"Life Is Sweet" -- The Latest Testimony from Fremont's Pregancy Help Center

It was a very inspiring evening indeed. Claire and I were in attendance at a very lively, informative, and successful fundraising dinner for Life Choices, a Christian pregnancy help center in the small town of Fremont, Nebraska some 35 miles west of Omaha. We were the guests of longtime friends and pro-life colleagues of Keith and Barb Huizenga who are key leaders of this important ministry. 

The event, Life Is Sweet, was the latest of Life Choices’ annual fundraising dinners and Claire and I had a terrific time. The crowd of a few hundred enjoyed with us an informal and fun event -- raffles going on, both a silent and fast-paced live auction, engaging conversations, and profoundly important messages from two dedicated pro-life champions, Angelina Giles and Michelle Witt. 

Angelina, an experienced nurse practitioner with her own practice shared both her personal testimony and her involvement with “abortion pill rescue” procedures. It was a fascinating and wonderfully enlightening look at how pro-life activists are saving the lives of preborn kids...even after their moms have taken the poisonous abortion drug mifepristone. It was definitely a “wow” presentation. Wow. And then Michelle, the new director of Life Choices gave a stirring call for the audience’s support for the center’s staff to engage in bold new approaches to combat chemical abortion -- now the mechanism for over 80% of the abortions performed in Nebraska. Both ladies gave us plenty to think, converse, plan, and pray about in their very, very important messages. 

Plus, we couldn’t help but note that this soul-stirring event occurred just one day after the tragic results of the midterm elections had come in, thus signifying the willingness (no, make that the earnest conviction) of this handful of Christians to keep fighting the devil’s dastardly agenda to steal, kill, and destroy -- the victims being not only moms and dads tempted into abortion and the preborn boys and girls thus slain, but also the very moral fabric of Western civilization. 

No, the Life Is Sweet activities do not minimize the damage done to the American ideal by abortionists and their duped cheerleaders; it doesn’t negate the abhorrent effects which will come from Tuesday’s elections as the pagan agenda of the left plays out further; and it doesn’t make up for the long years of indifference and cowardice shown by most of America’s Christian clergy who yet fail to speak plainly and persistently to their congregations regarding the Bible’s teaching on Creation, the sanctity of human life (even at its most early stages), sexual morality, and the responsibilities of Christ’s disciples to light up the darkness of our crooked and perverse generation.

However, Thursday’s event there in Fremont underscored to Claire and I that not all have bowed the knee to the carnal cosmos. No, there remain Christians dedicated to the call of the Master, ready to call things by their right name, to fervently pray, and to sacrificially serve in the strength God provides -- whatever the political weather. They will answer the Lord with wholehearted and conscientious commitment, with confidence in God’s direction and empowerment, and with thanksgiving and joy. So congratulations to our fellow pro-lifers of the Fremont area. We are honored to stand with you for moms, babies, families, the reputation of the Church, the moral sanity of our nation, and, in and over all, for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Responding to Those Awful Election Results (Jack Niewold)

A very relevant, wise, and encouraging response to yesterday's awful election results from one of my most trusted sources of Christian cultural commentary, Jack Niewold...

What is left to be said after the catastrophe of yesterday's elections? More importantly, what is to be done? 

First, conservatives should not despair. We are of all people most hopeful. Most of us are Christians, and we take the bad with the good. Democrats, or whatever one wants to call the opposition, are not people of hope, but people of constant anxiety and fear. 

We do not live for the revolution; they do. Every day they awaken to crisis. For us, the very nature of the Christian worldview rules out totalizing visions, whereas the acquisition and exercise of power is all they have. There is no way we can match their enthusiasm for an immanent eschaton. We live as pilgrims, strangers in a foreign land, struck by the beauty of the created world and motivated by a desire to bless all people, friend and foe alike.

Their driving impetus is conflict and conquest.  

Of course it is disappointing to experience a political reversal of this magnitude. There is no way to sugar-coat it. Yet we know that our cause if just, and in many dimensions our beliefs and principles are the ones that fit best with human thriving.

Our adversaries a peddlers of death and misery, all in the name of compassion and fairness. 

Just consider what we are faced with. An entertainment industry that is largely nihilistic and hostile. A big business environment that is morally untethered. A fractious and rebellious judiciary. A media world that disdains our presence. An educational system that is spiritually perverse and intellectually dishonest. 

Yet we have overcome all of this, time and again. And we will do so in the days to come.

(For additional commentary, check out my take over on Vital Signs Ministries webpage, “God’s Plan Will be Established.” (Even after the midterms)."

Enough Already! Let's DEFUND the United Nations.

This basic letter is being sent to President Trump, all of Nebraska's Federal lawmakers, and selected Cabinet members...

Dear Secretary Rubio,

I certainly stand with Senator Mike Lee -- and so do the majority of Americans who are aware that the United States gives 13-14 billion dollars every year to the United Nations – “No more blank checks for the United Nations. Americans’ hard-earned dollars have been funneled into initiatives that fly in the face of our values, enabling tyrants, betraying allies, and spreading bigotry.”

Enough is way more than enough. The United States playing patsy to this ever-increasingly greedy, bizarre, socialistic, anti-Semitic, terrorist applauding, and anti-American business must come to an end.

Please pursue the aims proposed by of S. 669, the DEFUND Act and, in whatever other ways possible, defend America’s reputation for freedom, fair play, justice, and fiscal sanity by extricating our country from this inept, and hyper-hypocritical organization.

Nebraska Leaders AWOL on the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act: An Open Letter

Dear Senator Ricketts,

I’m writing to ask what you are doing in opposing the mail order abortion drug mifepristone, a deadly and wickedly deceptive chemical poison that seriously endangers the health and well-being of the pregnant woman... and kills the precious and innocent baby she is bearing. Indeed, why have you not bothered to even co-sponsor S. 4066, the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act?

