Remember Me, America
Remember me, America.
I was once your son.
I fought and died in Valley Forge
With General Washington.
I was there again in Gettysburg
On that tragic, tragic day,
When brother fought against brother.
The blue against the gray.
I was there with Teddy Roosevelt,
A charge called San Juan Hill.
Some came back to fight again,
But I just lay there still.
I was there at Pearl Harbor,
On a day called Infamy.
And I’m still there with my shipmates,
At the bottom of the sea.
D-day, June 6, 1944.
We stormed the beaches of Normandy.
We fought uphill every inch of the way.
We routed those Germans and we pushed them back,
But oh, the price we had to pay.
I heard the Seals say one night in Korea,
“We can take it. I know we will.”
So I died again in a place they named Porkchop Hill.
Vietnam, Vietnam, when will we ever learn?
I’m one of many thousands who did not return.
I left my town, my wife, my kids so dear for war.
And died again in a scud attack in a place called Desert Storm.
So in my eternity, my thoughts will go to thee.
I won’t forget you, America.
But please, America, do not forget me.
“Others”
“Help me in all the work I do to ever be sincere and true.
And know that for all I’d do for You must needs be done for others.
Others, Lord, yes others – let this my motto be,
Help me to live for others, that I may live like Thee.”
~ Charles D. Meigs, 1902
When Will God Answer My Prayer?
It appears to be one of Almighty God’s principles to wait until the very last moment, when human beings have already exhausted their every possible solution, before He intervenes. That’s when the Creator, Who spoke trillions of stars into existence, and who specializes in the impossible, shows His mighty power! Now that is something to earnestly pray for!
Very Important Reminder
Any donations to Overseas Outreach must be mailed in time to arrive by December 15!
Vote for Kamala?
If you have any inclination to vote for Kamala Harris, here is an idea for you: Since she loves to brag about being such a good prosecuting attorney, how about voting for her to be sent to Haiti as prosecuting attorney for the criminal gangs there? Oops! It just dawned on me that she may be inclined to acquit them and join them in persecuting Haiti’s honest citizens – Haiti already has more than enough trouble!
After writing this note, I was reminded of what the Word of God says in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NKJV): “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Even though Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are not legitimately in authority (they are criminal usurpers – and if you doubt this, check with Eric Metaxas for verification), they are powerfully wielding their stolen authority for evil purposes! Let’s earnestly pray for them to be convicted of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and truly converted to our Lord Jesus Christ!
Excerpts from The Rebirth of America
Reaffirmed by the Presidents
“One of George Washington’s early official acts was the first Thanksgiving Proclamation, which reads, ‘Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor…’ It goes on to call the nation to thankfulness to Almighty God.
Continuing through the decades of history, we find in the inaugural address of all the Presidents, and in the Constitution of all fifty of our states, without exception, references to the Almighty God of the universe, the Author and Sustainer of our liberty.”
Observed by Historians
The principles of God’s Word guided the decisions on which this nation built its foundation. This was the discovery of Alex De Tocqueville, the noted French political philosopher of the nineteenth century. He visited America in her infancy to find the secret of her greatness. As he traveled from town to town, he talked with people and asked questions. He examined our young national government, our schools and centers of business, but could not find in them the reason for our strength. Not until he visited the churches of America and witnessed the pulpits of this land ‘aflame with righteousness’ did he find the secret of our greatness. Returning to France, he summarized his finds: ‘America is great because America is good; and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.’
Throughout our history, our forefathers have given eloquent testimony of our commitment to God and His principles:
‘It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.’ ~ Abraham Lincoln
‘The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles…to this we owe our free constitutions of government.’ ~ Noah Webster
We must agree with Daniel Webster that ‘whatever makes men good Christians makes them good citizens.’
‘Humanism is not new. It is, in fact, man’s second oldest faith. Its promise was whispered in the first days of the Creation under the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil: “Ye shall be as gods.”’ ~ Whittaker Chambers
“We cannot diminish the value of one category of human life—the unborn—without diminishing the value of all human life….There is no cause more important.” ~ President Ronald Reagan
“America is not big enough to shake her fist in the face of a Holy God and get away with it.” Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever.” ~ Thomas Jefferson
“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us, then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.” ~ April 30, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation for a National Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer
“Sin is a deep-seated, loathsome disease that is eating the heart out of humanity and cursing, blighting, damning, wrecking, and ruining those who tamper with it.” ~ Joe Hankins
“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning… and turn unto the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful…” Joel 2:12-13
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13
“Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:16-18
“God reminds us through the prophet Jeremiah, ‘Call unto me and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest now’ (Jer. 33:3). Even when all the odds seem overwhelmingly against us, even when the condition of our nation seems most desperate, we must believe that God is still the sovereign King of the universe, that He has all power and authority, and that He is compassionate, gracious, and longing to extend mercy to us.”
