A Prayer for the Middle of the Night By: Kelly Balarie
Bible Reading: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” - John 15:5 (NIV)
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On the hour, almost every hour throughout the night, I woke up. A million little pestering thoughts like pinballs were released in my mind, invading my sacred sleep time. They demanded attention, as if the wheels of rumination must keep turning so everything could be handled... as if anything could be fixed at midnight.
Have you ever experienced this?
Have you ever felt the pressing problems of the world hit you at unforeseen hours of the night?
When we wake in the night, I’ve learned, after nearly one-hundred sleepless nights, it is not a call to worry, but a call to prayer. Of course, the last thing we may feel like doing is speaking aloud or interrupting our hazy, incoherent mind with the alertness of spoken words, but if we do, it can be powerful.
Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5 NIV)
Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.
I’ve learned that apart from Jesus, I can hardly get back to sleep, no more than I can fix all my problems at midnight. Only He can. Only He will. Only He is able.
On these sorts of nights, I call out to Jesus and say, “Jesus, let me fall asleep again.” Sometimes, I go through what I call the A-B-C’s of God. I recite names of God that correspond with each alphabet letter.
However, I only do this after I have prayed prayers like:
“Father, save me, and I will be saved!”
“Father, heal me, and I will be healed.”
“Father, redeem me, and I will be redeemed.”
“You alone save, so save me.”
If you are restless in the depths of night, let out the cry of your soul! When that cry goes out, I assure you, God hears. When everyone else is sleeping, God is paying attention! When you only have a whisper, God has a listening ear.
Dark nights of the soul can absolutely be illuminated by the Light of the World, as we humbly come, breathing our restless prayers.
Maybe God doesn’t wake us up to put on us the weight of the world but to call us to deep and intimate prayer. Meet Him there. Meet Him with the weight of your world, meet Him with the problems of your day, meet Him with the guilt you feel, meet Him with the dreams of your heart, meet Him with cries for your family. Meet Him, and He will meet you.
Abide with Him, even at midnight.
Let’s Pray: Father, I want to seek You and find You. Give me strength to pray when I am tired, weary, or worried. Give me greater faith to trust you and to lean on you in all my ways. May I call out to You and know You hear my prayer. May I abide in You. Thank you, Father. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Kelly uplifts believers with boosts of faith; be encouraged weekly by getting Kelly’s blog posts by email. Kelly, a cheerleader of faith, is a blogger, national speaker, and author of Take Every Thought Captive, Rest Now, Battle Ready, and Fear Fighting. Kelly loves seeing the power of prayer in action. She loves seeing the expression on women’s faces when they realize – their God is faithful! Kelly’s work has been featured on The Today Show, CBN’s 700 Club, Relevant and Today’s Christian Woman.
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Bud Light’s Dylan Mulvaney Controversy: A Stark Warning for Brands
The disastrous partnership between Bud Light and transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney serves as a stark warning for companies tempted to prioritize social agendas over their core customer base. Anson Frericks has delivered a scathing critique, blaming corporate diversity policies and external pressure groups for forcing an inauthentic alliance that devastated the iconic American beer brand. Could a formal apology help Bud Light recover its market position?
Corporate Pressure and Brand Authenticity
Former Anheuser-Busch executive Anson Frericks has publicly criticized his former employer’s partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney as “not an authentic partnership at all.” After working at the company for over a decade, Frericks departed when he observed a fundamental shift in corporate values that prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies over maintaining the brand’s authentic connection with its core customers.
“I joined a company that I thought was a great meritocracy, and then I saw the company really change, especially after 2020, 2021, when the DEI movement was really gaining steam,” Frericks explained in a recent interview. The executive specifically pointed to pressure from organizations like the Human Rights Campaign and asset management firms promoting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies as key factors driving Bud Light’s controversial marketing decisions.
Devastating Market Consequences
The backlash against Bud Light was swift and severe following the April 2023 partnership with Mulvaney, which featured the influencer’s face on custom beer cans. Sales plummeted nearly 30% year-over-year by January 2025, and the brand lost its position as America’s best-selling beer to Modelo.
