94 Christmas Letters...and Counting!

Yesterday our home was the setting for Vital Signs Ministries' 2 Christmas card parties (the December "edition" of our quarterly letter-writing parties) with 6 of us involved in the morning brunch event and 7 of us getting busy in the evening. The total of cards and letters from those events?  94. Wow. Nice job, guys!

The recipients of our writing efforts included government officials, businesses, champions of Christian service, pro-life colleagues, Supreme Court Justices, and two colorful Christas cards to each of 12 men imprisoned by the brutal regimes of Communist China and Eritrea solely because the men dared to openly proclaim Christ Jesus. The messages in those cards, by the way, were in the prisoner's own language!  

As is our practice, we print below a few sample letters as an encouragement for you to follow suit and let the light of Christ shine through YOUR letters and Christmas cards.

Sandy wrote Riley Gaines -- Thank you so much for standing up for women and girls rights to be protected against men and boys invading female locker rooms, dorm rooms, sports competitions. I have six daughters, most of whom swam competitively (as I once did myself) so I was particularly drawn to your story and I am so proud of you and your courageous stand. I pray for your protection and that God will give you strength and courage to continue this good fight. Merry Christmas!

Denny wrote to Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito -- Just a quick Christmas message 1) to express our prayers that God continue to protect, empower, and use you mightily; 2) to encourage you with the reminder that we are only two of the millions who pray for you regularly; 3) to thank you for the wise and courageous service you have provided not only to America but for the cause of justice and constitutional law that influences the whole world; and 4) to send along our hopes that God grant you and your family an especially bright, beautiful, and spiritually enriching Christmas season. 

Claire wrote the gaming company Activision -- As you well know, most people would want to be hired on their merits, not squeezed out of obligatory categories based merely on race, gender, or political ideology. Why not take this Christmas season to change your business discrimination practices before the federal government comes after you?

And another thing. Deliberately destroying kids’ natural innocence by polluting their minds with violence, debased characters, and sordid, unnatural themes with your game content is shameful in the extreme. Please consider what you can do to improve the culture, not tear it apart. Christmastime can change hearts, please let it change yours.

Becky wrote to State Senator Kathleen Kauth -- Merry Christmas! Thank you for all the hard work and time you put into getting LB 574 and 753 passed. I’m praying for continued wisdom for you as you seek to honor God in this important position. 

Sam wrote to Tim Tebow and the team at the Tim Tebow Foundation -- I hope you are all doing well this Christmas season. I am very impressed with the wonderful work you have all been doing. I pray that you continue to receive God’s blessing. Tim, I particularly love that you have turned your status and fame towards a God-honoring ministry. Your Foundation is certainly honoring James 1:27 where we are told that “pure and undefiled religion is to visit orphans and widows in their distress.” Bless you and your work this holiday season. 

Don wrote Samaritans’ Purse Director, Franklin Graham -- I so praise and thank God for all He is doing through the ministry God has given you. You’re simple preaching of the gospel has brought so many to saving faith. Because God leads you to share His love for the lost, He is bringing many to saving faith and we are all grateful for your efforts. We know the enemy is always going to try to stop what God has called you to, so that is where our prayers really come into play. I know the efforts of God’s people will thwart the devil’s evil schemes.

Again, I thank you for all you do for his Kingdom. He is using you and your family (and, of course, your colleagues at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and at Samaritan’s Purse) to bring Jesus’s love and light to a dark and needy world. Have a very Merry Christmas with you and your family.

Denny wrote the team at Assure Women’s Center -- Just a quick word of thanks for the absolutely super job you were all doing in ministering to women and families and the culture at large... and saving lives too! May the joys of this special season be yours in abundance and may our precious Lord continue to protect and empower all of your ministries for His Name's sake.

Claire wrote Home Depot -- We have not shopped at Home Depot for many years because of your decisions to support radical leftist causes that are tearing families apart and sending our young children in an evil direction. How about this Christmas season you take a hard look at the path you’ve chosen and turn around? Face the facts; wokeness isn’t working for your company…or for America.

Becky wrote Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas -- Merry Christmas! Thank you so much for the firm stance you have taken on the sanctity of human life and for religious liberty according to biblical principles (and yes, the U.S. Constitution too!) I am praying for you and praising God for you. 

Claire wrote Essential Pregnancy Services -- Thank you for all you do for the moms and babies in our area! Continue to stand firm against the darkness. After all, you’re fighting on the side of the angels! Thanks too for your smiles and waves when we’re praying outside Planned Parenthood.! Blessings…

Sandy wrote pro-abortion State Senator Kavanaugh -- Please, as you celebrate Jesus’s holy and miraculous birth, reconsider your opposition of compassionate and just pro-life efforts. Remember, the first person to recognize Jesus was John the Baptist, and he did so from his mother’s womb! (Luke 1: 43,45) In the Bible, children are called “gifts from God,” and they are. Every one of them! Senator, in this Christmas season, I pray that every time you see a manger with the baby Jesus represented there, you will appreciate that He came as an infant to save us all! Sincerely.

Becky wrote the Nebraska Family Alliance -- Merry Christmas! Thank you for all the work you do to honor God and his Word. I’m praying for you to stand firm in the truth and to continue to be bold and fighting for what’s right. 

Claire wrote Target -- The Christmas season time gives all of us an opportunity to take a look at our lives and honestly consider ways to change ourselves for the better. Remember Ebeneezer Scrooge? Well, then, what hat a great time for the executives at Target to drop their callous and counter-productive polices and once again become a genuinely “family store.” Face the facts; wokeness isn’t working for your company…or for America.

