The Latest Letter-Writing Party (With Targets, Addresses, & Sample Letters)

This morning's Vital Signs letter-writing party found 9 of us gathered around our dining room table and, after our regular 75-minute session, we had written over 50 cards and letters. Good job, guys!

You'll be able to see several of the letter recipients (and issues) as you read a few of the notes I randomly plucked from the pile today. We are hoping they inspire you to write a few yourselves. Indeed, we know of several who do that and Pat has already come by for his target sheet, address sheet, and a few cards. (By the way, that updated address sheet will be on the VSM website by the time the snow starts falling this evening.)

President Trump,

Thank you for what you are doing for our country in regard to our border, cutting spending, religious liberty, working for peace with Ukraine and Russia, supporting Israel, and promoting the sanctity of life. I pray for you to grow in your relationship with God, for your safety, for your success in leading the country. I believe God has protected you for a reason. Look to him! May the Lord bless you and keep you. (HG)

Governor Pillen,

Just another quick word of thanks for your principled, enthusiastic, and effective leadership of the pro-life cause here in Nebraska. Also your defense of religious freedom and gender sanity and economic growth is of tremendous effect as well. And hearing you rise up and thank President Trump at that Governor’s gathering a couple of weeks ago was terrific! Stay the course. (D&CH)

Dear State Senator DeBoer,

I’m writing in support of LB 655 which would protect health care professionals from being forced to perform services that violate their consciences...Forcing anyone to act in a manner inconsistent with strongly held beliefs is demeaning to that person and foreshadows a totalitarian state. Thank you for your consideration and support of LB655. (TK)

Vice-President Vance,

Congratulations on your attaining the high vocation of U.S. Vice-President. I have every confidence that you will do a fine job to help the people of our country, especially with your principles learned from your past experiences. I feel confident that you will continue to place your faith in God. As you do so, much will be accomplished. I especially appreciate your firm pro-life stand, recognizing the sanctity of all human life from womb to tomb. May I now mention a few items of serious concern to me as I ask for your influence and example to impact these things? Defunding Planned Parenthood, NPR, PBS, and USAID; promoting fairness and non-discrimination; preventing voter fraud and government waste, and promoting adoption. God bless you and your work, Mr. Vice-President and I will be praying for you. I believe you are the right man. (JK)

Mr. Jelinek,

Good grief! What is Costco doing in refusing to change their racist DEI policy? It has been proven over and over that DEI policies are unfair, counter-productive, and demeaning to those that they “aim” to serve. As a Costco member (for a little while – let’s see how quickly you come around to following federal policies), I urge you to please turn DEI off ASAP. You do a lot of things right...but not this one! (CH)

HHS Secretary Kennedy,

Congratulations on your confirmation. We look forward to policies that will help ensure better health for our nation’s population. But could I now be so bold as to suggest a couple of specific items? 1) Defund Planned Parenthood. Their primary business is promoting abortion. I object to my tax dollars being used for this despicable purpose. 2) The abortion drug RU-486 should be banned (but at the very least, it should not be able to be “prescribed” over the phone). These drugs are not safe for the women and, of course, they are deadly to a preborn child. Thank you for your consideration. (JM)

Dear Mr. Musk,

Just a quick word of thanks for the powerful and persuasive case you are making that fiscal responsibility by the U.S. government IS possible -- but only IF we get deadly serious about eliminating the waste, the criminal fraud, and the ideologically inspired theft of taxpayer dollars. Please keep cutting! (DH)

Sandy and the Nebraska Right to Life team,

You guys are doing such a noble and critical work -- and you’re doing it with integrity, skill, compassion, and diligence. We are continually impressed and grateful. Keep looking up for God is our strength and our reward. Stay the course. (D&CH)

Dear Defense Secretary Hegseth,

Congratulations on your appointment to this important position in President Donald Trump’s new administration. I have enjoyed watching you and the progress of your work on Newsmax. I am thanking the Lord for your hard work, long hours, and your courage to tackle it all. Proverbs 4:7 -- “The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom and with all your possessions, acquire understanding.” (DP)