That this common-sense, humane, and eminently just effort has only received 7 co-sponsorships among those Republicans who so loudly tout their pro-life convictions when they appear at pro-life events back home is truly inexplicable. We have long trusted your statements regarding the sanctity of life and have deeply appreciated your past efforts, so, please don’t let this oversight continue.

Therefore, Senator Ricketts, I am writing to ask you to please co-sponsor S. 4066 ASAP and to work diligently to educate your colleagues (and your constituents) about the sinister workings of the abortion poisons being manufactured by Danco and other big-pharma companies. And then, please redouble your efforts to defend and promote the sanctity of life by going strong against fetal death by chemicals. 

After all, Senator, more preborn boys and girls are being wantonly destroyed now with these abortion pills than even the worst years of the Roe v Wade era. In fact, there has been more than a 20% increase since the Dobbs decision with 2/3 of the abortions being committed with the abortion pill. And the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act presents a critically important response to this burgeoning, deadly industry.

The common-sense purpose of S. 4066 is “To provide that the approved application under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for the drug mifepristone for the purpose of the termination of intrauterine pregnancy is deemed to have been withdrawn, to establish a Federal tort for harm to women caused by chemical abortion drugs, and for other purposes.”

Suction machines. Curettes. Saline solutions. Chemical poisons like mifepristone. It is time to fight wisely, comprehensively, and hard against all the means of killing boys and girls in the womb. Please let us know that you will be increasing your efforts in this most momentous of pro-life campaigns.

Denny Hartford (for Claire Hartford too)
Director, Vital Signs Ministries
Omaha

Fulfilling Islamic Law by Burning His Daughters? An Open Letter to Nebraska Senators

Dear Senator Fischer, 

Among the most atrocious elements of the militant Islam that are malignantly spreading throughout the world are forced conversion, violent persecution of Christians and other “infidels,” the cruel subjugation and mistreatment of women, and an arrogant disdain for evenly applied justice. Well, this story has it all. It is a horrifying example of the insidious evils spewing forth from intolerant Islam.

Late this summer, Amina and Shamila (shown above), teenaged sisters in the Kasese district of Uganda, had been introduced to Christianity with its central themes of compassion and forgiveness of sins via the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. They decided to leave Islam and become Christians. Their father’s reaction? Just a few nights later, he doused their house with gasoline and set it ablaze while the girls were sleeping. He had previously threatened that he would “fulfill Islamic law” by punishing them and this was the lethal plan he chose.

By the grace of God, the girls awakened to the sounds and smells in the burning building, saw the flames entering their room, and began to frantically remove enough bricks from the wall to crawl out to safety. And, though they lost all their belongings in the fire, they were alive and received immediate help from Christian neighbors.

Despite the murder by arson attempt, the young women’s new faith in Christ was actually strengthened. “We are happy to say that the fire consumed our shelter, but did not consume our faith and hope in Jesus Christ.”

It remains unclear whether or not the father will face trial for the attempted murder of his daughters.

This sad account -- and its certainly not the first of its kind -- emphasizes the dire need of Americans to 1) carefully investigate immigration into the United States to keep hardcore Islamists out and 2) to diligently protect the U.S. Constitution (and the laws, procedures, and freedoms that flow from it) against the very real threats of its usurpation by “sharia law.” 

Thank you, Senator, for seriously considering the dire importance of these matters.

Denny Hartford
Director, Vital Signs Ministries
Omaha

Why A Pro-Life Witness Outside Abortion Clinics?

Giving public witness to the sanctity of life in this culture is certainly not easy. And testifying against the horror that is abortion outside a business where preborn boys and girls are actually killed? Well, that is particularly disheartening, disgusting, and disillusioning.

So why do I do it?  Indeed, why have Claire and I and many of our close friends participated in sidewalk counseling and pro-life witness outside abortion mills for 43 years and counting?  Here are 5 quick reasons.

5) The presence of peaceful, prayerful pro-life advocates outside an abortion clinic has a profound and ongoing effect on those going inside, on the workers, on the people walking or driving by.  It provides multiple and memorable messages regarding the wrongness of abortion, the availability of alternatives, and the offer of forgiveness through Christ’s gospel. 

4) A pro-life witness outside an abortion business insures that men and women – even those who ultimately decide to commit the abortion – will forever remember that someone was there to plead with them, “no, don’t do this.”  They will retain in the memory of their abortion experience that someone was standing up for their child…and for the mother’s spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being. That provides a tremendous incentive for repentance, a motivation to seek forgiveness and healing from the God Who delivered His Son to die for mankind’s sins.

3) Being regularly at an abortion clinic and coming face to face with the persons availing themselves of the demonic opportunities for child sacrifice fuels, as nothing else can, one’s zeal and commitment to fight against abortion on all other fronts. Political action?  Spiritual intercession?  Crisis pregnancy work?  Pro-life education?  Chastity campaigns?  Efforts to de-fund Planned Parenthood?  Conversion of the arts to provide for effective sanctity of life expressions?  All of these (and more) are powerfully stimulated by being there at the very doors of death, being regularly challenged by what the stakes are in this fight.

2) Pro-lifers outside abortion mills save lives by dissuading people from aborting their children.  Even when they are not aware of their impact, pro-life advocates provide an impressive force for life that changes minds.  Would-be abortion clients are challenged in their conscience and end up driving by.  Even clients inside the place change their minds and leave.  And, among the dozens or hundreds or thousands who drive by and see peaceful protestors who carry pictures of babies and words like “Choose Life” and “Mother and Child: Love Them Both” and “Life: What a Beautiful Choice,” there are countless numbers of people whose consciences are challenged. Do you not expect that the Lord will tend those seeds of winsome truth and that they will not be relevant in future meditations, conversations, and especially when people are pressed by abortion temptations? Oh yes, the presence of pro-life advocates provide illumination and spiritual challenge that goes far beyond what we can imagine.

