The Top 5 (December 21)

* "Are the Years of Madness Ending?" (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)

From the article -- Never in U.S. history has a president-elect been welcomed as the real president before his January 20 inauguration. And never has the incumbent president so willingly surrendered his last two months in office and all but abdicated—to the relief of his nation and the rest of the world.

One reason so many are welcoming Trump’s return is the universally desperate hope that his election spelled an end to a collective madness at home and its ripples abroad during the last four years. And why not?

* "We may finally be recovering from the woke brain rot: For the first time in decades, the sane among us have the upper hand." (Lionel Shriver, spiked!)

From the article -- Whatever the more complex truth of the matter, it’s in our interest to promote the trope that woke is over. That woke has been vanquished. That woke is totally yesterday, hopelessly stale and played out. That the rest of us are all moving on to genuinely thorny questions that aren’t stupid. That we’ll no longer waste our time pushing back against petty amateur linguists who insist we call the portly ‘people living with obesity’. That, whatever our private reservations about the guy, Trump’s election marks a hard Before and After. That as Kamala would say, we’ve ‘turned the page’ and ‘we’re not going back’.

Because when you say something enough times (this is a gambit the wokesters themselves have mastered), you can make it true. Wokesters are highly suggestible. Furthermore, most of these folks don’t really care about social justice. They care about appearing to care about social justice. They care about other people’s esteem. They care about fitting in. They echo what everyone else around them says, because being a mindless copycat means other mindless copycats will like them and they’ll keep their friends and their jobs. And they care about social fashion

* "Beyond Green: Down with Al Gore once and for all! The case for a rational energy policy." (Michael Lind, Tablet)

From the article -- If progressives are to be believed, the world is facing a “climate emergency” that requires the rapid elimination of fossil fuels and massive, never-ending taxpayer subsidies for wind, solar, and related infrastructure. But despite being ceaselessly propagandized by alarmist climate change messaging, a majority of Americans do not believe that global warming will pose serious threats in their own lifetimes, by a ratio of 54-to-45.

* "The Democrats’ Anti-Israel Future: It all changed with Barack Obama." (Joshua Muravchik, Commentary)

From the article -- The 2024 election left the Democrats “considering how to navigate a dark future,” said the New York Times. Voices from the progressive wing instantly made clear that one matter at issue will be the party’s stance toward Israel.

The Democrats’ traditional friendliness to the Jewish state had resonated in the words of President Joe Biden’s immediate reaction to Hamas’s invasion and massacre of October 7, 2023. “This was an act of sheer evil,” he pronounced. “Israel has the right…in-deed has a duty to respond… . If the United States experienced [the likes of this] our response would be swift, decisive, and overwhelming.” He said that the U.S. was “surging military assistance” and had moved a carrier strike group and additional fighter aircraft to the area. “The United States has Israel’s back. It’s as simple as that…. We’re with Israel.”

Yet, over the ensuing weeks and months, it proved not as simple as that. Biden grew increasingly focused on protecting Gazan noncombatants and on restraining Israel in other ways. Vice President Kamala Harris, to whom he passed the Democratic standard in withdrawing from the 2024 election, was still more assertive in that direction, as was, to an even greater degree, her chosen running mate, Tim Walz. Their apparent predispositions, and the political currents within their party, prompted CNN political analyst Ronald Brownstein to muse, “Biden could be the last Democratic president for the foreseeable future who aligns so unreservedly with” Israel.

* "American Men and the Emerging Culture Shift" (Pedro Gonzalez, Chronicles)

From the article -- And that’s really what I’m getting at: there is a growing appetite for a new culture, for items that are both free from ideological shackles and expressive of values and virtues divergent from those that have come to dominate the mainstream under the thumb of progressive hegemony. Now is the time to create and patronize new things. In particular, I think the market for literature looks promising. 

Back in August, Alex Perez, a Cuban-American writer based in Miami, lamented the lack of masculine fiction in the literary scene—and struck back at those who criticized him for pointing out what is an obvious problem. Much of what passes for fiction today is dreck. If it features men at all, they are too often portrayed as weak, incompetent, villainous, or some combination of all three. Man is allowed to exist in the pages of today’s novels only if “he writes apologetically and shamefully” about being an American man—the worst kind imaginable. For Perez, “American man” doesn’t necessarily mean right-wing, either. 

Politics & Christmas

From a purely logical point of view, the Advent of Christ occurred at a most inconvenient time and in a most inhospitable place. The details of this scheme certainly would not have been cleared by professional planners or modern-day management consultants. I mean the circumstances seemed so wrong.

Caesar Augustus, the ruler of the Roman world into which Jesus was born, was no friend of religious freedom. Indeed, he was a tyrant of the old school who used repression, intimidation and violence as effective controls over the populations he dominated. And his underlings in the chain of command? Just as bad. Quirinius, the governor of Syria was a thug and Herod, the Roman-acclaimed King of the Jews who controlled Palestine, was a vicious assassin.

This then was the hostile, unstable, sin-sick political situation into which God sent His Son for His plan of redemption to be acted out. It’s absolutely amazing how God’s ways are so different than ours, isn’t it? And, not only different but superior beyond measure. For salvation was secured in this alarmingly dangerous situation and God’s overcoming power was manifested all the more brilliantly because of its background. In our present political instability, this Christmas reality is a good one to remember.

A similar divine irony is in play in Matthew 2:6 where Jesus is presented as not only the ruler of Israel but her shepherd too. Now the Jews knew all too well how earthly rulers conducted themselves. After all, they had been dominated by ruthless potentates during much of their history and were now oppressed by Rome’s insanely vicious tyrant, Herod. But the rule of the Messiah was to be radically different. And with the image of the Shepherd, the Holy Spirit through Matthew was emphasizing the tenderness, the devotion, the sacrificial love that would mark the Messiah’s reign. And by this compassion, Jesus Christ would rule not over territory alone but over the human heart as well.

Later, in Jesus’ teaching ministry, He graciously offered Israel this radically different kingdom, a kingdom marked by love and holiness and peace. But Israel rejected it. The price -- a whole-hearted submission to God -- was just too high for self-righteous, self-satisfied people to pay. The sheep disdained their Shepherd, preferring even the tyranny of Rome to God’s loving deliverer.

What a cataclysmic tragedy this was. And yet, despite this, God went on to make a way for Israel (and the entire world) to yet enter the peace of His kingdom. How? The ruler would serve as the Good Shepherd, even to the willing surrender of His own life for the sheep. Right here, in the very beginning of the Christmas story, is a dramatic foreshadowing of that great present that would be offered the whole world; namely, the sacrifice of Jesus as payment for the sins of the world.

“Far As the Curse Is Found”

The striking phrase above comes from the third verse of Isaac Watts’ 1719 hymn, “Joy to the World.” “No more let sin and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He [Jesus] comes to make His blessings known far as the curse is found.” This song, long beloved as a Christmas season carol is better understood as a hymn of hope (and yes, joy) at the prospect of Jesus’ Second Coming -- when our Lord enters the earthly realm not as a baby, but as the victorious King of Kings returning to judge the world in righteousness. Yes, the exciting promise of intense and abiding joy (for both believers and the physical world we live in) refers to the Faithful and True riding through the heavens on a white horse Who will wage war and execute holy judgment on the nations arrayed against Him. 

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He Who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11-16)

Isaac Watts was inspired to write “Joy to the World” from his appreciation of Psalm 98 which eloquently speaks of Messiah’s ministry as Supreme Judge at the end of the age. It is a most dramatic prospect, to be sure. Our divine brother, He Who humbled Himself in the incarnation by becoming a preborn child, then through an earthly ministry as a prophet and teacher, and then into the humiliating suffering of crucifixion and death, now breaks forth from heaven for service as Almighty Judge and Restorer. And the divine judgment will not only be pure, but thorough and complete. Thus, the psalmist’s exhortation to the sea, the rivers, the mountains, and the whole world to shout joyfully to the Lord. 

