Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Letters for Life, Truth, and Hope

Last night Vital Signs Ministries hosted its quarterly letter-writing party and along with the prayers, coffee, and cookies, the 15 participants enjoyed writing 63 letters and cards of advocacy to political leaders, businesses, and diplomats as well as thank yous to various Christian champions who are holding high the banners of the Lord in the public square. And, along with those letters and cards, the 3 kids in attendance colored 11 beautiful pictures that we will hand out to residents at the Easter service at Aksarben Village Assisted Living.

One of the "focus areas" of the evening was several pieces of legislation before the Nebraska Unicameral this session that deal with the sanctity of life, marriage and gender, and religious freedom. Therefore, with excellent information on the various bills provided by Nebraska Family Alliance, 12 of the letters went to our state senators. In most cases the letters were all individuals but in some notes the whole group joined as co-signers.

Among other recipients of last night's letters and cards were President Biden, former President Donald Trump, Nebraska Senators Fischer and Sasse, Congressman Bacon, Governor Ricketts, Lt. Governor Mike Foley, Omaha Mayor Stothert, several pro-life groups, Franklin and Jane Graham, Ken and Joni Tada, Kathryn Limbaugh, Mike Lindell, a few businesses whose actions have been highly objectionable, and diplomats  of countries that regularly (and harshly) persecute Christians.

I print a few samples of these notes below. And, yes, I do so in hopes that you might be inspired to write a few notes of your own! 

Regarding Unicameral issues:

* Dear Senator Lindstrom,

Just a few things that we want to emphasize regarding our desires for the current legislative battles:

1) Please affirm with enthusiasm your pro-life convictions by opposing LB 276, LB 67, and LB 20.  Thank you.

2) We are also deeply concerned over the threats to religious freedom (let alone biological science) represented by LB 231, LB 120, and LB 130, and others that move into that area.  Please oppose these too.

3) We very much support LB 364 and LB 92 and urge you to do so too.  Again, Senator, thank you for your service to your constituents and for your consideration of these requests.

Regarding national politics:

* Dear President Biden,

You are regularly in our prayers -- especially as we ask God to remind you of the basic pro-life teachings of the Catholic faith that you have so grievously and callously forsaken.

Please, Mr. President – enough of your aggressive promotion of abortion. Let the babies live….

* Dear Senator Fischer,

I write to ask you to hold the line in your principled opposition to the extremists that President Biden keeps sending to the Senate for confirmation to his Cabinet.

Thank you.

* Dear Senator Sasse,

 We so appreciate your leadership on the Born Alive Children’s Protection Act.  Thank you so much.  We also appreciate the general breadth of your support for conservatism and Constitutional protections.  Again, thank you.

However, your ill-timed and poorly reasoned attacks on Present Trump (especially your foolish vote for impeachment for someone not even in office!) was extremely counterproductive to the conservative cause.  For these inexplicable actions, we do NOT thank you.  Indeed, we ask you to please stop such actions.  They may not be egoistic posing...but they sure look like it.

Business decisions: 

* Dear Cadbury executives,

After learning about your highly sexualized, grossly inappropriate Easter ads, we have decided we will no longer be buying any of your products…or those of your parent company, Hershey.

Please reconsider your “bad taste” decision.

* Notes of encouragement and thanks:

* To Kathryn Limbaugh

Dear Kathryn,

A few of us at one of Vital Signs Ministries’ letter-writing parties are writing politicians, business leaders, and media.  But we also take time to write thank yous and other personal notes of encouragement.  And thus, we wanted to send along our most sincere condolences in your loss and to promise our continued prayers for God’s pouring out all needed mercies on you.  Thank you too for all you have done for Rush, the cause of conservative values, the Rush Revere books (We’re looking forward to the new ones!), and for America.

Blessings,

* To Franklin & Jane Graham and their Samaritan's Purse colleagues

Dear Franklin, Jane, and the S.P. team,

Easter greetings from a few of your friends here in Omaha with Vital Signs Ministries.  We wanted to send along our deepest thanks for the excellent work you are doing for the Lord Jesus.  You and your colleagues are truly shining God’s light in a dark culture through love, truth, and the display of His glorious gospel.  Stay the course.

Pro-life colleagues. 

The following is an example of messages sent inside colorful cards to Essential Pregnancy Services, Assure Women's Services, Nebraska Right to Life, Nebraskans Embracing Life, and Nebraska Family Alliance.

* Dear friends,

Easter greetings from a few of your pro-life colleagues at Vital Signs Ministries!

We are having one of our quarterly letter-writing parties tonight and we wanted to send out a few “thank yous” to people who are doing heroic and beautiful work for the Lord Jesus, for babies and their parents, and for the ideals of justice and mercy in our culture.  And in that company, the folks at EPS are right there at the top.

Thank you all so much for the sterling services you perform.  We send along our admiration and our prayers for God’s continued blessings.

Persecuting nations:

* To the North Korean Ambassador to the UN Kim Song 

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

We write this evening to make a respectful but urgent appeal to the leadership of the nation of North Korea, asking them to stop the excessive (and needless) persecution of Christians and other people of peaceful religious faith.  

Such persons of conscience are not rebels or criminals. They are not in any way dangerous to your country’s social order.  Indeed, they can be the most productive of citizens if only allowed to work, to serve the community, and to honor civil authorities while yet serving God as the Bible teaches them.  

Please, enough of the mistreatment, punishment, and imprisonment.  Let justice and mercy be blended in your nation’s forward progress.

Sincerely,