You talk to the farmers, the ranchers, our small community bankers, and boy, one of the No. 1 issues is the regulations coming out of Washington.

I've met so many people of my son's generation who think a sacrifice is when their satellite or Internet is out for a day and that the country owes them something. That old J.F.K. quote about 'what you can do for your country,' doesn't even seem to apply to so many people.

With America's role in the world, we have the ability to help protect the freedom of religion around the globe.

In the government, we have a very important responsibility to protect the rights of our pastors and religious leaders. They have the freedom to speak out about what they believe, without fear of repercussions from their very own government.

We have had a chance to travel to all 56 counties in this state, and I have had the chance to sit around with cups of coffee and having conversations about what matters to Montanans.

There's huge opportunities to continue to improve efficiency in the way the government operates and improve the way government provides services to its citizens.

There is not enough time in the day to address all these challenges we face. I pray for wisdom in prioritizing issues and working on the things God would intend, so one day we too will hear those words: "Well done, my good and faithful servant."