A Thank-You Letter Regarding American Energy Independence

After reading this Fox News story a few days ago, "How American engineers unlocked the impossible beneath the Gulf of America," I wrote letters of commendation both to Chevron and Transoceanic. After all, innovation and hard work that pays off for America deserves appreciation. Right? The basic letter sent to both companies is below.

Dear Transoceaan, 

The recent accounts of your amazing breakthroughs in the Gulf of America with Deepwater Titan and Deepwater Atlas have made for a particularly relevant success story as we prepare to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America. Your optimistic and innovative work is paying off for your company AND for the grand goal of securing America’s energy independence.

That, of course, is also wonderful news for the average American whose savings accounts will be nicely helped as energy costs decline

Perhaps businesses do not receive many thank-you notes, but the Transocean team certainly deserves them So, as both a consumer and an American patriot, I send my thanks for the very impressive achievements you have made in partnership with Chevron and others. A good grip of the science. Boldness. Courage. Hard work. A unified team. Perseverance. You are truly to be congratulated and again, to be thanked.

What's A.I. Saying About Vital Signs Ministries?

After a conversation with a friend lately about the increasing presence and influence of A.I. on all aspects of our lives, we decided to try a couple of experiments. We thought you might find the results of interest also.

Here’s the deal -- we asked an A.I. program to “tell us about” 1) Vital Signs Ministries, 2) “When Swing Was King,” 3) my novel “The Christmas Room,” and finally 4) Vital Signs Blog. Here were the answers...

Vital Signs Ministries

Vital Signs Ministries is a Christian nonprofit organization based in Omaha, Nebraska, founded in 1982 by Denny and Claire Hartford. The ministry describes itself as “Christian activists in the service of ‘the least of these’” and operates with a core commitment to a comprehensive sanctity of life ethic. 

Here are the key aspects of their work:

Mission Focus: Their primary goals include preaching the gospel, making disciples, and serving others through education, direct action, intercession, advocacy, and fellowship. They are particularly known for their pro-life stance and efforts to promote a culture of life. 

Key Programs: Pregnancy Counseling: They established the AAA Center for Pregnancy Counseling to support women and families.

Sidewalk Counseling: They engage in prayerful, peaceful, and winsome sidewalk counseling at abortion facilities. 

Senior Outreach: They run the popular “When Swing Was King” ministry, which provides entertainment and companionship in senior care facilities. They also conduct Sunday services at local senior living communities like Aksarben Village. 

Media & Education: The ministry has produced radio broadcasts (“Vital Signs” and “Vital Signs Weekend”), maintains an active blog and social media presence, and hosts book discussions and film showings. Also, founders Denny and Claire Hartford have conducted thousands of speaking engagements across the U.S. and internationally. The organization remains active in 2026 continuing its long-standing work in Omaha and beyond through various outreach and educational initiatives.

“When Swing Was King”

“When Swing Was King” is a ministry program by Vital Signs Ministries designed to bring joy, memory stimulation, and social connection to seniors in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The program features a live presentation that combines big band music from the 1930s and 40s (featuring artists like Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Frank Sinatra) with a slideshow of 240–265 era-specific photographs depicting fashion, cars, military life, and daily life from that time.

Hosted by founders Denny and Claire Hartford, the show includes a DJ-style commentary that adds humor and historical context, followed by personal visits with residents to foster friendship. While primarily an entertainment outreach intended to combat boredom and lift spirits, it also serves as a winsome witness for the Christian faith, often opening doors for spiritual conversations and prayer. The program began in July 2010 as a single event for Denny’s mother but has grown to serve multiple facilities monthly.

“The Christmas Room”

Denny Hartford’s novel “The Christmas Room” is an inspirational Christian fiction story set within the walls of a nursing home, focusing on themes of faith, dignity, aging, and the enduring spirit of the elderly.

Plot Summary -- The story begins with Grace Trinisi, a woman in the ICU who is unaware that Christmas has passed. Her son, Tony, fulfills her wish to see a Christmas tree in her room, creating a small sanctuary of holiday cheer that becomes known as “The Christmas Room.” This space not only comforts Grace but also inspires the hospital staff. Grace survives her illness but is diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia, leading her son to move her to Villa Vista Care Community, an innovative nursing home. The Christmas Room travels with her, becoming a central, year-round fixture of the facility under the guidance of the visionary director, Carolyn Kovacs.

The narrative weaves together the lives of various residents and staff, exploring their struggles and triumphs. Key characters include: Clark Gritzner, the difficult son of a resident whose actions create a medical emergency for his wife, Mattie, and who hides a personal crisis; Carolyn Kovacs, the dedicated director who manages the facility's daily challenges, from lawsuits to expansion plans; Rita Costello: a nurse aide whose compassion leads to professional growth; and Ralph Yarborough, an elderly custodian whose heroic actions in a restaurant change the facility’s future.

The plot balances the day-to-day realities of long-term care with a mystery involving Clark Gritzner and a broader message about the value of every human life, regardless of age or ability 

Reception and Reviews -- The book has received a 4.4 out of 5-star rating on Amazon based on reader reviews. Readers and reviewers consistently praise the novel for its realistic and empathetic portrayal of nursing home life.

Emotional Impact: Many reviewers describe the book as “uplifting,” “heartwarming,” and “full of love.” It is noted for bringing tears and joy, resonating deeply with those who have cared for aging parents or worked in healthcare 

Educational Value: Several readers, including those working in senior care or studying for Clinical Pastoral Education, highlight the book’s ability to provide insight into the “blood, sweat, tears, and joy” of nursing homes. It is often recommended for training staff or helping families understand the aging process 

Spiritual Depth: As a work of Christian fiction, the story is praised for its exploration of faith, forgiveness, and the healing power of love. One reviewer noted it felt like “a bit of heaven in this cursed world.” 

Realism: While the setting is idealized, reviewers appreciate that it does not shy away from difficult topics like dementia, abuse, and family conflict, ultimately showing the potential for nursing homes to be places of dignity and community. One reviewer, a pastor, mentioned that while they initially wanted to deduct a star for the idealized nature of the facility, they awarded five stars because the book shows what nursing homes “can and should be.”

Vital Signs Blog

The Vital Signs Blog is the commentary platform for Vital Signs Ministries, a non-profit Christian organization based in Omaha, Nebraska. The blog is primarily written and curated by Denny Hartford, who co-founded the ministry with his wife, Claire, in 1982.

The blog and its content center around several core pillars:

1. Cultural and Political Commentary

Hartford writes extensively from a traditional Christian, conservative, and pro-life worldview. He frequently provides commentary on current events, local and national politics, and what he describes as the “culture wars.” This includes curating consistent roundups like “The Top 5 Plus,” where he highlights and critiques media articles on topics ranging from religious freedom to societal trends and geopolitics.

2. Pro-Life Advocacy

A major focus of both the ministry and the blog is anti-abortion advocacy. Hartford uses the blog to share insights on pro-life theology (such as analyzing biblical texts regarding the preborn), promote local activist events, and discuss political initiatives, particularly within Nebraska.

