Staying alert, The purpose of suffering, and Dying in peace | Eastern NC Now

Each week, I strive to address matters of the heart and those shaping the future of our state. In this edition, we examine the potential direction North Carolina could take if marijuana expansion advances, and then we turn to two deeply personal reflections - one on suffering and one on the peace of dying in Christ.
 
Staying Alert: Guarding the Direction of Our State
While lawmakers return to Raleigh to address Medicaid funding, several marijuana bills remain quietly alive in committee. Though unlikely to move this month, these bills would normalize and expand access to a drug already proven to undermine mental health, family stability, and public safety. Even “medical” frameworks create the commercial and cultural foundation for broad recreational use. We must remain informed and ready to respond before momentum shifts.
 
When Suffering Doesn’t Lead to a Happy Ending – But to Something Higher
Romans 8:28 is often quoted as a promise of better days ahead. Yet the greater promise is not that God will change our circumstances, but that He will change us. Some suffering restores our situation; all suffering can restore the image of Christ within us. Pain may not lead to the life we once had, but to the life God intends us to become—more tender, more surrendered, more truly human in Christ.
 
At the Edge of Eternity: What a Hospice Nurse Affirmed About Dying
There is a discernible difference between those who die in Christ and those who do not. A hospice nurse confirmed what Scripture and history have long revealed: believers often pass with peace, while the unbelieving frequently struggle, even when unconscious. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Death for the Christian is not terror—it is the doorway to joy.
 
I pray these articles strengthen your discernment, steady your faith, and lift your hope to the eternal things. Moreover, may they move you to action for the sake of our Savior.
 
With gratitude for your prayers and partnership,
Rev. Mark H. Creech
Director of Government Relations, Return America
ReturnAmerica.org
RevMarkCreech.org