Dear Senator,

I’m writing to ask you to support LB 669 to strengthen Nebraska’s informed consent laws to protect women and girls. I would also ask you to support LB 557 and support LB427 -- both bills would expand education options for children and their families. I would add a request that you support L213 which would regulate require human embryology to be taught as part of the state’s basic science curriculum. Finally, I would ask that you support LB 655 to protect medical professionals’ conscience concerns. Thank you for your service. Many regards. (JM)

To the group once proudly and fondly known as the Boy Scouts, 

Poor Sir Baden-Powell would be turning in his grave to know how the Boy Scouts have become so embarrassed by Judeo-Christian moral standards and the noble ideals of principled, chivalric masculinity that they changed their name, changed their very purposes, invited girls into the boy’s clubhouse, and even went so far down as to introduce young, impressionable boys to the influence homosexual “scout leaders.” How terribly, terribly tragic. (DH)

President Trump,

Thank you for your stand on the sanctity of human life and all the other things you are doing for our country. I know you take a beating but you are a strong man to take all that flak from people who hate all that our country stands for. May God bless you. My husband and I pray frequently for your safety and well-being. Continue in life and good works. (CM)

Dear Christianity Today,

I chose this card because it reminded me of the high cliff your publication has already fallen from! Indeed, your compromise with the sadly-misnamed progressive culture has not only cost you your self-respect, your influence, and your eternal rewards. It has also cost you the lion’s share of your readership. Your numbers continue to drop and it’s now discovered that you’re only getting by with government money! From what I read the most recent numbers suggest that about 19% of CT’s income came through U.S. taxpayer money funneled through the now-infamous USAID. Good grief. Like so many on the left, you're only speaking now to your own dwindling group. And yet you continue to pay exorbitant salaries to your execs. Good grief. Be sure that I will be spreading the word. (DH)

Nebraska State Senator Arch,

Thank you for being our senator. There are several bills coming up that I hope you will support. LB 669 -- informed consent and screening for human trafficking. LB 633 -- school choice and education. LB 213 -- teaching human development as part of the science curriculum. LB 709 -- making adoption more affordable. LB 5O4 -- dealing with online platforms in a way that would limit harmful content and provide parental controls. And finally, LB 655 -- protecting healthcare providers from being forced to go against their conscience beliefs. Again, thank you for serving. I would like to hear how you plan to vote on these matters. (HG)

Dear Senator Ricketts,

Congratulations on your reelection. It is heartening to have such a strong supporter of life in the U.S. Senate representing the state of Nebraska. Thank you so much. I would like to ask you to advocate and support all efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and to support all efforts to ban (at the very least limit the damages being caused to preborn babies and their moms) abortifacient drugs like RU-486. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” (JM)

Congressman Bacon,

We have certainly been disappointed in recent weeks with your knee-jerk criticism of President Trump's critical (and decades overdue) efforts to shine a light on and put a stop to the massive waste, criminal fraud, and ideologically-motivated theft of American taxpayer dollars taking place inside the deep state bureaucracy. Instead, Congressman Bacon, we would like to see you being more courageous and diligent in championing key conservative issues instead allowing the unacceptable status quo to continue. (DH)

An Open Letter to Conservatives Abroad

Note -- I sent similar letters today to Prime Ministers Meloni (Italy), Orban (Hungary), Fico (Slovakia), and Milei (Argentina).

---------------

Dear Prime Minister Meloni,

A group of Christian friends gets together every quarter for a letter-writing party. Yes, we have conversation and refreshments together. But it is a party with a serious purpose; namely, to write (as relevant) letters of advocacy, encouragement, principled protest, or gratitude. Our letters and cards probably deal more with sanctity of life issues more than any other; nevertheless, we care about many other things -- religious freedom, family, the protection of conscience and Judeo-Christian values in culture (including free speech), law and justice, and so on.

But in our conversation today we spoke of international leaders who, with great courage and faith, are standing against the tide of statism and irrational progressivism...and are doing so with great skill and winsomeness. And with you being one of those champions of freedom and what used to be known as “common sense,” we wanted to write and thank you. Thank you for your leadership, your personal example, your friendship and cooperation with President Trump, and your diligent work in behalf of your country’s bright future.

May God bless you, your family, your like-minded associates, and the nation of Italy. Before we leave our letter-writing party today, we will include you in our prayers...even as we promise to do so in the future.

Denny & Claire Hartford (Omaha, Nebraska USA)

P.S. We are also making this an “open letter” as an encouragement for others to better appreciate your noble service as well as to add their prayers to ours.