Denny wrote to the team at Bott Radio in Lincoln -- Just a quick word to thank you for all the inspiration, challenge, encouragement, and excellent Bible teaching that you air on your station. Every single day lives are greatly assisted in ltheir desire to walk in the pilgrim way towards Christian maturity…and non-believers are informed about the matchless grace of the Savior Whose birth we celebrate in this holy season. Thank you so much and merry Christmas!

Denny wrote President Biden -- In this wonderful and holy Christmas season, we are praying that the Lord Jesus will bring the divine truths regarding the sanctity of human life to your heart and that you will take a hard turn from the evil ways you have mindlessly pursued most of your life. Move instead towards the grace, righteousness, and power of Almighty God through faith in the Christmas gift which is Jesus. And then you will champion holy causes: justice, the immeasurably precious lives of babies in their mother’s wombs, the divine sanctions of marriage between a man and a woman, and so on.

As the President of the United States, you have remarkable powers, so use them for holy goals, not foolish and wicked ones. May our loving God grant you wisdom, courage, and a long overdue faith in Him in this holy season of Christmas.

The Top 5 (November 25)

* "Abortion, Miscarriage, and the Reality of an Unborn Child" (Mary Szoch and Katherine Beck Johnson, Washington Stand)

* "What Makes Hamas Worse Than the Nazis" (Andrew Roberts, Washington Free Beacon)

* "The infernal choice behind the hostage deal" (Melanie Phillips, Jewish News Service)

* "The Biden Administration Finances Iran’s Terrorism" (Hugh Iwanicki, American Thinker)

* "Government Deceit" (John Stossel, Daily Signal)

Work and Rest...At the Same Time?

All over town -- all over America -- people are busy because Thanksgiving looms before us. Some are in the ever increasing hassles of travel; some are beginning the preparations for Thursday’s feast; others are doing the last of the lawn chores, putting up the outside Christmas lights, draining the lawn hoses, and trying to otherwise “clear the decks” for both the holiday season and the rigors of winter. Claire and I are not traveling any serious distance this time round but, we have all the other things mentioned above on our to-do list for today. Whew.

So, amid all of this activity, it was especially nice that the devotional I have been going through in recent weeks (Tim Tebow’s Mission Impossible One Year Devotional) took up the matter of working while you rest. Yes, you read that right -- working while you rest.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NASB)

Jesus calls to those who are overburdened and tuckered out and He promises them rest. Yet it turns out that His rest includes work! A contradiction? No, for Jesus reminds us that He is not a mean-spirited, slave-driving, self-seeking kind of employer; He is gentle and humble in spirit. Furthermore, Jesus partners with us even in the work to be done. That’s where the yoke metaphor comes in.

Writes Tebow, “A yoke is a device that connects two animals together at their shoulders and is attached to a plow. In a field, two oxen are paired together to work -- usually a stronger one to do the heavy lifting and a weaker one to learn the trade. Jesus invites us to take His yoke upon us, and He makes the burden light. He calls us to do His work, but He does the heavy lifting. He remains next to us, continually guiding us and enabling us to go forward and further in our mission.”

He continues,“There is work because we are called to do whatever God asks of us. But there is also rest because Jesus takes the heaviness of the burden away from us as we follow His lead. When we allow Him to lead, He does so with compassion and sensitivity to our humanity.”

It is a terrific sermonette for a day like today, isn’t it? I’m very grateful I was enlightened and uplifted by reading it this morning and, thinking that perhaps this lesson is one that others could use today, I’m pleased to pass it along.

A Weekend for Giving Thanks

It was another engaging weekend and we are so grateful to God for his marvelous gifts of purpose, empowerment, His Word, and good friends with which to travel the pilgrim way. Our weekend started with a delicious dinner of smoked salmon at Tom and Lila Sharman’s. Afterward, we were treated to a photo retrospective of their recent Alaska cruise as well as enjoying fond reminiscences of Tom and I in Burkina Faso as well as all those years of my recording the Vital Signs and Vital Signs Weekend radio programs at his studio. It was a lovely evening.

And then among Saturday’s highlights were our prayers and pro-life witness outside the wicked business that is Planned Parenthood -- a public witness against abortion that is more relevant and critically-important than ever before. And to be a part of that noble company (this particular Saturday morning Claire and I stood alongside Bev, Mark, Ruth, Patrick, Isaac, John and Barb) is definitely an honor. Saturday also saw me deep in sermon preparation and Claire finishing up this year’s 6 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child and taking them over to the pickup point at Grace Central Church.

Our Sunday was also very busy and very blessed. We first drove up to Herman, Nebraska where I presented the final class in a 7-part series on spiritual disciplines. The subject of the class was Corporate Disciplines and we enjoyed lively discussions of the topic after my talk. Next up was the worship service which included me preaching on one of Jesus’ most famous (and most audacious) parables -- the story of the Good Samaritan. We got home in time for a quick lunch and we were then on to our Sunday afternoon church service at Aksarben Village Senior Living. We had a terrific time. 15 Aksarben church members and 5 of the Vital Signs members (yesterday’s crew was Don, Ruth, Dick, and us). The songs were wonderful, all dealing with the theme of thanksgiving. And my brief sermon connected giving thanks to God for an “unshakable kingdom” (Hebrews 12:8) with the story of the Pilgrims coming to America, forming the Mayflower Compact, and celebrating the first thanksgiving. 

