Over the past several years, I have had the honor to write a series of columns on issues dear to my heart: faith, family, and freedom. Each of these affects what we are experiencing today as we conclude the first quarter of the 21st century.
These columns have now been released in a new book, What Really Matters: Restoring a Legacy of Faith, Family, and Freedom (Fidelis, 2026).
The book is a collection of these columns, compiled with the help of my dear friend Craig Osten, calling on Americans to return to these core values. These columns fall into six basic categories: Restoring Marriage, Restoring the Family, Restoring the American Male, Restoring a Well-Ordered Society, Restoring Faith, and Restoring the Importance of History.
So, why have I written these columns and put together this book? Because I believe the current cultural and political morass we, as a nation, are trapped in is a result of abandoning these values and have chosen to live for ourselves—also known as the cultural mantra of “you do you.”
One of the main themes of the book is that instead of focusing on ourselves, we need to focus on others—on being a light to friends, family, and neighbors—while boldly and unapologetically speaking truth in love to a culture in need of both.
As a patriot, I love our nation—the freest and greatest nation ever devised. Because I love my nation so much, it grieves me when we have seemingly lost our way. This is particularly true when it comes to marriage, family, faith, and education—foundations upon which our country was built.
These foundations have been steadily eroding away as we cast aside each of these values and have chosen to go our own way, often with disastrous results.
That is why each day, I pray that we, as a nation, will realize the error of our current ways and return to the values that made us the “shining city on a hill”—as President Ronald Reagan used to say—for the world to follow and emulate.
It is for these reasons that I felt compelled to share my concerns. Crucially, though, my book is not just wailing against the current state of our nation, but instead I have aimed to present solid and hopeful solutions to escape the dark cultural and political tunnel in which seem to be currently stuck.
And from the titles of each chapter, you will see a recurring theme—these values are not lost, they just need to be restored to their former place of prominence as the foundation of our society. I truly believe what is currently lost can once again be found if we just set our cultural eyesight back in the right direction, rather than veering off into unchartered and dangerous territory.
This book is a blueprint for fellow citizens to step back; reevaluate the road we currently travel; and return to the original roadmap of faith, freedom, and family upon which our nation was built. If we do so, we will have much to celebrate as we once again become a restored “United” rather than “divided” States of America.
That should be the hope and prayer for all: a society that honors God, celebrates life, encourages marriage, nurtures children, and most all affirms the human dignity of all its citizens. Ultimately, it is those values that really matter.
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