Still Reading (After All These Years?)

 Alas, the Notting Hill Napoleons, our unique and highly esteemed book club which enjoyed 30 years of reading classic works of fiction is no more. With changes in schedules, priorities, energy levels, and resident locations -- one of our founding members lives in Florida now with two others living in heaven -- we disbanded the Napoleons two years ago. But Claire and I miss those monthly book fellowships very much as well as the autumn weekend retreat we enjoyed together when we “took over” a bed and breakfast inn to discuss our annual Charles Dickens novel and to enjoy each other's company amid very pleasant surroundings.

The Napoleons provided several important blessings for us: extremely valuable stimulation and accountability to read quality literature, an improvement in our literary criticism skills, the special inspiration that comes from reading and discussing books with ministry colleagues, and an increased understanding of the world and our principled response to it.

We remain close friends, of course, with all the former Napoleons. And we still deeply appreciate the “ripple effects” of those 30 years. However, we are all dealing with what is almost inevitable when a book club ends; that is, a serious decline not only in the number of books a person reads, but also in the quality of the books which do get read. And the absence of our monthly discussions means that those stretching, sharpening conversations over books are not happening.

So, what to do? If we believe that reading noble literature remains of great relevance to our intellectual and spiritual growth, how are we pursuing that goal in the post-Napoleon era? Here are the things Claire and I are doing.

1) We remind each other of how easily it is to pass by the bookshelves on our way to social media, You Tube surfing, or streaming television. Just as one knows that a green salad topped with salmon is a healthier choice than biscuits and gravy, one knows that reading Robert Louis Stevenson or William Shakespeare or a commentary on John’s gospel are healthier choices than scrolling through Facebook for humorous memes or playing solitaire on your smartphone. But, let’s face it; despite our knowing what's best for us, the lure of the easier, more comfortable, lazier options is often oh-so-strong. An effort is required to make the best choices…and helping each other to exercise discernment and diligence is invaluable.

2) In order to keep the “need to read” before us, Claire and I have for many, many years included Reading among our categories of New Year Resolutions. That also means not only the initial resolve, but purposeful prayer, mutual encouragement and accountability, and making quarterly evaluations of how well (or weak) we are doing. 

3) We find it is helpful to keep lists of what we read. And in my case, I also assign ratings to those books. This is especially helpful in considering future reading choices because the lion’s share of my reading is re-reading. We also bring planning to our reading discipline. For instance, I try to keep some degree of a balance regarding reading genres -- so much classic literature, so much theology and Christian living, so much politics and culture, and so much recreational reading. There are also several favorites that I make sure I read every other year (or every 3rd or 7th year or whatever.) 

And finally, 4) It is probable that Claire and I will never again find a book club of any comparison to the Notting Hill Napoleons. (Though, I admit to still cherishing hopes!) But that doesn’t mean that we stop trying to utilize whatever “book partnerships” we can come up with to help keep us reading “good stuff” and being able to interact with friends about what we’re reading. Claire sometimes persuades friends to join her in reading Jan Karon novels;  I occasionally have close friends agree to reading the same books with a view to exchanging views; and there remains the quarterly Book Brunch discussions that Vital Signs Ministries offers. Indeed, we have one coming up on ---- dealing with a provocative treatment of spiritual warfare as we talk about our responses to Randy Alcorn’s classic Lord Foulgrin’s Letters. (Details on that are right here.)

In summary, reading quality literature is very important to us. Therefore, whatever help we can get in our pursuit of this intention is very important to us also. And so, if you perhaps feel the same, consider checking in with us (or with other friends of yours) and see if we can’t make a better job of staying with it.

The Top 5 (February 22)

* "Congressional Republicans Must Codify Trump’s Executive Orders To Make Them Permanent." (Logan Washburn, Federalist)

From the article -- Executive orders can simply be reversed — which can be good, since this is what allowed Trump to undo former President Joe Biden’s executive orders like the one that turned federal agencies into Democrat get-out-the-vote machines. But many of Trump’s most vital executive orders — like “Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation” — have already drawn lawfare attacks from deep blue states like Washington. 