1) Because my honor as a Christian is at stake.  Where such brazen, violent injustice is occurring, how can I refuse the opportunity to testify against it?  What does it mean to the reputation of the Church (not to mention her sense of moral priority) if children are brutally murdered in our neighborhoods without us raising our voices in principled protest?  How much is our evangelism and discipleship tarnished and weakened if we do not take seriously such charges as Jeremiah 22:3 and Isaiah 1:16-17:  “Thus says the LORD, ‘Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.’” And “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean. Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Reprove the ruthless. Defend the orphan. Plead for the widow.”

Fewer and fewer American Christians bother nowadays to go in front of abortion mills to pray and give pro-life witness. That is an ominous warning of how far we have been co-opted by the world around us.  We have become indifferent, callous, distracted, and cowardly. Nevertheless, the grace of God remains available to us all – grace that forgives and cleanses, grace that yields wisdom and strength, grace that yet can bring personal and cultural revolution.

Our marching orders are quite clear. We read them in the Scriptures already listed. And in others like Psalm 82:3,4: “Vindicate the weak and fatherless. Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.  Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.” And Proverbs 24: 11,12: “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.” And James 1:27: “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

As I said at the beginning of this column, giving public witness to the sanctity of life in this culture is certainly not easy.  But it remains extremely high in the values expressed by our Lord.

And that’s why, by the grace of God, we continue to do it.

An Autumn Reading Invitation

With autumn dramatically announcing itself here in Nebraska with falling temperatures and oodles of drizzling rain, I’m keenly reminded that it’s my favorite time of year to read. Sure, I read all year round and I greatly appreciate winter reading too, but fall reading is somehow really special. For instance, fall is usually the time when I revisit long-treasured friends – Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, the Dumas classics of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, Stevenson’s Treasure Island and Kidnapped, Milne’s beloved The Wind in the Willows, Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe and Rob Roy, and the adventure novels of such talents as Rafael Sabatini, Alistair MacLean, John Buchan, and C.S. Forester.

But I am planning a somewhat different approach for this fall, the autumn of 2026. This time around I’m planning on piling in a lot more non-fiction books. And, not only that but, as avid a re-reader as I am, these non-fiction books are ones I have never read before. 

But why am I bothering to go public with this news? It’s because I'm inviting you to join me in the project. Read through the list of books I’ll give you in a moment and, if one or more strikes your fancy, consider joining me. How would a book partnership of this kind work? Well, in a variety of ways. You may be encouraged to read it merely because I am -- a kind of stimulant and accountability factor. Or you might want to read and exchange ideas and opinions about the book, as over coffee or just a letter or email. The fact is that after ending our 30 plus years of the Notting Hill Napoloeons book club, a club in which the members met every month to discuss our mutual reading of the best of classic literature, Claire and I really miss talking to friends about books. And thus this invitation.

And the books I’ve selected for the fall? The Counter Revolution: The Fall & Rise of Donald Trump and the MAGA Movement (Victor Davis Hanson); Going Further: The Incomparable Clarence Thomas (Senator Ted Cruz); Revelation: How God’s Plan for the Future Can Change Your Life Now (Amir Tsarfati); Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story (Wilfred M. McClay); and The Theft of America's Soul: Blowing the Lid Off the Lies That Are Destroying Our Country (Phil Robertson). A couple of these I bought at Hobby Lobby, the others I bought in Kindle version. And I’m starting on the Phil Robertson one this evening.

So...if you’re interested in a reading connection involving any of these this autumn, just let me know.

Remembering 9/11

On this the 25th anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks by Islamic jihadists on the United States -- attacks which murdered nearly 3,000 people and created immense and long-enduring waves of fear and grief -- I’m not only remembering those despicable events this morning but also considering how very little America and the rest of the Western world learned from them. Let me write down a few of my reflections.

1) I was in southern Poland when the mass murderers struck. I was part of a small team serving handicapped people and their families by making friends, sharing the gospel, and distributing much-needed wheelchairs and walkers. We were doing so through the graces of Joni Eareckson-Tada’s Wheels for the World ministry. We had concluded most of our work for the day and had just begun a meal with some town officials when shocked faces and whispered conversations suggested something terrible had happened. But no one told us anything; well, except in learning the meeting was canceled due to a great tragedy occurring back in the United States. The locals suggested we go back to our hotel. 

Imagine hearing this and then walking back through the little town shadowed by unknown fears and sorrow and speculation. Had there been an earthquake or tornado swarms? An assassination? We were at a complete loss. Then, finally we arrived at the hotel where there were a few Poles who spoke English. But before they tried explaining, they openly wept, embraced us, and then pointed us to the television screens where we saw the films of the airplanes striking the Towers. The reality turned out to be more dire, more wicked than anything we had imagined. And there were a lot more horrors to come. 

Miraculously, I was able to make telephone contact with Claire fairly quickly and there was much comfort in that. But, as the hours and days stretched on, there was much more to learn, to mourn, and to try and deal with. And we had to do it apart from one another for there were no planes flying into the U.S. They wouldn’t be for many days to come. Therefore, our team decided to go ahead and complete the ministry tasks before us. Claire had to “play the medic” with friends and family stateside while also praying, getting accurate information to pass on to me, and fighting the paralyzing shock which came from sitting too long before the television’s endless replays of the attacks. It would be another 10 days or so before I got back to Nebraska to be with her.

2) My remembrances of these awful, awful days will always brightened a bit by the recall of Poland’s remarkable outpouring of sympathy and solidarity and tender friendship towards the United States...and to me personally. Everywhere we went there were tears and embraces and flowers and attempts to say in English “I am so sorry” and “We are praying for you” and so on.

I was to eventually learn that there was no nation that even came even close to expressing the love and loyalty and spiritual kinship to America as did Poland in that time. And being one of those blessed to experience in direct and abundant ways their tender hearts, I thank the Poles from the depths of my heart.