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for this weekend’s blessings and opportunities. And thank You for all the other reasons we have to live every day of our lives with an “attitude of gratitude.”

The Top 5 (November 18)

Here's a really remarkable set of "Wow" articles for you this Saturday. 

* "Why I am now a Christian: Atheism can't equip us for civilizational war." (Ayaan Hirsi Ali, UnHerd)

* "A Christian Perspective on The State of Israel" (Stephen Davey, Shepherds Theological Seminary)

* "Putting the Killing of Innocents Out of Mind" (Denny Hartford, Vital Signs Blog)

* "Mexico’s Abortion Cartel" (Carlos Beltramo & Carlos Polo, PRI)

* "RNC Chair: If Republicans Want to Win, 'We Can’t Be Silent on Life'" (Suzanne Bowdey, Washington Stand)

Top Ten Lessons from Noah and the Ark

After reading and then thinking a bit about Chapters 6-9 of Genesis this morning, I was prompted to once again post a pretty popular article from times gone by. The first list appeared on Vital Signs Blog way back in 2005.

The accompanying painting, by the way, “The Entry of the Animals into Noah's Ark,” was done by Jan Brueghel the Elder in 1613.

There are a lot of important life lessons to be learned from Noah’s experience with the ark. Simple but profound lessons. Here’s my list of the top ten.

1) Don’t miss the boat! Listen to what God says and do it...now!

2) Plan ahead.  Once Noah got the design specs from God, he acted ahead of the crisis.

3) Don’t be deterred by criticism or unpopularity. Once the Lord has set the agenda, you stay on task.

4) Appreciate nature in the way God has designed it.  Stewardship of His creation is a very serious responsibility.

5) Stay alert for action, whatever your age. Noah was 600 years old when he became a ship maker. (He was even older when he became a sailor!)

6) We’re all in the same boat, baby. Let’s help each other out.

7) Avoid loneliness. Travel in pairs.

8) Learn to be patient and accept God’s will. Sometimes that means you’re a builder; sometimes a zookeeper. Other times, you’ve just gotta’ float awhile.

9) As long as you put your trust in the Lord, even the very worst of life’s storms can be weathered.

10) Do your duty to God no matter how tedious or difficult or lonely. For, in His time, there will come rest from your efforts. Plus, for the present, there’s the beauty and security of the rainbow that’s yours as well.

The Top 5 (November 11)

* "Is Biblical Prophecy Coming True?" (One for Israel)

* "Europe Is Burning" (Joel Kotkin, The American Mind)

* "Who Determines American Culture?" (Christy Stutzman, Washington Stand)

* "'The Elephant in the Room': The Real Source of Jew-Hatred in the Middle East" (Lawrence A. Franklin, Gatestone Institute)

* "The Rise and Fall of the Evangelical Elite" (Stephen Wolfe, Chronicles)

The Top 5 (November 4)

* "The Muslim 'Vatican' Declares Open Season on All Israelis, of Any Age" (Raymond Ibrahim, Middle East Forum)

* "The Israel Op" (Lee Smith, Tablet)

* "The Crisis of the West Revisited: Self-Flagellation and the Great Liberal Death Wish" (Daniel J. Mahoney, American Mind)

* "Genocide: The true roots of Islamic Jew-hatred." (David Horowitz, Front Page Magazine)

* "How Wokeness Puts Its Defenders In A Chokehold -- And How To Help Them Out" (Noelle Bering, Federalist)

The Top 5 (October 28)

* "However Much You Hate The Media, These 7 Moments In Israel Coverage Prove It’s Not Enough" (Ellie Purcell, Federalist)

* "Joe Biden: The Ayatollahs’ Best Friend Forever" (Deroy Murdock, Daily Signal)

* "After Secretary-General’s Comments, Experts Point to History of UN’s Anti-Semitism" (Sarah Holliday, Washington Stand)

* "Europe Facing Civil War?" (Drieu Godefridi, Gatestone Institute)

* "Green Dreams Going Up in Smoke" (John Hinderaker, Power Line)

A Quick Update from the Ozarks

 Our annual 2-week working vacation actually began with a quick trip to Wichita to visit my little sister Sherry who still deals with early (and quite severe) dementia. But we were blessed to have the presence in this visit of my youngest brother Ric and his wife Ellen who had taken some time off work to travel from Denver to see Sherry too. It was an emotional, memorable reunion as our visits with Sherry produced many blessings…but no small amount of heartbreak as well. Lord, please grant my little sister Your peace.

Leaving Wichita on Saturday afternoon, Claire and I enjoyed a really lovely, pastoral drive along Highway 400 across Kansas towards Joplin. And, as we drove, we finished listening to the extraordinary recording of C.S. Lewis’ “Prince Caspian: Called Back to Narnia” from the Focus on the Family radio series. Like all of the shows in their “Chronicles of Narnia” series, it was outstanding. (By the way, we had listened to the recording of “The Horse and His Boy" on our way down to Wichita.)

The Branson part of the working vacation began on Sunday morning when I recorded the sermon for that afternoon’s Aksarben Village church service and sent it back for Keith to present. Later that day, we fed ducks on Lake Taneycomo (a tradition we will enjoy a few more times in our stay), had a late lunch out at a restaurant we had never tried before (and will never need to try a second time), bought Claire a couple of sweaters at Bass Pro Shop, and relaxed with books that evening. Claire is  reading “Ben-Hur” while I’m spending a splendid time in Charles Dickens’ “Nicholas Nickleby.”