Through executive orders, Trump has brought the censorship-industrial complex to the brink of death. He has taken steps to protect children from genital mutilation in the form of “transgender” surgeries. He has sent DEI to die. Through the Department of Government Efficiency, Trump is dismantling the bloated bureaucracy that has been using billions of taxpayer dollars in a massive leftist-funding scam. Republicans have only dreamed of such progress since before President Ronald Reagan. But without further action, this progress could disappear in just four years.

* "The Civil Service’s Partisanship Problem" (Daniel McCarthy, Chronicles)

From the article -- Here’s a dirty secret about the federal government many Americans are just learning: It’s run by Democrats, even when voters elect Republicans. Presidents come and go, but the permanent federal bureaucracy remains the same, and it has a distinct partisan tilt. When Americans send a Republican to the Oval Office, they get a government still administered mostly by the other party. Yes, that makes a sham of democracy. But no president before Donald Trump was prepared to confront the problem.

* "Oh, horrors! Trump pursues peace and tells the truth about Zelenskyy" (Victoria White Berger, American Thinker)

From the article -- From the reignition of the Ukraine war, the Biden administration and the U.S. Congress (in the main) has presented as routinely hostile to and dismissive of any diplomatic engagement to stop this bloody, terrible conflict. Ditto and more so, Zelenskyy himself. Biden stoked the war by allowing unregulated, unreported, and unchallenged billions in cash and munitions to flow to Mr. Zelenskyy, who repeatedly engaged in blatant grifting while circumventing a change in leadership. While Ukraine is at war elections are suspended and Zelenskyy can, “constitutionally,” stay put.

Was no one in U.S. Bidenland remotely interested in why the Biden administration neglected (a) any war costs accountability and (b) any diplomatic initiatives for peace…for three years? Did no one tire of Zelenskyy’s obvious pandering and self-promotion in America, as the cash kept going from us to him? Did anyone notice that, despite the political theatrics from Britain, the EU, the UN, Germany, and France, it was and is the U.S., not Europe, primarily carrying the cash can for this war on another continent?

Why did no one in the moribund Biden media think to ask about the historic domestic corruption shared between political actors in the U.S. and Ukraine, corruption largely related to the Biden family and, quite possibly, many other American officials and legislators?

And if you're interested in a much different take than what you'll get from most of the media about the profane former comedian/zealous Harris supporter/begging powerlord Zelenskyy, Ukrainian corruption, and that country's persecution of religious believers, check out this 20-minute video clip from The Stream..."What’s Really Happening in Ukraine? Religious Repression and the Prospects for Peace" (In this 22-minute interview, L. Todd Wood of Creative Destruction Media sits down with Bob Amsterdam, a human rights lawyer who specializes in religious freedom, to talk about how the Ukrainian government represses the historic Orthodox Church of that country, but favors a split-off Orthodox church that was set up by the U.S. State Department to help the war effort in that country. Amsterdam also assesses the prospects for peace, as President Donald Trump prepares for direct talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin over that grinding, futile conflict.)

* "Green Energy’s Dark Side: Bird Deaths, Graveyards of Broken Blades, and Other Ecological Harms" (Lance D. Johnson, Natural News)

From the article -- Federal wildlife officials described Ivanpah as a “mega-trap” for birds, with its intense light rays attracting insects and, in turn, birds that were incinerated mid-flight. Workers dubbed these tragic incidents “streamers,” referring to the smoke plumes left behind. At its peak, the plant was estimated to kill one bird every two minutes, totaling over 130,000 avian deaths annually.

Despite its ecological toll, Ivanpah struggled to meet energy production targets. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), one of its primary customers, announced in 2025 that it would no longer purchase power from the plant. Two of its three towers will shut down next year, with the third likely to follow.

“It might have functioned merely as the world’s most expensive backyard bug zapper,” quipped the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

* "As Trump Signs EO to Expand IVF, Worries Remain over Destruction of Embryos" (Dan Hart, Washington Stand)

From the article -- Trump’s executive order, entitled “Expanding Access to In Vitro Fertilization,” argues that “Americans need reliable access to IVF and more affordable treatment options, as the cost per cycle can range from $12,000 to $25,000. Providing support, awareness, and access to affordable fertility treatments can help [infertile] families navigate their path to parenthood with hope and confidence.” The order goes on to instruct the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy to “submit to the President a list of policy recommendations on protecting IVF access and aggressively reducing out-of-pocket and health plan costs for IVF treatment” within 90 days.