3) There was a lot made in those first days about the terrorist attacks serving as an awesome alarm, a trumpeting judgment, an ominous warning to America and the West about our indifference to God and to the low stupidity of mere secularism as a way of life. And, as Claire explained to me over the phone, there were people going suddenly to church, there were more references to God even by politicians and media agents, and more of an honest recognition of our nation’s spiritual unpreparedness. But what happened? Well, it was a very shallow, very brief awakening indeed. And by the time I arrived back into the country, everything was back to its dead normalcy. It turned out that even the shock of these historically unique and unimaginably barbaric terror attacks was not enough to persuade us to get right with Almighty God. In fact, the powers that be were soon twisting these demonic attacks into a bizarre tapestry of symbols and slogans, religious syncretism, empty (and coldly ironic) platitudes about unity and brotherhood, and over-the-top praises of our brave, tolerant, enduring, and free-spirited selves.

Oh yes; there were a few brave and faithful voices calling out for genuine repentance and close attention to the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ: Franklin Graham, Jack Hibbs, John MacArthur, Greg Laurie, and others. But most Christian leaders, including the local pastors, failed to take this dramatically open door to teach the truths about the wages of sin, the exclusivity of the gospel, and the brutal and wicked blasphemies which pervade the “peaceful” religion of Islam.

4) And that last point introduces my 4th theme of these reflections this morning. My friends, we must admit that a combination of a) an unconscionable ignorance of the tenets of Muslim religion, b) an unconscionable ignorance of the history of Islamic militancy, and c) a rank cowardice to take a stand for truth that kept America and the West from honestly, effectively dealing with 9/11. For we can read what the Koran openly teaches. We can read the history books detailing Islam’s attitudes (and actions) toward the non-Muslim world. And we can look around us to see how far the evil character of Muslim jihad has invaded the West in just the last 3 generations.

If the Muslim inspired mass murders of 9/11 cannot awaken us to what Islam is and what Islam demands, what on earth will? If Europe (including the United Kingdom) tolerates (and sometimes even embraces) Islamic extremes -- sharia law, forced conversions, honor killings, genital mutilation of women, rape, and lazy individuals leeching off the fruits of Western civilization until they’re completely used up -- who will ever draw a “no more surrender” line? And as goes Europe, so too is going Canada and Australia...and the United States of America. 

Alas, the slogans of 9/11 ring terribly hollow now. For rather than dealing with the horrid realities, we are electing vehemently anti-American Muslims to public office, allowing loudspeakers to sound their strident calls to prayer throughout the day, requiring citizens to observe Muslim holidays, and so on. And, all the while, acting with straight faces like Islamophobia is a real thing while ignoring the waves of anti-Semitism and anti-Christianity that are engulfing the world. Good grief. 

So...my reflections on the anniversary of 9/11? They are intense; they are sad; and they are not very optimistic. But then, I joyfully remember this overarching fact -- because I have trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior, I am a citizen of another country, another kingdom and He has settled my eternal future in the New Jerusalem which He will bring out of heaven as eternity begins. And because of that glorious future, because of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit available to me right now, and because His Word is solid and effective in directing my steps now and until He takes me home, I can live my life as a light-bearing ambassador for the Lord Jesus in any culture, any circumstance. Thank You, Lord. Revive Your people and cause us to walk in Your ways. 

The Biblical Case for Work

In observance of

Labor Day...

* We are workers because we’re created in the image of God.

* We are called to perform our work for the Lord. It is a part of our worship. And we must depend on Him for strength and success in our work.

* We work now under difficult circumstances but that’s not God’s fault. No, it’s our fault because of our introduction (and continuance) of sin in the world. One day, when the curse is lifted and all creation is reconciled to God, our work for Him will be fully adventurous and fulfilling and delightful as it was originally designed to be.

* All work, if done for God, pleases Him and moves forward His kingdom.  There are no divisions between types of work just as there is no true division between the secular and sacred.  He is Lord of all.

* The Bible teaches in both example and precept a strong work ethic.  It condemns laziness and lack of planning.  It also condemns the exploitation of labor.

* Work, properly performed, is an ennobling thing -- a virtue that God applauds and will reward in the life to come.

* One motive of work is to be able to help others in need.

* We are taught the seriousness of being a skilled worker.  This includes care, learning, wisdom, planning, and preparation.

* We are to continually invite the Lord to be in our work.

* The frequent emphasis on the performance of good works in the Lord’s Name isn’t just about “religious” activity. It includes our occupations, our ministries, our housework, our lawn work…all of our work.

The Surefire Investment Plan: Get Yourself a 'Paradise Portfolio'

If you were to believe the advertisements of many brokerage firms and insurance companies, you would think that a safe, even luxurious, future was yours if you simply sign on the dotted line with them. But that certainly doesn’t make sense for those who can hardly keep up with expenses now.

The truth is in the numbers; a fellow who lives from paycheck to paycheck just doesn’t have enough to build up a cushion for retirement.

Now don’t get me wrong. Financial planning, frugality, savings, and prudent investments are all good things.  But the best investment plan of all – and the only surefire one – is the one explained by Jesus when He explicitly told us to lay up our treasures in heaven.  This is a fantastic opportunity for us!  Indeed, all of God’s children are saved from the penalty of sin through faith in God’s grace alone.

However, the Scriptures are also clear that believers will receive heavenly rewards by living lives of obedience, trust, and love.  And that heavenly savings account (I’ve taken to calling it my paradise portfolio) is completely safe from thieves, natural forces, and all the sin-stained politics of this earth.

This investment plan, by the way, has nothing to do with your income, your pension, your Social Security or Medicare.  It has only to deal with your faithfulness to God.

No, after paying our bills, we may not have a nickel left over to put into stocks, bonds, or precious metals. But we can always make investments in heaven, adding every single day to that glorious paradise portfolio that the Lord is saving for us as part of our forever inheritance.

Now that is great news!

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.

Letters to Justices Thomas & Alito

Dear Justice Alito,

“When principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, then battle is your calling, and peace has become sin; you must, at any price of dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all the fire of your faith.” (Abraham Kuyper)

Battle has indeed been your calling, Justice Alito, as you must so consistently fight through the drivel coming through grossly unqualified Justices, the inconsistencies and cowardice of so many other Justices, and then the rank foolishness of a once-grand culture now in sad decline.