Monday and Tuesday found us walking the 5.4 mile Table Rock Lake Trail which we will try to do on most of the days we’re here. And though it’s a regular feature of our time in Branson, each prayer-walk along the Lake is still very much a highlight. We have written quite a few letters and texts, taken a few drives through the Ozarks, made some decisions about the Spiritual Disciplines booklet we will soon be offering, worked together on a literature-oriented project, and enjoyed a London Fog at the Vintage Paris coffee shop in Hollister.

And one more really cool highlight from these first few days – We were honored and delighted to enjoy stimulating fellowship with dear friends and colleagues of some 50 years, Gary & Cherry Warrick, over a meal at the College of the Ozarks’ Keeter Center. What an unexpected surprise. But that’s not all. Joining us for this party were Jack & Linda Arant, Christian champions who, before yesterday, we knew only by reputation but who now we are pleased to count as friends as well. Lord, thank You so much for that meeting, for the other gifts and ministry opportunities You’ve brought our way thus far, and for those things You will bring our way.

The Top 5 (October 14)

* "Hamas Attack Is A Warning To America About The Risks Of Our Open Border" (Chuck DeVore, Federalist)

* "Iran’s Role in Hamas’ Attack on Israel" (Jason Bedrick, Daily Signal)

* "Hamas and Amoral Clarity" (Victor Davis Hanson, Blade of Perseus)

* "How Painful is Medication Abortion? Plenty!" (Dave Andrusko, NRL News)

* "Obama’s Coming Fourth Term" (Katya Sedgwick, American Mind)

And a bonus selection this week which adds to the information in #5 above is "The Specter Of Barack Obama’s Deeply Held Anti-Israel Ideology Hovers Over Israeli Attacks" (Mark Hemingway, Federalist)

The Top 5 (October 7)

* "The real face of the abortion industry must never be forgotten" (Dave Andrusko, NRL News)

* "Our Establishment’s Alternate Realities" (Victor Davis Hanson, Blade of Perseus)

* "Yes, The Biden Impeachment Hearing Presented Evidence Of Corruption — Lots Of It" (John Daniel Davidson, Federalist)

* "10 Ways Democrats Are Already Rigging The 2024 Election" (Shawn Fleetwood, Federalist)

* And for the latest updates on the war in Israel, I suggest checking in with the Jerusalem Post.  

The Darkness Getting To You?

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the forces of evil gathered around you? 

Remember Psalm 68:17: “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.” 

Spiritual realities cannot always be seen or felt. But they can certainly be believed. So take courage, look forward to your eternal inheritance, and stay the course. 

“Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked for there will be no future for the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be put out.” (Proverbs 24:19-20)

The Top 5 (September 30)

* "White House Lauds Its ‘Fiscal Responsibility’ As Federal Deficit Is Set To Hit $2 Trillion" (J.Y. Young, Federalist)

* "The East and the Rest: The U.S. is rapidly liquidating its position as the world’s foremost superpower." (Paul Ingrassia, American Mind)

* "Democrats Have Become The Party Of Authoritarianism. They Only Understand Power" (John Daniel Davidson, Federalist)

* "As Illegal Border Crossings Surge, Number of Religious Refugees Entering US Plummets" (Dan Hart, Washington Stand)

* "America’s Prophet of Scientism: Neil DeGrasse Tyson puts his scientific imprimatur on nonsense." (Bruce Bawer, FrontPage Mag)

And a bonus read for this week --- 

* "Every Republican In America Should Follow Javier Milei’s Masterclass In Going On Offense Against Abortion" (Jordan Boyd, Federalist)

The Top 5 (September 23)

* "Post-Postmodern America, Meet Mao’s Cultural Revolution" (Victor Davis Hanson, Daily Signal)

* "'Disturbing' and 'Inarticulate': Pro-Life Leaders React to Trump’s Abortion Comments" (Ben Johnson, Washington Stand)

* "The Golden Years: The Sanctity of Senior Life" (This is a remarkable video clip made by Dr. Del Tackett at the James Dobson Family Institute, a clip that illustrates the profound importance to the Kingdom of what Vital Signs Ministries does through our "When Swing Was King" shows, our Aksarben Village church services, and our visitation and friendship outreaches.)

* "Canadian school library removes all books published prior to 2008" (Eric Utter, American Thinker)

* "It’s No Accident The Southern Border Is Collapsing, It’s Intentional" (John Daniel Davidson, Federalist) 

Heaven in the Old Hymns

One of the most frequent (and important) themes expressed in the traditional hymns of the Christian faith is the confident expectation that heaven is the glorious and forever home of every believer. Even in those hymns that also tell stories of Jesus or explain the gospel message or speak to the Lord’s enduring presence in our daily struggles, these beloved old songs almost always include comforting the hearts of the worshipper by reminding him of the surety of heaven.

Let me illustrate from just these three songs, the three that we used in yesterday afternoon’s church service at Aksarben Village Senior Living. In “The Solid Rock” written by the 19th Century English Baptist preacher Edward Mote, there is profound teaching about salvation being entirely dependent on the faith of the believer in Christ’s satisfactory sacrifice as well as wonderful assurance of God’s loving, powerful presence in the storms of our lives. Yet the hymn finds its heavenly climax in this last verse:

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

oh, may I then in Him be found. 

In Him, my righteousness alone, 

faultless to stand before the throne.

