Get to Know Our Staff, From Top Gun to Upcoming Weddings

Welcome to Family Policy Matters, an engaging and informative weekly radio show and podcast produced by the North Carolina Family Policy Council. Hi, this is John Rustin, president of NC Family, and we're grateful to have you with us for this week's program. It's our prayer that you will be informed, encouraged, and inspired by what you hear on Family Policy Matters and that you will feel better and equipped to be a voice of persuasion for family values in your community, state, and nation.

And now here is our host of Family Policy Matters, Tracey Devette Griggs. Thanks for joining us this week for Family Policy Matters. As a fun wrap up to this busy year, we wanted to take some time to get to know the wonderful staff here at NC Family a little bit better.

You see and read and hear the fruits of their incredibly hard work all year long. So we thought you'd like to learn a little bit more about them as we close out 2023. Well, on this episode of Family Policy Matters, we're going to ask our full time staff members a variety of questions in lightning round fashion. So get ready for a fun, fast paced, year end edition of Family Policy Matters. We're joined today by NC Family President John Rustin, Community Impact Director Jerry Royal, Communications Director Anna Scott Cross, Director of Operations Tricia Ruckert, Director of Research and Education Adamo Manfra, Government Relations Associate Sharon Sullivan, and Administrative Assistant Lucy Conley. Welcome to all of you to Family Policy Matters. Thank you. And the best book that I've read is the most recent book that I've read.

And that would be Erased by John Amunchukwu. It talks about how critical race theory and abortion has been a real blight on the black community. Okay, we're going to do the name of the book and we're moving right along. Jerry.

Yes. And this is the best for all of us is the Bible, always knowing that God is one who made us, loves us and knows what's best for life. And that's where I'm realizing I need to stay and needs to be at the time. The Last Carolina Girl by Meghan Church. Thank you. Mine is the Little Black Book of Workout Motivation. Boys Adrift by Dr. Leonard Sacks and the Catechism read by Father Mike. Imagine Heaven by John Burke.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. All right. You can see that some of us are better at just quickly answering and moving along. So we'll see how this goes as our following instructions. Okay.

Second question. First, we're going to start with Jerry. What book is on the top of your 2024 to read pile?

Well, as I just shared, I don't cease to see the need for me to stay in God's word to see how he knows life works best. There are too many for me to pick just one. Mine is Smarter Not Harder by David Sears. Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Winget. Beyond Order by Jordan Peterson.

And I would say Tim Keller's The Meaning of Marriage, which is an annual read for me. Good for you. All right. The next question. What is your favorite movie to watch time and again?

Start with Anna Scott. Any of the Harry Potter movies. I rarely watch movies. And if I do watch one, I can't stand to watch it more than once.

So I'm going to pass. Lord of the Rings extended editions. Good Will Hunting or the Shawshank Redemption. Also, any of the Harry Potter movies. And I will have to say a family favorite, The Sound of Music.

And I have actually met the real Maria Von Trapp, which makes it even more special. Anne of Green Gables. One of the blessings of being a father of a daughter and watching a movie that men might not watch. All right.

Next question. What is your favorite new movie from the last couple of years? Again, I rarely watch movies, but I'll go with Top Gun Maverick.

Same. Top Gun Maverick. I saw The Jesus Revolution this year.

I'm going to have to go with Open Harmer. I'll join several of my colleagues in saying Top Gun Maverick. I'll join The Jesus Revolution, seeing what God did in California and around the country years ago. We'd love for him to do again today.

Either Death on the Nile or Downton Abbey, a new era. All right. Moving right along. Where did you go on your favorite day or single night trip this year, starting with the Domo? Wrightsville Beach with the family. I went to Wilmington Beach when my son Griffin got engaged. I went to on a hiking trip to Chimney Rock, North Carolina. Went to New York City to watch my daughter run in the New York City Marathon. Southern Pines in the Sandhills area where my wife grew up. Henry River Mill Village in Hickory, North Carolina. I went to Hot Springs, North Carolina.

It was beautiful. All right. And next question. What is your favorite restaurant in North Carolina?

We're going to start with Sharon. Brewery Bahavana. They have the best General Sal's chicken. Mine's going to have to be Stir in North Hills. Chubby's Tacos when I'm feeling cheap and the Angus Born when I'm feeling not so cheap. Cafe Carolina because my wife likes chicken salad and that's one of the places that we enjoy having chicken salad. Second Empire and Raleigh. They have some amazing gluten free food. We love the Boundary House, mostly because I love going there with my kids.

We're all grown. Farm table in Wake Forest. You're listening to Family Policy Matters, a weekly radio show and podcast of the North Carolina Family Policy Council. This is just one of the many ways NC Family works to educate and inform citizens across North Carolina about policy issues that impact North Carolina families. Our vision is to create a state and nation where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive and life is cherished. For more information about NC Family and how you can help us to achieve this incredible vision for our state and nation. Visit our website at NC family dot org. Again, that's NC family dot o r g. And be sure to sign up to receive our email updates, action alerts and of course, our flagship publication, Family North Carolina magazine. We'd also love for you to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. All right.

So that was a lot of fun. Before we finish, let's close just a little bit more on a serious note and have an opportunity for some of the staff to share what their hope is going forward in twenty twenty four. I know we hear so much every day about the hopelessness and we sometimes wonder what on earth is happening in our world if we all lost our minds. But there's a lot of thought to be hopeful for and thankful for. So, John, if you don't mind starting us out and just give us some ideas of what you are hopeful for going forward.