But the line “far as the curse is found” suggests that Watts was also well aware of the Bible’s teaching on curses. Adam’s sin resulted not only in a curse on he and Eve and the whole human race extending from them, but also on the earth itself which had been given Adam as his stewardship. (Genesis 3:17) That is also emphasized in Isaiah 24:5-6.

“The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.”

Furthermore, we are told that all who inhabit the earth are under God’s curse because of our sins and transgressions and rebellion. “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.’” (Galatians 3:10) Of course, we are all under the law. Though we have an inexcusable obligation to keep the law in every point, we have utterly failed to do so. We are therefore under its curse. But the apostle Paul isn’t done with this subject.

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13,14)

Jesus Christ endured the curse -- our curse -- when, in our stead, He died on the cross. Yes, God’s holiness required perfection, but we were infinitely far off His standard of righteousness. Yet God made a way. Jesus Christ came to bring us close, to eliminate the gap, to transform us from rebels to friends, to adopt us into His forever family when we trusted in the sacrifice offered for us; namely, Jesus’ atoning death at Calvary.

And it is our great High Priest Jesus Who will (very soon, I pray) make His return to the earth in order to display His glorious and full triumph in judgment, cleansing, and restoration. He will make all things new. He will make all things right. He will bring all things in His creation into a harmonious perfection. I join the psalmist, the apostle, and the hymnwriter in heartily recommending that all Christians -- in all seasons -- shout gratefully and confidently, “Joy to the world; the Lord is come; let Earth receive her King!”

The Top 5 (December 14)

Okay, it’s an unusual Top 5 post for today because 1) I’m actually providing links to 6 articles; 2) 3 of those articles are mine from Vital Signs Blog; and 3) there is a “popcorn” list of news items that you may well have missed from the last week or so. Let’s get to ‘em.

* “Stranded at La Veta Pass: A Rescue Story” (A Personal Testimony) (Denny Hartford, Vital Signs Blog)

From the article -- A hitchhiker’s lot is a lonely one. And not only lonely but anxious, exasperating, humbling, and occasionally dangerous. Believe me, I know. And as the cold, snowy weather of winter whirls around this December night, I am remembering one particularly miserable and frightening experience from my long ago days of thumbing a ride. 

It was the winter of 1969. I was a student at Trinidad State Junior College, some 200 miles from my home…

* “For the Watchmen on the Walls: Prayer and Advocacy Priorities for 2025” (Denny Hartford, Vital Signs Blog)

From the article -- It is hoped that this list of 10 priorities will help motivate and provide some direction for your own intercession and advocacy efforts. We encourage you to use them as stimulants to fervent prayers, conversations, social media, letters to political officials and others, and bringing these critical issues before your pastors as you encourage them to best enlighten, inspire, and protect their flock.

* “John Stossel Blows the Lid Off the Scam That Is Recycling” (An eye-opening 7-minute video)

About the video -- John Stossel is back to ruin your preconceived notions of things with some very inconvenient truths. In this case, these truths are going to be very inconvenient to the environmentalist crowd who thinks recycling is actually benefiting us as much as they think.

* “The American university is rotting from within: The modern academy is a threat to reason, liberty and Western civilisation." (Joel Catkin, spiked!)

From the article -- The Western world has many enemies – China, Russia, Iran, North Korea – but none is more potentially lethal than its own education system. From the very institutions once renowned for spreading literacy, the Enlightenment and the means of mastering nature, we now see a deep-seated denial of our common past, pervasive illiteracy and enforced orthodoxy.

The decay of higher education threatens both the civic health and long-term economic prospects of Western liberal civilisation. Once a font of dispassionate research and reasoned discussion, the academy in recent years has more resembled that of the medieval University of Paris, where witch trials were once conducted, except there is now less exposure to the canon.

* “Denny's Letter to Santa Gets an Interesting Response” (Denny Hartford, Vital Signs Blog)

From the article -- Dear Santa,

Season’s greetings, my old friend. Please know that you remain in my highest regards for your ongoing generosity to mankind. While others may forget your good and noble work, I never shall. Anyhow, here is my “Santa letter” for this year. What I most want for Christmas this year, dear sir, may be beyond even your North Pole magic but I’ve pared down my requests to just three things. And they aren’t entirely self-centered items. Indeed, they are things that are certainly directed for the common good. Here we go.

* “The Anti-Woke King of Hollywood Lets Loose: Taylor Sheridan’s shows explain how and why we got Trump again.” ( Rick Marin, Commentary)

From the article -- Such is the 54-year-old writer-director-producer’s Midas touch with “flyover country”—as New York and Hollywood have long dismissed their red-state viewership. Even more remarkable is how this unfettered clout is manifesting itself in his writing. He offered confusingly mixed political messages in the first couple of years of Yellowstone—though not so mixed that its audience didn’t immediately understand what he was trying to say and make the show the biggest hit on television, despite airing on the Paramount Network, which you had to search high and low for in your cable package. Now his mix of cultural conservatism, libertarian/Jeffersonian objection to federal overreach, and muscular foreign policy is fully out of the closet.

And now...in the recent news -- news that you’re probably not hearing much about if you’re only plugged into the Democrat Party channels.

* In both England and Wales, the most popular name for baby boys is Muhammad... 

* Key scientific evidence about the dangers of covid “vaccinations” is still being carefully and comprehensively censored by the Biden administration, the governments of Europe, and the liberal press.

* Chinese Communist Party officials have used a climate nonprofit to funnel millions of dollars to U.S. universities and left-wing groups to promote replacing fossil fuels with “green energy.”

* The latest Democrat outrage? 77 House Democrats called for an arms embargo on Israel. 

* It turns out that “climate scientists” have all along been completely ignoring the effects of isoprene in the atmosphere, making all of their climate models remarkably out of whack.

* The “nonbinary” spokesperson from Google’s latest ads is screaming about women who dare complain about having to share bathrooms with “untraditional sexes.”

* One of the new words for 3rd grade spelling bees? Womyn.

* One of the columnists from the L.A. Times has resigned after moves by that newspaper to be a bit less politically one-sided. Said the columnist, “Now is not the time to be balanced.”

* The ProPublica smear against Pete Hegseth (completely invented and knowingly so) just missed being successful. And rather than apologize, ProPublica is trying to cast themselves as journalistic heroes.

* Elton John is speaking out against the legalization of marijuana. “I maintain that it’s addictive,” he said. “It leads to other drugs. And when you’re stoned -- and I’ve been stoned -- you don’t think normally.” The singer-songwriter added, “Legalizing marijuana in America and Canada is one of the greatest mistakes of all time.”

* Among those pardoned by Joe Biden? Michael Conahan, one of the infamous “kids for cash” judges who took wads of money under the table from for-profit detention centers in exchange for wrongly sending juveniles to their facilities. The case was widely considered to be one of the worst judicial scandals in Pennsylvania history. And then there was Democrat Rita Crundwell, the former comptroller of Dixon, Illinois who was found guilty of a $54 million embezzlement scheme, believed to be the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history. 

* Remember how Senate Democrats buried Mayorkas' impeachment? It gets worse. The Biden-Harris administration spent over $1.6 million in taxpayer money on the defense of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during his impeachment proceedings.

* The Democrats and the Democrat media who are complaining about Donald Trump buying the election? The Kamala Harris campaign raised 1.5 billion dollars. That was about 3 times what the Trump campaign managed to raise. 

* The stripper who accused those Duke lacrosse players of raping her 18 years ago finally confessed to the fact that she made it all up. 

* University of Michigan DEI administrator Rachel Dawson claimed the university was “controlled by wealthy Jews,” and that Jewish students were “wealthy and privileged” and not in need of the university’s diversity services. (She was fired.) The university has experienced countless antisemitic incidents in the past year.

* You don’t think Big Pharma is piping the tune America is foolishly dancing to? The CDC announced that there are 200 “routine vaccines” for 2025. The number of “routine vaccines” in 1985? 7; that’s right, seven. And for adults and pregnant women in 1985? Zero.