Public figures like Kid Rock dramatically expressed their disapproval, with the musician posting a viral video of himself shooting cases of Bud Light with a rifle. The controversy led to two Anheuser-Busch marketing executives being placed on leave, while CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement that many criticized for failing to address the partnership controversy.
Recovery Efforts and Future Outlook
Bud Light has attempted to rehabilitate its image through traditional marketing approaches that reconnect with its core audience. The brand became the official beer sponsor of the UFC and released a well-received Super Bowl advertisement featuring comedian Shane Gillis and musician Post Malone.
Frericks believes more drastic measures may be necessary for Bud Light to fully recover its market position. He suggests the company needs to issue a formal apology to customers and possibly find American ownership to replace InBev, which he claims lacks an understanding of American values and culture.
The former executive summarized the situation with a simple analogy: “Don’t put avocado on the burger.” This straightforward advice encapsulates his belief that Bud Light abandoned a successful formula by trying to adopt social positions at odds with its established brand identity and customer base.
Democrats in Crisis: Schumer’s Decision to Support GOP Funding Bill
Internal unrest has ignited among House Democrats as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer faces severe backlash for backing a Republican-led continuing resolution designed to prevent a government shutdown. The growing divide within the Democratic Party highlights significant concerns about leadership effectiveness and party strategy in confronting Republican tactics. Is Schumer’s support for the GOP resolution a strategic compromise or a betrayal of Democratic values?
Schumer’s Decision Sparks Progressive Outrage
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s announcement that he would support a Republican-backed continuing resolution has triggered a firestorm within Democratic ranks. The resolution, which funds the government for another six months, has become the flashpoint for a larger ideological battle as progressive Democrats view the move as a capitulation to GOP demands.
Schumer, alongside Senator John Fetterman, provided the critical Democratic votes needed for the measure’s passage in the Senate. Their support comes despite vocal opposition from the progressive wing of the party, which sees the continuing resolution as a missed opportunity to advance Democratic priorities and stand firm against Republican tactics.
AOC Leads Opposition Against Schumer
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as the leading voice against Schumer’s decision, publicly expressing her dismay and rallying other Democrats to oppose the measure. “I think there is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal,” Ocasio-Cortez stated, articulating the frustration felt by many progressives who believe Democratic leadership has compromised too readily.
The progressive firebrand is actively working to mobilize opposition and pressure Senate Democrats to reconsider their position before the final vote. “We have time to correct course on this decision. Senate Democrats can vote no. We can correct course, and that is the most important thing in front of us right now,” she urged, suggesting the battle is not yet over.
Growing Calls for Leadership Challenge
The controversy has accelerated discussions about potential challenges to Schumer’s leadership position, with some House Democrats reportedly encouraging Ocasio-Cortez to consider a primary run against him. Such conversations reflect growing discontent with what progressives perceive as a pattern of accommodating Republican demands without securing meaningful concessions in return.
Schumer’s defenders argue his decision is rooted in practical political considerations, particularly the desire to avoid a government shutdown that could harm Democratic electoral prospects. However, critics maintain that accepting the Republican continuing resolution surrenders leverage and fails to uphold constitutional principles that Democrats have long championed.
The internal conflict exposes deeper fractures within the Democratic Party regarding strategy, priorities, and the appropriate level of resistance to Republican initiatives. With progressive grassroots organizations also expressing disappointment in Schumer’s approach, the Senate Minority Leader finds himself caught between competing demands for pragmatism and ideological purity.
For Republican leadership, the Democratic infighting presents an opportunity to advance their agenda with less unified opposition. The situation highlights continuing challenges for Democrats as they attempt to balance governance responsibilities with maintaining party unity amid differing approaches to confronting the Republican legislative agenda.
Vatican’s Deal with Communist China: Diplomatic Victory or Launchpad for Persecution?
In 2018, the Vatican signed a document with Communist China, which has become one of the most controversial aspects of Pope Francis’ pontificate and led to a “betrayal” of Catholics in the nation.