But you have fought so well. And you remain such a critical pillar of reason and integrity and justice. The ripple effects of your defense of the Constitution, the rule of law, and the ideals of Judeo-Christian civilization are greater than what you can imagine. Thank you!

The Lord is well served and well pleased with your faithful stewardship. And may He continue to bless you, your family, and help you to stay the course in these challenging times. 

Dear Justice Thomas,

“Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.” (William V. Wells)

I am once again moved to write to you in deep appreciation -- and admiration -- for the steady course you sail, despite the stormy seas arising from the “corrupt manners” of our times. For instance, you endure with great tolerance the drivel coming through grossly unqualified Justices, the inconsistencies and cowardice of other Justices who know better, and the general foolishness of a once-noble culture now in sad decline. Indeed, Justice Thomas, you not only endure, you have triumphed. Your decisions, arguments, and personal example are shining brighter than ever and you are accomplishing a very great deal for the causes of reason, freedom, and justice. 

Thank you so very much!

Stay the course and know that you are in our frequent prayers.

For a Purposeful Life, Look Not Back

 Old adventures over? Well, in God, new adventures are available!

“Many people cannot reconcile themselves to seeing their finest adventures spent and declining. Well! The answer lies in the surrender of our lives to God, for He is the very source of life, a source that is always new. He brings one adventure to an end only to open another to us. He is tireless and inexhaustible. With Him we must be ready for anything. At any moment an unsatisfying life may become once more a grand adventure if we will surrender it to Him. What is different is the spirit in which it is lived; the person sees things in a different light -- the glow of the adventure…

How many disillusioned souls there are who no longer believe that any success is possible in their lives! Success is always possible for a person who will look, not back, but forward, who will not persist in dwelling on old adventures that are finished, but who will wait on God for new beginnings.” (Paul Tournier, The Adventure of Living, 1965, pages 196-8)

Oh, My! A "When Swing Was King" Update

My, oh my; has it really been 16 years since we presented our first “When Swing Was King” program in a senior care facility?  Goodness. That first show was presented at Life Care Center where my Mom was then living. And it was intended to be an entertainment feature at a party we were throwing for Mom and some of the other residents who were her friends there. That’s right -- one simple party. So who could have ever guessed what would end up happening? For within 2 months of that party, and without any promotion on our part whatsoever, we were creating new shows and playing to audiences in a half dozen senior facilities. Before the year was out, we were at 12 facilities with brand new shows every month.

And doing it, as we do now, completely free of charge.

We have now presented...drum roll, please...over 1,900 shows with each always-unique presentation made up of 12 songs, a couple hundred striking photos, and an informative and fun commentary backing it all up. We are freshly amazed at what the Lord has done. And we absolutely love the ministry it involves: creating each show from month to month, entertaining each audience (average numbers ranging from 12-40), and, because we go to the same facilities every month, establishing lively and inspirational friendships with so many people. Lord, thank You so much for “When Swing Was King.”

By the way, “outsiders” are always welcome and so you too can come along and find out just how fun and uplifting these events are. Claire posts the schedule on the Vital Signs Ministries website every month and we (and the senior residents themselves) would love to have you be a part.

By the way, you might find of interest the songlist for our June shows:

1) “Moonlight Cocktail” (Glenn Miller Orchestra with Ray Eberle & the Modernnaires)

2) “The More I See You” (Al Martino)

3) “I’ve Heard That Song Before” (Harry James Orchestra with Helen Forrest)

4) “Nevertheless, I’m In Love with You” (The Mills Brothers)

5) “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B” (The Andrews Sisters)

6) “Blue Skies” (Benny Goodman Orchestra with Art Lund)

7) “You’re Driving Me Crazy” (Guy Lombardo Orchestra with Kenny Gardner)

8) “Twilight Time” (The Platters)

9) “Sh-Boom” (The Crew-Cuts)

10) “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” (Mitzi Gaynor)

11) “Mr. Meadowlark” (Ted Weems Orchestra with Perry Como)

12) “Swingin’ on a Star” (John Scott Trotter Orchestra with Bing Crosby & the Williams Brothers)

Denny Remembers Quint Coppi

The history of Vital Signs Ministries has been a long, challenging, and eventful one yet, by the grace of Almighty God, we have experienced remarkable victories and blessings along the way. And in almost all of the adventurous years of VSM’s Christ-centered pro-life ministry, Quint and Carol Coppi performed the most steadfast, winsome, and absolutely invaluable service. Carol has been enjoying her heavenly reward for 4 years now but Quint only joined her in the presence of Jesus last week. With his death, an important chapter of Vital Signs’ story has closed, but the effects of his and Carol’s influence (and prayers) will continue until the Lord’s upward call comes to the rest of us who so eagerly await it. 

Claire and I join the Coppi family (and scores of other believers who are Quint’s and Carol’s friends and colleagues) in mourning their passing, in cherishing memories of their purposeful lives, and because the Coppi’s eternal salvation is quite secure in that they had trusted Christ’s death on the cross as payment for their sins, we join also in the celebration of their new adventures with the Triune God, the angels, and all the redeemed saints who have gone before.

I first met Quint and Carol when I was asked to speak at the church they were then attending, Prince of Peace. That was sometime, I believe, way back in 1984. They both took the Lord’s call to pro-life activities very seriously -- and very quick. They joined us in peaceful protests of abortion, in sidewalk counseling as we attempted to minister to young men and women with abortion appointments, in various educational outreaches such as the VSM information booth at the the Nebraska State Fair, a whole lot of prayer meetings, the founding of the AAA Crisis Pregnancy Center (now Assure Women’s Center), letter writing parties, field trips to such places as the National March for Life in Washington D.C., and more. In fact, Quint became a member of the Vital Signs Ministries Governing Board very early in our history where his tender-hearted encouragement, his wise counsel, and his willingness to be of whatever service was needed, proved his character as a genuine man of God who had embraced the mission.

And he served in all of these ways for many, many years. Wow.

