Earlier this month, Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court upheld a lower court ruling barring a Christian mother from bringing her own child to church. That mother is now taking a stand for her faith and her rights as an American.

For Emily Bickford, taking her daughter to church has always been more than a Sunday tradition. It has been a vital part of her family’s faith and values.

“When the Lord revealed Himself to me, and I grabbed hold of that free gift of salvation, He not only saved me; He ended up saving Ava through it as well. And I’m just eternally grateful. It means everything to us because Jesus Christ is the gift of everlasting life,” Bickford told CBN News.

Recently, Maine’s highest court upheld a custody order prohibiting Bickford from taking her 13-year-old daughter, Ava, to church or other religious events. The court also ruled that Bickford cannot expose her daughter to religious beliefs, including the Bible, without approval from the girl’s father.

“We used to go to church probably two to three times a week,” Bickford said.

In 2025, the state’s high court heard arguments pitting judicial authority against parental rights and the First Amendment.

Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel, a faith-based legal nonprofit representing Bickford, told CBN News the ruling violates her religious freedom.

“This is an astounding and shocking court order. I’ve never seen one in all my 39 years of practice,” Staver said. “It literally wipes out the First Amendment. That’s what the Maine Supreme Court did. It said there’s no First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion.”

Bickford and Ava’s father, Matthew Bradeen, never married. Bickford maintained primary custody of Ava while Bradeen had visitation rights.

Since December 2024, Bickford has challenged a custody order preventing her from taking her daughter to Calvary Chapel in Portland, Maine, despite the court finding her to be a fit parent.

Bradeen alleges the church is a harmful environment that causes his daughter anxiety. One claim is that Ava suffered a panic attack after hearing teachings about the Rapture.

Bickford and Staver strongly deny those allegations.

“She loved seeing the kids there and loved the teachings. She liked getting her notebook out and listening to the teachings in the Bible,” Bickford said.

Staver points to the court’s own findings.

“The lower court order says very specifically: ‘There is no evidence that Ava has been harmed by any teachings rooted in the Bible,'” Staver said. “Yet the order goes on to suggest there could possibly be harm from exposing Ava to teachings about heaven, hell, eternal life, salvation, and the Second Coming. Yet there’s no evidence of that.”

Staver argues the order gives Bradeen broad authority to block Ava’s access to religious practices and beliefs, including church attendance, religious events, and certain religious materials.

He hopes the U.S. Supreme Court will take up the case and address what he believes are significant constitutional questions involving parental rights and religious liberty.

Meanwhile, Bickford remains focused on her faith while continuing the legal battle.

“We’re just fighting for peace right now in our lives,” Bickford said. “This has really made us think about and establish what our faith is. Our faith is in the Lord, getting to know Him, and being obedient to Him in our daily lives.”
Sources:CBN News

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യു.എസ് എ: അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര മതസ്വാതന്ത്യ്രത്തിനായുള്ള യു.എസ് കമ്മീഷൻ അംഗമായി മിഷനറിയായ ആൻഡ്രൂ ബ്രൺസണെ നിയമിച്ചു യുഎസ് പ്രസിഡന്റ് ഡൊണാൾഡ് ട്രംപ് . തുർക്കിയിൽ 23 വർഷത്തോളം മിഷണറിയായി പ്രവർത്തിച്ച ബ്രൺസൺ, 2016-ൽ ചാരവൃത്തി ആരോപിച്ചും സർക്കാരിനെ ദുർബലപ്പെടുത്താൻ മതം ഉപയോഗിച്ചതായുമുള്ള വ്യാജ ആരോപണങ്ങളെ തുടർന്ന് തുർക്കിയിൽ അറസ്റ്റിലാവുകയും രണ്ട് വർഷത്തോളം തടവിൽ കഴിയുകയും ചെയ്തിരുന്നു.

നയതന്ത്ര സമ്മർദ്ദങ്ങൾക്കൊടുവിൽ മോചിതനായ അദ്ദേഹം നിലവിൽ ലോകമെമ്പാടുമുള്ള പീഡിപ്പിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന ക്രിസ്‌ത്യാനികൾക്കായി പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്ന ‘വേവ്സ്റ്റാർട്ടേഴ്സ്’ എന്ന സംഘടനയ്ക്ക് നേതൃത്വം നൽകി വരികയാണ്.

ആൻഡ്രൂ ബ്രൺസണു പുറമെ പ്രമുഖ കത്തോലിക്കാ ബിഷപ്പ് റോബർട്ട് ബാരൺ, ജോ ഗ്രോഗൻ എന്നിവരെയും USCIRF കമ്മീഷണർമാരായി ട്രംപ് നിയമിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. ലോകമെമ്പാടുമുള്ള മതസ്വാതന്ത്ര്യ ലംഘനങ്ങൾ നിരീക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിനും യു.എസ് സർക്കാരിന് നയതന്ത്ര നിർദ്ദേശങ്ങൾ നൽകുന്നതിനുമായി രൂപീകരിച്ച സ്വതന്ത്ര ഏജൻസിയാണ് ഈ കമ്മീഷൻ. അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര തലത്തിൽ മതസ്വാതന്ത്ര്യവും മനുഷ്യാവകാശങ്ങളും സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിൽ ഈ നിയമനങ്ങൾ നിർണായക പങ്ക് വഹിക്കുമെന്ന് കമ്മീഷൻ അറിയിച്ചു.
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The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes President Donald J. Trump’s nominations of Jane “Cissie” Lynch to be the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom (IRF) and the appointments of Andrew Brunson, Robert Barron, and Joe Grogan to be Commissioners on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Beyond leading the International Religious Freedom Office at the State Department, Ambassador-Designate Lynch would also serve as an ex-officio member of the Commission.