Our second song yesterday was the classic hymn “Rock of Ages,” published in 1775 by Augustus Toplady, another English minister. Its well-known message also emphasizes the total satisfaction of Christ’s sacrifice for all those who can testify, “Simply to the cross I cling.” But the hymn ends not in the sanctification adventure of the Christian disciple, but in his glorification as he shares in Christ’s eternal victory over death. 

While I draw this fleeting breath, 

when mine eyes shall close in death;

when I soar to worlds unknown, see Thee on Thy judgment throne, 

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.

Finally, our third song in the Aksarben Village service yesterday afternoon was one in which heaven is its special focus. The song (fairly contemporary, being written in 1981) was written by American singer/songwriter Squire Parsons Jr. The title is “Beulah Land” and it gives a lovely, inspiring word-picture of the place Jesus is preparing for His children.  
 

I’m kind of homesick for a country

to which I've never been before.

No sad good-byes will there be spoken

for time won't matter anymore.

Chorus: Beulah land, I am longing for you

and someday on Thee I’ll stand

where my home shall be eternal.

Beulah land, sweet Beulah land.

I’m looking now across the river

where my faith will end in sight.

There’s just a few more days to labor, 

then I will take my heavenly flight.

Chorus

I see the lights; I hear the singing.

a brand new song of joy divine.

My soul rejoices just in knowing

that soon these pleasures will be mine.

Chorus

Oh yes; the unique stimulation of heaven’s reality is a wonderfully persuasive argument for the Church to add a few more of the old, beloved hymns to their Sunday songlist.

The Top 5 (September 16)

* "Report details billions of dollars Warren Buffett has funneled to abortion groups around the world" (Calvin FreiburgerFreiburger, LifeSite)

* "American Library Association Says 'Public Education Needs to be a Site of Socialist Organizing'" (Ben Johnson, Washington Stand)

* "California’s Pro-Trans Child Custody Bill Is Pure Emotional Blackmail" (Kylee Griswold, Federalist)

* "Is the Pope Catholic?" (Bob Tyrrell, Jewish World Review)

* "If You’re A Democrat, Having Sex For Money Is No Barrier To Getting Elected" (Mark Hemingway, Federalist)

And for this Saturday, here's 2 bonus links directly from Vital Signs Ministries -- both of them offering opportunities for principled response to the wacky and wicked ways of our world -- "Practical Prayers" and "When Thanks Are Due."

Practical Prayers

"The spiritual discipline of prayer should be a given to anyone with even a cursory understanding of the Bible. After all, the heroes of the Bible constantly demonstrate lives of prayer.  From the patriarchs to the prophets, from the kings to the military champions, from Jesus Himself and His apostles, prayer is presented as an absolutely indispensable practice for the faithful.  

We are also specifically (and frequently) commanded to pray.  We are even given specific prayer targets: the Lord’s will, one another, our daily needs, thanksgiving, our enemies (even those who persecute us), the peace of Israel, laborers for the kingdom’s harvest fields, and so many more.  Prayer, we are carefully taught, is the antidote to anxiety, to losing heart, to selfishness, to worldliness. It is a key path by which the believer finds God’s guidance, protection, and intimacy. 

Yet even with this matter established in our minds, Christians regularly confess that prayer is too often a matter of weakness, frustration, and guilt. Why?"

Read the rest of this brief article in the September letter of Vital Signs Ministries right here.

When Thanks Are Due: VSM's Latest Letter-Writing Targets

Our home yesterday was the scene of Vital Signs’ latest letter-writing parties with a morning brunch meeting drawing only four of us and the evening version drawing nine. Small numbers, to be sure. But together that committed group (Sandy, Don, Mary, Christopher, Keith, Carol, Jeannie, Katina, Karla, and us) wrote 117 light-shining letters and cards! That’s terrific work, guys!  Furthermore, there are four others who have received the letter targets and address sheets we prepared and they are already in the middle of adding substantially to that number.

Plus…there are the letters, cards, and even email messages that YOU may choose to write with the help of the material you can find right here at our website. You see, we don’t merely urge you to “strengthen the things that remain” (Revelation 3:2) by writing pro-life, pro-family letters, we even come to your aid in that cause.

At yesterday’s letter-writing parties, we concentrated most of our efforts in writing thank-you notes to the 33 Nebraska State Senators whose votes (by the most narrow of margins) secured the legislature’s passage of critical bills LB574 (with its bans on “gender-altering” surgeries for minors and its elimination of surgical abortions past the uterine age of 12-weeks) and LB 753 (the “school choice” bill that will help low-income and working-class families send their children to the school of their choice). Both of these modest, common sense, and long overdue measures were vociferously, even violently opposed by the teachers unions, the Democrat Party, and the pro-abortion lobby and so the perseverance shown by those 33 richly deserve our thanks.

Once again, the letter targets and address sheets we used at yesterday’s letter-writing parties can be found at the Vital Signs Ministries website by following this link. And we will even give you a couple of sample letters to further stimulate your own. They are right below.

Sample letter 1) “Dear Senator -------,

Just a quick word of deep appreciation for your principled and courageous support of LB 574 and LB753, two of the most important measures to come before the legislature in some time. In so doing, you withstood the profane taunts, threats, and lies of the extreme left, thereby earning not only the thanks of thousands of Nebraskans but our admiration as well. Way to go! You will remain in our prayers.”

Denny & Claire Hartford

Sample letter 2) “Dear Senator --------,

Many thanks for your Yes votes on LB574 and LB753 in this last tumultuous legislative session. I so appreciate the strong stand you and the other 32 senators took in the midst of some very ugly scenes. Please know we are praying for you. And please remember, being on the side of the angels is always the right place to be!”