* Europe is in free fall. Mass immigration woes. Rapes of white women perpetrated by young Muslim males that goes without redress (even reporting). Censorship. Increasing anti-Semitism and anti-Christian actions. Economic collapse.

* The Biden administration’s F.B.I. is crazy, still holding that conservative Christians (especially pro-life advocates) are a major terrorist threat.

* The left is applauding political violence. From restaurant workers in Washington D.C. saying they can’t wait to throw food in the faces of Trump administration people who try to eat at their establishments to leftist political officials excusing (even applauding) the murder of a health company executive, “progressives” are proving to be the real fascists.

* Communist China now controls half the world’s catch of fish with thousands upon thousands of fishing ships taking over waters as far away as Argentina.

* It turns out that almost 20% of the $200 billion that the Biden administration gave away under the banner of “covid relief” ended up being given to fraudulent recipients, including criminal gangs.

“Stranded at La Veta Pass: A Rescue Story”

A hitchhiker’s lot is a lonely one. And not only lonely but anxious, exasperating, humbling, and occasionally dangerous. Believe me, I know. And as the cold, snowy weather of winter whirls around this December night, I am remembering one particularly miserable and frightening experience from my long ago days of thumbing a ride. 

It was the winter of 1969. I was a student at Trinidad State Junior College, some 200 miles from my home in Lakewood, a western suburb of Denver. I had not, at that time, become an authentic Christian, though brought up in a God-fearing home by believing parents who lovingly gave me every encouragement and assistance to do so. And yet God’s mercies were poured out upon me even in my Trinidad days. I was on the college newspaper staff, living in a comfortable rooming house in town, and having every opportunity to finally change from the lazy, reckless course of life I had been following the past two years. 

But I was badly squandering these latest favors and was instead pursuing my carnal desires all the further and faster. I had started, as they say, living for the weekend, hitchhiking back to Denver every Friday afternoon and returning, after dates and parties, back to Trinidad on Sunday nights. However, on this particular weekend, I had gone over to Alamosa (just 110 miles away) where a couple of my skaggy friends were attending Adams State. Though a shorter trip, it meant heading through the mountains and over La Veta Pass. And with winter coming on, that was not a pleasure trip...especially when you’re hitchhiking.

Now it’s true that my thumb was already experienced in this mode of travel. In fact, just 3 months earlier (and all on my lonesome) I had hitchhiked the full thousand miles from Los Angeles, California back to Denver. Still, even that adventurous cross-country trek failed to prepare me for what was to come on this trip; namely, being stranded in the Colorado mountains, in the winter, in the wee hours of the morning. 

The trip had already started off badly. I had stayed way too long in Alamosa and left for Trinidad long after the sun had disappeared behind the San Juan Mountains. It was a stupid decision but I was initially encouraged by hitching a ride almost immediately from a couple of fellows in an old pickup truck. Better still, these guys were also drinkers and were generous enough to share their bottle. But it didn’t take long for things to go sour. 

Just after we had passed Ft. Garland and started up into the mountains, I began to realize that these men had particularly nasty plans for me. They started with hints, then taunts when I rebuffed their advances, then they turned to direct threats. I responded by feigning sickness, acting like I badly needed to vomit. It worked. They stopped the truck and let me squeeze out from between them in order to get to the side of the road. Once free from the truck, I was determined to be free from these goons. I grabbed a large rock, turned back, and did a bit of threatening of my own, letting them know that the price for messing with me was going to be a lot more than they wanted to pay. And, after a couple of minutes of angry cursing and promises that they’d be back with help, they got back in the truck, turned all the way round, and started back the way we had just come.  

There was, of course intense relief when they drove away but I found myself physically shaking -- shaking with adrenaline at the close call, shaking with trepidation at the prospect that my assailants might indeed return, and shaking with the shocking cold of a Colorado mountain night. It was, I guessed, sometime between 10 or 11 and I wasn’t at all dressed for the below-freezing temperatures. 
I had only a light jacket, no gloves, no hat. Good grief, I had escaped one danger only to be enveloped by another.

Well, the two thugs never came back. But I kept hold of that rock just in case and, at every appearance of headlights coming east down the highway, I was ready to use it. Not that I saw very many vehicles on Highway 160 that night. No more than a half dozen passed me in the whole 2 hours or so that I was walking east. But I was beset by more than loneliness -- I was frighteningly cold! My shivering had only gotten worse and I was becoming a bit crazy with desperation. Therefore, when I finally came across a building set off a bit from the highway, I was determined to find shelter there. 

It wasn’t anybody’s home; at least, I didn’t think anyone was living there. There were a couple of heavy equipment machines in the yard but no cars and no tracks in the snow, making me pretty sure that no one was on the premises. There was one yard light was on the large, rectangular building that lit things up for 30-40 yards around it. And so I could see there were a few windows that looked big enough to crawl through after, of course, I had busted out the glass. I guess, my rock was going to come in handy after all! 

To be sure, I wasn’t happy about the “breaking and entering” option. I was pretty sure there was no night watchman around  but, then again, there could easily be some kind of alarm. And that could mean the police, an arrest, more shame for my family, and yet one more crime added to my already ugly list of tawdry offenses. However, I didn’t really have a choice...and I preferred even a warm jail cell over freezing to death.  

But before I hiked over to the building, I decided to say one more prayer. Oh, make no mistake, I had been praying hard and constantly during this whole ordeal. But, not being a Christian, my prayers were, though plaintive, were something more like wishing or crossing your fingers. But now, faced with the awful cold, the fear of arrest, and a desperation of greater intensity than any I could remember, I was bold enough to lift up a much different kind of prayer. I looked into the night sky, profusely adorned with glittering stars, but I prayed to the God I knew intuitively was beyond that dazzling sky. And although I was all-too-aware that I didn’t know the Almighty personally and that He was under no obligation to intervene in my predicament, I was certain that my Grandma Ellsworth and my parents and at least a couple of my siblings did know Him personally. And so, my fledgling faith being inspired by theirs, I made my appeal to God. 

I do not remember it being a bargaining prayer -- you know, the infamous “foxhole” kind of prayer where one offers God his life if God will only get them out of the jam they’re in. And I don’t think my prayer involved a lot of apologies for my sins or for the lousy decisions which had landed me in this spot. The only two things I remember about that prayer is its urgency and that all I could hope for was God perhaps showing me unwarranted, undeserved, unexpected mercy. I stood there on the shoulder of the road for a couple of minutes more, figuring that I should give God a little time to do something. The snow had started again. It was, I realized, a lovely and peaceful night. How ironic would it...

And then I heard the truck! No, not the dreaded pickup returning for retribution, but a long hauler coming out of the west and down the highway towards me. I dropped the rock, moved back to the southern side of the highway, and assumed the traditional position. And though I understood how unlikely it was that this trucker would stop on a night like this, in weather like this, on a mountain highway like this, all to offer a ride to a suspicious hitchhiker, I also had a remarkable confidence God was kindly answering my prayer.

 And that’s exactly what happened. The old 18-wheeler day cab slowed down and stopped right in front of me. The passenger door creaked opened and I looked up at the driver (somewhat past middle-age) who simply asked, “You okay?” I was kinda’ choked up but I nodded and told him yes, I was fine, just really cold. “Then climb on up.” The difference in temperature was astounding and so was the difference in my mood. I expressed my thanks, explained that he was an answer to a prayer, and then, with a bit of embarrassment, I realized I was wiping tears away. He politely seemed not to notice, said he was happy to be of help, and offered me a cup of coffee from his thermos. And that wasn’t all. My good fortune continued in that the trucker, traveling empty, was headed down into New Mexico for a load. And that meant I had a warm, comfortable journey with him all the way down 160 to Walsenburg and then south on I-25 to Trinidad. When I alighted with the trucker’s good wishes, the dawn was just starting to break on a brand new day. 