The highly secretive Sino-Vatican deal is now in its seventh year after being renewed for the third time in the autumn of 2024. But who actually holds greater power under the deal, and what have the fruits been?
2018: A new deal for a new chapter?
On September 22, 2018, the Vatican announced that it had signed a deal with the Chinese government regarding the appointment of Catholic bishops in China. The Vatican said discussions had been underway for some time, and this new deal was their result. The press release noted:
“The above-mentioned Provisional Agreement, which is the fruit of a gradual and reciprocal rapprochement, has been agreed following a long process of careful negotiation and foresees the possibility of periodic reviews of its application. It concerns the nomination of Bishops, a question of great importance for the life of the Church, and creates the conditions for greater collaboration at the bilateral level.”
The Vatican added it had the “shared hope” with Beijing that the deal “may favor a fruitful and forward-looking process of institutional dialogue and may contribute positively to the life of the Catholic Church in China, to the common good of the Chinese people and to peace in the world.”
A few days later, Pope Francis penned a letter to Chinese Catholics in which he said that the deal, “while limited to certain aspects of the Church’s life and necessarily capable of improvement, can contribute—for its part—to writing this new chapter of the Catholic Church in China.”
At last, the Pontiff opined, the Holy See and Communist China would be able to cooperate “in the hope of providing the Catholic community with good shepherds.”
The contents of the deal have remained secret, with no sign given by either the Vatican or the Communist authorities in Beijing that its contents will be revealed any time soon. Vatican Secretary of State—and leading author of the deal—Cardinal Pietro Parolin attested in 2023 that such secrecy was “because it [the deal] has not yet been finally approved.”
It is believed to recognize the state-approved church in China and allows the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to nominate bishops in the nation and engage with the Vatican in a collaborative process over selecting bishops.
The Holy See, namely the Pope, is believed to hold a form of veto power over the bishops nominated by the Chinese government. The deal is also believed to allow for the removal of bishops who are part of the “underground church” in favor of bishops loyal to the Chinese government who are members of China’s state church—the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA)—in what has been billed as an effort to achieve collaborative unity between Rome and Beijing.
Cdl. Parolin stated in 2023, during an interview distributed to the Vatican press corps, that the Sino-Vatican deal “revolves around the basic principle of consensuality of decisions affecting bishops” and is effected by “trusting in the wisdom and goodwill of all.”
Initially inked in 2018, it was renewed in 2020, 2022 and then in 2024, this time for four years. By the time the “provisional” deal is next up for renewal in 2028, it will be a decade old, a fact that forces questions about the official description of the deal as “provisional.”
Diplomatic Success or Aid to Persecution?
But scarcely had the deal been signed before AsiaNews, an outlet that specializes in highlighting persecution of Christians in the Far East, reported that Chinese Catholics of the Underground Church felt betrayed. “Underground Catholics bitterly suspect that the Vatican has abandoned them,” read an op-ed of November 2018.
For many long years, Catholics of the underground church in China have remained loyal and faithful to Rome despite the increasing persecution levied against them by the Chinese government, as it looks to force Catholics to join the state-approved and Communist-party-aligned CCPA. Such persecutions they have endured out of a desire to remain devoted to the Holy Father and the Holy See rather than to become subjects of the Communist religion promoted by Beijing under the guise of Chinese Catholicism.
It was for this very reason that Hong Kong’s emeritus bishop, Cardinal Joseph Zen,styled the Holy See’s deal as “an incredible betrayal.” “They’re giving the flock into the mouths of the wolves. It’s an incredible betrayal,” he told Reuters News Agency from his Hong Kong home in 2018.
Cdl. Zen has often spoken out against the dangers of the zeal warning of the plight of China’s underground Catholics, though in recent years has had to avoid the topic due to the delicacy of the situation.
But he is by no means alone. Numerous China experts and observers have warned that by signing a deal with Communist China, the Holy See has indeed left itself open to being used and abused by Beijing. Their voices have been joined by those of official government figures.
