George W. Bush was raised in the Episcopal and Presbyterian church of his parents. Then, he joined a Methodist church in Texas after he married Laura. In the mid-80's, at a time when he admitted that he drank too much, Bush decided to recommit his heart to Jesus Christ. Ever since then, his faith in God has grown steadily stronger and stronger. Even after he was elected Governor of Texas and then President of the United States, Bush’s faith has always remained a constant for him and his public policy-making decisions.

Therefore, when the events of September 11, 2001 happened, George W. Bush did not change who he was. What we saw was a man who was finally able to be himself without any limitations. The spotlight was turned on him like never before and he did not disappoint. The way he carried himself and the poignant words he spoke demonstrated the fact that his faith in God guides him in every situation. This has become more and more evident as his First Term is now nearing the halfway point.

Recently, there have been some conservative Republicans (mostly fiscal conservatives) who are upset with President Bush for compromising with the Democrats on the education bill, the farm bill and campaign finance reform, just to name a few. Even conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has been openly critical of George W. Bush’s reluctance to carry the torch of conservatism as the leader of this country. Rush added that we might as well have Al Gore as our President if liberal ideas are going to be passed and signed into law! With all due respect to Maha Rushie, I disagree.

While I am disappointed with the perception that President Bush is not doing enough to promote the conservative agenda, I think he is simply biding his time until he can win back control of the U.S. Senate. Why do you think he has been campaigning hard on behalf of Lindsey Graham here in South Carolina? President Bush’s visit to the Palmetto State in a couple of weeks will be his third one this year alone plus a bonus visit from Vice-President Dick Cheney a few weeks ago! I trust the political strategy President Bush is undertaking. I can’t wait to see the look on the face of liberal Democrats like Tom Daschle and Hillary Clinton when President Bush’s conservative agenda is actively promulgated and signed into law in the next couple of years, most likely accelerated in Bush’s second term. They won’t know what hit them and they’ll be wetting in their britches for sure!

In the meantime, let’s take a look at George W. Bush, the man and his faith. Last week, he criticized the absurd ruling by the 9th Circuit Judge who said that students reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because the phrase “under God” violated the so-called “separation of church and state.” Bush eagerly voiced his concern that this ruling is “out of step” with what Americans believe. Bush used this as an opportunity to put pressure on the Democrats who are blocking his judicial appointments. He said that “we need common-sense judges who understand that our rights were derived from God. Those are the kind of judges I intend to put on the bench.” Bush’s faith has allowed him to set his priorities in the proper order. He realizes that the judicial system is an excellent way for him to make a lasting mark on the future of law interpretation in America. His goal is to get as many judges appointed as possible who will interpret law correctly rather than legislating from the bench! Do you think Tom Daschle ever wants this to happen?

When President Bush talked about his plan to push for more faith-based initiatives last year, his personal faith in God dictated this bold policy decision. He said in April 2001 that "government can write checks, but it can't put hope in people's hearts, or a sense of purpose in people's lives. That is done by people who have heard a call and who act on faith and are willing to share in that faith. And I'm not talking about a particular religion — I'm talking about all religions under the Almighty God." This is a man who is not afraid to speak about his faith openly when it makes his point politically. What is even more impressive is that he does not have to use such overtly religious language to make his points, but it is so much a part of his life that he does it naturally!

Another example of this is on the day before Easter in 2001, President Bush delivered a radio address that sounded a lot like a sermon. He said that "we feel our reliance on the Creator who made us. We place our sorrows and cares before him, seeking God's mercy." A President who is vocal about his faith is a man who is comfortable wearing the label “religious nut” proudly. And he just so happens to be the leader of the free world, too.

Amazingly, Bush’s open faith has not led to any real substantial public policy initiatives that have gotten through Congress -- yet! But it is coming. Bush has said that “we ought not to worry about faith in our society. We ought to welcome it into our programs. We ought to welcome it in the welfare system. We ought to recognize the healing power of faith in our society." Patience is a virtue that President Bush knows will pay off if the 2002 mid-term elections go according to schedule. And the Republicans will triumph if he has anything to say about it!

Having a President who allows his faith to guide him is disturbing to those who believe there is no God or loathe Him and people who believe in Him. These pundits cry that there must be some sort of “separation of church and state” and that the government should not be about funding or promoting religion (although nothing of the sort is actually happening!). And lest people are skeptical of George W. Bush’s faith, many of his friends and colleagues close to him have assured people that the President’s faith is genuine, not just a political stunt. He is just speaking what he believes in his heart. He certainly does not seem to worry about any wall of separation between church and state now does he?

Although their political power has been massively reduced in recent years, the Christian Coalition did all they could to help get George W. Bush elected President in 2000. They could not have chosen a better Christian prototype candidate for President of the United States than George W. Bush. And his faith has made him a stronger President, especially after September 11th. President Bush has often commented that he feels the prayers of people for him.

(I must ask this question: Would we be getting any of this from President Al Gore? Draw your own conclusions about that one!)

Finally, let’s go back to President Bush’s remarks at The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. on the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance on September 14, 2001. You will recall his words spoke comfort to a nation and a world who was suffering and grieving one of the saddest moments in human history. Here are a few excerpts from the words Bush spoke that day:

“We come before God to pray for the missing and the dead, and for those who love them...At St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York on Tuesday, a woman said, ‘I prayed to God to give us a sign that He is still here.’ God's signs are not always the ones we look for. We learn in tragedy that His purposes are not always our own. Yet the prayers of private suffering, whether in our homes or in this great cathedral, are known and heard, and understood. There are prayers that help us last through the day, or endure the night. There are prayers of friends and strangers, that give us strength for the journey. And there are prayers that yield our will to a will greater than our own. This world He created is of moral design. Grief and tragedy and hatred are only for a time. Goodness, remembrance, and love have no end. And the Lord of life holds all who die, and all who mourn...On this national day of prayer and remembrance, we ask almighty God to watch over our nation, and grant us patience and resolve in all that is to come. We pray that He will comfort and console those who now walk in sorrow. We thank Him for each life we now must mourn, and the promise of a life to come. As we have been assured, neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, can separate us from God's love. May He bless the souls of the departed. May He comfort our own. And may He always guide our country. God bless America.”

Did George W. Bush have faith in God before September 11th? If there was any doubt about it beforehand, the words he used just a few days later should have removed all uncertainty! Just as Christians struggle and get stronger through adversity, so has President Bush. I believe he is a man for such a time as this. Somehow I don’t think the world would be the same today if Al Gore was our President! I am one American who is thankful and proud to call George W. Bush my President. His faith in God makes him a stronger President, even if he does make a verbal blunder every now and then!