Now the ending to this story should be that, having experienced (and in a very dramatic way) the loving grace of God, I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ that very night. I’m sorry to say, that wasn’t the case. No, there remained an ungrateful, foolish, hardheartedness in me and, in the months to come, I would actually write even darker chapters in my story. But despite my rebellious running away from God, He kept His merciful hand on me. There were some divine judgements meted out to me that winter and spring, but the Lord measured the punishment in ways that emphasized His kindness and His desire for me to receive His offers of salvation, purpose, and power. And, all along the way, one of the things He used was the vivid, unforgettable memory of that 18-wheeler coming down out of heaven to save me. Well, out of heaven via La Veta Pass.

Fast forward to a bright spring morning several months later when I finally did give in to God’s long suffering love and trusted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. That, by the way, also occurred in the Colorado mountains. I was on a weekend retreat with some Christians who had recently befriended me and I was alone in the pines considering the historicity of the Bible -- which I had by then trusted to be accurate and trustworthy -- and then dealing with the paramount question of whether I would acknowledge the Person of Christ as God. For if I decided that proposition to be true, the natural next step was to believe that His death and resurrection were the means whereby God paid the penalty of my sins. 

I had been close to surrendering my pride and sophomoric arguments all weekend long but it was on this clear Sunday morning that I knew my decision couldn’t be delayed any longer. And whether it was my own imagining or an intuition kindled in my heart by the Lord Himself, I sensed that God was inviting me to come to the cross with a stirring allusion to that freezing night the previous December. Come out of the cold, Denny. Leave your degradation, deceptions, ands danger behind. Believe in Me and let’s travel a different highway together. C’mon, climb up in the cab. And I did. Thank God, I did. How about you?

Postscript. There was yet another dramatic hitchhiking story still to come in my future, one that would take this young convert to Christianity, toting a duffel bag and with $12 in his pocket, to a place he had never been before -- Omaha, Nebraska. It would be a place where God would give him a home, a job, the most unusual and effective discipleship training imaginable, and eventually an exceptionally noble and loving woman who would become his wife. 

But that story...is for another time.

For the Watchmen on the Walls: Prayer and Advocacy Priorities for 2025

Believers in Christ are called on to occupy until Jesus comes, to strengthen the things that remain, to shine their light into the darkness, to stand and courageously defend “the least of these,” to speak the truth in love, to stand against the wicked schemes of the devil, to do justice, to rebuke evildoers, to deliver those being dragged away to death, to be “doers of the Word,” -- you get the idea. Indeed, the biblical responsibilities of Christ’s ambassadors require purposeful, persistent action in every part of private and public life. 

It is hoped that this list of 10 priorities will help motivate and provide some direction for your own intercession and advocacy efforts. We encourage you to use them as stimulants to fervent prayers, conversations, social media, letters to political officials and others, and bringing these critical issues before your pastors as you encourage them to best enlighten, inspire, and protect their flock. 

1) Pastoral Leadership

We desperately need masculinity to make a comeback in our clergy. In fact, a warrior mentality is sorely needed for our shepherds (many, not all) to do a much better job of protecting their flocks from the lies and manipulations of the ravenous wolves who are everywhere in our world. And that includes the wolves using entertainment, Big Tech, and the establishment media. 

American Christians need their leaders to start calling things by their right names. The ministers need to fulfill their duties as prophets (as well as teachers and counselors) by waking up their congregation and then enlightening and equipping them to fight back against the world’s enveloping clouds of false teaching. Evolution. Hedonism. Abortion. Sexual immodesty and impurity. The socialist threats of globalism. The constant attacks on manliness, femininity, marriage, parental responsibilities, and a healthy family life. Government’s strong arm tactics against the freedoms of religion and speech. Wasted time. Materialism. 

Our pastors need to be men of vision and courage -- not timidly compromising the truth or settling for a safe and comfortable and popular job. They should fear God alone -- not the “snowflakes” politically-correct progressives in their congregation, not the government, not the high cost of courageous, Spirit-empowered leadership.

2) Religious freedom, conscience, speech, assembly

A Christian’s ultimate duty is to the Almighty God.  Believers are, first and foremost, citizens of a heavenly Kingdom, a better country, a city to come. They must, therefore, always obey God rather than men when those spheres come into conflict.  But we are to be wise, sacrificial, strategic, and circumspect stewards of all God has given to us and, for an American Christian, that includes the obligations and privileges of our citizenship in the here and now. We are to use our examples of holiness and altruism; we are to use our voices as we speak forth the divine truths of the Word (including its teachings on culture, economics, and law); and we are to use the opportunities offered by political action -- all in the pursuit of as just and free a society as possible. 

Therefore, we stand up for those religious ideals of the American experiment which were introduced to the New Land by our spiritual forefathers. We defend the original intent of their masterwork, the U.S. Constitution which thus requires us to be champions for the freedom of speech against the left’s desire to censor all things it opposes, most especially the historic precepts and virtues of Christianity.

 Christians should also be in firm opposition to Big Tech’s wicked schemes to reign over “the flow of thought.” Google, the establishment press, Wikipedia, Facebook, government agencies, and others have been alarmingly guilty of hiding, distorting, denying, and obliterating altogether those truths that liberate individuals, ennoble and protect civilized culture, and urge men to seek for God. Still other dangers to these freedoms are such things as the criminalization of ideas that disagree with the “thought police;” “bubble zones” that deny pro-life advocates from peaceful, winsome sidewalk counseling (even silent prayers!) outside abortion businesses; the use of State powers to limit (even prohibit altogether) church services and prayer meetings; and denials of an individual’s efforts to raise the American flag, wear a 2nd Amendment T-shirt, or share the gospel of Jesus Christ in a public park. 

Such issues are to be the targets of our fervent prayers and Christ-honoring action.

3) Issues of the Sanctity of Life 

There are two primary battlefronts here. One is the effort to protect moms and preborn boys and girls through legislation and law enforcement.  That is most naturally noble and right to pursue for it is an important application of “rescuing those being dragged to slaughter.” So, whatever actions that might uphold the sanctity of all human life -- and that can realistically be undertaken to that end -- should be given our best efforts. 

Key examples? Stopping government funding of the mega-abortion profiteer that is Planned Parenthood. Reinstating the Mexico City policy. Strengthening and enforcing laws that would protect women from the most egregious crimes against their health and safety. Defending the rights of pro-life advocates and pro-life pregnancy aids centers. Upholding such God-given rights as parental authority. Reversing the easy access to poisonous abortion drugs. Appointing judges who understand and vow to protect the right to life. Elimination of government funding of abortion propaganda -- through the schools, through foreign aid policies, through any channel whatsoever.

But the second battlefield is of at least equal importance. And that is for Christians to enthusiastically and consistently pray for and actively promote the sanctity of human life in the church and in the general culture. We must be cheerleaders for all kids (born and as-yet-unborn), families, foster parents, adoptive parents, and those pregnant women under stress who lovingly relinquish their newborn children into the best homes possible, for people with disabilities and special needs, for the aged and ill and marginalized.  We need to educate people about the scientific (as well as the theological) case for the humanity of preborn children. We need to tell the truth about what happens in an abortion and the terrible effects on moms, dads, and the society as a whole. (This, of course, includes abortions that are caused by chemical poisons, including the tragically misnamed “birth control” pill.) 

And never forget, that in this area as well as all others, both the Christian’s precepts and practice must always be Christ-centered. We do God’s work in God’s ways, depending on the Holy Spirit’s power and direction, and keeping the good news of Christ’s gospel central to our agenda. God gave His Son as a sacrifice for sinners, that all who would simply trust in that awesome Gift as payment for their sins might find forgiveness, new life, a forever family, and an eternal home in heaven. That message must itself be a priority and permeate our other duties. 

We must speak confidently, joyfully, and frequently of the immediate availability of the pardon Jesus paid for us all -- those who have participated in abortion decisions, thieves and robbers, bullies, liars and cheats, murderers, cowards, drunk drivers, manipulators and tempters, traitors, and all those who knew what should have been done but failed to do it. That list goes on -- a list that includes you and me -- and yet there is not one single sinner in the whole world who is excluded from the merciful invitation of Jesus Christ to be saved. 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NASB)

4) Sexual Morality

Once again, we must call things by their right names without fear of being attacked or ridiculed for being out of step with the spirit of the age. We must boldly, wisely, humbly, and with a sincere desire for people’s repentance speak the truth in love of what God’s Word has to say on matters of modesty, promiscuity, marriage, children, parenting, divorce, gender denial and the freakish attempts to manipulate biological realities (“male and female He created them”), and the tragic and dangerous abomination which is homosexual activity. 

