I've been thinking a lot lately about whom I'm going to vote for in this year's Presidential election.

I listened to both candidates' acceptance speeches at their party's convention (while on vacation, I might add), and I had a pretty strong feeling who I liked best. One candidate talked about education in the way that I think my family would benefit most (can you believe we'll be starting school while this candidate is in office!?). That was important to me. He said a few other things that sounded good to me, but I've not been terribly convicted on much of it.

Then I started hearing all the talk and listening to TV commercials. That just got me confused. I think most of those TV attack ads are so specific and taken out of context so that you can't take any of it seriously. But it is so easy for those messages to get in your head and start to make you doubt.

Next I watched a couple of the debates. What a waste of time. No one answered the questions appropriately and instead just spewed out their canned lines. How ridiculous.

Then the economy went crazy and I started feeling the pressure to make the right choice, knowing it could affect our family's situation. The problem is that I don't understand what went wrong, so I don't understand the possible solutions. Now I'm stressed about making my choice, but more confused about what that choice should be.

Just recently different leaders have stepped up endorsing one candidate or another. They know what they're talking about, right? They understand what's going on, right? Maybe I should just follow their lead.

This weekend I was talking with a friend about all of this. She said the choice seemed simple to her. She was going to vote for the candidate who agreed with her Christian views on life and family. She said the Bible was pretty clear on those two issues, and as long as we as a country follow Scripture on those absolutes, the things that may not seem as clear (economy, war, health care) will fall in place behind.

Well, here I hit a real problem. I believe the Bible and choose to follow God in my decisions (as best as I can). But there are Americans who have chosen not to follow God. They define life and family differently than me and, I believe, differently than God. So what about the separation of church and state? What about choice? Should I vote for a candidate who will make God's laws our country's laws, when there are people in our country to say that isn't right for them?

Wow . . . it is so easy to let relativism sneak into your thought pattern when you aren't diligently guarding your mind.

So this morning I was blessed to have a vomiting child and we had to stay home from church. On the rare occasion that I don't attend Horizon, I like to watch Ed Young back at Fellowship. So I logged on to FellowshipChurch.com this morning and found his current sermon series is called "Politicked." Ed is talking about how he is ticked off at politics in our country. I listened to both sermons that were online and they were totally helpful.

Isn't it awesome how God meets us right where we are and speaks to us the way we need to hear?

I recommend you listen to both messages, even if you already know who you'll vote for. The first goes through issues our country is currently facing and helps Christians determine God's perspective. The second goes through qualities that we should seek in any candidate who deserves our vote.

More than anything, these messages armed me with the Scriptural ammunition to boldly enter that voting booth and support the candidate who will promote Jesus in our government.