Numerous pro-life organizations and advocates quickly issued warnings about ethical concerns over IVF in response to Trump’s EO.

“Only 7% of human embryos created via IVF will result in a live birth,” Live Action President Lila Rose posted on X. “93% of these lives are frozen indefinitely, miscarried, or aborted. Over 1,000,000 embryos are frozen in the U.S. IVF is NOT pro-life.”

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America also voiced caution over IVF procedures. “SBA Pro-Life America does not object to ethical fertility treatments paired with strong medical safety standards that help couples struggling with infertility,” they wrote on X. “We also believe human embryos should not be destroyed. Rogue practitioners who switch human embryos, fail to follow basic safety standards, or negligently destroy human embryos desired by infertile couples must be held to account under any federal role in fertility treatment.”

Pro-life advocate and commentator Allie Beth Stuckey additionally expressed several concerns over IVF. “We don’t need to incentivize IVF, which kills more innocent humans tha[n] abortion each year,” she posted. “America is already the wild, Wild West of reproductive technology. Europe & Canada have much better protections for the little lives created through in vitro. Here, eugenics and embryonic destruction & cryopreservation is rampant. No one is entitled to a baby. How we create new life matters.”

Grace Is the Message of God's Creation (Psalm 19)

Psalm 19 is one of the most well-known and well-loved psalms because of the
poetic declaration which introduces it. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.” (Psalm 19:1-3, NKJV) However, as lovely and profound as the opening verses are, they are but an introduction to two other sections of the psalm which emphasize the proper response to nature’s glorious revelations of God’s power, beauty, wisdom, and goodness.

The first response to the order and beauty of nature should be praise and thanksgiving to the God Who made it and Who reveals truths about Himself through it.  We are to humbly worship the Lord Whose voice is communicated so universally, so constantly, and so majestically.  And the second section of the psalm teaches something even more important; namely, that we should recognize that God has mercifully extended and clarified His revelation to man by means of the written Word.  Indeed, it is in the law given through Moses and the prophets (and eventually through the divinely inspired writers of the New Testament) that the Lord reveals much, much more of Himself, His purposes, and the requirements He lays down for men and women live by.

It is in verse 7 that the psalmist begins this second section. “The law of the law is perfect, restoring the soul.” David goes on in the next verses to describe God’s law as sure, right, pure, clean, enduring, true, righteous, desirable, and everlasting.  And those who appreciate and carefully follow God’s laws, David explains, will be made wise, will rejoice, will be enlightened, will be protected, and will receive great rewards.

So is it a noble and responsible thing to appreciate the power of God in the thunderstorm and earthquake, to rejoice at the beauty of God in the sunrise and the waterfall, to be amazed to the point of worship at the intricacy and orderliness of the stars and seas and human DNA?  Of course.  God is greatly pleased with such responses to His voice speaking through His creation.  Yet more relevant, more important still are our responses of awe, thanksgiving, and loyalty to the moral law of God that is expressed directly and perfectly in His written Word.

This thought is then expanded in the third and concluding section of Psalm 19 as David addresses the ongoing sanctification of God's children; that is, our day-to-day gratitude for and obedience to the spiritual sharpening His written Word provides.

David begins this third section with the provocative question of verse 12: “Who can discern his errors?”  Note that the possessive used here (“his”) applies to man, not to God, as the Hebrew word translated here as “error” is used elsewhere to describe going astray, wandering, misleading, engaging in sin and folly. David is thus asking (of himself as well as others), “Who can fully understand one’s moral failure? Who can figure out why men act against their own self-interest by rebelling against God? Who can comprehend the huge distance between God’s holiness and man’s shallow and self-centered choices?”

In the next verses, David underscores the deliberate nature of sin. For instance, the Hebrew adjective which describes sins in verse 13 (translated in most versions as  “presumptuous”) describes an insolent, defiant attitude towards God. We do not merely stumble into sin. We all too often look, evaluate, and then willfully jump headlong into it!  This willful disobedience must be contritely admitted to God before we can move towards forgiveness and a fresh start. And that’s just where King David, long acquainted with God’s tender mercies towards the penitent, goes next. “Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins. Let them not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and I shall be acquitted of great transgression.”