The Bible’s teaching also calls Christians to be defenders of biblical standards of both masculinity and femininity, of chivalry and fairness. For instance, Christians should not only stand against sex trafficking and child abuse, but also against drag queens leading children’s story hours at the public library, and against biological men invading women’s sports and such “safe spaces” as bathrooms, showers, and and dorm rooms.

5) Lawlessness

America must get tougher in fighting crime -- a lot tougher! After all, this is a key reason God allowed for earthly government in the first place. Our nation is reeling from lawlessness -- from the blood pollution of abortion, to rape and robberies without number, to sex trafficking and stolen elections, to a brutally broken criminal justice system. There must be change if the nation is to survive.  

Among the most important and immediate targets? We must renew a respect for the law and law enforcement by making the punishment truly fit the crime. Away with the corrupt and counter-productive mess that is our current court system: plea bargaining, easy bail (even for murderers), early parole, erasure of prison time for “good behavior,” the “revolving door” pattern of our jails and prisons, the extremely expensive luxuries awarded to criminals living in “country club” prisons, the refusal to enforce “three strike” rules, progressive and soft-headed judges, etc.  

Build more prisons and keep the grossest criminals there and away from the public. Stiffer penalties are needed for crimes of violence and for crimes that exploit the most vulnerable. And never forget the common sense lesson of the “broken windows” maxim; that is, a society’s disrespect for the rule of law doesn’t begin with bank robbery but rather with the “start-up crimes” of vandalism, trespass, panhandling, shoplifting, looting, “petty” robbery, motor vehicle crimes (including a shameful liberality in dealing with drunk drivers), etc. If our political leaders continue to “sow the wind” by neglecting the enforcement of ALL just laws, the whirlwind our nation will reap will soon be beyond any control whatsoever.

And, it should certainly go without saying, that we need a dramatic improvement of U.S. border security! 

6) Education

Out of dire concern for kids -- and the nation -- Christians should advocate an end to the monopoly held by the fiasco that is the modern government school system. Indeed, the government school system has become a worst case scenario of education failure, crime, bullying, grade inflation, historical revisionism, anti-American passions (and yes, anti-Semitism and anti-Christian attitudes too), socialist propaganda, and a blind dedication to evolution and such other silly, ideologically-motivated “science” as gender realignment and climate change.

In so doing, there has been an enormity of wasted taxpayer funds that stinks to high heaven...because Johnny still can’t read! Oh yes; revolutionary reform of the “public schools” is way past due but it will never happen unless American citizens a) begin to hold school administrators, the teachers’ unions, and the Democrat Party responsible for the ongoing “dumbing down” of America’s youth, and b) provide such incentives for schools to improve as school choice, vouchers, education tax credits, vocational training options, decreases in funding when certain basic levels of education are not met. (P.S. This all applies to the scandal of our nation’s universities too.)

7) National unity, patriotism, civility

How’s this for a world-shaking, world-improving project? Let Americans begin to teach and honor the ideals of the American experiment. Expect from the outset, of course, that we cannot depend on the media or the schools to do this. Nor will we get help from Hollywood, Big Tech, or the local library. But you and I (and our churches) can include in our worldview a joyful thanksgiving for the historic virtues in the American dream -- justice, freedom, hard work, fair play, civility, altruism, sportsmanship, authentic principles of natural conservation, gratitude, courage, respect for the rule of law, looking out for the innocent and needy, honoring genuine public servants, respect for our elders, respect for the cop on the beat and the soldier on the field, and faith in an Almighty, yet personal God. Christians must be role models in these areas and thus teach and inspire our neighbors and the next generations.

8) Election Integrity

It’s way past time to purge registration roles of illegal voters, fake voters, and dead voters! Let’s return to an election DAY with early voting and absentee voting restricted to exceptional, truly necessary situations. No vote harvesting. Paper ballots. Fair and efficient counting with appropriate quality checks as in trained, vetted, third party evaluators of the vote counts. Let us please look to Florida’s procedures instead of the clowns (if not actually, the crooks who are in charge of the counts in California and Arizona.) Strict punishment for election tampering of any sort. And drastic actions taken against foreign countries who try to influence our elections, as did Russia, China, Great Britain, Ukraine, Iran, and the United Nations tried to do this last election.

9) Globalism

It can no longer be dismissed as a “tin hat” conspiracy theory. There are, quite openly now, a cadre of extremely rich elitists who are working for a trans-national world, a world governed by the enlightened caste to which they few belong. And they want to control everything. Human rights are no longer important; it’s all about the State -- humanity in the collective, not in the individual. Thus we see the United Nations passing laws that they insist on being obeyed by every citizen in every country. We see the International Criminal Court issuing an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu.  And we see these “beyond-border oligarchs” glean ever more power to themselves as they control greater swathes of information outlets, corporations and financial markets, entertainment, manufacturing, commerce, pharmaceuticals, education, and more. 

Therefore, whatever American Christians can do to persuade their own countrymen to honor America’s past, her borders, her just laws, and her defense, they should, by all legitimate  means, do. Specific changes would include America’s getting out of the United Nations, strictly observing her commitments to her allies, and refusing to play the patsy as we have so badly in recent years with nations like Iran and Communist China.  

America is a generous nation -- a remarkably and rightfully generous nation. But America must be safe and prosperous in order to help others. So, make tariffs and trade policies work for America and her people. Stop China’s spying and land grabbing. Bring creativity and manufacturing back to American workers. And build up America’s military might. Make the Armed Forces strong and able with their sole purpose being on appropriate military aims rather than the racist, “woke” absurdities they have chased under Presidents Obama and Biden.   

10) Cleaning the Deep State Stables

American patriots should be praying that President Trump and his team dig out, clean up, and widely disinfect the American federal government agencies that have become so smelly with the “progressive” ideologies of DEI, sexual perversion, socialism, abortion zealotry, and Trump Derangement Syndrome. Begin with the State Department, the FBI, the DOJ, the IRS, and the Education Department...at least until it is abolished! And then, don’t stop! Keep cleaning house! 

Shrink the whole arrogant, bloated thing with its nepotism, sheer laziness, mountain high piles of waste and fraud, and inefficiency caused by no-talent government employees who feel no compunction to work hard, work smart, or even work in the national interest. For so terribly many government workers realize that quality control has long been a foreign concept to Washington, D.C., and so they never fear having to face the consequences of lousy job performance. Let’s explain reality to them -- start passing out the pink slips.

Denny's Letter to Santa Gets an Interesting Response

Today I pass along two documents for you to peruse. One is a copy of the letter I sent to Santa a couple of weeks ago. The second document is Santa’s response, being a brief note he wrote to several political officials to which he attached my original letter.  Check ‘em out.

Dear Santa,

Season’s greetings, my old friend. Please know that you remain in my highest regards for your ongoing generosity to mankind. While others may forget your good and noble work, I never shall. Anyhow, here is my “Santa letter” for this year. What I most want for Christmas this year, dear sir, may be beyond even your North Pole magic but I’ve pared down my requests to just three things. And they aren’t entirely self-centered items. Indeed, they are things that are certainly directed for the common good. Here we go.

1) I would like government funds to the mega-abortion corporation Planned Parenthood to be completely eliminated.  Yes, de-fund the ravenous beast altogether. For crying out loud, Santa, this is a multi-million dollar profiteer that brazenly kills preborn boys and girls, zealously promotes and enables promiscuity and, in a dozen other ways, contributes to the decadence of American culture. 

