A challenge to help us pull

By: American Decency Staff

In yesterday’s email on the results of a Gallup poll finding that 76% of Americans believe moral values in our society are getting worse, we offered a challenge to those 76% – “pick up a rope and pull.â€ÂÂ  https://americandecency.org/archives/pick-up-a-rope-and-pull/ Below you will find a couple of the responses we received from yesterday’s email, as well as another challenge. Email #1: Very well said! You are so on target. We have allowed the very small majority to bully us into being quiet. We need to rise up and take a stand instead of putting our heads in the sand. Thank you for all you do Bill. Your job is not easy but thank you so much for continuing in the fight and not giving up. God Bless You! C. Y. Email #2: Hi Bill, I love your message in this email.  Five years ago, my husband and I got sick and tired of trying to explain to our 5 children exactly why they couldn't listen to the music all the other kids listen to and why they couldn't see the PG13 movie all their 8 year-old friends were going to.  We woke up.  We moved out of a terrible, morally deficient area in Florida, to a small, very conservative town in Texas.  Most people we know thought we had lost our minds.  We homeschool our children (they went to a Lutheran school in Florida), and we are aware of everything that goes into their young minds.  We have polite, happy children who respect their elders, love to read, and sing while playing and doing chores. We have a "no watch" list full of movie stars we have decided are too liberal, lack values, or exhibit offensive behavior.  We do not watch any tv show that mocks that which should be respected, such as the family, church, the sanctity of maleness or femaleness, or senior citizens.  We don't go into stores that sell pornography.  We carefully follow which companies choose to sponsor morally bankrupt programs and movies, and boycott them. I have been saying for years that I was born into the wrong century.  But if the polls are true, so were 76% of people which means we are the majority and not wrong.  If only more people would be brave enough to follow your suggestions and stand up against this downhill slide that is being sold as "normal", we could make a difference.  We have our rope in hand and are pulling with all our might!  Please tell me what else I can do! Thanks for the encouragement, E.H. ***************************** These types of responses are so encouraging!  Good reminders for us all that we aren’t alone in the battle or in our beliefs.   We all are needed to pull – to serve, speak, vote, give.  Or as Ephesians 6:13 says:  “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.â€Â In closing, I also promised you another challenge.  The writer above ended her letter asking, “please tell me what else I can do!â€ÂÂ   And this is where that other “challengeâ€Â comes in.  We need each of you to stand with us!  We need you to send that email, boycott that company, stand in your local area – but also to give. Over these number of years many of you have been faithful and generous to this ministry.  Without that kind of sacrifice we would not be in existence.  Thankfully, we do have life and breath as a ministry because of heartfelt, caring and prayerful support!! We have done some good over the years.  Indeed, there have been some big victories along the way.  There have also been many defeats, yet we have continued on with faithfulness and perseverance.  As the first writer above stated, our “job is not easy.â€Â Yet, why would God bring us this far just to leave us?   We don’t believe that for a minute.  He blessed our obedience and faithfulness to the calling that He has given us.  That’s what we believe! However, He never promised a rose garden.   Times are tough and will probably only get tougher:  not only financially but culturally.   Time and space will not permit me here to count the ways. I’m offering this challenge because of urgencies we face going into the summer months which always bring a significant downturn in giving.  We are already struggling – just barely paying our bills and staff at this writing. We depend upon strong year-end giving to help us through the leaner summer months.  However, because we started the year $20 – $25 thousand less than usual, our struggle to stay afloat is becoming increasingly pronounced. I was listening to a radio ministry state the other day that they needed to raise $350,000 in the month of May or face significant cuts.  I know many ministries and many local churches are struggling.  And, then, there is the matter of many of you struggling as well. Let me complete my appeal by communicating the following to you our friends: If you are in a situation where you just simply don’t have the means to help, we understand.  Don’t do anything that will jeopardize your own financial situation – which in some cases is really not good. However, if you are able, would you please prayerfully consider helping us with as generous a gift as possible?  We are grateful for each and every gift we receive.  One of our faithful supporters sends us $2 a month.  For that sacrifice we are humbled and grateful! Yet if, for example, 200 people gave a special gift of $100, or 500 people gave $50 each, or 1,000 people gave … – you get the idea.  It would go a long way toward helping us through the summer months. Lastly, please continue to pray for us!  I quite regularly hear from people who say, “I pray for you and ADA every day.â€ÂÂ  That means so much to us! Well, that’s it for now.  I would make this last challenge.  There may be someone receiving this who is in a position to make a very large donation that would help get our legs solidly underneath us again.  My son-in-law reported that a person gave a gift of $40,000 that helped their church overcome a number of months of reduced giving.    We are frugal people.  We are thankful for any and all gifts!  We appreciate you and we appreciate whatever you can do to help us, dear friend! Your support is needed. Click here to donate online: https://secure4.afo.net/ada/donate.php Or by mail at: American Decency Association P.O. Box 202 Fremont MI 49412 God bless you and keep pulling that rope! Sincerely, Bill Johnson =============================================== American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson

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