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” ~ Edmund Burke
“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and, with the help of God, I will do!” ~ Everett Hale
“Blest with victory and peace,
May the heaven-rescued land,
Praise the Power that hath made
And preserved us a nation!
Sin separates a nation from God!
Sin separates this nation from God!
But we are not without hope.
I agree that the picture has a dark background but I
Would like to place a crimson cross and bursting
Tomb and a glowing sky in the foreground.
From the very throne of God there comes this
Message to us:
‘Come now, and let us reason together,
Saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow:
Though they be red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.’
We must return to the Faith of our Fathers.
We must go to our knees in humility and prayer,
In contrition and confession,
In repentance and the forsaking of sin.
We must go back to the cross,
Where the incarnate Son of God was cursed,
Condemned, crucified for man—the creature’s sin.
The crisis is acute.
The danger is imminent.
Time is running out.
Something miraculous must happen in the heart
And soul of America…
Now, before it is too late.
The choice is clear.
It is repent or perish,
Revival or ruin,
Christ or chaos.
The question of the hour is: Which Way, America?”
(End of excerpts from The Rebirth of America)
- “The simple step of the courageous individual is not to take part in the lie.” (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)
- “FEAR has two meanings: Forget everything and run OR Face everything and rise. The choice is yours.”
- “May we think of freedom, not as the right to do what we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.” (Peter Marshall)
- “Tolerance is the last virtue of a depraved society. When you have an immoral society that has blatantly, proudly violated all of the commandments of God, there is one last virtue they insist upon: tolerance for their immorality.” (D. James Kennedy)
- “Stop disliking people for what you heard and be grateful God doesn’t dislike you for what He knows.”
- “There’s something comforting about a billion stars held steady by a God who knows what He’s doing.”
- “The only thing that keeps me stable and settled in these days of uncertainty is the absolute dependability of God’s Word.” (Elisabeth Elliot)
- “Never doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light of His Word.” ~ Used by permission from the September Knowlesletter
True Social Justice (Part 2)
Justice is no longer Biblical justice whereby everyone stands before an unbiased judge and is held accountable to an unchanging standard. It is now social justice, which is cosmic justice, where everyone is to possess or have access to the same stuff. Diversity is no longer the recognition of the unlimited complexity and creativity of God’s creation, but any combination of individuals who hold to an identical ideology. Tolerance is a love for others which recognizes the distinction between the sin and the sinner. Tolerance now means the celebration and promotion of an ethic of rebellion against God, particularly in sexual perversity. Inclusion used to mean understanding there is no one, regardless of background, race, or whatever, who should be kept from being a part of God’s family. In contemporary terms, inclusion means accepting and celebrating those engaged in the most perverse lifestyles imaginable. True social justice is Biblical justice, which is poles apart from the humanistic redefinitions of justice, diversity, tolerance, and inclusion.
Potent Quotes
“God’s guidance is almost always step-by-step; He does not show us our life’s plans all at once. Sometimes our anxiousness to know the will of God comes from a desire to peer over God’s shoulder to see what His plan is. What we need to do is learn to trust Him to guide us.” – Jerry Bridges “…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…” Ephesians 6:18
True Heroes (Part 2)
In our September prayer letter, we had a brief section about true heroes, and this is a sequel to it. On Saturday, September 28, I attended a training session for U.S. citizens and county sheriffs. The training was why and how we should stand strong and uphold our U.S. Constitution as the supreme law of the land and bulwark of our civil rights. The leader of the training, Sheriff Richard Mack, is an outstanding example of a true hero, and he introduced us to two more true heroes – those who are running for sheriff’s office in Ada County and Owyhee County (Doug Traubel and Larry Kendrick). On February 28, 1994, while Richard Mack was serving as sheriff of Graham County, AZ, he filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court against the federal government (Clinton Administration) to stop the gun control and destruction of state sovereignty from the Brady Bill. Several weeks later, Sheriff Jay Printz filed a similar lawsuit in Montana. Five other sheriffs joined this action. Why would seven small town sheriffs do such a thing? However, if it were the right thing to do, why were there only seven sheriffs willing to take such a stand (out of nearly 3,100 nationwide)? Could it be that they were the only Davids willing to stand against the Goliath – monumental threats and persecutions? Ultimately Mack and Prinz took it all the way to the Supreme Court – and won!
Are you fed up with the trampling of our constitutional rights by federal bureaucracies and the corruption of the FBI, IRS, etc.? Humanly speaking, our county sheriffs are the primary defenders of the Constitution that they have sworn to defend against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. Ultimately, Almighty God is our Shield and Defender. Let’s earnestly pray to Him! If you would like more information about the organization Sheriff Richard Mack is leading, please contact me and ask for a flyer.