2) I would like serious actions taken to protect America’s democracy from voter fraud. Mr. Claus, America desperately needs to purge the voter registration rolls of the illegal, the fake, and the dead. We need voter I.D. laws, fair and effective voting machines, non-partisan oversight, harsh penalties for vote fraud crooks, and tough enforcement of all of these.

3) I’m also writing you, Santa, with a request for an American renaissance in which America’s lawmakers and opinion leaders will once again be proud of the U.S. Constitution, proud and grateful enough that they will teach it, defend it, and promote it. I am especially desirous that our representatives implement the Constitution’s protection of the freedoms of religion, speech, and association.

Please Santa, I’m deeply appreciative of all the wonderful presents you’ve given me over the years (I especially remember the Willie Mays fielder’s glove in 1960!), but this year I’m asking for you to please concentrate on these three wishes.

Sincerely,

Denny

P.S. Of course, Santa, if you do have a little extra time -- and know that these “extras” I'll now mention are, like the others, not just for myself, but for the good of the whole Western world -- see what you and the elves can do about getting the U.S. borders secure, removing us from the U.N., shutting down the outlandishly bloated and counter-productive Education Department, and cleaning out the fetid Augean Stables which make up the Deep State.

And about that second document? Here’s Santa’s note to the political representatives which he attached to mine before sending it along to President-elect Trump, several of his nominees to Cabinet positions, Governor Pillen, Senators Fischer and Ricketts, Congressmen Bacon, and a few others.

Dear -----------,

I am redirecting this letter to you as it is more in line with your responsibilities than mine.  However, I pass it along with two personal notations.

First, I can vouch for the character of the letter’s author -- at least to the extent that he has maintained a firm place on my “Nice” list ever since his conversion to Christianity way back in 1970.

And second, I personally (and most wholeheartedly) agree with his requests. 
I especially urge you to act quickly upon his first request. As someone who you know has a well-established history as a friend of children, I consider Planned Parenthood one of the most savage and blasphemous villains in history.  So anything and everything you do to de-fund this business would be dearly appreciated up here too.

Thank you for your consideration of Denny’s very important matters,

Sincerely,

S. Claus

(Editor’s note. The above were adapted from a post I wrote at Christmastime 2012.)

The Top 5 (December 7)

It's a very busy Saturday for us -- prayers at the abortion mill, a celebratory lunch down in Lincoln, sermon prep for tomorrow, and more. So, I'm afraid I'm leaving out the article excerpts this morning. But you can handle it! Later...

* "Vital Signs’ Christmas Card Party Is a Wrap. (Now It’s Your Turn!)" (Denny Hartford, Vital Signs Blog)

* "Is World War III Already Here?" (Jay Solomon, The Free Press)

* "A Top 10 Pro-life Priority List" (Denny Hartford, Vital Signs Blog)

* "The terrifying thoughtlessness of Britain’s assisted-dying debate" (Kevin Yuill, spiked!)

* "The Mainstream Media Death Rattle Has Begun. It's Going to Be a Long One, However." (Stephen Kruiser, PJ Media)

A Top 10 Pro-life Priority List

A Top 10 Pro-life Priority List

(Encouraged for Lawmakers

by Vital Signs Ministries & Friends)

1) The defunding of Planned Parenthood.

2) The appointing of genuine pro-life people to places of high influence in the new administration and, of course, also in the judiciary.

3) The immediate release of all pro-life advocates who the Biden administration has thrown into federal prisons because they dared pray in front of an abortion mill.

4) To reinstate the Mexico City policy and cut off all other funding to anti-life agencies and programs.

5) To rescind all Biden administration orders and policies that seek to force radically immoral abortion/gender/sexuality/indoctrination practices on Americans.

6) To end the pollution of our nation’s water system from the dangerous chemicals contained in abortion pills.

7) To use the power of the federal government to defend the sanctity of life rather than undermine, even criminalize, that noble purpose.

8) To actively enforce the Comstock Act, a law that governs how the Postal Service deals with the mailing of abortion poisons.

9) To restore the real meaning of Title IX.

10) To do whatever possible to help build a culture of life in America -- a culture that applauds and encourages adoption, that protects freedom of religion and conscience from all attacks, that prohibits Big Tech from maintaining a monopoly on information, and that assists traditional values regarding sexual morality and healthy family life.

Are There Problems in the Genealogies of Jesus?

“Despite the wealth of evidence that supports the historical reliability of the Gospels, some scholars point to apparent inconsistencies as evidence of their unreliability. One of the most frequently cited contradictions involves the genealogies of Jesus was recorded in Matthew and Luke. At first blush the genealogies of Matthew and Luke may appear to be contradictory; in reality, however, they are ingeniously constructed to highlight different aspects of the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

Matthew, writing to a primarily Jewish audience, emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the seed of Abraham and the legal heir of David, the long-awaited King of Israel Who would ultimately restore His people from exile. As such, Matthew records fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ (Matthew 1:17). Matthew, a former tax collector, skillfully organizes the genealogy of Jesus into three groups of fourteen, the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew letters in King David’s name (D + V + D = 4 + 6 + 4). Thus, Matthew’s genealogy simultaneously highlights the most significant names in the lineage of Jesus and artistically emphasizes our Lord’s identity as Messiah Who would forever sit upon the throne of David.

Luke, writing to a primarily Gentile audience, extends his genealogy past Abraham to the first Adam, thus highlighting that Christ, the Second Adam, is the Savior of all humanity. Additionally, calling Adam “the son of God” and strategically placing the genealogy between Jesus’ baptism and the desert temptation, Luke masterfully reveals Jesus as Theanthropos -- the God-man. It is also instructive to note that while Luke’s genealogy stretches from the first Adam to the Second, only “mountain peaks” in the lineage are accounted for. Thus, it is impossible to determine how many years elapsed between the creation of Adam and the birth of Jesus.

Just as there are different emphases in the genealogies, so too there are different explanations for the dissimilarities between them. Matthew traces his genealogy through David’s son Solomon, while Luke traces his genealogy through David’s son Nathan. It may be that Matthew’s purpose is to provide the legal lineage from Solomon through Joseph, while Luke’s purpose is to provide the natural lineage from Nathan through Mary. It could also be that Matthew and Luke are both tracing Joseph’s genealogy -- Matthew, the legal line, and Luke, the natural line. As such, the legal line diverges from the natural in that Levirate Law stipulated if a man died without an heir, his genealogy could legally continue through his brother (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). The fact that there are a number of ways to resolve dissimilarities rules out the notion that the genealogies are contradictory.

As you read through the genealogies of Jesus...may they remind you that the Babe of Bethlehem is a real, historical person, Who was miraculously conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary and ultimately raised from a tomb in Jerusalem so that you and I can experience rebirth and resurrection.”

(From The Heart of Christmas: A Devotional for the Season. Hank Hanegraaff. Thomas Nelson, 2009)

Vital Signs’ Christmas Card Party Is a Wrap. (Now It’s Your Turn!)

Monday’s Christmas card parties were quite special. True, they were not as well-attended as others in the past, but the 12 writers in the morning party and another 8 in the evening edition turned out a fantastic number of Christmas cards and letters. Nearly 190. Wow. Terrific job, guys! 

Most of our Christmas cards and letters went to pro-life heroes who led the fight here in Nebraska against the abortion zealotry of proposed Amendment 439. And among those, there was tremendous delight in our writing Christmas letters and cards to the NU women athletes whose public service ad was, quite possibly, the most effective in the whole campaign. We also wrote public officials (including the newly-elected), businesses, and various Christian ministry leaders. 

By the way, the photo here shows Claire at the Nebraska Family Alliance office down in Lincoln with Kelly Lanka and outgoing Director Karen Bowling. Claire is handing over the 79 Christmas cards and letters we and our Vital Signs colleagues wrote to the student-athletes along with boxes of Bakers Candies we purchased for each of them to “sweeten up” our appreciation for their courageous pro-life commitment. The NFA staff is going to hand deliver the bundles of letters and the candy. Thank you, guys!

