Dear John,

“You just had to be there.”

Have you ever heard someone say that, John?

In our lives we experience extraordinary and one-of-a-kind moments, occasions when everything around us just seems to move slightly slower. Time just seems to stand still.

For me, one of those moments happened on Thursday, June 20th of this year.

I remember sitting on the polished, antique wooden seats inside the U.S. Supreme Court. Just a few months prior, I’d been in the exact same room with an exceptional group of lawyers from First Liberty and the Jones Day law firm presenting oral argument before the Justices.

But it was different this time. I wasn’t there to deliver a stirring and persuasive legal argument. Instead, I was waiting to hear whether the Court would issue its decision on the Bladensburg Memorial case.

Then I heard the Clerk of the Court begin reading the docket numbers aloud. To give you an insider’s take, this is the Supreme Court’s dramatic way of announcing its decisions.

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She read one docket number...then a second...and for a split second I thought to myself, “the Court won’t be releasing the Bladensburg ruling today.”

Then, it happened.

The Clerk called out the third number...Docket #17-17...the number identifying the Bladensburg Memorial case. And having it memorized by heart, I immediately felt a chilling rush.

Time briefly seemed to stand still...and suddenly, it hit me...

We’re about to make history.

All the years of hard work, the investment of resources, the long nights I saw our staff working and giving their best, the incredible stories of all The American Legion veterans I had met, their families and the countless First Liberty supporters who ardently prayed for us...it all came back to me at that chilling, yet astounding moment.

In my 30 years defending religious liberty, I’ve had the privilege of representing and fighting on behalf of hundreds of people of faith, families and faith-based ministries. Thanks to God’s favor and His grace upon First Liberty, we’ve won hundreds of important triumphs—and continue to win—for those who’ve been targeted and persecuted because of their faith.

Yet, few moments in life are as memorable as when you claim victory at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Because after winning at the nation’s highest court, the rest is history, as they say.

Together, we fought to secure a precedent-setting and truly historic victory, one that’s setting you and I, and millions of Americans of all faiths, free to enjoy more religious freedom than we’ve had in decades—or even in our lifetimes.

Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to reclaim religious liberty as we did in Bladensburg, and it’s possible I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to experience such a moment as I did on that unforgettable June morning.

So, because of your continued financial support and prayers, we’d like to say:

Thank you, John.

In the video below, two of our attorneys (Roger Byron, First Liberty’s Senior Counsel and Chris DiPompeo from the elite law firm Jones Day) take a moment to express their gratitude to you:

In case you hadn’t met them before, Roger is a longtime member of The American Legion and is our lawyer on staff who led the charge on the Bladensburg case. Chris, one of the finest volunteer network attorneys, devoted countless hours to this case, which is why we awarded him First Liberty’s 2019 Onderdonk Jr. Religious Liberty Award.

Let me end with this.

Not everyone gets to make history. But as a loyal First Liberty supporter—you get to be a part of unique and historic moments for our country.

Because you give to First Liberty, you’re coming onboard with some of the best lawyers in America—and you’re eventually going to find yourself standing with us at the U.S. Supreme Court to make more history.

Today, I’m asking you to consider making a generous year-end gift to First Liberty.

This year, your donation is going to go the extra mile in the fight for religious liberty thanks to a $300,000 CHALLENGE GRANT.

When you financially support First Liberty, we can continue to fight—and WIN—for YOU at the nation’s highest court.

Can I count on you, John?