Southeast
Virginia pastor says Psalm 23 provides hope for all those who are struggling
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).
This beautiful passage is from Psalm 23, one of the most well-known passages of the book of Psalms, a collection of 150 poems, songs and prayers written in ancient Hebrew, according to the website Bible Project.
A little less than half these psalms are attributed to King David, about a third are anonymous — and the rest are attributed to a variety of authors. Psalm 23 is attributed to King David.
NEW YORK PRIEST SAYS PENTECOST IS A REMINDER THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ‘ALIVE AND AT WORK’
“These first words of Psalm 23 are not merely an introduction; they are a declaration of God’s provision and care,” Işık Abla of Virginia told Fox News Digital.
Abla is senior pastor of Dream Church International in Virginia Beach and the author of many Christian books. Born in Turkey and raised as a Muslim, she moved to America while fleeing an abusive marriage, her website says.
Işık Abla, senior pastor of Dream Church International in Virginia Beach, revealed that Psalm 23 had a profound impact on her own faith and conversion. (iStock/Courtesy Isik Abla)
After a “personal encounter with God” on a day she intended on ending her life, Abla experienced supernatural healing and converted to Christianity.
“When trauma makes us feel lost and lacking, these words remind us that we have a Shepherd who meets our needs,” she said.
“His presence was my sustenance, a reminder that even in scarcity, I could find abundance in His spirit.”
“In my darkest moments,” she continued, “feeling as though I had nothing left, I learned that in God, I lacked nothing. His presence was my sustenance, a reminder that even in scarcity, I could find abundance in His spirit.”
It was through the words of Psalm 23, said Abla, that “God extended His grace to me, a soothing balm that healed my wounds and restored my soul.”
ILLINOIS PASTOR AND AUTHOR URGES OTHERS AMID TODAY’S EVIL, ‘MAKE AMERICA LOVE AGAIN’
As the text of the psalm continues, it reminds believers of “God’s promise to lead us beside still waters and make us lie down in green pastures,” said Abla — which “speaks to His desire to restore tranquility to our lives.”
“In my journey, these words became a reality as I allowed God to guide me to tranquility, much like a shepherd who gently guides his flock to places where they can rest and rejuvenate safely,” she said.
The verse’s imagery of still waters and green pastures “speaks to His desire to restore tranquility to our lives,” said Abla of Virginia. (iStock)
Psalm 23 “became a prayer and a practice, as I sought places and moments of peace in God’s creation, finding solace in the simplicity and beauty of nature that He provided,” said Abla.
The process of healing from trauma, she said, “is more than just overcoming moments of past pain; it’s a restoration of the soul, a deep and profound renewal.”
ON MOTHER’S DAY, THE BIBLE’S INSPIRING WOMEN OFFER FAITH, HOPE AND STRENGTH
“As I leaned on this promise, I found that God was actively restoring my vitality and purpose,” said Abla.
“Each step forward in righteousness was a step away from the shadows of my past, guided by His loving hand, showing me a way through the suffering.”
The path that God has for each person “is not defined by the trauma we experience, but by the healing He offers,” said Abla.
“Just as a shepherd tends his flock with care and love, God attends to our broken spirits,” a Virginia pastor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“Just as a shepherd tends his flock with care and love, God attends to our broken spirits,” she said.
God “does not leave us to wander in despair, but leads us to peace, restores our souls, and guides us in righteousness,” she said.
Abla said she hopes those who are struggling “find in Psalm 23 the same hope and healing that I did.”
She told Fox News Digital, “Trust in the Shepherd who has promised to carry you through, to restore your soul, and to lead you into peace.”
“You are being led by the Father who loves you infinitely and personally.” (iStock)
“You are not walking this path alone,” she said.
“You are being led by the Father who loves you infinitely and personally.”
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
Illegal immigrant arrested after showing up to Florida Border Patrol office for contract IT work
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
FIRST ON FOX: An illegal immigrant who reported to a U.S. Border Patrol site in Florida to perform some Information technology contractual work was arrested when authorities were made aware of his citizenship status, officials said.
Angel Camacho, a Venezuelan citizen, reported to a USBP center in Dania Beach, Florida, Jan. 6 to do some IT work when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials began vetting him, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News Digital.
During its investigation, it was revealed Camacho was in violation of U.S. immigration laws, authorities said.
Angel Camacho reported to a Florida U.S. Border Patrol center to perform contractual work when he was arrested, a Department of Homeland Security official said. (Getty Images )
“CBP vets all external visitors before allowing them to enter secure facilities to ensure safety and operational integrity,” DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement.
“During the vetting process, CBP uncovered this individual was a tourist visa overstay in the country for over five years.”
SCHUMER, DEMS AGAIN BLOCK DHS FUNDING, FORCE STATE OF THE UNION SHOWDOWN
This photo shows a U.S. Border Patrol patch on a border agent’s uniform in McAllen, Texas, Jan. 15, 2019. (Suzanne CordeiroAFP via Getty Images)
Camacho was arrested and transferred to ICE custody, Bis said.
His criminal history includes theft and resisting a Florida Highway Patrol officer, officials said. Federal authorities have nabbed several illegal immigrants in the process of trying to obtain employment in law enforcement and education.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
One Sierra Leone citizen was recently arrested as he was training to become a Pennsylvania corrections officer.
Another illegal immigrant, Ian Roberts, served as the former superintendent of Iowa’s largest district, Des Moines Public Schools, before he was arrested by ICE.
Related Article
Read the full article from Here
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A Georgia high school teacher was arrested Wednesday after allegations of inappropriate contact between a teacher and a minor student surfaced at Lee County High School.
Danielle Weaver, 29, of Leesburg, is charged with child molestation and improper sexual contact by an employee, agent or foster parent, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI).