But what of you who weren’t at our Christmas card parties on December 2? Can you still get in on the important ministry of encouragement and advocacy through letters? Of course you can! And we would love to help you do your best. Therefore, over on the Vital Signs website, you can find (in the Taking Action section and under “Letter Writing Targets”) both the general list of who we’re encouraging you to write and the appropriate addresses. And right below I’m dropping in a few samples from Monday’s parties to get you inspired. Ready? Set? Write!

Two of the many Christmas cards sent to

Nebraska Right to Life Director, Sandy Danek --

Sandy,

Barb and I are so grateful for the work you did on initiative 434. I know many were hard on you and you took a lot of heat for your defense of 434, but you did the right thing. The protections for the unborn have been secured largely because of your work. Thank you and merry Christmas!

John and Barb Malek

Sandy,

Just a quick thank you note (and Christmas greeting!) to express once again our deep and abiding appreciation for the really awesome job you did in the fight against 439. It was a superb effort. You displayed creativity, wisdom, tenacity, good cheer, resilience, fervent prayers, networking talents, willingness to sacrifice, and, of course, your winsome love for moms and dads, preborn boys and girls, other pro-life advocates, and the moral fabric of America. Thank you! We are deeply grateful for your investment in all of these things! Good job, kid -- you are a genuine treasure and we love and admire you. May the Lord grant you, your loved one, and the NRL champions s most happy and holy Christmas season.

Denny & Claire Hartford

And a sampling of the cards sent to Karen Bowling, Nate Grasz,

and the team at Nebraska Family Alliance --

Dear Karen,

Thank you for all you have done for the precious unborn and the cause of life. Your leadership has been so wonderful. You will be missed. Merry Christmas to you and your family in Jesus’ love.

Sandra Schoville

Nate and Karen,

Thank you both for your hard work this past election. I don’t know either of you, but can tell you that you have an excellent reputations among many I know. May the Lord remember you for good before His throne. And may His grace always sustain you! With much respect,

Pastor Dan Hauge

Nate,

Barb and I are so grateful for the work you and your wife did on 434. The writing of the initiative, the defense of it, the advocacy for it, and the wisdom of it did not go unnoticed by us. I know you took a lot of heat from some “on our side,” but your work will save lives and we (and God Himself) appreciate that. Have a Merry Christmas.

John & Barb Malek

Here’s one of the Christmas letters to Tom Venzor of the Nebraska Catholic Council, followed by an example of the letters sent to 

Nebraska’s 3 Roman Catholic Bishops --  

Dear Tom,

At our Christmas card party this morning our cards and letters are primarily about the recent victories in the elections, including the hard-won fight here in Nebraska over the abortion related amendments. So it is natural and right that my first batch of letters go to the pro-life heroes who devised the strategy, led the charge, mobilized the troops, provided encouragement and wise counsel along the way, and prayed fervently for God’s grace to be poured out in abundance in our state. Thank you, Tom. And our deepest appreciation to your wife, your team there at the NCC, and your colleagues over at NFA and NRL. You were all splendid and we are very, very grateful! Have a super Christmas season!

Claire Hartford

Your Excellency Archbishop Lucas,

Just a quick note to express our deep and ongoing appreciation for the Bishops’ unified, bold, and effective leadership in the constitutional amendment fight. Your prayers, your courageous and wise counsel, your example of godly service to moms, families, and pre-born kids were all of noble and profound value. All of Nebraska (and many people beyond our borders) are in your debt. Thank you! May our Lord bless you richly, my friend, and may He grant you the merriest of Christmas seasons.

Denny & Claire Hartford

Nebraska’s devoutly pro-life Governor Jim Pillen

wasn’t without a few letters. Here’s two --

Governor Pillen,

Thank you for all you did in defeating 439 and passing 434. I know much remains to be done yet. Nevertheless, we are grateful to God that our state is blessed with your leadership. Thank you.

Perly Schoville

Dear Governor Pillen,

Just a quick word of Christmas cheer AND a profound appreciation for your leadership in our state. You have proven yourself again and again to be a man of integrity, boldness, wisdom, and intentionality. And you have been especially impressive in your pro-life advocacy for which the pro-life community (indeed, Nebraska’s moms and babies) are in your debt. Thank you, Governor. May our Lord grant you and your family a wonderful, joyful Christmas season. 

P. S. I’m enclosing a copy of a recent OWH article penned by our district 18 state senator, Christy Armendariz. It is exceptional. I didn’t know if you had noticed it so I’m sending it along with a request that you might then send HER a note thanking her for the good arguments she made. Thanks again, Governor.

Denny & Claire Hartford

And here are a few of the many messages sent in our cards and letters to the N.U. women athletes thanking them for that powerful pro-life ad. 

Dear Jordy,

My name is Anna Troutman and I am a freshman at Concordia Lutheran High School. I wanted to write to tell you “thank you” for supporting 434 and the pro-life cause. It was very encouraging to see! Go Big Red! Merry Christmas! 

Dear Lauren,

I am a 10 year old named Isaiah Troutman. I am a big Husker fan. Thank you for supporting 434. Thank you for standing up for what is right. Thank you for opposing 439. You did great in the ad for supporting 434 and opposing 439. Merry Christmas. 

Dear Abbie,

My name is Lydia Troutman and I am a freshman at Concordia Junior/Senior High School in Omaha. I would like to thank you for supporting 434 and the pro-life cause. You girls were great. Thanks for doing what is right. Go Big Red! Have a merry Christmas! 

Dear Malia,

My name is Luke Trotman and I am a junior at Concordia High School. I want to thank you for supporting 434 and opposing 439. Your help made a really big difference! Go Big Red! And Merry Christmas too!

Dear Hannah, 

You are truly a warrior in the defense for the sanctity of life! You took a valiant stand against the degradation of our culture and persevered in the face of great challenge. You are to be highly regarded among all who care for life. So, on behalf of all pro-life people in Nebraska, thank you! With highest regard,

Mark & Benita Fichter

Hey Lauren! A big shout-out for your participation in what was probably the most effective pro-life ad in the recent ballot amendment fight. My goodness, to have such lovely and talented, women of character present such a clear, common-sense case for 434 and against 439 was of profound significance. We are only two of the many Nebraskans who are forever in your debt for that bold and beautiful effort. Thank you, Hannah! May our Lord grant you and your loved ones the most merry of Christmas seasons!

Denny & Claire Hartford 

By the way, the ads featuring the athletes were sponsored by Regents Scheer and Schafer. Here is one of the Christmas notes sent their way --

Dear Regent Scheer,

Thank you for your involvement in supporting 434. We had so frequently we prayed for success for that outcome and your generosity helped immensely! I believe you made a very big difference. Sir, we are proud of you. Merry Christmas!

Rob & Hope Golden

There were other terrific pro-life “ads” that

made a huge difference in the ballot fight --

Dear Dr. Mizner,

We wanted to send along our deep and abiding appreciation for the marvelous service you provided in the fight against amendment 439. Your pro-life ad was clear, concise, and very effective. It presented so well the facts of the case that the left was trying to hide, even as it underscored the compassionate, noble ideals that motivated the pro-life community in this fight. Yours was a particularly winsome ad and we are among the many here in Nebraska (and beyond!) who are in your debt. May our Lord grant you and your loved ones an especially blessed Christmas season.

Denny & Claire Hartford

Among other sources of financial help for the fight

against the abortion extremists was the Ricketts family. 

Here is one letter of several letters to Senator Ricketts.

Dear Senator Pete Ricketts,

Thank you for always standing strong for the unborn and for the cause of life. Thank you for supporting other crucial conservative values. Thank you for representing Nebraskans so well in so many areas. And thank you for you and your family’s great generosity in fighting against the evil that was Amendment 439. You can be counted on to lead with integrity and we are truly grateful. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Sandra Schoville

Here’s a sampling of Christmas letters to local pastors --

Pastor Chuck,

Thank you for your work on 434 and against 439. Your multiple lessons on the issue helped our state defeat 439. Your integrity and passion is a blessing -- coupled with your Bible teaching to our church, they have eternal results. May God continue His blessing on your work. May you know the joy and peace of the Lord at Christmas time and always. 

