New Year Brings New Opportunities for Many!

Happy New Year! Change is in the air in both the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., and in Oklahoma City.

A new Congress takes over in Washington, D.C., and Oklahoma's new 5th District Congressman, Rep. James Lankford, will be sworn in as Republicans take hold of the reigns of power in the House. Will the mistakes of 1994's take-over be repeated, or will the GOP faithfully discharge their duties under the watchful eye of the American people?

In OKC, members of the House and Senate will meet briefly at noon -- following a voluntary joint prayer service -- to officially elect their leadership and rules for the upcoming Session, which begins on Feb. 7.

As Gov. Brad Henry prepares to leave office after eight years, a new bespeckled bust of the Governor will be unveiled at the state Capitol.

Then, next Monday, Gov.-Elect Mary Fallin will make history as she becomes the Sooner State's first woman governor, following a weekend of inaugural celebrations across Oklahoma.

While politicians discharge their duties, we citizens also have important roles to play in this Republic. We must oversee our legislators to ensure that spending is reduced, continued borrowing is stopped, incentives for economic growth are enacted, and important social issues are advanced to help create a moral and just society and to live up to our nation's founding ideals. While we know we can't ever create heaven on earth, we do believe we can do much good work while we're here to impact many lives positively and to leave this earth much better than we found it.

Oklahoma Family Policy Council invites you to join with us in 2011 as we make our voices and views known to our elected officials both in Washington, D.C., and in Oklahoma City.

Aside from the work of politics, there is important work to do in the culture, as well. Families and marriages need to be strengthened within churches, and young people in the public schools -- many from dysfunctional family backgrounds -- need to be loved and taught the life-saving message of sexual abstinence until marriage.

Won't we join with us? The family policy council is here for you. Thank you for your support and prayers as we move forward together in 2011 to meet the new challenges.