3. Literature and the Arts

Beyond politics and theology, Hartford frequently shares his personal reflections on classic literature, films, and history (he holds a master’s degree in history). He has a deep affinity for classic authors like Charles Dickens, Alexandre Dumas, and G.K. Chesterton, often drawing moral or spiritual applications from their works. He also runs a closely related secondary blog called The Book Den, which is dedicated more strictly to literature and popular culture reviews.

4. Ministry Updates and Community Engagement

The blog serves as a ledger for the ministry’s practical outreach programs. This includes updates on their “When Swing Was King” program (a multimedia big band music show they present at senior living communities and nursing homes) and their regular “letter-writing parties” aimed at advocacy and encouragement.

You can read his updates and commentary directly through The Blog - Vital Signs Ministries or follow his personal, ongoing posts at the standalone Vital Signs Blogspot.

Chemical Abortion -- An Open Letter

Dear Senator Fischer,

We’ve had a lot of talk about “nibbling around the edges” when it comes to the scourge of chemical abortifacients, particularly the widespread use of mifepristone (the powerful drug now responsible for the majority of abortions in the U.S.) but finally, Senator Hawley is directly addressing the primary issues with the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act. 

This bill seeks to rightly strip mifepristone of its longstanding approval from the Food and Drug Administration. After all, it is a profoundly powerful poison out that most barbarically kills reborn boys and girls as well as leaving women to face such severe complications as heavy bleeding, sepsis, and worse, usually without any genuine medical oversight. It is a lucrative business for abortionists, but a tragic and evil one.

As Senator Hawley emphasized, “Only Congress can address this situation. Only Congress is placed to regulate the flow of interstate drugs. Only Congress can withdraw the FDA’s approval rendered way back in the Clinton administration for this drug that has proved to be inherently dangerous and inherently prone to abuse. Only Congress can act. Congress should act. And we are here today to call on them to act.”

Senator Fischer, please join him quickly as a co-sponsor of the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act and work enthusiastically for its passage.

Thank you.

Letter-Party Update (With Examples!)

A couple of days ago, the Vital Signs Ministries quarterly letter-writing parties were held at our home with 7 letter-writers in attendance at both the morning and evening editions. And beyond those present, there are a couple more concerned Christians who will be using our information to write letters themselves in the next few days. (And we sure hope you might join them Just let us know and we will send you the target sheet and the appropriate address list.)

Our targets this time around? Here’s the prepared list:

1)) To the President, Cabinet members, Senators, and Congress: Abortion Pill...F.A.C.E. Act... Persecution of Christians...Confirming Trump’s nominees...   Pursuit & prosecutions regarding RussiaGate...Getting out of the United Nations...Border policies...Lawlessness...etc.

2) To the President, Cabinet members, Senators, and Congress: “Attaboy” messages: thanks, encouragement, prayer reminders (and reminders of unfinished business)

3) To friends, pro-life heroes, Christian ministries, and others: “Attaboy” messages: thanks, encouragement, prayer reminders

4) To the Nebraska Attorney General: Opposing abortion pills, the effect of abortion pill “shield laws,” lawlessness, and 7-OH (“gas station heroin”)

5) To the Texas Governor: Appreciation and encouragement for redistricting actions

6) To Disney/ABC and Steve Harvey: Protest of Celebrity Family Feud

7) To Chip & Joanna Gaines: Protesting their promotion of same-sex “marriage”

8) To Fox News: Enough of the establishment media and “bikini body” stories

9) To companies retreating from DEI & LGBTQ foolishness: Good move (so far)

10) To Congress, Nebraska AG: “Gas Station Heroin”

And how about a few sample letters from our efforts? Here you go...

Dear Mr. President,

Thank you, President Trump for all the ways you are making America great again! However, I do want you to pursue further and faster getting rid of the FACE Act and stopping the distribution of the deadly abortion pill. In our ministry we are working hard every day to help moms and their babies and seniors who have been discarded by our society; we are asking you to please help us in that enormous but oh-so-critical mission. Thank you, Mr. President. CH

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

Thank you very much for opening an investigation into abortion pills. Unlike medicines which help diagnose, cure, or prevent disease, these pills kill innocent babies as well as endangering the lives and damaging the health of the mothers. Please continue to lead a thorough investigation to uncover and reveal the truth about abortion pills. As a Christian, I thank God for and pray for you. Thank you for seeing if the pills can at least be regulated if not banned. Thank you very much. Sincerely, IS

To Nate Grasz and the team at Nebraska Family Alliance who are continuing to fight the good fight,

Thank you is not adequate but, nevertheless, thank you for all you are doing to stand for righteousness in these days. God sees you as you honor Him. Thank you for continuing to seek Him for wisdom and discernment. He will continue before you, guide, and strengthen you as you serve Him. Thanks to His work through you, great things are happening in Nebraska. With love and respect. MR

Dear Tractor Supply,

I am so pleased that you changed your unfair DEI policies and got back to hiring people who are best at what they do. We have a Tractor Supply store near us and I will enjoy ending our boycott and going back to shopping there. Thanks again. Good move! CH

To Director Gabbard,

I want to thank you for your hard work in declassifying documents that demonstrate the high crimes that have been committed by our intelligence agencies against the American people and against President Trump. This is incredibly important work that you are doing and we can but imagine the fierce headwinds that oppose you -- spiritual and natural. I want you to know that I am very grateful and I pray for you regularly that you would have divine strategy and courage and guidance. I also pray that God will guard your heart soul and body. Regards, JM

Dear Disney/ABC,

Okay, so I do not watch your channels. Well, not since the days of Fess Parker portraying Davy Crockett anyway. And I suppose I still feel a bit disappointed because my sleeveless shirt didn’t fit the dress code of Disneyland back in 1968. However, it is now on grounds of morality that I will be speaking to family, friends, and fellow church members about the debased nature of your programs in recent years. I have cautioned folks before, but this most recent travesty was really over-the-top. I’m referring to the episode of Celebrity Family Feud in which profane innuendos were exchanged between the supposedly Christian host Steve Harvey and an all-transgender team who were trying to win money for prostitutes! Good grief! When I first heard of this, I figured it was some kind of spoof, something cooked up by SNL or the Babylon Bee. But alas, I discovered it was all too true.

And so, I will be encouraging my friends to drop ABC, drop Disney, drop any plans they might have had for your amusement parks and merchandise, and to pass the word along to others. Please reverse course. You have already shamed Mickey and Minnie and Goofy and all the rest by your bizarre actions, so please stop it. And reverse course. DH

Dear President Trump, 

I want to thank you for your tireless efforts in the many areas that you are trying to build back America, including fighting against the satanic influences that are staining and endangering our country. We pray for you and your entire cabinet that God will bless your efforts. I especially applaud your support of Israel since they are the most obvious indicator that God is in control of history and that His plan (as shown in the Bible) is heading towards its ultimate climax. God bless you and your family. Ephesians 2:8-9 JL

To the John Deere Company, 

This letter is to express my appreciation for your company’s decision to retreat from the DEI and LGBTQ foolishness you had been following. Your changed position will certainly prove to convince consumers that supporting your company once again is a good thing -- and it will result in financial success for your company as well. Thanks again. Respectfully, MW

Dear Secretary Hegseth,

Thank you very much for defending the United States. Especially thank you for supporting Israel, stopping Iran, and containing Russia. I’m a Christian and a Republican...and I pray for you and others in the government. Please continue to support a strong stand for our ally Israel and defend them against their enemies. Please also do what it takes to stop Putin in Ukraine. Thank you for stopping so many extreme terrorists and, in doing so, making the United States and the world a safer place. Sincerely, IS

Dear Vice-President Vance,

Thanks for your bold, inspirational leadership. You are providing our nation -- and the world -- the kind of honest, courageous, and relevant service we have so long needed. Stay the course!