Even in his old age when he moved to Florida to be with family, Quint continued to be a treasured member of our sidewalk counseling team by joining us in real-time prayer via telephone. Oh my, but everyone loved and admired and was grateful for Quint’s ongoing loyalty and fellowship.

But, in addition to our ministry partnership, Claire and I will forever cherish the Coppi’s joyful, thoughtful presence in the book club we formed. They were in fact present at the very first meeting of the Notting Hill Napoleons, a group of pro-life colleagues who gathered one evening every month to discuss classic literature. It was a unique fellowship that lasted over 30 years! And some of my most beloved memories of Quint come from the Napoleons’ weekend retreats we took every autumn at out-of-town B&Bs. He and I would get up very early on those mornings to have the most engaging and serious talks, encouraging one another spiritually and then praying over the Scriptures that had come up in our conversation.

Now Claire and I engage in a lot of social activities and we do an awful lot of home entertaining, but there were very few social affairs that Claire and I hosted over these last four decades in which Quint and Carol were not “star participants.” For instance, in kicking off the Christmas season where we host many dinner parties, the first invites always went to Quint and Carol. And I can’t remember an Epiphany evening in all those years they were not delighting us with their presence. Oh yes; one of the most wonderful of our parties was when we hosted Carol’s art show and sale -- what an exciting and delightful afternoon! Perhaps here is where Claire and I proudly boast that we have the largest collection of Carol Coppi art outside of Florida! 

Goodness, I mustn’t omit the truly outstanding trip that we took with Quint and Carol to London and its surrounding areas. It was fabulous fun planning it, fabulous fun experiencing it, and fabulous fun reminiscing about it for years afterward!

My, my; Quint and Carol are both sorely missed because we loved them so. And our lives were enriched beyond measure by their love and loyalty to us. It is in knowing, however, that they are both enjoying -- right this very moment -- the wholeness, the holiness, the happiness, and the harmony of being present with the Lord Jesus that brings comfort and excitement. We look forward with great anticipation to the day we will greet them on the streets of the New Jerusalem and re-boot the friendship.

Thank you, dear Father, for the gifts which were Quint and Carol Coppi. 

One more item -- As an added tribute to Quint Coppi, my dear brother in Christ, my friend, and my fellow-soldier in Christ’s service, I offer a link to a story I wrote years ago as a birthday present for him. It is a very short story whereby I took details from Quint’s childhood and turned them into the kind of adventure tale he had so loved as a kid. It is entitled “The Secret of Sagamore: A Christmas Mystery (A Quint Coppi Adventure written by Denny Hartford)” and will be posted for awhile on the Vital Signs Ministries website right here.

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.

If a Good Book Is a Good Friend..."

If a good book is a good friend -- and it is -- then why on God’s green earth would you not want to enrich your life by hanging out with good friends? I’m delighted to say this has been a priority in my life since I was little kid. Well, yes; there was a tragic period in my terribly misspent teen years where I departed from that lifestyle. But first with Thornton Wilder’s Our Town and then with Fyodor Dosteovsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, I see now how the Lord was using good books to draw me away from my intellectual and moral slide -- and towards the supernatural light and liberty He offered me through Calvary’s atoning sacrifice.  I began to read again. I began to think again. And I began to dream, aspire, and appreciate again. 

I thank the Lord for His rescue of my soul and my mind...and for continuing to bring the good gifts of good books my way. I thought of this the other morning when I mentioned to someone having had such delightful times the past couple of months in hanging out with old friends. “Really,” he asked. “What friends are you talking about?” I smiled and told him: C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Dickens, Rafael Sabatini, and the writers of the Old Testament books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I and 2 Samuel. Very good friends, indeed.

Charles William Eliot once observed, “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” He was spot on. And I pray I will effectively live out that conviction until I’m allowed entry into the libraries of the New Jerusalem!

“The Earth Is the Lord’s” -- Arbor Day vs Earth Day

In 1872, right here in the state of Nebraska, a journalist turned politician began a campaign that he hoped would help stabilize and beautify the rather sparse landscape of his state.  The man was a Nebraska City resident who believed that such a campaign would be a good idea in other places too.  And it was.

J. Sterling Morton’s call for tree husbandry was answered by the National Agricultural Convention meeting in St. Louis that year and by numerous municipalities, newspaper editors, and thousands of citizens.  The result was that the very first Arbor Day, April 22, saw almost a million trees planted.

But though J. Sterling Morton was a tree planter extraordinaire, he was not a tree hugger.  His attitude towards the natural world was the traditional one; namely, that the earth was the Lord’s and man, acting as God’s servant, was to effectively oversee nature, to subdue it in a rational way, to beautify it, and properly benefit from it.

Morton was thus acting in accordance with the biblical mandate -- the program originally given to Adam in the garden of Eden -- a call to responsibly appreciate, nurture, and enjoy the created things with which God had adorned the earth.

And most of the people who answered the challenge of Arbor Day were operating in the same spirit.  They were planting trees because trees were good things.  They bore fruit that man could eat.  They helped with soil conservation and provided protection from wind.  And they were pretty.

These people understood that trees were pleasant and productive plants, but they were for man’s use.  They were good things, not fellow souls.

Indeed, J. Sterling Morton (a conservative Democrat who served as Secretary of Agriculture under Grover Cleveland and whose son became a prominent Republican who was Secretary of the Navy under Theodore Roosevelt) was a faithful Episcopalian.  His understanding of the monumental difference between man (created in the express image of God) and nature (created for the enjoyment and benefit of man) was part of the basic Christian worldview.

The kind of conservation ethic he represented was rational, healthy, far-seeing, and well-rooted in sound environmental ideas.  It was the same enlightened conservation ethic of farmers like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, of visionaries like Johnny Appleseed, and conservation champions like Teddy Roosevelt and George Bird Grinnell, and other sportsmen who led the way in establishing our national parks and wildlife refuges. It was part of the longstanding tradition of taking care of the environment for man’s use -- not for nature’s sake.  It was the perspective of the farmer, the rancher, the hunter, and fisherman that we all be responsible and take care of the environment in order that man -- both in the now and in the future -- may be best served.   