Sample letter 3) 

Almost all of the messages I wrote yesterday and last night were contained in the cards we had printed for us which feature mountain photos I’ve taken in my Colorado 14er hikes. However, Sandy had brought with her some wonderful cards featuring Union Pacific trains in majestic scenes with appropriate inscriptions inside. One of those cards showed a long U.P. train skirting a snow-capped mountain range with this message -- “Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Thanks for autographing your work with quality.”

Well, I chose that particular card as the vehicle for this message for Governor Jim Pillen:

“Dear Governor, 

I recently came across this card and I thought its message aptly describes the principled visionary, kind-hearted, and courageous leadership you have demonstrated in your first year as Nebraska’s governor. Thank you. However, tonight I send particular thanks for your excellent and oh-so-important work to get LB574 and LB 753 passed through the legislature AND for your Executive Order establishing the Women’s Bill of Rights. What a terrific job you’re doing!

We deeply appreciate your efforts to make “The Good Life” a truly authentic description of the Nebraska culture. You remain in our frequent prayers.”

Denny Hartford

The Top 5 (September 9)

* "What the Left Did to Our Country: Will their upheaval  succeed?" (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)

* "Oklahoma district that hired drag queen to be elementary school principal faces backlash." (Hannah Grossman, Fox News)

* "The 'Father of the Abortion Pill' reveals it was always about death" (Anna Reynolds, NRL News)

* "Uncle Sam’s Making Me Take The Covid Jab To Become An American Citizen" (Adrian Gaty, Federalist)

* "Has Tucker Lost It?" (John Hinderaker, Power Line)

A Very Good Start to the Week

Labor Day greetings!

Our Sunday started with a little watering of the lawn before the heat of the day...and before getting ready for church. We appreciated the pastor’s sermon on Daniel which emphasized the need for a devotion to prayer and we were pleased to see a few friends before the service started. Now it’s true that our time at Grace Bible Church is limited nowadays, not only because of our travel and speaking schedule but, even when we are able to attend, we have to duck out right after the sermon in order to get ready for our Sunday afternoon church service at Aksarben Village Senior Living. So, we extend our apologies to our GBC friends for our “quick in and out habits” there.

The Aksarben service yesterday went terrific. Our visitation team included Don Kohls, Keith Moran, and a marvelous surprise edition of Matt Troutman and three of his kids, Luke, Anna, and Lydia. They were all lively, gracious, and of excellent help, especially as the day included our communion service. They were all needed too because yesterday, in addition to our cookies and coffee after the sermon, we passed out a lot of salt water taffy from our Estes Park visit and two Colorado postcards apiece to each resident.  The sermon (just about 10 minutes as is our custom) was an appropriate one for a communion Sunday. It was entitled “The Memorial of the New Covenant,” dealing with Jesus’ introduction of the Lord’s Supper in Mark 14: 22-26.

And yesterday’s songs were also splendid: “Crown Him with Many Crowns” by the Oasis Chorale at Cornerstone Mennonite Fellowship, “Ever Faithful” by The Collingsworth Family, and “As the Deer Panteth for the Water” by Gracias Choir. We had (as usual) a really swell time.

Finally arriving back home around 4:30, we closed the day with some more watering of the lawn, discussing the week’s upcoming activities, and our night’s prayers together. By the way, those upcoming activities include Claire and I speaking at the Business and Professional People for Life luncheon on Thursday, September 7th at noon at the German-American Society. We will be talking about the unique and critically-important ministries to seniors that Vital Signs Ministries has developed over the years. We think it will be an enlightening, even inspiring program. The cost for the program and excellent lunch at this impressive venue is $25. However, a designated gift has been given to cover $10 of each meal for guests of Vital Signs Ministries. If you would like to attend the luncheon, please respond to this invitation as soon as possible. 

Postscript -- Also, I began a re-reading of A.E.W. Mason’s Fire Over England. Mason’s thrilling novel is set in the late 16th century when England must counter the extremely grave dangers posed by the Spanish Armada. But the book is also significant for Mason’s use of that historical framework to warn readers of the similar dangers posed to Great Britain in 1936 by the rise of Nazi power in Germany.  

The Top 5 (September 2)

* "Covid Forever: The elites dearly miss having a pandemic on hand." (Auguste Meyrat, American Mind)

* "From One Unapologetic Media Hoax to the Next" (Victor Davis Hanson, Epoch Times)

* "The Greatest Killer of Children in Modern Times" (Rob Schwarzwalder, Washington Stand)

* "Newest NATO Country Escalates Prosecution Of Christians For Quoting The Bible" (Joy Pullman, Federalist)

* "Three keys to making you a persuasive pro-life ambassador" (Paul Stark, NRL News)

A Word from Colorado

 Estes Park, Colorado, 11 PM, Saturday August 26 -- It's hard to believe (with all that we've packed in) that We have only been here since Wednesday. Indeed, it has been an unusually valuable and inspiring trip. We are here with Larry and Deb Harrold, dear friends and ministry colleagues with whom we share a love for the Rocky Mountains. Larry had major surgery 3 months ago or so and had a very tough time afterward, but he has now begun chemotherapy and the doctors cleared him (just barely) to make this trip to one of their all-time favorite haunts. Larry is doing really well, by the way; he and Deb have both been full of courage, faith, heavenly perspective, a spirit of thanksgiving, great generosity to us, and fun. None of these virtues are surprising to the people that know them well, but they are all the more impressive because of their being a matter of course. A remarkable couple.