A few of the issues that most concern me? Much stricter regulation of the abortion pill... the repeal of the FACE act...the diligent pursuit of lawbreakers including the lying schemers behind RussiaGate...the complete and permanent defunding of the mega-abortion corporation, Planned Parenthood...serving as the best advocate of persecuted Christians (both here and abroad)...and getting a real grip on the lawlessness that so sadly marks our nation nowadays. Thank you for your attention to these matters. DH

Dear AG Mike Hilgers,

I’m writing to express my concern over the sale of “gas station heroin” (7-hydroxymitragynine, aka 7-OH) in some retail outlets in our state. The incredible risks to our youth need to be addressed quickly. Thank you. JL 

PS: I am also very opposed to abortion pills and their distribution in the state. What can be done about that?

Governor Pillen,

I have recently become aware of a new opioid threat to our community. 7-OH,  a derivative of the kratom plant which is reportedly 13 times as potent as morphine! This product is sold and marketed to children in the form of candy flavored gummies. I’ve asked Attorney General Hilgers and want to ask you as well -- is there anything we can do about this product? The thought of our young people being harmed by this is just too much. I hope we can do something...and soon! Regards, JM

Texas Governor Greg Abbott,

Thanks for your strong leadership for conservative values and the rule of law in your state. It is so refreshing to have governors stand up to the whiny, America-belittling, America-blaming Democrats. Keep it up! We are praying for you. CH

Dear Mr. Lindstrom,

As citizens from the district you represented well when in the Nebraska Unicameral, we are very interested in your candidacy for Nebraska’s 2nd District in the U.S. Congress. However, we were disappointed that we were unable to find anywhere on your website a strong and clear statement regarding your pro-life position. Did we miss something? Or perhaps, are you missing something; namely, the chance to underscore your pro-life positions which we know would attract and energize the pro-life organizations, churches, and communities which will be necessary for your successful candidacy? Sincerely, DH

Our First Pachyderm Luncheon

Claire and I attended the Greater Omaha Pachyderm Luncheon yesterday, an event sponsored by a local G.O.P. group that, it turns out, hosts these luncheons the second, fourth, and fifth Monday of each month at the German American Society. The luncheon costs $25 (which will certainly limit our attendance) but yesterday's experience was excellent: enlightening, challenging, and helpful to the max. Thank you so much to John Sieler for the heads up about this opportunity. 

Yesterday’s program presented a panel of three Nebraska state senators who answered a variety of questions from the audience. Those senators were Rick Holdcroft (District 36), newly-elected Bob Anderson (District 49), and our own state senator Christy Armendariz (District 18). Claire and I were favorably impressed with the knowledge, conservative conviction, skill, and passion presented by all three yesterday as they discussed in detail various issues -- state finances, the abortion amendment fight, election integrity, OPPD, school choice, the Electoral College, and the complicated ways the “Unicameral machine” tries to do its work. 

As conservative Christians who recognize more than ever the need to be effective ambassadors for Christ in the public square -- as well as in church and our prayer closets -- we were very grateful we attended this event. We urge others to utilize the opportunity as you are able.

Oh yes, we had a delightful reunion there with a gentleman who is not only a Nebraska hero, but a friend and mentor, Hal Daub. That alone was worth the price of our admission!

"Why I Am a Republican" (Another Look)

Well worth another look...

Caring Enough To Write

Do you think a letter to Tractor Supply thanking them for the recent reversal of their “woke policies” is in order? Yeah, I do too. What about letters of polite but firm protest to the International Olympic Committee regarding the shameful takeover of women’s sports by men pretending to be females? Or letters to the Secret Service about their horrific failures to protect presidential candidate Donald Trump? 

Don’t forget the dire need to inform family, friends, and church members of what’s at stake this fall regarding the extreme pro-abortion amendment that will be on Nebraska’s election ballot. And, finally, would thank-you notes to a few of the champions of the sanctity of life, religious freedom and other crucial, biblically-founded values be of important value? 

The answer, of course, is yes to these questions. And that suggests that an enthusiastic “yes” would be the right answer regarding letters that would share the light of truth, compassion, and justice in many other areas of social life.

This is why, of course, Vital Signs Ministries has been hosting regular letter writing parties ever since we began way back in 1983. It’s why we’re still doing it now -- hosting parties that provide information, motivation, accountability, and practical assistance in this important advocacy and encouragement ministry. Why not plan on joining us for our next letter-writing party? We will have a list of timely issues and relevant recipients for your letters and cards. We will have stationary, envelopes, and stamps. And we will have coffee, tea, cookies, and cakes to sustain you throughout the 90 minutes we use for letter writing!

We know that you will find it an encouraging, helpful and, rewarding time of fellowship and ministry, so please give us the word that you’ll come be a part. For your convenience, we actually provide 2 parties: Tuesday, July 30 at 10 and then that evening at 7, both at our home. We would love to have you join us, so please let us know if you’re interested. 

A Letter-Party Wrap (Along with Sample Letters)

Yesterday Vital Signs Ministries hosted our quarterly letter-writing parties with the issues considered including sanctity of life, religious freedom, sexual and gender sanity, and a lot of thank-yous to those who well deserve them. Both parties proved a terrific success with 8 letter-writers at the brunch party (Sandy, Allen, Cindy, Dan, Ann, John, Claire and I) and 9 in the evening edition (Keith, Carol, Becky, Don, Sharon, Karla, Claire and I) And the total for the two parties? 85 cards and letters! Great job, guys!

Many of those letters dealt with the government’s giving $699 million to the mega-abortion profiteer Planned Parenthood, President Biden’s outrageous twisting of Title IX which will (among other stupid travesties) allow men into girl’s bathrooms and showers, the vicious attacks on Israel and the anti-Semitic demonstrations around the country, the pornographic actions of Instagram, and school choice. Below in this post you can find reprints of a few of those letters.  But first, here’s a breakdown by recipient: 

President Biden (4 letters); Kamala Harris (3); 3 Supreme Court Justices; Senator Deb Fischer (5); Senator Pete Ricketts (5); Senator Marco Rubio (1); Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (3); Congressman Don Bacon (7); Governor Jim Pillen (5); Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers (1); Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert (3); and 3 State Senators.

In addition: Israeli Ambassador Herzog (5); Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu (1); Food and Drug Administration (1); Instagram (1); College of the Ozarks (2); Hillsdale College (1); Scheel’s (3); the letters section of the Omaha World Herald (1); and 3 pastors.