Thus, Arbor Day was (and, by the way, still is) a responsible event, one that calls for individual volunteer efforts rather than government coercion.  In fact, the people associated with Arbor Day are decidedly apolitical.  “The only stand we take,” says an official with the Arbor Day Foundation, “is that it’s a great thing to plant trees.”  No demands for government intrusion.  No insistence on group think.  No call for Nanny State regulations and taxes. No worshipping Gaia or Mother Earth.

What a dramatic difference this is from the “holiday” that has tried to bully its way over and past Arbor Day, the extremely political, propagandist, and manipulative event that pirated the same day, April 22, and now tries to crowd out the very memory of Arbor Day. That event of course, is Earth Day. Or as the United Nations calls it -- International Mother Earth Day. To be sure, this newly-invented, politically-charged “holiday” is often dominated by socialist (even pantheistic) tenets and, therefore, absolutely ignores who the true heroes of American environmentalism are; namely, those hunters, fishermen, and other genuine conservationists mentioned earlier. 

And, of course, International Mother Earth Day also ignores the innumerable passages in Holy Scripture which deal with God as the Creator and Sovereign King of the earth...and those which testify to the glory of Almighty God that is revealed in His creation...and those which exhort men to carefully serve as responsible stewards of the natural order...and the eventual destruction of the earth which occurs not through man’s ecological failure, but rather by the holy judgment of God. 

The last item, by the way, occurs just before God creates a new heaven and, yes, a brand new earth. 

International Mother Earth Day vs Arbor Day? For the Bible-based Christian, the choice is an obvious and easy one.

Flying Over the Rainbow?

Among the songs in our “When Swing Was King” performances that most strongly connects with our audiences is Judy Garland’s gorgeous rendition from 1939 of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”  It is, as you well know, a hauntingly beautiful song, one that underscores the human yearning for home, beauty, innocence and wonder...for escape from a world of drudgery, loneliness, and pain.

“Birds fly over the rainbow; why then, oh why can’t I?”

Our audiences love the song. And so do we.

But, of course, it is all too clear that when the strains of the song fade away, the listener is left only with the yearning, a sweet wishful longing that there might somewhere be a place of safety and bliss instead of this dark, troublesome, and increasingly decadent world we live in now. But “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is only of the many songs that reflect this desire, songs that resonate with our intrinsically human longing for beauty, love, purity, and peace. “There’s a Place for Us” and “Somewhere, My Love” are examples. So too are “Rainbow Connection,” “A Summer Place,” “Up, Up and Away,” “Moon River,” “Bali Hai,” “There’s a New World Coming,” “Age of Aquarius,” and on and on. Plus, that’s not even beginning a list of the stories, movies, poems, and fairy tales that take our imaginations into pretty, idyllic pastures where we “live happily ever after.” 

What’s behind all this? Randy Alcorn is spot on with the answer in his marvelous book, Heaven. “We are homesick for Eden. We’re nostalgic for what is implanted in our hearts. It’s built into us.”...“Desire is a signpost pointing to heaven…I’ve never been to heaven, yet I miss it. Eden is in my blood. And the best things of earth are souvenirs of Eden, appetizers of the New Earth.”

Donald Bloesch in his Theological Notebook (1989) agrees. “Man’s greatest affliction is not anxiety, or even guilt, but rather homesickness -- a nostalgia or ineradicable yearning to be at home with God.” I couldn't agree more with these remarks. Indeed, two of my favorite authors C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton also speak of his matter eloquently and often, as do Joni Eareckson Tada and David Jeremiah in their excellent books about heaven. There’s no doubting the undeniable fact that man is created in the image of God and is wired for paradise. Alas, we lost Eden through our sin but God, in His great mercy and to glorify His Name, has offered mankind something far better than even Adam’s garden. Through the promise of the gospel, the Lord offers us the wholeness, security, love, and bliss which will be ours forever in the New Jerusalem. Wow. And wow again.

So, while I certainly don’t suggest you stop loving songs like “Moon River” or “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” or “Moon River,” I do urge you to remind yourself often of the rock-solid reality that is our eternal inheritance, one that the apostle Peter describes as “imperishable and undefiled [which] will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” 

“I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’ And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’” (Revelation 21:1-5)

And, in celebration of that immeasurably wonderful home that awaits us (a home that our Lord Jesus is personally creating and customizing for us!), may I offer you a song full of confident, joyful expectations of that stronger, weightier, infinitely more beautiful home beyond. 

Check it out right here...

Shining the Light Through Letters: A Few Examples

Here are a few sample letters from yesterday’s 2 Vital Signs letter-writing parties...

Dear President Trump, 

I want to commend you for your tireless work on behalf of the American people in the areas of the economy, defense, immigration, law and order, and in many other ways. We so appreciate that you endure the continuous “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” from so many on the left. Thank you and keep fighting. You are prayed for daily.

You have done more for the pro-life movement than any president -- thank you. However, I do know you “signaled” compromise on the Hyde amendment and I needed to write with a strong encouragement for you to NOT concede anything to the Democrats on this critical matter. In addition, I urge you to push HHS Secretary Kennedy to ban the horrendously dangerous abortion pills. These are terrible for unborn babies, of course, but they also can be downright deadly for moms. Mr. President, you can cement your place as the “great defender of the defenseless” by pursuing these things with greater zeal. Thank you.

Again, we pray for you daily that you would seek God, hear His voice, and obey Him with courage, wisdom, and strategy. 

With great appreciation and respect, John Malek

Dear Congressman Flood,

I’m asking you to do all you can to support the House version of Senator Josh Hawley’s Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act. Mifepristone and misoprostol are both highly dangerous to women (though the truths about this has been carefully and maliciously hidden). At the very least, these drugs need to be stripped of their protection from American lawsuits from the harms (including death) they are causing to women.