“Are you faithful? If you aren’t faithful with the mop, then you won’t be faithful at the top!” – Russell Kelfer
Our Mailbox
Good afternoon, Zane and Lacy,
Since our Overseas Outreach mission has been functioning under the White Fields 501(c)(3) because White Fields is actually the parent mission to Overseas Outreach, I have something very important to share with both of you. Please carefully, prayerfully read this message to the very end. I have been preparing for a transfer of leadership for years, especially with the ministry partners in Ukraine. However, the Covid shutdowns, the war situation, and Della’s health are now all contributing factors in our direction. We had asked Good News Productions International to consider adopting Overseas Outreach mission as part of their outreach because we have been focusing primarily on Ukraine for well over 20 years, and Sergei Golovin is the one who invited me to come to Ukraine for the Man and the Christian Worldview Symposium in May of 2001. Sergei is the regional director for the Russian speaking world for GNPI.
We did not appeal to White Fields to take on the O.O. mission because we realize that the two of you have been stressed and scrambling to keep up with all the administrative responsibilities of WFOE since God took Lori Home last September. We did not want to overload you. However, we do owe you an update, so I’m asking Sandy to send to you what we are sending to our prayer team. We intend to continue functioning as O.O. mission through the end of this year, and will need to continue functioning under WFOE’s 501(c)(3) in order to protect our donors and to submit our 2024 report to you and to Joe Earhart.
May the resurrected Lord Jesus be always your joy, your hope, your comfort, your strength and victory! May you come to know Him deeper, love Him dearer and follow Him nearer! “Now may the God of hope fill you with all peace and joy as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 Respectfully yours & His, Rick
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“Hi Rick, thank you for your update and we will be praying for you and Della and the future of Overseas Outreach. We really do appreciate all you all are doing in Ukraine and enjoy your newsletters. We are happy that you did not ask as we would have had to decline anyway. We had 2 other organizations in past couple of years that have asked and we had to decline them. We are working at concentrating more on what we have now and are only looking at new areas that are unreached. We have successfully made a couple of trips in the Middle East that look very fruitful in the future. We are thankful that we have a lot of good people helping us out so it frees us up to travel overseas and to churches here in the US. Right now we have it planned out next year to visit all the work of WFOE except for maybe Haiti. Please keep us updated and we will continue praying for you all. Blessings, Zane”
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“Dear Rick and Della. Thank you for your note. It has been a privilege to know you and serve alongside you! I was reading your latest newsletter and would like to thank you for the following adage: ‘When you follow God’s will for your life, you can see how yesterday’s events prepared you for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.’ ~ David Jeremiah We are thinking and talking a lot with Natasha about registering our ministry here in Austria. We definitely need prayers and the Lord’s guidance. Your note about closing your ministry came like a small urge for us to keep on going in the direction of opening the ministry here in Vienna. (One ministry closes another one opens.) I would like you to understand that we serve a lot here, praise God, but we need somewhat official status by the year of 2026 when our permission to stay here as a temporary displaced person expires. Now back to David Jeremiah. We see how God worked in our life in the past and we give thanks for that. We are somewhat in the middle now. We experience challenges, especially with a new language and my parents’ health and look forward to new opportunities for the Kingdom as we go through the challenges step by step… We miss you and pray about the opportunity to visit you someday. Love, Zhenya and Natasha”
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“… My standard comment on the issue is this: ‘To suggest that a person who struggles with same-sex attraction disorder cannot reorient to the natural design of their own body is ridiculous and an insult to both God and common sense.’ To codify such foolishness in law is an assault on civilization itself that deserves not just judicial rejection but punishment. The wicked who refuse to repent for sabotaging God’s plan and order (including our Bible-based nation and constitution) must be held accountable. Love in Jesus, Dr. Scott Lively”
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“Dear Rick, thanks for reaching out! I read both the article you sent me and the entirety of your newsletter. I have just a few thoughts by way of response. First, let me thank you for decades of service to the Kingdom, and especially to Ukraine. My wife and I recently sponsored a refugee family from Ukraine to come and live with us, and learning about life from them was a watershed moment in my life. I am sure you have stories of God’s faithfulness that I couldn’t begin to fathom.
Second, I recognize that American freedom cost a very high price, and we have a responsibility to steward it well. My great-grandfather was a marine in WWII and also saw action in Korea. My grandfather was in the military during Vietnam. My dad (and several uncles) were in the service. I have nothing but respect for the men and women who wear our flag as they fight in wars they didn’t choose for people they don’t know. I never want to take their sacrifices for granted.