Finally, among those receiving notes of thanks, encouragement, and compliments were Vital Signs Ministries colleagues who are dealing with tough trials (3); Assure Women’s Center (5); Amir Tsarfati (2); the Omaha Police Department (3); Eternal Perspective Ministries (2); and receiving cards signed by all of the letter-writers present…the Omaha Fire Department, Julie Arant, Alliance Defending Freedom, Samaritan’s Purse, Tim Tebow Foundation, Joni & Friends, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and One for Israel. 

Okay, about those sample letters…

To the Public Pulse of the Omaha World Herald,

The latest annual report of Planned Parenthood is out and it reveals information that the abortion business certainly hopes the public will not learn about. For instance, that surgical abortions are at an all-time high (392, 715); revenue is at an all-time high ($2 billion with $699 million of that coming from taxpayers); hormone therapy, puberty blockers and other “gender care” dramatically increasing; and for every adoption referral Planned Parenthood makes, it performs 228 abortions. As they say, it’s your tax dollars at work.

Congressman Bacon,

Okay, President Biden and the Democrats rightly get the blame for some of America’s horrendous national sins. For instance, the twisting of Title IX to allow men into girls’ showers, or the mega-abortion profiteer Planned Parenthood getting an incredible third of its $2 billion revenue from the government. However, it is the Congress who controls the purse strings of the government! So why hasn’t the Republican-controlled House put a stop to these travesties? Because, like junior high kids who wilt at the possible displeasure of the “cool kids” clique, Republicans refuse to stand their ground before the criticism of Democrats and the establishment media. Were Republicans to actually do in Washington what they promise their constituencies back home, how much more moral and safe and efficient and happy our nation would be.

Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,

We are just a few of Israel’s friends who are writing tonight with a quick word of thanks for your noble and courageous leadership and a reminder that the few of us are only a small slice of the many, many Americans who support Israel, who pray for her safety and prosperity, and who are urging our own leaders to be much more supportive of Israel in her battles against terrorism and anti-Semitism. As evangelical Christians, we have a loyal love for the nation of Israel and we will continue to pray for you.

To the Food and Drug Administration,

The FDA is supposed to watch out for the health and well-being of the people in this country. However, you are allowing unborn children to be destroyed by powerful abortion chemicals and, at the same time, you’re endangering the lives of untold numbers of women. How wicked! 

To the officials at Meta,

Why does Instagram and Facebook promote the sexualizing of children? You should be ashamed of the way your company promotes pornography and the abuse of women and children. Please reconsider how you can stop these horrific practices. Remember that God sees all that you are doing and one day you will be judged for these actions.

Dear Senator Rubio,

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed reading your Decades of Decadence. What a terrific book -- enlightening, inspiring, and frequently infuriating! You did such an excellent job in your research and in the writing of the book. Way to go! But thank you, Senator, even more for the principled, energetic, winsome leadership you are providing in the United States Senate. Stay the course!

You are in our frequent prayers.

Dear President Biden,

I’m writing this morning with 10 specific complaints which I hope you will, with God’s grace granting you repentance and a brand new start, make right very soon. 

1) Please stop promoting the barbaric bloodshed perpetrated for profit by abortionists. 

2) Please stop lying and cheating and bribing.

3) Please stop trying to divide the American people along lines of race, religious convictions, ethnicity, gender, economic status, and political opinions.

4) Please stop placating wicked bullies like Iran and China. Indeed, please stop “weaponizing” government agencies to harass (even persecute) Christians and others who oppose your radical “woke” plans for America.

5) Please defend America’s borders. 

6) Please stop wasting American money on useless, counterproductive, and even blasphemous practices. 

7) Please stop your incessant actions to promote, assist, and fund perverted sexual practices and ideologies. 

8) Please free American industry and creativity so that we can once again be energy independent. 9) Please start protecting religious freedom and freedom of conscience. 

10) Please stop trying to destroy America’s most noble ideas and traditions.

You are in my prayers, Mr. President, as I ask God’s grace for you to make a dramatic change of heart and mind.

To the brave men and women of the Omaha Police Department,

We are having a letter-writing party tonight and, among the thank-yous we’re sending, is this one to you guys. Thank you for your sacrifice and skill, your compassion and bravery as you serve the people of our city. You are in our frequent prayers. 

Senator Fischer,

Please do whatever you can to defund the nation’s largest abortion business, Planned Parenthood. Also, whatever you can do to turn off the funds to Biden's vile re-definition of Title IX. Every woman in the Congress and Senate should be outraged by this move. Thanks for fighting!

To the fantastic team of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association,

We are in the middle of one of Vital Signs Ministries quarterly letter-writing parties tonight and, along with our letters of advocacy regarding sanctity of life, religious freedom, sexual and gender sanity, and so on, we also like to take time to send along a few thank-yous to saints who are doing a strong and beautiful work for the Lord Jesus. So...thank you! And may our Lord continue to bless and protect and purify and empower you all to glorify His name and secure His purposes. Stay the course, dear friends. Maranatha!

Dear Speaker Johnson,

I am very disappointed in the huge amount of aid that is just gone (once again!) to Ukraine without money being spent beforehand in securing our own borders. You broke your promise, Mr. Speaker, and it was a terrible disappointment to those of us who had such high hopes for your leadership. 

Dear Governor Pillen,

Thank you for standing firm on the life issue, school choice, and the integrity of women’s sports. There are so many areas in these culture battles where we need attentive and courageous “watchmen on the wall.” Thanks for fighting and not backing down. 

Dear Justice Thomas,

I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you and your service. I have looked up to you all these years as you have stood so magnificently for truth and justice in our nation. You have been so unjustly attacked and yet you continue to stand firm. I know you also get your wisdom from above. Thank you for fighting for me; you are not fighting in vain! I thank God for you. 

To the College of the Ozarks,

Thank you so much for the great work you are doing for America’s youth and for the noble cause of American ideals that serve not only our nation, but the whole world. Please know we support you as you stand against the unjust, immoral schemes of President Biden to force the College to comply with his horrific twisting of Title IX. You are in our frequent prayers.

Dear Ambassador Herzog,

Just a quick word to say we stand with Israel in her noble and courageous defense against the forces of hatred and terrorism. Your nation’s leaders and her people are in our frequent and fervent prayers.

We apologize for the weak and inconsistent attitudes of the present American administration towards your nation. For we know how profound is the support for Israel by the majority of Americans -- support that continues despite the horrendous and viciously unfair coverage by the leftist media. Stay the course! And May God protect Israel.

Want to Fight Poverty? Then Fight for Freedom.

An excellent, eye-opening primer on the relationship between prosperity and freedom. Pass it on to your "progressive" friends.

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.

Lifting One's Voice...Through Letters

Instead of taking a lunch hour today, I had coffee and a protein bar and, with the
extra time, wrote these letters. Check 'em out and consider following through with a couple of your own.

Dear Senator Armendariz,

Wow. We are hearing from a few sources in Lincoln that the pro-life promise of your campaign may not be of the strength that we once trusted in and which was the primary reason that we (and several of our neighbors) voted for you in the November election. I certainly hope that isn’t the case and that you will be fervently, faithfully taking every opportunity that is available to promote the sanctity of life, saving every preborn boy and girl possible from the barbaric violence of abortion.

For instance, Senator Armendariz, we ask you to please stand firm for the Heartbeat Bill as it was originally written and oppose the severely damaging amendments that are being suggested.