Perly Schoville

Dear Senator Fischer,

Recently, a dear friend and neighbor who has been part of our crew that travels to Colorado every summer to hike a 14er, finally received his green card. This was after 10 years of waiting and praying and trying to do everything right! 

His case highlights the bizarre condition created by the Biden administration where illegals flooded into the United States in uncountable numbers -- illegal aliens that also included the most vile, barbaric, and anti-American criminals. Well, President Trump finally acted to stop that travesty and we, like almost all Americans, are deeply grateful to him. 

However, we now need to pursue the parallel action of ensuring justice AND America’s healthy future; namely, reducing the foolish, counter-productive red tape and ideological bias that keeps valuable, pro-American immigrants from making this country their legal and beloved home. Let’s get this done ASAP, okay?

Denny & Claire Hartford

Dear Vice-President Vance, 

I can’t thank God enough for your winning the election as our Vice-President. Your kind of leadership is what makes this country so richly blessed. And we pray that God continues to protect you and give you wisdom and courage for the task. The enemy of our soul is roundly defeated whenever we Christians put our faith and trust in almighty God. The key to God’s favor is to stay humble so He can pour out his blessings to all who respect Him. 

Love in Christ, Don Kohls

Governor Pillen,

I want to commend you for your continued support of pregnant moms and their unborn children. In addition, your advocacy for sane and fiscally responsible legislation is greatly appreciated. And finally, thank you also for working to keep men out of women’s sports. All of these things are deeply appreciated. With much respect,

John Malek

Dear Mr. Musk,

Thank you for all you have done to help fight fraud and corruption and wasteful spending. I know you took a lot of criticism and even endured great financial loss because of your patriotic service. I am so thankful for what you did with DOGE and all of the hard work and sacrifice since then. Please keep up the good work! Thank you.

Hope Golden

Dear Secretary of War Pete Hegseth,

Thank you immensely for your sincere, urgent, humble, real, and beautiful prayer on March 19th that you modeled for all Americans regarding our prayers for our troops. I thank the Lord that God has placed you in this position for this crucial time. May our Lord bless you richly and your service to our country. 

Sincerely, Debbie Pederson

To the staff at Immanuel Village, especially Vicky and Sammy,

Just a quick thank-you for your ongoing and ever delightful friendship to the ministry of “When Swing Was King.” It is such a delight to present the shows there and you girls are always so helpful and encouraging and fun to work with. We know your impact is profound in so many ways there, but we certainly are grateful for your services to us! 

(The card was signed by everyone at both letter-writing parties. In addition, there were several other letters or cards that were signed by the entire assembly.)

Dear Congressman Bacon,

A few points: 1) Please fight for the Hyde Amendment;

2)  Please co-sponsor the House version of Senator Hawley’s Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act and vigorously act in its behalf;

3) Please support the President’s bold moves against the drug cartels even as you fight the pernicious dangers of legalized marijuana here within our country.

4) Please support enthusiastically the SAVE Act and all other efforts against voter fraud. 

Denny and Claire Hartford

To CBS News, 

Your efforts to revitalize the network by cutting inefficient programs and staff and your move to bring CBS News away from orbiting solely around a liberal pole are to be heartily praised. Also, your recent expose of the massive hospice fraud in California was terrific. It was an excellent example of the type of quality journalism and healthy concern for American values that CBS News once exemplified. Way to go!

Denny and Claire Hartford

Dear Secretary Rubio, 

I’m so thankful that God has raised you up into this leadership position. I pray for you daily and I know He hears our prayers. May His Holy Spirit give you the wisdom and encouragement to navigate the crazy waters our nation has found itself in. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May His light shine upon you and give you His peace. 

Don Kohls

Dear Justice Thomas,

We write with deep and abiding gratitude for the bold, brave, and wise leadership you have shown on the Court. Your efforts have, without a doubt, gone a long way in preserving American ideals -- for at least a while longer! Thank you so much!

As an encouragement I send along an inspirational poem by the pen of William Cowper.

Blessings, Denny and Claire Hartford, Omaha, Nebraska

Dear Department of Homeland Security,

We are so pleased to see the effectiveness of the new U.S. policies regarding illegal immigration. Way to go! However, I write to urge that the parallel action also become of grand importance; namely, easing the legal confusion and waiting times for welcoming all of those immigrants our nation DOES need -- people who love America’s historic ideals and want to be a part of our grand country!

Denny and Claire Hartford

Dear Mr. Sasse,

We are just two of the many, many people across the country who hold you in very high esteem and appreciation. We did so when you were one of our Senators here in Nebraska and we do so now with your impassioned, visionary, and wise counsel to Americans regarding politics, culture, family life, and the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank you, dear brother. Stay the course for our Lord; our redemption draws nigh! 

Denny and Claire Hartford

Dear Mr. President,

Among the many things for which we are most grateful to are your steadfast, bold, and pro-American moves in our military and economy and border security. Thank you! We are also pleased that your efforts are succeeding in protecting American lives from the critical dangers of illegal drugs coming in from foreign thugs. But Mr. President, we are also aware that the culture is under grave danger from marijuana -- that extremely mind-numbing, soul-corrupting drug that is so much more powerful (and available) than the “flower power” days of my misspent youth. Please keep after that danger as well. 

Denny Hartford

Dear Mr. President,

The latest report reveals the heart-wrenching crisis of the persecution of Christians around the world. Indeed, that persecution is the most violent and widespread ever in the earth’s history and there looks to be nothing stopping it getting worse -- nothing unless the USA gets serious about interceding in behalf of those innocent people under the sword of harassment, terrorism, imprisonment, and murder. America’s intercession must include clear and bold speech from US leadership which will better enlighten (and warn) the world about what is happening. But the victims of persecution (and the cause of justice itself) also deserve U.S. intercession which uses our strategic positioning and economic might to punish the murderers and manipulators. 

Please, President Trump, use your influence to move ever forward America’s defense of freedom of faith and conscience around the world. Thank you so much!

Denny & Claire Hartford