Gary Varvel: Where's Lloyd Austin?

Plus Biden's new regulations for 2024 will cost you time and money

Jan 09, 2024

Missing in action? The Federalist - Shawn Fleetwood writes, “For three days, top U.S. officials had no idea the Defense Secretary was hospitalized.” Who is in charge?

The Daily BS writes, Biden admin kicks off 2024 by unleashing $1 billion worth of new regulations and are expected to add a combined 2.1 million hours of “paperwork burden” to the economy, as well.”

DEVOTIONAL

The verse for today:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6.

If I had leaned on my own understanding when I was young, I never would have pursued a career as an editorial cartoonist. It seemed impossible.

In 1974 there were only 200 staff cartoonist jobs in the country. The odds of landing one of those jobs was about a million to one. But, and this is hard to explain, there was a tug on my heart to try, so I prayed and asked God for direction, and I worked on honing my drawing skills.

God led me to a weekly newspaper job and a year later I landed a staff artist job at The Indianapolis News. Then for 16 years while I worked at The News, I would apply to cartoonist job openings at other papers when they occasionally appeared. But I was rejected by every one of those jobs. Did I get discouraged? Yes. But I held on to the dream with an open hand.

If God wanted me to be a cartoonist then I would praise Him. And if God didn’t want me to do that job, then I would still praise Him. That’s what it means to me to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” I’ve learned that God’s ways are much better than my ways.

In all of my ways I have tried to “acknowledge Him” and as I look back I can see that God directed my paths that led me to my dream job as an editorial cartoonist. And after 24 years, God freed me from that newspaper job so that I can use my “talents on loan from God” to produce this newsletter with the freedom to share a Biblical perspective of current events.

Life is full of choices that impact your future. Why not trust in the One who knows the future, has a plan for you and then acknowledge Him in all you do. Speaking from experience, it has been a great adventure.

RIGHT VIEWS

Townhall - Spencer Brown: Biden's malarkey-filled speech in Charleston did not go well.

The Federalist - Evita Duffy-Alfonso: Elise Stefanik gives master class on refuting Democrats’ ‘Insurrection’ lies.

American Greatness - Victor Davis Hanson: A Culture in Collapse: American civilization has been turned upside down, and we have a rendezvous soon with the once unthinkable and unimaginable.

My latest essay series:

Part 1 - The War Within America

Part 2 - The War Within America - Baal

Part 3 - The War Within America - Ishtar

Part 4 - The War Within America - Molech

Part 5 - The War Within America - Fundamental change

HUMOR ME

HUMOR ME: Fix my cartoon with a snarky remark. Email your entries to gary@garyvarvel.com. Winners announced in Friday’s newsletter for paid subscribers.