Thank you for your consideration of this urgent request.

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

Dear Bud Lite,

I read this morning about your new partnership with Dylan Mulvaney. Wow. To try to be so “woke” as to link your product with such a bizarre transexual activist whose aggressive agenda is so dangerous to the mental health of young adults – and even children – is a foolish and immoral move. 

Really unbelievable. 

There will be no Bud Lite in my refrigerator from now on. And I’m passing the word along.

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

Dear Baker’s Supermarkets,

I have recently learned that your parent company Kroger has joined the ranks of those businesses that have capitulated to the “woke” foolishness promoted by the radical left, going so far as to paying thousands to employees to help them pay for abortion expenses, selling the “morning after” pill (very dangerous to mothers and, of course, lethal to preborn boys and girls), and firing employees, who for traditional religious convictions, didn’t want to participate in LBGTQ promotions.

Therefore, please know that we have stopped shopping at Baker’s stores even though they have been our “go-to” grocery for decades. We have also informed our doctors that we are no longer using the Baker’s pharmacy. And we will be passing the word along to others.

P. S. And yes, I’ve contacted your parent company as well.

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

Dear Kroger,

I have recently learned that your company has joined the ranks of those businesses that have capitulated to the “woke” foolishness promoted by the radical left, going so far as to paying thousands to employees to help them pay for abortion expenses, selling the “morning after” pill (very dangerous to mothers and, of course, lethal to preborn boys and girls), and firing employees, who for traditional religious convictions, didn’t want to participate in LBGTQ promotions.

Therefore, please know that we have stopped shopping at Baker’s stores (here in Omaha) even though they have been our “go-to” grocery for decades. We have also informed our doctors that we are no longer using the Baker’s pharmacy. 

And we will be passing the word along to others.

“Oh, What a Tangled Web”

You’ve seen it many times. A group of teenagers is walking together down a street or in a shopping mall, but none of them are talking to one another. Instead, each person’s eyes are glued to the small screen shining out from their individual “smartphones.” 

Or what about the family you notice across a restaurant? They too are ignoring the opportunity for real-time, real-life conversation because their attention is fixed on those small but remarkably powerful computers they hold in their hands. But what about your lifestyle, attention span, self-esteem, relationships, learning abilities, and peace of mind? Have they not all been dramatically altered by the lure of the games, videos, chat, memes, social media platforms, “speed and convenience,” ad-filled articles, and other elements of the wondrous “world wide web?”

Let’s be honest? Has our immersion in the new technology made us smarter? Are we more sociable? More helpful to one another? More interesting? More in tune with God? Have we become more or less human?

You’ve probably guessed my answers to these questions. And so the primary reason I’m writing this post is to announce that Claire and I have decided to tread much more conscientiously in this “brave new world” that is dominated by Big Tech and the worldview it creates. In fact, this public declaration includes our intentions to return as much as possible to pre-Google, pre-Facebook, pre-smartphone habits – habits that kept us happier, healthier, and more engaging.

Of course, some of our friends would argue that we are already troglodytes. After all, we read books. We listen to music on CDs and even vinyl records. We highly value physical activity and interaction with God’s creation. We host dinner parties, visit with our neighbors, and meet friends for stimulating conversations over coffee. Good grief, I still have a flip phone. And Claire says I wouldn’t even carry that around if gas stations still had phone booths!

Nevertheless, I’ve been noticing for quite awhile that the entangling powers of the web have had way too much effect on us too. The splintering of our powers of mental concentration. Too much dissonance and diversion. Too little worthwhile content. The temptations to reduce our reading, praying, conversation, resting, thinking. But recently there’s been a few things that have intensified our awareness all the more. Those things include my preparations for a couple of recent sermons plus reading 3 very enlightening (and alarming) pieces: Anthony Esolen’s book, The Politically-Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization; Malcolm Muggeridge’s book, Confessions of a Twentieth-Century Pilgrim; and especially, an Atlantic Magazine article by Nicholas Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” I heartily recommend them all.

And so Claire and I have decided to take purposeful steps to start cutting our entanglements from the web, thus freeing ourselves from the web’s theft of our time and its re-shaping of our minds. The first part of the plan? 1) From now on, we will be spending substantially less time messing with Facebook. After all, Facebook is intrusive, shallow, misleading on several fronts, and militantly slanted against conservative ideas and information. So, if you don’t notice us “liking” your Facebook posts anymore, don’t take it personally. It’s simply that we’re not going to be there very often.

2) We are certainly not unplugging ourselves from the news of the day. But we are going to spend less time in trying to keep up with every detail of the culture wars. For, as you know, trying to stay abreast of every outrageous headline (let alone trying to respond to them with prayers and principled protest) is impossible. What kind of balance will we be trying to establish then? Well, I will still check Fox News, Powerline, and Lucianne.com on my computer in the morning. And I will still read the emails I receive from a few conservative news and opinion organizations as well as those coming in from selected Christian ministries.

I will do these things not only for my own awareness, but also because I take seriously the responsibility to be a “watchman on the wall” who desires to help others better deal with the spiritual challenges before us. And that leads me to #3 below.

3) Both as the Director of Vital Signs Ministries and simply as an older Christian who desires to help his fellow believers to accurately know their culture and to avoid being “ignorant of Satan’s devices,” I will continue to provide relevant information and biblical counsel to others. I will, for instance, still post on Vital Signs Blog (cross-posted also on my Twitter and Facebook accounts) the links to a few of the most important articles I come across as well as my own devotional and exhortational posts. And I encourage you to check out those links and posts to help you navigate the troubled waters without feeling swamped by the flood. And make sure that you are on the Vital Signs email list too because we will be sending out every week a Top 5 list of our highest recommended articles.

4) In order to better defend our minds from the distracting, maddening effect of the internet sites which use pop-up ads, distracting sidebars, and other bells and whistles, we are using Brave as our search engine (We're going as Google free as possible.) and we’re right now experimenting to find the most effective ad-blocker devices too.

5) Okay, the changes mentioned before are mainly in the subtraction category. But what are we adding in their place? Well, it’s mostly a matter of rededicating ourselves to tread the familiar paths we’ve long followed. Reading books. Face to face conversations. Prayer. Times of reflection. Service to others. Physical exercise. Appreciation of nature, music, cooking, entertaining, and beauty. Indeed, the best antidotes to the damaging effects of Big Tech on our brains, our time, and our relationships come from commitment to the well-trod paths of relevant, purposeful, and more harmonious involvement with God.

The web’s entanglement is powerful indeed. No doubt about it. But we can, with prayers, a devotion to resist worldliness, and the pursuit of healthier alternatives to the sinister influences of the internet and Big Tech, break those ties that bind. Want to join us?

“Lighthouse” Letters: Examples from Vital Signs’ Latest Letter-Writing Party (Part 2)

Here are a few more examples from Monday's letter-writing party, the latest in Vital Signs Ministries' quarterly ministry of this kind. As I mentioned previously, they were written by different people but all with a desire to be a light in the darkness, offering (as needed in the particular case) enlightenment, inspiration, or encouragement, instead of merely cursing the darkness. 