Shortly prior to the deal’s first two-year renewal in 2020, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned that “(t)he Vatican endangers its moral authority, should it renew the deal.” He pointed to an article he penned on the subject in which he stated that “it’s clear that the Sino-Vatican agreement has not shielded Catholics from the Party’s depredations.”
Even the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China has publicly noted the direct link between the Holy See’s deal and the increase in Christian persecution in China. In its 2020 report, the Commission said such persecution was “of an intensity not seen since the Cultural Revolution.”
Then, in the 2023 report, the Commission wrote that “the Chinese Communist Party and government have continued their efforts to assert control over Catholic leadership, community life, and religious practice.”
In fact, Pope Francis himself admitted that there would be increased suffering as a direct result of the deal he authorized. Speaking aboard the Papal plane in 2018, he stated about the Underground Church: “It’s true, they will suffer. There is always suffering in an agreement.”
As the Holy See lauds its growing relationship with China, priests, seminarians, and lay faithful of the Underground Church are arrested, tortured, fined and whisked away into undisclosed locations due to their loyalty to Rome and their refusal to join the Communist, state-sanctioned church.
China’s underground Catholics are much more persecuted as they ever have been, namely persecuted by the Communist authorities, except now the Communist authorities are emboldened to do so via their deal with the Holy See. Indeed, emboldened by the secretive deal, Beijing has only increased its persecution of Catholics.
Has it Worked?
Observers will be wondering if, despite the increase in Catholic persecution resulting from the deal, it has nevertheless produced fruit and brought greater unity between Rome and Beijing of the sort desired by the Holy See. Certainly, Cardinal Parolin and Vatican Secretary for relations with states Archbishop Paul Gallagher, have joined their voices to that of Pope Francis in defending the deal and its efficacy.
“The agreement represents a journey—a slow and challenging journey that, in my opinion, is beginning to bear some fruit,” said Cdl. Parolin in January, echoing comments made to this correspondent last November. For his part, Abp. Gallagher spoke recently of a “greater familiarity now” between Beijing and Rome, enabling them “to be able to relate to each other in a more relaxed manner.”
But contrary to such rhetoric, evidence suggests that Beijing has persistently broken even the terms of the deal, and forced the Holy See into humiliating acceptance of Beijing”s unilateral decisions over appointing bishops. Rather than fostering a working relationship, the Vatican has been bullied and outsmarted into playing second fiddle to the Communist authorities.
A series of Episcopal appointments to Chinese dioceses in the last two years have highlighted who truly wields power. Beijing has repeatedly made appointments and only afterward informed the Vatican about them, sometimes on the very day of the new bishop’s installation.
One such example is that of Bishop Shen Bin, who was installed by the Chinese authorities as bishop of Shanghai in April 2023—a move that the Vatican was not informed of. Shen had been the Vatican-recognized bishop of Haimen, and the Vatican-recognized bishop of Shanghai was actually Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin.
The Holy See was forced to capitulate to the demands of Beijing and “recognized” Shen Bin’s installation as bishop of Shanghai two months later. This is only the most prominent example of the real-world implementation of the Sino Vatican deal: Beijing acts, informs the Holy See afterwards, and Rome is then left scrambling to accept the Communist government’s decision.
A number of instances have seen the Vatican issue a press note announcing the installation of a new bishop in China, whilst details issued by the Chinese state-approved church reveal that the bishop had already been installed some months prior. Customarily, the details given by the Chinese state-church do not make any mention of Pope Francis or the Holy See, and thus, as veteran Vaticanist Sandro Magister has commented:
In short, a synoptic reading of the press releases issued by the Holy See and the “Catholic Church in China” with each new episcopal appointment makes it clear that the regime in Beijing is the one running the game.
Sadly, but not unexpectedly, evidence highlights that not only has the Sino-Vatican deal betrayed China’s underground Catholics and led to their increased persecution, but it has also failed on the very point which officially sought to achieve—the installation of bishops via a joint process between Rome and Beijing in an effort to build relations between the two parties.
Such a failure should be no surprise. Indeed, even sidestepping the controversial nature and origins of the deal itself, an astute observer has warned that such a deal could never have been expected to succeed.