David lifts up his prayer to a gracious God.  For though he has known God’s voice in creation and he has known God’s voice even more particularly pronounced in His law (including its warning against sin), yet he has turned aside from God.  He has failed to consistently heed those warnings. He has sinned, even defiantly so. Therefore, David takes responsibility as he calls sin and transgression by their right names.  

Yet, even at this, all is not lost.  For God’s holiness can be satisfied through the mercies He offers to honest, humble worshippers. And it is on the basis of God’s grace (demonstrated in the symbolic sacrifices of the Temple which look forward to the complete atonement provided by the death of the Messiah to pay our penalty) that David depends upon for acquittal of sin and restoration of fellowship with God.

Thus the suggestion that there is no or little grace expressed in the Old Testament is a most ignorant one and Psalm 19 is but one example of hundreds that show the real story.  And Psalm 19 emphasizes the provision of God’s grace in several ways. First, David praises the awesome power of God’s revelation in nature. That God thus reveals himself is a grand expression of His grace to mankind. Second, there is what’s often termed as “common grace” that God’s creation provides for all men. By His orderly creation, all mankind lives on a planet that makes sense, that allows for family and food production and navigation and thousands upon thousands of other blessings. That too is grace. 

Third, Psalm 19 acknowledges God’s grace in the revelation of His character, will, and wisdom through the written law.  In particular, David is grateful that God’s law is liberating and enlightening and empowering.  That’s sanctifying grace. Fourth, God’s Word extols His grace in purchasing man's salvation through the blood of Jesus…and even eternal rewards for faithfulness in walking according to His Word.

As I said at the beginning, Psalm 19 certainly deserves to be appreciated for the moving testimony about God’s created order with which it opens.  But there’s much more truth to embrace there. Psalm 19 is a glorious song about the profound voice of God – a voice which continually expresses God’s amazing mercy to mankind. Through creation…through the Word…through the existential power of the Holy Spirit -- God lovingly uses all three to express His character, His offer of atonement for sin, and His provision for strength to walk closely beside Him towards the life to come.

Behind the Scenes with Demons?

For the next Vital Signs Book Brunch (April 12, 10 AM, at the Hartford home in northwest Omaha), we have selected a classic, Lord Foulgrins’s Letters by one of our favorite contemporary authors, Randy Alcorn from Eternal Perspective Ministries. The book has been one of our favorite Alcorn titles ever since it was published in 2000. In fact, I remember a lively discussion of the book with Randy on one of the “Weekend Vital Signs” radio interviews back in the day. But we will expect no less of a delightful, meaningful conversation with all of you on the 12th.

The book can be obtained for less than $10 at the EPM site itself. That’s a terrific price. And though you might find a used copy a couple of dollars cheaper somewhere else, when you purchase it through EPM, 10% goes to maintain their excellent work with the other 90% going to a variety of other Christ-centered ministries around the world. The link that you’ll need is right here.

But don’t just take my word for it regarding the excellence and provocative nature of the book. Listen in on these testimonies:

“Lord Foulgrins’s Letters is a welcome addition to the world of Christian fiction. Randy Alcorn provides a needed reminder of just what it means for Christians to be engaged in battle with principalities and powers not of this world.” (Chuck Colson) 

“If you are interested in gaining a better understanding of Satan’s schemes, Lord Foulgrin’s Letters is a must read.” (Tim and Beverly LaHaye)

“One of the most unusual and important inquiries into the demon mind since The Screwtape Letters, Alcorn rivets our attention. This book will disturb, stimulate, and enlighten.” (D. James Kennedy)

Of course, RSVPs are of very important help to us as we plan for the Book Brunch, so if you plan on joining in the fun, please let us know as soon as you can. Thank you!

Let’s Give the President a Hand

There are exciting, hopeful, and dare I say, fun days ahead for those desiring not only to applaud the good (and desperately needed) work of President Trump of “draining the swamp” and restoring the historic moral ideals of our Republic, but also to do what we can to help him in this noble adventure.

And that’s why I believe these next Vital Signs letter-writing parties are going to be particularly important. Who will our letters and cards be going to? Let me give you just a few possibilities: the President and Vice-President...the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts...Nebraska state senators...Christianity Today...Cabinet Secretaries Rubio, Gabbard, Kennedy, and others...Nebraska Family Alliance and Nebraska Right to Life...Samaritan’s Purse..the Democrats in Washington who despicably voted  (en masse) against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act...Costco...the NFL...Nebraska Governor Pillen...and more.