Like those posted yesterday, today’s notes deal with various pro-life, religious freedom, and morality issues and I certainly hope they might motivate you to write some letters on your own. We always are available to help you do so with information, tips on letter-writing, addresses, and so on. Let's go...

* Dear Southwest Airlines,

Your company has fallen into the same “woke extremism” as so many others and has thereby insulted the vast majority of those who make up your would-be profit base.  Because of this outlandish promotion of leftist ideology and unnatural, dishonorable lifestyle practices, I am one of the many who will seek alternatives to your services.

* Dear CVS,

We write with profound concerns about your decision to sell the abortion drug Mifepristone.  Indeed, because you certainly know the lethal effect of this poisonous drug – it kills preborn boys and girls – we will no longer be shopping at your stores.

Please reconsider this tragic and terribly misguided decision.

* Dear Governor Jim Pillen,

I pray for you to have godly wisdom and to seek His will in all of your decisions.  I pray you will God fearing and be strong in the decisions you make for Nebraskans.  God has allowed you to be our governor.

Please take a strong stand against abortion and abortion pills, transgenderism and woke CRT ideology.

We also need charter schools and revamping our education system.  Discipline of our children needs to come back.  They are crying out for boundaries and teachers and principals’ hands are tied and can’t do their job.  My husband teaches for OPS and I work for OPS also and we have seen the decline of our school system.  We need help.

* Senator DeBoer,

I know that you have opposed LB626 – the Heartbeat bill, but I want to ask you to reconsider this opposition.  Babies in the womb deserve the protection of adults and I pray you will agree.

* Mr. Tucker Carlson,

It is with great gratitude that I write to thank you for your courage in reporting what so few are willing to cover. You stand out among your peers.  I have been skeptical for a long time about reporting on the major networks and print publications because I have seen firsthand how they lie about pro-life Americans. It is amazing you are able to break through.

I pray that you are protected in all that you do and that you know the One Who is truth in fulness.

* United Airlines

Mr. Gary C. Kelly,

My #1 priority when traveling by air is safety and so I am concerned about the best qualified pilots, co-pilots, mechanics, and technicians. I do not care about your employees' sexual proclivities, so please do not think that virtue signaling about how biologically or sexually diverse your crews are is going to impress me as an air traveller. Indeed, I am actually less inclined to use your airlines now that I know this is a priority in your hiring.

* Dear Alliance Defending Freedom,

Part of every Vital Signs Ministries letter-writing party – after we have written letters urging actions on sanctity of life, religious freedom, and other values arising from biblical truth – we make sure we write with thanks and encouragement to a few of the genuine “good guys” in the fight.  And, we wanted to make sure we acknowledge the excellent work being done by your team in enlightening, inspiring, and helping equip saints across the country to stand strong for these values.

Way to go, guys.  You will remain in our frequent prayers.

* Dear Rev. Graham,

In this tempestuous and decadent culture, you and Samaritan’s Purse and BGEA remain beacons of light for the Lord Jesus.  And you do so with winsome and wise service that has such an effective, persuasive effect.  Thank you so much.  And may our Lord continue to lead, protect, purify, and empower you and your colleagues.

We are honored to support Samaritan’s Purse with only a little bit of money but with a whole lot of prayer and public praise.

* Dear Senator Ricketts,

We send along our sincere congratulations for your appointment to the U.S. Senate. It is a much deserved honor and a great blessing to the people of Nebraska…and the nation. We are certain that the same quality of wise, principles leadership that make your tenure as Governor so effective will be a hallmark of your services in the Senate.  And we will be praying to that end.

And, of course, we will pray that you will become one of the strongest of voices there in D.C. for the sanctity of life, religious freedom, and family values.

Again, congratulations.

"Lighthouse" Letters: Examples from Vital Signs' Latest Letter-Writing Party (1)

As promised in this post from yesterday, I’m printing below a few samples of the letters and cards that were written at the two Vital Signs Ministries letter-writing last Monday. They represent, by the way, several different letter writers.

Today’s notes deal with various pro-life, religious freedom, and morality issues and I certainly hope they might motivate you to write some letters on your own. Vital Signs Ministries always stands ready to help you do so with information, tips on letter-writing, addresses, and so on.

* Dear Coca-Cola,

For a great deal of my long life I have enjoyed Coke products.  However, as your company has gone further and further down the path of radical, unnatural “wokeness,” I have decided to forego the pleasure. No more Coke from now on…unless you quickly reconsider this counter-productive path and get back to making quality products as opposed to pushing an extreme ideological agenda that is so at odds with the best ideals of Western civilization.

* Dear Walgreen’s,

I am a pro-life woman who has shopped and even worked at Walgreens for many years. I am writing to request that you do not dispense pills that cause the deliberate death of an unborn baby and have the potential to gravely harm the mother.

This matters deeply to millions of pro-life persons who up to this time have been regular customers of yours. But you’re certainly going to lose a lot of them if you do start dispensing pills that kill preborn boys and girls.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I implore you to reconsider doing anything that would take a life.

* Dear State Senator DeBoer,

I am a retired woman who lives in your district.  I am also a strong pro-lifer, believing that abortion is the murder of innocent lives. As a young teenager many years ago, I was faced with an unwanted pregnancy.  I was fortunate to have a godly mother who helped direct me to an agency that dealt with adoption.  This happened before Roe v Wade and abortion was illegal but I never would have chosen that anyway.

My daughter eventually found me, and she is now a wonderful mother and grandmother to 6 lovely children.  How thankful I am to know I gave my child life and do not have to look back with regret of choosing to kill my child.

I pray you will turn from your liberal views and realize the value of each pregnancy as a human being and see abortion for what it is, the murder in a brutal way of an innocent child.

* To the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations.

Dear Mr. Zhang Jun,

This is just a brief but impassioned note asking that you use your influence to persuade China to exercise greater restraint, mercy, and justice in dealing with religious freedom.  

We sincerely ask you to act against imprisonment and other harsh treatment of peaceful, productive citizens who simply desire to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your consideration of this critically important matter.

* Senator Ricketts,

Congratulations on your new role in the U. S. Senate.  I was very pleased with your terms as Nebraska’s Governor, particularly in cutting taxes, preserving our freedoms, opposing federal government overreach, and restricting abortion zealotry. You have done a stellar job and I encourage you to continue those fights in D.C.

One particular issue I’m presently concerned about is keeping away the World Health Organization’s intrusion into our national sovereignty.  This is of the utmost importance.

I continue to pray for your courage to stand against the globalist agenda.

* Dear President Biden,

Wow -- you have certainly made a mess of things in these two years and, of course, your most grievous action has been your turning against the Catholic teachings you once claimed to be so important to you. 

I urge you, Mr. President, to please reverse course and begin to honor God, speak the truth, defend the sanctity of all human life, protect America’s borders, and keep us free from entangling relationships with rogue nations.

* Dear State Senator Hunt,

Please vote against the following bills:

LB179 – Forces counselors to affirm transgenderism and same sex attraction in children.  Counselors should be allowed to practice using their own thoughts and skills and not being forced by law to say “yes” to a disorder that needs attention not promotion.