Perly Schoville

Dear Dan,

In the evening edition of our Christmas card party, I wanted to send thanks to one of the pastors who winsomely and effectively fought Amendment 439. Your efforts were inspiring and very helpful. Way to go!

Denny & Claire Hartford

Dear Rev. Snow,

 I am writing to express my appreciation for the District’s efforts in behalf of the pro-life cause. It was courageous of you to get directly involved and we deeply appreciate it. I am a lifelong Lutheran and, though I know the Missouri Synod is pro-life, it was extra encouraging to see the work on behalf of “the least of these” that you and your colleagues performed in the Nebraska ballot fight. God bless you! Merry Christmas! 

Matt Troutman

To the Republican National Committee --

Merry Christmas, friends! And now that America has a splendid chance to get back on track and “make America great again,” we are asking you to please “make the G.O.P Platform great again” by restoring the language (and intentionality) of the former Platform’s pro-life commitments. Please act on this ASAP. The moms, the babies, the families, and the moral fabric of America deserve it.

Denny Hartford

To the Democratic National Committee --

My, my but the Democrat party has undergone a strange evolution. Indeed, the Democrats that once embraced such pro-life advocates as Hubert Humphrey, Sargent Shriver, Henry “Scoop” Jackson, Ed Zorinsky, and Bob Casey Sr., now requires of its members a devotion to absolutely unlimited abortion. That was the paramount priority of the Harris/Walz campaign and they spent $570 million in abortion ads in desperate hopes that American voters would back them up.

It proved a most disastrous plan as the Party suffered a drastic loss in credibility and influence, not only with religious-minded voters, but with scores of others who understand the state’s legitimate interest in parental rights, rights of conscience, informed consent, and various other health and safety concerns for moms and preborn children. 

If the Democrat Party desires to remain at all relevant in the future, it will look to its less exclusionary history and drop like a hot potato its abortion extremism.”

Denny Hartford

"A More Godly Gift Than a King"

“He was beginning to see, as never before, that there might be a spiritual kingdom of more import to men than an earthly empire; and that after all a Savior would indeed be a more godly gift than the greatest king.” (General Lew Wallace, Ben-Hur)

Amid the sordid swirl of modern politics, it’s crucial to keep one’s priorities in order. Not that the Christian doesn’t have immense responsibilities in this temporal realm. Indeed, we have been given such responsibilities by God as a most sacred trust. We are, for instance, commanded to let our lights shine, to preach and teach, to occupy until Jesus comes, to do (not only talk about or vote for) justice, to humbly dispense mercy and help, to love sinners and seek to persuade them of the truths of the gospel, to remain unstained by the world even as we confront it with the revelations we have been given of God’s character and commands. 

But, when all is said and done, this earth does have an expiration date. And, thanks to the amazing grace of God offered to sinners through the death and resurrection of Jesus, Christians are citizens of another country, a better country, a redeemed country where the government will be on the shoulders of the great I AM. The marvelous reality of the world to come makes all the difference in why and how we serve our Savior in this one.

The Top 5 (November 30)

1) * "Finland’s Shocking 99% Chemical Abortion Rate Shows America its Future" (Jordan Estabrook, Students for the Life of America)

From the article -- It’s hard to think Chemical Abortion Pills are to blame for all abortions in Finland through Chemical Abortion Pills, but these statistics don’t lie. In America, it should bring a shiver down the spine of every freedom-loving and life-affirming American. Currently, these deadly pills make up  63% of all abortions in America. Still, the percentage is likely higher than what the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute reveals, given that we have no National Abortion Reporting Law. However, we can trust Finland’s numbers due to their rigorous efforts to report every abortion through an AB 4 Form submitted to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.  

At this rate, more lives have been lost, starved, and expelled out of their mothers’ wombs, only to be flushed into a watery grave moments later. More women and girls have been coerced and forced into abortion by abusers thanks to unregulated mail-in abortion rings.  

Sadly, due to copious human remains that not even hospitals would put into our sewers, there will be water pollution and PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”  

But just like America, Finland didn’t get to a near-total chemical abortion wave overnight.

2) * "Too many Americans remain in the dark about Planned Parenthood, and the media is fine with it" (Nancy Flanders, Live Action)

From the article -- “A lot of people don’t know Planned Parenthood, that they help low-income people with birth control, Pap smears, and mammograms,” she said. “It’s all free if you are broke, and I happened to be broke. You can’t close it down, and get rid of all the other things that it helps with, because you don’t like one thing it does.” But when the “one thing it does” that people “don’t like” is the literal killing of innocent human beings before birth, the effort to shut it down makes perfect ethical and logical sense.

And in reality, only 2% of women of reproductive age use Planned Parenthood’s services.

According to the National Vital Statics at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), just over 3.6 million women began receiving prenatal care in 2022. And less than 1% of those women received those prenatal services from Planned Parenthood. With Pap tests, the picture is the same: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 66% of women aged 18 and over had a Pap test within the past three years, and less than 1% of women received theirs at Planned Parenthood.

In addition, Planned Parenthood doesn’t provide any mammograms. However, it is the number one abortion provider in the nation — committing approximately 40% of all abortions. According to its most recent annual report, Planned Parenthood increased its abortions in 2022-2023 by 5% to 392,715 a year. That’s up 100% from its total abortions in 2000.

3) * "Put a smile on your dial. Or else." (Ann Farmer, Mercator)

From the article -- On October 31, 2024, it became illegal to protest against abortion, hand out leaflets, or even silently pray within 150 metres of any abortion facility in England and Wales, on pain of an unlimited fine. Coming into force on Halloween, this creepy new law was a treat for the abortion industry, which can anticipate a hefty rise in income, but a trick on everyone else; for although harassment is already illegal and there is no evidence of it being committed by pro-lifers, the British public has been tricked into thinking otherwise. We have come a long way from the Nuremberg Trials, when abortion was regarded as a crime against humanity, and the UN’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which enshrined the right to life from conception.

For more on Europe's devolution into fascism, see "French Government Declares that Abortion Cannot Be Called a 'Cause of Death' in Free Speech Crackdown" (Jonathan Turley)

4) * "Biden-Harris admin weaponized DOE, targeted Christian, career colleges with nearly 70% of enforcement" (Katie Daviscourt, PM.)

From the article -- The Biden-Harris administration's Department of Education issued 70 percent of its enforcement actions on Christian universities and career schools, despite the fact that these faith-based institutions account for less than 10 percent of the US student population, a new report shows.  The report from the American Principles Project (APP) found that "at least 12 Christian colleges have been the target of excessive penalties or banned from receiving federal student aid; by comparison, no Ivy League school has been the recipient of punitive action by the Office of Enforcement." Among the colleges most heavily targeted include Grand Canyon University (GCU) and Liberty University (LU). "The average fine against a Christian school for a Clery Act violation was $815,000, compared to $228,571 against public and private institutions," according to the report.

Jon Schweppe, APP's policy director, claimed Democrats under Biden have been "weaponizing every part of the federal government to target their opponents."

5) * "Dismantle the United Nations" (Melanie Phillips, JNS)

From the article -- After the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July falsely accused Israel of illegally occupying the disputed territories of Judea and Samaria -- having previously given serious consideration last February to a grotesque claim that Israel was committing genocide by defending itself against genocide—people said the ICJ was a travesty of a court that systematically misused the law to delegitimize and destroy Israel.

When are people going to join the dots? It’s not just these bodies that have been corrupted and need to be dismantled. It’s the whole panoply of international law and “human rights” that’s become an onslaught against truth and justice and has knocked the entire world off its moral compass.

At the very center of this vortex of moral corruption is the United Nations. Set up after World War II as the global custodian of peace and justice, it has systematically betrayed that core aim by its obsessional malice against Israel. It has singled out the only democracy in the Middle East for wildly disproportionate and wholly unfounded denunciation as the world’s worst abuser of human rights while ignoring or downplaying the terrible and all-too-real abuses by tyrannical member states.