In our time here, we have relished times in the mountains, drunk in the beauty and splendor of the scenery from drives and long talks on the condo balcony, meals and coffee at several of the Harrold's favorite spots, a little shopping, reading, correspondence, and two trips down to the Front Range for wonderful visits with family: dinner with Dan & T.C. Aylward in Loveland on Friday night and coffee, a museum visit, a farmer's market, and lunch with Ric & Ellen Hartford in Golden today. And tomorrow...recording a brief sermon so the Morans and Allen can use it in the Aksarben Village church service tomorrow afternoon, another trip higher up into the hills, and packing for the trip back home.  

Actually, Claire and I will be stopping at Grand Island on Monday evening because we are volunteering for a couple of shifts at the Nebraska Right to Life booth at the Nebraska State Fair on Tuesday. What a week, huh? We are so grateful for the many blessings God has poured out on us in this brief time.

The Top 5 (August 26 )

 * "Top 3 Abortion Lies in and around the GOP Primary Debate" (S.A. McCarthy, Washington Stand)

* "Church Attendees Believe...What?!" (Owen Strachan, Washington Stand)

* "How scientists mold public opinion on controversial bioethical issues" (Michael Cook, NRL News)

* "What Is Freedom of Conscience, and Why Does It Matter?" (Bryan Neihart, Alliance Defending Freedom)

* "Report: Library Association’s President Wants To Stock Kids’ Shelves With LGBT Propaganda And Porn" Rebeka Zeljko, Federalist)

The Top 5 (August 19)

* “Fentanyl, Viruses, Spying: Why Do We Let China Get Away with Attacks on America?” (Victor Davis Hanson, Daily Signal)

* “6 Takeaways from the Biden Admin’s Court Quest to Keep Censoring Americans Online” (Joy Pullman, Federalist)

* “Biden’s ‘Equity’ at the Border” (Jeffrey H. Anderson, American Conservative)

* “The Barack Obama Cover-Up” (Ben Shapiro, Daily Signal)

* “Social Media is Hurting Our Children: What Can Concerned Parents and Grandparents Do?” (Joe Carter, EPM)

And this week’s bonus read?

* “From Bougie Dorms to Video Game Lounges, State Universities Burn Through Taxpayers’ Dollars” (Christopher Jacobs, Federalist)

“Who Can Bear to Feel Himself Forgotten?”

“They continue their dreams,

But shall wake soon and hope for letters,

And none will hear the postman's knock

Without a quickening of the heart,

For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?”

I thought of this moving quotation from W. H. Auden’s poem, “Night Mail”, Wednesday afternoon when Claire and I were at Immanuel Village Senior Living for one of our “When Swing Was King” shows. Before the program began, I was visiting with Nancy, one of WSWK’s biggest fans, and I was telling her about the touch of sadness that all people feel when they open their mailbox and find nothing personal in there. With real feeling, Nancy agreed with me and then asked, “Do you write letters yourself?” I told her that I do. In fact, I explained that Claire and I write an awful lot of letters and cards. She then smiled coyly and said, “Well, I’ll tell you what. If you write me, I will promise to write you back!”

“When Swing Was King” is a truly exceptional outreach, providing quality
entertainment and an inspiring lift of the spirits. But it is even more than that. It is an opportunity to make friends, to remind people that their lives and times matter, and to show them they are not, as Auden warned, forgotten. These ministries occur with every “When Swing Was King” show. For instance, yesterday’s show at Echo Hills Assisted Living sparked lively (and delightful) conversations with residents afterwards – conversations about dancing, Dick Haymes’ 6 wives, hitchhiking hundreds of miles to hear Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, summer jobs in their high school years, the tornado that hit the town of Primrose in 1965, and more. 

And such opportunities for meaningful connection also occur every Sunday afternoon when Claire and I conduct the Vital Signs Ministries interdenominational church service at Aksarben Village Senior Living. For that matter, they also occur every time that you drop by and visit someone who is otherwise marginalized by society -- or make a phone call or send along a letter. For who indeed should “bear to feel himself forgotten?”

And that reminds me -- we would like to once again extend to you an invitation to join the friendship team of our Sunday afternoon services. We set up around 2 o’clock, begin at 2:30 the “formal” program, and then, at about 3, start in with 30 or 40 minutes of personal visiting over coffee and cookies. We could sure use your help. But the members of our congregation could use it even more! So if you’re interested in even an occasional visit, please let us know.

Picking Through the Trash or Going for Gold?

Are your entertainment choices leading to rest and spiritual enrichment or are those choices distracting you, maybe even corrupting your spiritual priorities?  That's the trick for Christians, isn't it? To select things to enjoy in our leisure hours that do not divert us from our stated convictions of faith and morality.  

I fear that modern Christians are much too quick to accept whatever the culture offers. We are not discriminating. We are not properly protective of what our heart takes in. We do not insist on purity and productivity. We do not strictly avoid the wicked and worthless which so abounds nowadays.

So who’s in for a change? Let’s go for the gold of God instead of the rubbish of the world and make even our entertainment choices investments in eternity. 