LB169 – Sexual orientation and gender identity protected class.  This undermines constitutional freedoms, unfairly targets small businesses, and gives men unfettered access to places that were formerly safe for women.

LB316 – Replaces husband and wife with spouse 1 and spouse 2.  Marriage between one biological man and one biological woman has always been the truth since God created it and even if we try to change it, it’s still going to be the truth.  Please leave this God-given institution alone.

LR26CA – Removes the definition of marriage from the NE constitution.  This also undermines the truth.  This was placed in the state constitution by over 70% of voters.

Megan, I’m praying for you.  God has allowed you to be in this position and you are accountable to Him. Jesus loves you and created you and He’s the One Who has given you opportunities, skills, and abilities. But you must choose whether to serve the Lord or the self.

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting live.” You are included in the world, Megan.  Jesus gave His life for you and He rose again to prove the efficiency of His salvation offer.

* To the FBI,

With your absolutely unconscionable targeting of pro-life Americans instead of concentrating on what should be the priority of your agency (namely, protecting the citizenry from genuine criminals), you are bringing shame and scandal (even ridicule) to what was once one of our nation’s most respected institutions.

Please get back to the real business of the FBI…protecting the United States from the “bad guys” like terrorists, counterfeiters, kidnappers, bank robbers, sex traffickers, and murderers. And leave the innocent, peaceful, and productive citizens (like Christian pro-life advocates) alone.

And again, I’ll have a few more examples tomorrow.

Letters for Life, for Freedom, and for Sanity

It’s been quite a couple of days – preaching at Grace Bible Church on Sunday morning and then the dash to Aksarben Village Senior Living for our Sunday afternoon church service.  A very engaging time at both. And then Sunday night we were hustling to get things ready for two letter-writing parties on Monday. 

But before we could get to those events, we joined Keith for prayers and our pro-life witness outside the wicked abortion profiteer that is Planned Parenthood.  And oh, what a cold, cold wind was blowing down 92nd Street!

After that, we turned the heater on high for the drive home and so we were ready to finish our preparations for miniature egg casseroles, biscuits and jam, homemade kolaches (thank you, Jean!) juice and coffee for when the Hovanecs, Lawsons, and Morans arrived. Following our meal,  we settled in to write 50 + letters. Great job, guys!

Claire ran errands in the afternoon while I worked on editing the March edition of “When Swing Was King” which needed to be ready by Tuesday morning. Yipes.  And then we enjoyed the evening letter-writing party where John, Becky, Don, Ruth, and Claire and I wrote another 40 + letters.  Unfortunately, we didn’t have very many letter-writers present -- in comparison, the last one in December drew 25 people -- but all those involved did a really terrific job. 

By the way, the targets for our letters were as varied as usual.  They included:

* Urgent requests to Walgreens, CVS, and Rite-Aid to NOT distribute poisonous pills that kill preborn boys and girls.

* Polite, principled protests of the bizarre, counter-productive, and immoral “lurch to the loony left” that have been made by such companies as Bank of America, United Airlines (American and Southwest also), Best Buy, Home Depot, Kohl’s, Walmart, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kellogg’s, and McDonald’s.

* Pro-life and pro-family concerns before the Nebraska Unicameral: LB626, LB179, LB169, LB316, and LR26CA.

* Advocacy for more just and humane treatment of religious persons from government officials in China, Eritrea, Iran, and North Korea.

* Several issues related to government action: the FBI harassing pro-life citizens; the foolish passion being demonstrated by the Department of Defense and Department of Education for formerly unthinkable immorality hiding under the terms “diversity & inclusivity;” vote fraud; and more.

* And then a lot of thank-yous to the good guys: Franklin Graham, Tim Tebow, Tucker Carlson, ADF, Nebraska Family Alliance, Joni & Friends, Samaritan's Purse, Senator Ricketts, and several others.

I may post a few sample letters tomorrow.  In the meantime, please consider grabbing paper and pen and writing a few notes of your own.  It’s way better to shine than whine!

Letters for Life...and More

As Claire and I drove to Wichita yesterday (We are spending a couple of days with my ailing sister.), we talked about the long history of Vital Signs Ministries hosting letter-writing parties.  Indeed, even at the very beginning when we had just got started as the Omaha Christian Action Council (that’s 1983 for you who are counting), we started the practice of letter-writing parties as yet another key ministry of pro-life advocacy. 

We did so because we were convinced (and we are more than ever) that letters are of tremendous value as we 1) use them to be true “voices for the voiceless” before others; 2) to engage in purposeful, effective engagement instead of submitting to indifference or despair; 3) to utilize the assistance, encouragement, and accountability of fellow Christians to make our pro-life witness to others as strong and persuasive as it can be; 4) to consistently demonstrate to the Lord Jesus our willingness to “shine” rather than merely “whine” about what’s happening in our culture; and 5) to balance our letters of protest and advocacy with letters expressing gratitude and complements to the “good guys” who are fighting the good fight for Christ. (By the way, that last task has led us to always include a portion of our letter-writing parties in behalf of persecuted Christians.

So, what about you?  Have you let us know about your joining us for our upcoming letter-writing parties.  For your convenience, we do, in fact, have two of them this time around – a daytime gathering from 10 to 12 on March 6^th and then the regular evening party at 7 also on March 6^th.  We would sure love to have you for this important, historic, and ongoing ministry.  Please RSVP soon.

Managing God’s Assets (Review of Session 5 in the Spiritual Discipline Class)

Remember these lines from the Barry Gordy song Money, popularized by the 1963 Beatles version?  

The best things in life are free but you can give them to the birds and bees.

I need money. (That's what I want.)

That's what I want. (That's what I want.)

Your love gives me such a thrill but your love don't pay my bills.

Money don't get everything, it's true. But what it don't get, I can't use.

Now give me money! (That's what I want.)

That's what I want.

Well, as you might suppose, we took a bit different tack in last week's Sunday School class that I've been teaching on spiritual disciplines. Following is a review of that class. I hope you find it of value.

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The spiritual disciplines related to stewardship must find their start in an “attitude of gratitude” or, to put it another way, note that even with the word itself “giving” will always be a part of “thanksgiving”.  Indeed, a recognition that God’s blessings on His children are bountiful, constant, and forever provides not only a foundation for praise and appreciation, but also a motivation for us to follow His commands to be generous, purposeful, and happy in our giving to others.

G.K. Chesterton observed that a lack of gratitude is the root of all sin.  An exaggeration? Not if you consider that Romans 1:21-32 underscores the same profound reality. Living a life of thanksgiving then is of paramount importance.  We recognize God as the source of all that we have and we express our thankfulness to Him in both word and deed.  

“I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” (Psalm 9:1,2)

“I shall wash my hands in innocence and I will go about Your altar, O Lord, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving and declare all Your wonders.” (Psalm 26:6,7)

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, 

bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:4,5)

“But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord.” (Jonah 2: 9)

Note in the Scriptures above (and so many others) how thanksgiving is linked to a devotion to testify to God’s wonders, to the loving kindness and faithfulness of God, and to our willingness to live a sanctified life.  Thanksgiving is certainly a foundation for our effective discipleship.  In fact, as our awareness of God’s character grows and our appreciation of His innumerable blessings to us increases, we become closer to those faithful stewards that Jesus describes in His parables.  