“Diplomacy has its place. Negotiations are necessary,” Benedict Rogers—trustee and co-founder of Hong Kong Watch—told me. “Reconciliation is laudable and should always be an objective for the Church. Naivety is forgivable. But complicity and appeasement—to which the Vatican’s approach is moving perilously close—have no place in Catholic social teaching.”
Michael Haynes is an English journalist based in Rome as part of the Holy See Press Corps, writing chiefly on LifeSiteNews and PerMariam.
For our time as a Free Nation has once again begun.
For The Time Of True Darkness Has Been Broken
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know I am a sinner. I pray that you will forgive me for all of my sins, that you will come into my heart and be my Lord, the savior of my life. I confess that you died on the cross to save me from my sins and I am committed to turning away from those sins. I ask that you fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I can be born again. I ask that you give me the strength and abundant faith to overcome any and all attacks by the enemy, including my desire to sin so that I may serve you completely. I pray that you will give me discernment so that I may know all things that are truth, and the knowledge acquired from reading your Word. Use me this day as I am a willing vessel Lord, in leading others to your kingdom. Wash me as white as snow. Put a hedge of protection around me as I go forth in doing your will. Thank you Jesus for saving me, as I know that only through my faith in you that all this is possible. Amen
Please print this up and carry it with you always as a reminder of who your Lord & Savoir Is. Print up several copies to give to your family and share with your friends.
The road you have chosen will not be an easy one for know you will be a Child of God. However know this ,you will never be alone ever again. For The Holy Spirit will be placed inside your soul and take residence inside of you forever. He will be your guide, your life long connection to God through our Lord and Savor Christ Jesus.
God has placed a wonderful Blessing upon you my friend. May the Peace of His Grace always be with you. Amen.. Please read this Prayer of Salvation.It must be freely decided by you.God will never force any one to follow him.It has to be a free will decision of Heart,Mind&Soul.May God grant you the wisdom to make the right decision that will effect your life not only here but forever more.Amen...Carl
For our time as a Free Nation has once again begun.
For The Time Of True Darkness Has Been Broken
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know I am a sinner. I pray that you will forgive me for all of my sins, that you will come into my heart and be my Lord, the savior of my life. I confess that you died on the cross to save me from my sins and I am committed to turning away from those sins. I ask that you fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I can be born again. I ask that you give me the strength and abundant faith to overcome any and all attacks by the enemy, including my desire to sin so that I may serve you completely. I pray that you will give me discernment so that I may know all things that are truth, and the knowledge acquired from reading your Word. Use me this day as I am a willing vessel Lord, in leading others to your kingdom. Wash me as white as snow. Put a hedge of protection around me as I go forth in doing your will. Thank you Jesus for saving me, as I know that only through my faith in you that all this is possible. Amen
Please print this up and carry it with you always as a reminder of who your Lord & Savoir Is. Print up several copies to give to your family and share with your friends.
The road you have chosen will not be an easy one for know you will be a Child of God. However know this ,you will never be alone ever again. For The Holy Spirit will be placed inside your soul and take residence inside of you forever. He will be your guide, your life long connection to God through our Lord and Savor Christ Jesus.
God has placed a wonderful Blessing upon you my friend. May the Peace of His Grace always be with you. Amen.. Please read this Prayer of Salvation.It must be freely decided by you.God will never force any one to follow him.It has to be a free will decision of Heart,Mind&Soul.May God grant you the wisdom to make the right decision that will effect your life not only here but forever more.Amen...Carl
Kelly uplifts believers with boosts of faith; be encouraged weekly by getting Kelly’s blog posts by email. Kelly, a cheerleader of faith, is a blogger, national speaker, and author of Take Every Thought Captive, Rest Now, Battle Ready, and Fear Fighting. Kelly loves seeing the power of prayer in action. She loves seeing the expression on women’s faces when they realize – their God is faithful! Kelly’s work has been featured on The Today Show, CBN’s 700 Club, Relevant and Today’s Christian Woman. 
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