“President Trump’s announcement is a vital step in advancing the human right of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) abroad. USCIRF calls for a swift confirmation process for IRF Ambassador-Designate Lynch,” said Chair Asif Mahmood. “Filling these roles demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the United States to international religious freedom as a priority in foreign policy.”

The Ambassador at Large and Commissioner roles are established in the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), as amended. Beyond the status as an ex-officio member of the Commission, IRFA stipulates that the Ambassador also serves as the principal executive branch official working on FoRB. The Commission, an independent legislative branch agency, has members that are appointed on a bipartisan basis, three from the President, three from U.S. Senate leadership, and three from leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives. With President Donald J. Trump’s appointment of three new USCIRF Commissioners, USCIRF now has the requisite complement of bipartisan Commissioners as outlined in IRFA.

“In addition to the announcement of the nomination of Ambassador-Designate Lynch, we welcome the three new USCIRF Commissioners: Robert Barron, Andrew Brunson, and Joe Grogan,” said Vice Chair CeCe Heil. “With these appointments, USCIRF’s full bipartisan composition further supports our efforts to advance religious freedom abroad for all. We look forward to working together.”

Robert Barron was appointed to USCIRF by President Donald J. Trump. He serves as the Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. He hosted the PBS documentary series Catholicism, and he is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. He formerly served on the domestic policy focused Religious Liberty Commission. In 2015, Pope Francis appointed Barron an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Andrew Brunson was appointed to USCIRF by President Donald J. Trump. He is a pastor and former missionary in Turkey for 23 years. In 2016, he was arrested on false charges and kept in detention for two years. Released after diplomatic pressure, he authored the memoir God’s Hostage and leads WaveStarters, a ministry focused on persecuted Christians globally.

Joe Grogan was appointed to USCIRF by President Donald J. Trump. He is the former director of the U.S. Domestic Policy Council and assistant to President Trump. As a public policy and healthcare expert, he has worked across sectors from Wall Street, Life Sciences and Emerging Technologies. He is a Visiting Senior Scholar at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Institute.
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വാഷിങ്ടൺ: പ്രമുഖ സുവിശേഷകൻ ഫ്രാങ്ക്ലിൻ ഗ്രഹാമിന്റെ മകളും അന്തരിച്ച സുവിശേഷകൻ ബില്ലി ഗ്രഹാമിന്റെ കൊച്ചുമകളുമായ സിസ്സി ഗ്രഹാം ലിഞ്ചിനെ യുഎസ് അംബാസഡർ അറ്റ് ലാർജ് ഫോർ ഇന്റർനാഷണൽ റിലീജിയസ് ഫ്രീഡം സ്ഥാനത്തേക്ക് പ്രസിഡന്റ് ഡൊണാൾഡ് ട്രംപ് നാമനിർദേശം ചെയ്തു.

സെനറ്റിന്റെ അംഗീകാരം ലഭിച്ചാൽ ലോകമെമ്പാടുമുള്ള മതസ്വാതന്ത്ര്യ സംരക്ഷണവുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട യുഎസ് വിദേശനയ പ്രവർത്തനങ്ങളിൽ ലിഞ്ച് പ്രധാന ചുമതല വഹിക്കും. നാമനിർദേശം വലിയ ബഹുമതിയായി കാണുന്നതായും മതസ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിനായി മികച്ച രീതിയിൽ സേവിക്കാൻ പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കണമെന്നും ലിഞ്ച് അഭ്യർഥിച്ചു.

2010 മുതൽ Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Samaritan’s Purse എന്നിവയുമായി പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്ന ലിഞ്ച് നിലവിൽ സീനിയർ അഡ്വൈസറും മിനിസ്ട്രി വക്താവുമാണ്. മകളുടെ നാമനിർദേശത്തെ സ്വാഗതം ചെയ്ത ഫ്രാങ്ക്ലിൻ ഗ്രഹാം, പുതിയ ഉത്തരവാദിത്വത്തിനായി അവൾക്ക് ജ്ഞാനവും ശക്തിയും ലഭിക്കാൻ പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കണമെന്നും അഭ്യർഥിച്ചു.
Sources:globalindiannews

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Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of famed late Southern Baptist evangelist Billy Graham, said this week that President Donald Trump asked her to take up a key religious freedom position in his administration.

Lynch, whose father, Franklin Graham, leads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, revealed the news on X on Sept. 15, saying Trump had asked her to serve as U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

The role helps lead the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Lynch on X said it would be “a great honor and privilege” to serve in the role.

“If confirmed by the Senate, please pray that I would serve with excellence and make the most of every opportunity to protect our most precious and fundamental right—and one that far too many people around the world still live without—freedom of religion,” she wrote.

Lynch has remained active in the religious advocacy and aid networks started by her grandfather and continue to be run by her family.

She has served as an adviser to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and at Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian aid organization also led by Franklin Graham.

On Sept. 15 Franklin Graham said his daughter is “uniquely” qualified for the role, the duties of which include promoting religious freedom abroad and advising the U.S. government when that right is violated internationally.

The government says the religious freedom ambassador serves as “a principal adviser to the president and the principal adviser to the secretary of state regarding matters affecting religious freedom abroad.” The ambassador‑at‑large also has served as a nonvoting member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which has three vacancies yet to be appointed by the president.

Franklin Graham said his daughter has “traveled the world and been a student of this issue for many years” and has “a broad worldview and knowledge of the issues facing religious freedom today.”

“I couldn’t be more proud of her, and I ask you to pray that God would give her wisdom and strength,” Graham wrote.
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