Randy Alcorn describes a steward as “someone an owner entrusts with the management of his assets.”  And the first thing to understand in this excellent definition is God’s ownership of absolutely everything – all of nature, all in the angelic realms, and even everyone of us.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it.” (Psalm 24:1)

“Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.” (Deuteronomy 10:14)

“So David blessed the Lord in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, ‘Blessed are You, O Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours.’” (1 Chronicles 29: 10-16)

“Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.” (Job 41:11)

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19,20)

God owns it all. He created it all. He sustains it all. Furthermore, God’s graciousness and generosity is so abounding that we could never “out-give” Him.  

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” (James 1:17,18)

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

No, God blesses us with more than we can count, more than we can imagine, much more that we could ever give back to Him.  And yet this Almighty God invites you and me to participate in His holy service to the world as His honored stewards.  He gives us the responsibility of managing His assets and, as those parables Jesus teaches so clearly emphasize, God wants us to exercise these elements of the good steward: humility; understanding always that the assets are God’s, not ours; wisdom; generosity; industriousness; vision; skill; and gratitude.  Furthermore, we are to never forget our accountability to the Master. And to anticipate that He is returning to evaluate (and, when it is called for, reward) our performance.

Obviously, our stewardship responsibilities involve what we do with God’s money.  But we must wisely manage and invest all else He has given us as His disciples. Time. Talents and spiritual gifts. Opportunities. Relationships. Passions and priorities. And yes, money too. 

Did you know that the Bible actually talks more about money (especially, our attitudes towards it) than about the topics of heaven or hell or the gospel? It’s true. But, although that’s an important study, with the short space we have in this class, let me point you to three Scriptures I think are especially relevant. In Acts 20:35 the apostle Paul quotes Jesus as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  That simple statement, buttressed by His many other teachings on giving, greed, simplicity of life, the snare of wealth, and so on reminds us of how important it is to be generous in our giving.  And to give with ongoing trust in Christ’s care for us and the rewards He is storing up for us in heaven for the generosity we show now.  It’s also noteworthy that the context of Paul’s remarks includes the priority of helping the needy and the need for industriousness and sacrifice so that the giver can do so more abundantly.

Luke 11:42 has important warnings about our giving too as Jesus sharply rebukes the Pharisees for alms-giving out of all the wrong motives.  “But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.”  These hypocritical false teachers were giving to impress God, to earn His favor, and to show off to others. But Jesus shows here (and in many other instances) that He demanded giving that was pure of heart, generous, relevant to the greatest needs, and directed ultimately to Him. Only such gifts would find heavenly rewards. 

And then there is the wonderfully revealing Chapter 9 of 2 Corinthians. Read it carefully and you’ll note that there are several things to learn and follow. For instance, generosity should be carefully planned. Our giving should be bountiful even as we can rely on God to be bountiful in His giving to us. The target of giving in this case was Christians who were experiencing severe needs; we should observe that same priority in our giving. Giving must always beware of the lurking temptations of covetousness and pride. And only that giving which comes from a pure heart will glorify God. 

And one more item. Included in that chapter (verse 7) is one of the most helpful exhortations in this matter.  The Greek word translated “cheerful” here is “hilaros” and while it doesn’t mean rip-roaring hilarity, it does signify a joyful, readiness of mind.  Thus, God loves the giver who is careful but prompt, who isn’t stingy, who isn’t boastful. Rather, the Lord loves the giver who understands that, when all is said and done, he is but a faithful steward of God’s assets, investing them for the Father’s use and in view of heavenly rewards.

The class concluded with a few additional guidelines about giving. 

* Never forget that the steward’s giving is to be wholistic.  Everything we have been given is to be managed, protected, kept pure, and invested in God’s kingdom. Money.  Time. Spiritual gifts.  Opportunities.  Relationships.  Attitudes.

* As with all spiritual disciplines, careful planning is necessary.  Don’t waste your money on foolish things.  Avoid spending your money in ways that would enrich evildoers.  Be circumspect in giving to organizations and individuals, making sure they are themselves acting according to righteous standards.

* Note biblical examples which would suggest that priorities of our giving be made to missionary support (The Lord’s servants committed to the Great Commission) and to the needs of the poor, sick, and persecuted, especially those in the household of faith.

* Beware an “automatic withdrawal” attitude towards giving. Rather, be purposefully involved with those who you give money and time to.  Check on them.  Pray fervently for them. Support them in other ways than money when you can.  Enlist others in their support.

One last item. Living in this era, we are constantly inundated by advertisements and the “passion for fashion.” Both breed dissatisfaction, envy, greed, and an overarching lack of gratitude.  We must fight this enemy all the time. Otherwise we will be distracted, dispirited, and worthless stewards. Let us instead carefully cultivate that “attitude of gratitude” that will fill us with thanksgiving, contentment, confidence, generosity, and an enthusiastic anticipation of the rewards to come our Master will bring with Him when He returns!

Prophets vs Profits: Principled Protests to Businesses

Here's a couple of letters I recently sent to businesses that have completely lost their moral bearings. Why write? Because it's a response decidedly more consistent with Christian sanctification (including the proclamation of God's truths to the world) than is tolerant silence, indifference, or other moral compromise. Indeed, I post these letters in hopes that others (including yours) will be forthcoming. Have at it!

The first letter was directed to Postmates, Burger King, Dr. Pepper, and Cottonelle for recent ads they promoted as part of their "Pride Month" advertising. Those ads included "humorous" references to homosexual acts.

Dear Burger King,

I recently read the details of your recent use of explicit homosexual references in what you considered humorous ads for your products.  We are only two of many who find that particularly crass and mean-spirited. We will be demonstrating our protest through our consumer decisions and will pass along the word to others.

And this next letter was sent to companies whose response to the reversal of the evil Roe v Wade law was to scream loudly against any and all restrictions to abortion and then to go so far as to pledge the financing of an abortion and related expenses to their employees who decided to have an abortionist destroy their babies. Unbelievable.

Those companies? 

* Amazon.com    * Bank of America (The nation's second-largest bank)
* Cigna    * CNN    * Comcast (The parent company of NBC/Universal)
* CVS Health     * Dick's Sporting Goods    * Estee Lauder 
* Hewlett Packard     * Ikea      * Kroger      * Lyft
* MasterCard     * Microsoft 
* Paramount (The media conglomerate which owns CBS News)
* Patagonia     * Paypal     * Procter & Gamble    * Starbucks 
* Target    * Tesla    * Uber     * Walt Disney     * Yahoo

Dear Dick's Sporting Goods,

I write to express my extreme disappointment for your cruel zealotry regarding the dismemberment and poisoning of preborn boys and girls. I refer, of course, to your support of Planned Parenthood, the nation's #1 abortionist, and your support of unlimited abortion without the slightest regard to the little innocent children which will be abortion’s victims. That is so very mean-spirited...and sad. But to then go further in the actual enablement of that horrendous violence by financing the abortions of your employees goes even further beyond the pale.

We are but two of the many Americans who will also express our disappointment with your cold-hearted company by our consumer decisions. And, yes; we will pass the word to others.