legacy

Invest in Tomorrow

When Tomorrow Becomes Today

Who’s in Charge?

Man and God

Lord, Open My Eyes

My Blind Eyes

He Ransomed Us

Redemption

Life’s Choices

Choose

Our Blemishes and Our Debt

The Mirror, the Law, and Christ

A Prayer for Sins

My Prayer for My Sin

The Storm Poems

Katrina, Katrina

The Sands of Sandy

Observations

Lincoln’s Response to Civil War Crises

Senator Daschle’s Response to 911

Conclusion

Bibliography

Preface

America is at a precipice. We are on the brink of danger, and my sense is most Americans believe things will self-correct without their serious involvement. We have become accustomed to things working out favorably, even when we remain silent and aloof. Hear me! Today’s challenges are different, and unless we heed and change our ways, we are in for a rough ride. Who among us is willing to be the change that we need to set things right? The needed change begins with the individual decisions that we make. It is you and I individually and collectively who are we the people. That is why I have chosen the format of this writing to be a journal. I want the reader to reflect and journal on the values that are held deeply and let those thoughts guide how you live and commit your daily lives. You likely will not agree with me on every point of view. That’s OK. I am convinced that when you or I seek truth, we will find it. Truth will not contradict itself. There is not your truth and my truth. It is only "the truth."

As with Babylon of old, many nations of the world see America as at the forefront of human progress. We proudly assume that role. But to whom much is given, much is required. We owe it to ourselves and humanity to be responsible in our leadership. Worldwide we see wildfires, droughts, heat waves, intense storms, atmospheric rivers, and floods the likes of which we haven’t seen since the times of Noah. Additionally, every few days in America, we see mass killings in our schools, churches, and other random places where people gather. We have political disarray such that those who should craft laws and policies to promote the good can’t agree on which way is up or down. We forget the lessons of the