Letters of thanks. Letters of enlightenment. Letters of encouragement. Letters of principled protest. We are going to have a good and important ministry together, so please plan on joining us at either the letter-writing brunch on Tuesday, March 4th at 10:00 AM or the evening letter-writing party (also on the 4th) beginning at 7. Issue sheets, addresses, various helps (including bullet points and sample letters), stationary, stamps, refreshments, and great fellowship awaits you. So please let us know if you’re on board.

The Top 5 (February 15)

1) "Trump’s New White House Faith Office Should Fight to Repeal the Johnson Amendment" (John Amanchukwu, Washington Stand)

From the article -- The dishonor that was shown to President Donald J. Trump at his second inaugural prayer service was a disgrace. Much has been written about this. The Episcopalian priestess and radical leftist, Mariann Edgar Budde, should never have been allowed to politically chastise the president in front of the whole world and express her radical liberal grievances against his plans to protect children from the transgender agenda and stop unvetted foreigners from illegally pouring across America’s border.

And while MAGA supporters were rightfully stirred-up that an anti-Trumper was able to hijack an esteemed ceremonial event, traditionally held at the beginning of each presidency meant to honor our nation’s commitment to its biblical founding values, the wrong knee-jerk response from MAGA is to parrot the secular Left’s talking point that the church should have no role in politics.

It is the Democrats’ dream to keep pastors — who preach biblical truths (unlike Ms. Budde) — muzzled by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) forever; something they have been able to do since 1954.

2) "I Was Wrong About Trump" (David Strom, Hot Air) 

From the article -- No, I am not in love with Trump. He still makes me cringe sometimes, and I still don't understand the Canada/51st state thing at all, and want nothing to do with Gaza if he is serious about that. But there are two vital things about him which I got completely, totally, and without question wrong.

3) "Who Judges The Judges? Dealing with judicial activism is an urgent requirement of restoring sane and accountable governance." (Daniel Jupp, Jupplandia)

From the article -- Separation of powers is designed to prevent a Presidential tyranny. But it’s also designed to prevent a judicial tyranny, or an administrative or a bureaucratic tyranny. It exists so that nobody can be in the position of making up the rules as they go along and that nobody is drafting the law, enforcing the law, judging the law all at the same time...

4) "Federal law prohibits sending abortion drugs by US mail...so why isn’t it being enforced?" (Carole Novielli, Live Action)

From the article -- One of the jobs of the United States Postal Service (USPS) is to “prevent the flow of illicit drugs and contraband through the mail stream” and to “eliminate the mailing of opioids and other illicit drugs and it works closely with other law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to share intelligence, coordinate cases and conduct joint enforcement operations” according to its website (emphasis added).

Since that website also clearly states, “The Postal Inspection Service enforces over 200 federal statutes related to crimes that involve the postal system, its employees, and its customers” (emphasis added), then it stands to reason that the USPS should enforce the Federal Comstock Act — which is also a federal statute. A report published by Americans United for Life (AUL) and Live Action explains, “A key focus of the Act was a national prohibition on the sale and shipment of abortion drugs and devices through the U.S. Mail.”

The abortion pill (Mifeprex or mifepristone 200 mg) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the “termination of pregnancy” in 2000, while Roe v. Wade was still the law of the land, as decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973. But in June of 2022, Roe was overturned by the United States Supreme Court in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.

This set the stage for enforcing the federal law, known as The Comstock Act (18 U.S.C. § 1461), a law rarely used in modern times because of Roe. Comstock prohibits the mailing of “any article, instrument, substance, drug, medicine, or thing [that] may, or can, be used or applied for producing abortion[.]”

5) "10 Bills That Would Codify Trump’s Executive Orders into Law" (Ben Johnson, Washington Stand)

From the article -- President Donald Trump wasted no time enacting the agenda that won him the White House in the 2024 election, signing a series of executive orders and regulatory actions nearly every day of his second administration. Yet executive orders last only as long as a friendly president holds office. There is now a movement afoot to codify President Trump’s executive orders into statutory law. Here are 10 bills members of Congress have introduced to make the 47th president’s executive actions permanent...