Third, I am also disheartened by the lack of moral fiber that currently defines so much of our country. I believe that Christians have a responsibility to promote and embody the ethics of the Kingdom of Heaven in a world that doesn’t recognize them. With all of this in mind, I would say that I personally advocate for Christians to have a balanced, nuanced, intelligent engagement of the political process in America. But I believe that this engagement should pale in comparison to our individual acts of mercy and kindness to the people in front of us. I recognize that government policy can have significant repercussions (Roe, Obergefell, etc.) and I don’t think believers should ignore their place in shaping these decisions. But I also know that the Supreme Court doesn’t govern how I treat my neighbor. I believe that this generation is more motivated to grow the Kingdom in our country by loving their immediate neighbors than by fighting for it at the ballot box. I realize that both methods have their place, but I personally believe we will see a bigger cultural change when we feed the flames of love instead of fear. I’m obviously still working out what I think about everything, and it’s impossible to cover all of this in 750 words for the Restoration Herald! But I hope this response lets you know that I’m trying to balance important perspectives and brings clarity to my position. And I hope that we are both building a generation of young believers who are full of grace and truth.
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11
Much love, friend. Tim Jackson”
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“Hi Della, Bruce and I just returned home in Virginia after spending the summer in Tucson caring for my Mom. What a joy it was to read through our mail and see your note about the blessing our additional gift was to you and Overseas Outreach. That made our day! Obviously, it was without knowledge that you were in need of additional funds that we wrote the two checks while we were in AZ. However, the Lord blessed my business tremendously in May, and I received my commissions in June & July. Hence, the additional giving. As long as the Lord sees fit to continue to bless us financially, we will continue to provide for your ministry. I know the day is coming when we will be facing retirement and a fixed income. But hopefully, that’s still a couple of years away. Thank you, for the blessing you have been to so many, and mostly to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May God continue to bless you for your faithfulness. Love, June & Bruce Kirk”
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“Rick and Della, I know this is not what you pictured 5 years ago. I am sorry that it seems to be going this way. I pray for you and your hearts for leading others to Christ during your lifetime of faithfulness. I am so glad I’m one of those you touched!! I’ll share this info with our HCC board on Sunday. We will continue to support O.O. through your transition. And will continue to pray for all the people of Ukraine. All For Christ, Al Cinnamon”
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“Thank you for this email. I feel very good about this decision. I think it is a wise one. Hang on Della, this time next year your time will be your own. I hope this won’t create a financial hardship, though I have found God has our finances already worked out way before we knew we needed his help. I think you have listened wisely to God concerning what to do with O.O. God bless you real good, Ellen (Landreth)”
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“Dear Rick & Della, I hope this note finds you both well. It is just a part of life to struggle a bit more as we are growing older. This may cause us to wonder, but just think: God knows best and think about this a different way: As we age, we draw closer to being with Jesus and maybe our appreciation of Him and what He has done for us increases incredibly through our trials and we grow more ready to be comforted by His gracious love for us. Just a thought! I keep fairly busy, but I also am slowing with age. I pray that our country can survive all the corruption that has flooded our government… David Black”
*Dear Readers, Prayer Partners, Donors: Since we are closing our Overseas Outreach mission at the end of this year, we are liquidating our stock of books. Recently I sent five cases of books to Love Packages, an organization that sends Christian books to missions around the world, and sends reports of exciting testimonies from various mission stations. We still have a few open boxes on hand of the print copies of Ready to Give an Answer, Millions of Miracles: the Evolutionist’s Dilemma, Is the Bible without Any Errors?, More than Conquerors in Cultural Clashes. Our testimony booklet is no longer available in print but is available as a digital copy. Why am I telling you this? Because you are welcome to a free copy of any one (or more) of our books for a donation of any amount to Overseas Outreach (for as long as our supply lasts). And, very importantly, your donation must arrive by (or before) December 15! That gives us time to process any checks before the end of the year (even considering holiday closures). Please keep us in your prayers and let us hear from you if possible! We hold you in our hearts and in our prayers. We appreciate you!
Respectfully yours & His in Christ,
Rick & Della
Prayer Requests
Please continue in fervent prayer for America, Israel, and Ukraine!
Della’s Page *Thanksgiving Thoughts*
You Are Blessed If …
- If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won’t survive the week.
- If you have never experienced the danger of battle,
The loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are more blessed than millions of people around the world.
- If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than many people around the world.
- If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.
- If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
- If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God’s healing touch.
- If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read anything at all.
- We are all blessed in more ways than we may ever know. …. Author Unknown
Our thanks to you, our dear friends, for standing beside us all the way
on our journey of Overseas Outreach.
Together we have been able to help and encourage many Ukrainians,
as well as joining with other ministries who are doing the same thing.
We know that only with your faithful prayers and support have we been able to serve in this way.
We are asking God to bless each and every one of you in a special way that only He can do!
Gratefully, Della
Actually, some of you have been with us since I went to minister to youth in Estonia in 1998,
and then to help Victor Barviks plant a new church in Latvia.
I wish you could have seen the gratitude tears in Della’s eyes as she read to me the last few lines she wrote above. Why? Because words alone can hardly express our gratitude!
Respectfully yours & His, Rick