The Top Five (Plus 2 This Week) August 12

* “The Remaking of America” (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)

* “‘Bidenomics’ Has Been A Disaster” (David Harsanyi, Federalist)

* “Vladimir Putin, Man of Faith?” (Rob Schwarzwalder, Washington Stand)

* “How That ‘Scientific Consensus’ on Climate Change Was ‘Manufactured’” (John Stossel, Daily Signal)

* “Marijuana legalization movement linked to a ‘massive increase’ in mental illness in US, doctor warns” (Yael Halon, Fox News)

* “Environmentalist Misanthropy: Humans Are Terminal Cancer” (Wesley J. Smith, NRL News)

* “Myth of the Starving Shoplifter: Retail crime is driven by reduced penalties and organized gangs, not economic hardship.” (Steven Malanga, City Journal)

Climbing New Heights

The August letter from Vital Signs Ministries is a jam-packed, photo-filled, mountain-top edition that we think you're going to like. Give it a go with the link below.

 (Note: with the photos, give it a few seconds to load.)

https://vitalsignsministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/LifeSharer-letter-August-2023.pdf

Musical Genius Lives! (At Least at "When Swing Was King" Shows)

If, regarding music, you’re thinking that beauty, inspiration, and extraordinary talents have almost disappeared altogether from American life, you’re all too correct. 

However, if you do miss these things, there is one place we can direct you to; namely, a “When Swing Was King” show presented at senior facilities across our area several times a month. For instance, in the August program, we are sharing the genius of songwriters like Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Henry Mancini, and Johnny Mercer. 

And those songs are performed by other musical giants like Harry James, Glenn Miller, Guy Lombardo, Nat King Cole, Artie Shaw, Eydie Gorme, Fred Astaire, the Andrews Sisters, Benny Goodman, Connie Francis, and Andy Williams. 

Too good to be true? Not at all. And to prove it to yourself, why not come along for a listen? We will be at Pacific Springs this afternoon at 3 and the schedule for the other August presentations is on the Vital Signs Ministries website. We would love to have you join us!

The Top 5 (August 5)

* "2 Sets of Laws for 2 Americas" (Victor Davis Hanson, Daily Signal)

* "Trafficking survivor says her trafficker 'took all his girls to Planned Parenthood'" (Nancy Flanders, NRL News)

* "Online Mail-Order Chemical Abortion: A Threat to Abuse and Trafficking Victims" (By Dr. Calum Miller, BMBCh, Charlotte Lozier Institute)

* "Obama biographer says ex-president 'as insecure as Trump,' would be 'terrible' on SCOTUS in stunning interview" (Brian Flood, Fox News)

* "DOJ Indictment Of Trump Is A Declaration Of War Against American Voters" (John Daniel Davidson, Federalist)

The Top 5 (July 29)

* "Biden Family Scandals Are So Much Bigger Than Hunter’s Hookers And Burisma Bribery" (Margot Cleveland, Federalist)

  "5 Biblical Reasons for Skepticism on UFO Testimony to Congress" (Joshua Arnold, Washington Stand)

* "Planned Parenthood’s Depraved Marketing Gimmicks" (Elise McCue, Daily Signal)

* "Maybe Black Lives Matter After All" (Steven Hayward, Power Line)

* "One in Six Democrats Believes Violence Is Justified to Restore Abortion: Poll" (Ben Johnson, Washington Stand)

And this week's bonus recommendation? It's actually a quick video clip created by a snack bar company. Nevertheless, its message is enlightening and challenging. Indeed, it is certainly one to think about...and to pass around. 

* "Three Generations" (Nature Valley video clip)

The Top 5 (July 22)

In addition to this week's Top 5 of the articles I'm recommending for you, a couple of bonus selections are included from Fox News regarding important religious developments you should be aware of.

* "There’s a War on for Your Kids in Public Schools" (S.A. McCarthy, Washington Stand)

* "Five Essential Truths About the Left" (Steven Hayward, Power Line)

* "Electric Cars Are a Scam" (David Harsanyi, Jewish World Review)

* "The Left Attacks ‘Sound Of Freedom’ Because It Exposes An Uncomfortable Truth About Moral Boundaries" (J. Antonio Juarez, Federalist)

* "7 Ways the FDA Decision to Sell Birth Control Pills Over-the-Counter Hurts Women" (Ben Johnson, Washington Stand)

And the bonus links?

* "Putin and Russian Orthodox Church forge an unholy alliance to take over Ukraine: Putin's Russia isn’t just at war with Ukraine, it’s at war with Christianity" (David Curry, Fox News)

* "The Chinese Communist Party is rewriting the Bible: Gospel according to Chairman Xi has Jesus turn killer instead of forgiving sin" (Rep. Mike Gallagher By Rep. Mike Gallagher, Fox News)

The Latest 14er Adventure: "Let's Go to the Video"

Aldo De La Cruz, a friend and neighbor who I was honored to have join me on our latest attempt of a Colorado 14er, is a dedicated and imaginative physical fitness advocate who uses videography to encourage and assist others in their workouts. Well, he brought along his camera (and even a drone!) to capture a bit of the feel of high mountain hiking and we were quite impressed by the results. You might be too. It's about 8 minutes and I'm betting you'll find it moving and fun.

The Top 5 (July 15)

* "The Thinly Veiled ‘Satanism’ in Our Culture" (S.A. McCarthy, Washington Stand)

* "A Woke Children’s Literature Cabal Is Conditioning Your Kid To Be An Obedient Leftist" (Kiri Jorgensen, Federalist)

* "If You Think All Teachers Are ‘Heroes,’ You’re Part Of The Problem" (B.L. Hahn, Federalist)

* "Faith in higher education has hit record lows -- and rightfully so." (Rikki Schlott, New York Post)

* "Ten Reasons Why Affirmative Action Died" (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)