Lee County High School requested the Leesburg Police Department investigate the allegations on Feb. 3, and the GBI was called to assist the following day.
Danielle Weaver, 29, of Leesburg, Ga., is charged with child molestation and improper sexual contact by an employee. (Lee County Sheriff’s Office)
Investigators identified Weaver as the “subject,” and identified the victim as a student under 18 years old at Lee County High School, according to officials.
GBI agents continued the investigation along with the Leesburg Police Department, and arrest warrants were obtained for Weaver on Tuesday.
A Google Maps street view photo of Lee County High School in Leesburg, Ga. (Google Maps)
NEBRASKA TEACHER ALLEGEDLY OFFERED TO ‘SHARE’ BOYFRIEND WITH STUDENT IN SEX TRAFFICKING CASE
Weaver turned herself in to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, and was later released on bond, according to a report from WALB News.
This investigation is active and ongoing, according to the GBI.
The incident allegedly happened at a high school in Georgia. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Once complete, the case file will be given to the Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
Leesburg is located in South Georgia, and is about an hour and a half north of Tallahassee, Florida.
Lee County High School’s communications team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Related Article
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
Federal court clears way for Ten Commandments to be displayed in Louisiana public school classrooms
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A federal appeals court cleared the way Friday for a Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, lifting a lower court block and reigniting debate over religion in public education.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit voted 12-6 to lift a block first imposed in 2024, finding it was too early to determine the constitutionality of the law. Critics argue the requirement violates the separation of church and state, while supporters say the Ten Commandments are historical and foundational to U.S. law.
The court said in the majority opinion that it was unclear how schools would display the poster-sized materials, noting that the law allows additional content, like the Mayflower Compact or the Declaration of Independence, to appear alongside the Ten Commandments.
The majority wrote that there were not enough facts to “permit judicial judgment rather than speculation” when evaluating potential First Amendment concerns.
A federal appeals court on Friday lifted a lower court block on Louisiana’s Ten Commandments classroom law, bringing the measure closer to taking effect. (John Bazemore/AP)
In a concurring opinion, Circuit Judge James Ho, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, wrote that the law was constitutional and “consistent with our founding traditions.”
“It is fully consistent with the Constitution, and what’s more, it reinforces our Founders’ firm belief that the children of America should be educated about the religious foundations and traditions of our country,” Ho said, adding that the law “affirms our Nation’s highest and most noble traditions.”
Circuit Judge James L. Dennis, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, wrote in a dissenting opinion that displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms would amount to “exposing children to government‑endorsed religion in a setting of compulsory attendance.”
VIRGINIA BOYS NOTCH COURT WIN AFTER BEING LABELED ‘SEXUAL HARASSERS’ OVER TRANSGENDER LOCKER ROOM COMPLAINT
A federal appeals court ruling on Feb. 20 allows Louisiana’s Ten Commandments classroom mandate to proceed for now. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images)
“That is precisely the kind of establishment the Framers anticipated and sought to prevent,” he added.
The ACLU of Louisiana and other groups representing the plaintiffs said they would pursue additional legal challenges to block the law.
“Today’s ruling is extremely disappointing and would unnecessarily force Louisiana’s public school families into a game of constitutional whack-a-mole in every school district,” the groups wrote in a joint-statement. “Longstanding judicial precedent makes clear that our clients need not submit to the very harms they are seeking to prevent before taking legal action to protect their rights.”
WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT FORCES STUDENTS TO HIDE BIBLES IN BACKPACKS, LAWSUIT ALLEGES
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry praised the appeals court decision on Feb. 20 allowing the Ten Commandments classroom law to move forward. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, file)
Republican Gov. Jeff Landry on Friday praised the court’s decision, writing on Facebook, “Common sense is making a comeback!”
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued a statement following the ruling, saying schools “should follow the law.”
“Don’t kill or steal shouldn’t be controversial. My office has issued clear guidance to our public schools on how to comply with the law, and we have created multiple examples of posters demonstrating how it can be applied constitutionally,” she said.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said schools should follow the Ten Commandments display law after a federal appeals court lifted a lower court block on Feb. 20. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Joseph Davis, an attorney representing Louisiana in the case, celebrated the court’s decision.
“If the ACLU had its way, every trace of religion would be scrubbed from the fabric of our public life,” he said in a statement. “That position is at odds with our nation’s traditions and our Constitution. We’re glad the Fifth Circuit has allowed Louisiana to display the Ten Commandments in its public school classrooms.”
Friday’s ruling came after the full court agreed to reconsider the case, months after a three-judge panel ruled the Louisiana law unconstitutional.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
A similar law in Arkansas faces a federal court challenge, while Texas implemented its own Ten Commandments classroom requirement last year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related Article
Read the full article from Here
How the federal government is painting immigrants as criminals on social media
Newsom staffer who told California reporter to ‘f— off’ is raking in massive taxpayer-funded salary
Walz slams Trump admin for temporarily halting Medicaid funding to Minnesota: ‘Campaign of retribution’
Trump introduces Cornyn, Paxton but stays mum on endorsement in heated GOP primary
Illegal immigrant arrested after showing up to Florida Border Patrol office for contract IT work
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
How the federal government is painting immigrants as criminals on social media
Where Iran’s ballistic missiles can reach — and how close they are to the US
Has India’s influence in Afghanistan grown under the Taliban?
Bill Clinton to testify before House committee investigating Epstein links
Read Judge Schiltz’s Order
-
World2 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts2 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Louisiana5 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Oklahoma1 week agoWildfires rage in Oklahoma as thousands urged to evacuate a small city
-
Denver, CO2 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology7 days agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology6 days agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making