This has been a full week. On Saturday I flew across the country to sing at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Newington, Connecticut. As I flew, I worked and occasionally checked the news. I saw a news report of a congressional wife who was filing for divorce from her husband whom I know quite well. I texted the member and let him know I was praying for him and hoped to see him in the next few days.

Emmanuel Baptist Church is a vibrant witness in New England and it was great to sing there again. After singing on Sunday morning and evening I flew to Washington, DC on Monday morning.

Already being on the East coast gave me more time to engage on Capitol Hill and allowed me to move at a more relaxed pace. Most members of the House had not yet arrived on the Hill and the staff that I chatted with were more free to talk.

I delivered my notes of encouragement to offices in the Cannon and Longworth buildings before heading to dinner with two young men. One young man worked in a congressional office and also in the White House before moving into the private sector. The other young man works in a very significant office in the Capitol and is very close to power. The window at his desk looks straight down the National Mall with a fantastic view of the Washington Monument. I've reminded him that he has a front row seat to history.

Feeding into the lives of these young men is important as they have the potential to develop into industry and governmental leaders. Over dinner, it’s great to listen, laugh, and speak into their lives.

The mood on the Hill was apprehensive as the budget deadline was approaching. The young staffers knew that some rough days and sleepless nights were on the horizon.

Tuesday morning, I continued my trek visiting offices on the House side of the Hill. At his request, I met Mark, a staffer for a representative, in the basement of the Capitol for lunch. Mark is a 21-year-old working in the office of a representative from Virginia. He plays organ and piano for mass three or four times a week. It was great to buy him lunch and learn about his faith walk and encourage him. He is another example of the young folks that work on the Hill who are looking for fellowship and encouragement.

Following lunch, I headed to the Hart Senate Building where Chaplain Barry Black leads a Bible Study on Tuesdays during the lunch hour. I was able to catch the last portion of his teaching which is always fantastic.

Throughout my time on the Hill, I engaged with several representatives who chair committees doing various investigations and with other men and women in leadership positions. I also had a few moments with Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri.

While walking in the Cannon tunnel, I chatted and prayed with one of the more vocal representatives who stands in the way of seeing the budget approved. I prayed that God would help these men and women find a way! He tagged my prayer by saying, “And we’ll give God the glory.”

Only God is going to be able to help these men and women find a solution to the Saturday budget deadline.

As I stepped into the office of a representative from New York, I greeted my friend, Courtney. She introduced me to another staffer and said, “Steve is the office favorite.”

Knowing that the phone calls from constituents can be brutal, I will often ask about what calls the staff were fielding. Many calls were concerning the continued funding of the war in Ukraine without having more clarity of where the money was spent. One staffer told me the constituent called him a “Walmart hire.” While I find that rather amusing, these young folks often take abuse when answering calls.

Some constituents call daily, repeating the same complaint or reading from a script. The staff learns those who call daily and they are described as “frequent flyers.”

During the day, I would sometimes catch the televised debate on the House floor related to the budget. One representative introduced an amendment to reduce Department of Defense Secretary Austin’s salary to one dollar. While that is unlikely to happen, it speaks to the frustration many members are feeling.

Following the first set of votes on Tuesday night, I remained in the Capitol to witness a bit of Speaker McCarthy’s press conference about the budget, the Southern border, and other issues. Later in the evening the House met for more votes and didn’t leave the chamber until around 1:30 am.

As I left my hotel on Wednesday morning I noticed my friend, Robert Patterson, sitting on the bench just outside the front door. Bob is a Medal of Honor recipient and he and his wife, Linda are dear friends. They were in Washington, DC for an event to support service dogs for veterans. It was great to reconnect with them. You can click here to read more about Bob’s heroism.

During the day, I was able to spend some “closed-door” time with a member dealing with some family challenges. There were tears and hugs during this vulnerable time.

Later in the day another representative shared of issues with his son and daughter-in-law. The men and women who work on the Hill may be in positions of power, but it does not make them immune from problems we all face. Pray for congressional families.

On Wednesday evening we held our worship service in Room 122 on the first floor of the Capitol. Dan Cummins preached and I led the music and shared some solos.

Once again it was great to then move to the Rotunda for a time of prayer, singing, and taking the Lord’s Supper.

Before returning to my hotel, I stopped into a Mexican restaurant to grab some dinner. While there I saw some of the staffers that I knew. Even though it was 9:00 pm, one of the staffers was headed back to the office since votes would be taking place after midnight. Pray for these young folks who work on the Hill.

As I reflect on Capitol Hill, I continue to be baffled by the cloud of confusion that reigns in that place. Some people seem to be either willfully ignoring reality or totally blinded to the truth. Whether it is the state of our economy, the unsecured border, issues of life, gender confusion, corruption at the highest levels and a host of other issues, confusion reigns.

All of this has its origin with the Prince of Darkness. Proverbs 29:18 reads, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” King James Version

In the New Living Translation, the verse reads “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.”

Capitol Hill is filled with leaders and staff that have no spiritual vision and accept no divine guidance. This affliction impacts those on both sides of the aisle. Until that changes, the nation will continue to be in decline. God is our only hope. Pray for vision. Pray for Truth to reign. Pray for a move of God on the Hill.

I’ll be headed back to Washington, DC in October when we will host “A Night of Inspiration,” with Michael W. Smith. I believe that this could be the start of a revival on Capitol Hill.

Please pray for Michael and for that evening.