Well, thank you, Tracy. I really think the big thing is just our hope in Christ that we know that God is sovereign. And for our listeners, I think it's just so important to understand that we see God's hand at work so often in what we do, especially down at the General Assembly, as we're interacting with our policymakers and they're making decisions that impact our lives on a daily basis. And we're down there trying to be ambassadors for Christ and his truth that we really do see God's hand at work and helping to orchestrate and direct things that are taking place down there. And that gives us a tremendous amount of comfort knowing that in the volatile world, in this challenging world that we face, that God has not removed his hand of divine nature off of our country, but he's very involved and very interested in what we're doing on a daily basis. So I think that gives me a great deal of encouragement and just a desire to really seek to serve him and to speak his truth to those with whom we come in contact. Okay. Anybody else have something that makes you look forward to the next year or gives you hope? I do.

This is Sharon. I've got two kids. Two of my three kids are getting married and it's going to be a fun year just watching my family expand.

You know, as you get older, you start thinking, oh, well, you know, we're leaving behind the children's years and all of that stuff. But now I look, I'm opening my eyes to my expanding family, not just with their spouse, but also their families. So I'm excited for that.

This is Lucy. I just wanted to add that I am also engaged and will be getting married next year. And although it's a stressful time with all the planning and everything, I'm super excited to see what God has planned for me and how he will bless me and my future spouse and my future family as we start this new chapter. Well, that's awesome. And I've got a son who's getting married as well. So we've got lots of expanding families within the Family Policy Council. But it's a really neat, exciting year ahead. Following up on what you all have said. Jerry?

Yes, Jerry. You know, we can live at a time where we can lose hope, be overwhelmed. It's just hearing what God's doing in y'all's families.

We hear about how marriage has been on the decline. Well, here God is bringing together people within each of your families. And this is where, again, my mind goes back to the Jesus revolution.

Similar situation. There was sexual revolution, drugs, rebellion. God turned things around. And that's where our hope is all through history it's been. God's done that. We continue to pray and praise God for what just y'all just shared about your own families.

I'd like to share this with Tricia. I just love the new year because if you may have gathered from the books that I chose, I love setting goals, I love challenges, and I love transformation. And I love that we serve a God of transformation. He gives us new hearts. He gives us each new year, each new day, each new month, to serve Him and to seek to do our very best in our service to our King. And I love that His mercies are new every morning. And what gives me hope is that He will be faithful every day in the coming year. Amen. Anybody else?

This is Domo. This last year we had number three, and then I immediately came and started work at NC Family Policy Council. My parents moved down to be near us, so now my parents as well as my in-laws are all here. And being a part of NC Family and seeing the many wins this year in the legislature and knowing that, like you opened with, Tracy, it's tempting to see all of the previously unbelievable things that are being advanced in the world today, but really seeing that to a very real degree in many areas, we're getting to the point where reasonable people are recognizing what's reasonable. And that's creating, I think, a doorway for us to share more truth, as John was talking about, and share the truth of what God wants for all of us as a community, as individuals, as families, and work to advance towards our vision statement, right?

Work towards advancing a state and nation where God is honored and the family flourishes. And I think hearing Sharon talk about her kids getting married this year and seeing Lucy getting married this year and knowing John's got his son recently engaged, and then I've got a three, a one, and a four-month-old, and I'm thinking, that better be a long way away that I'm dealing with weddings. But there is a lot of hope seeing the direction that North Carolina's been going this year and what I think we'll see next year, and really believing that this is going to be a good place to raise those kids. It doesn't make the world easy.

It doesn't mean I'm not scared to death of putting all the borders that I want to put around my daughter's heart and keep her safe. But I really do think that this community, especially those gathered in this room and those who are listening, are going to make this a place that it's going to be beautiful to raise this family. This is Anna Scott. So I've been in this position at NC Family for a little over a year now, and it's just been so cool to watch, especially this year, just how our team has grown so much and all the new projects that we've taken on. We've had such a great year at the General Assembly. We've had such a great year in the office, and it's just so exciting to look forward to next year and just think about how God's going to just continue to work in our lives and work in the lives of those around us and those that we work with.

And I'm excited to see what's in store. Alright, and we never do this on the radio show, but I would just love for us to close in prayer because this is a big year, and would one of you, John or Jerry, be willing to just pray, not just for our staff, but also for all the people that are out there listening and having great influence in all of their communities all throughout this coming year? Sure. Thanks, Tracey.

I'd be delighted to do that. Father God, thank you so much for this year that has recently ended and the year that you have set out before us. Lord, we know that every day that you give us the breath of life, that you have a plan and a purpose for us, not only individually but corporately as the body of Christ. And we just pray that you would help us, equip us, strengthen us to live into that in the coming year, that we may work together to prosper what you desire to have happen in our state, in our communities, and in our nation. But as we do that together, Lord, as we work together as the body of Christ, that we will bring glory and honor to you and through your miraculous means and your gracious love that you will draw people to yourself, into your kingdom, and take joy in that. So I do thank you for each person on our staff, for all of our supporters, those who pray for us, who support the work that we do and are such a big part of this effort. And we do just pray that you would equip us so that we can raise up your name and speak your truth in a way that brings glory and honor to you. So thank you so much for this time, for each person listening, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Alright. Well, that does it for this very special episode of Family Policy Matters. You can learn more about our amazing staff members and follow all their great work on behalf of the North Carolina families at ncfamily.org. On behalf of all of us here at NC Family, we want to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a happy and blessed New Year in 2024.

You've been listening to Family Policy Matters. We hope you enjoyed the program and plan to tune in again next week. To listen to this show online and to learn more about NC Family's work to inform, encourage, and inspire families across North Carolina, go to our website at ncfamily.org. That's ncfamily.org. Thanks again for listening, and may God bless you and your family.