Christmas Is a Time To Celebrate Faith and Freedom, and Remember What We’re Fighting For

Christmas is a time when I make a concerted effort to pause and reflect with gratitude on the many hard-won legal victories that your ACLJ achieved over the past year.

When brave FBI whistleblowers had their lives flipped upside down – suspended without pay or benefits – for exposing corruption within the agency, we stepped in to defend them. And we won. Because of the ACLJ’s legal work, Special Agent Garret O’Boyle was fully reinstated at the FBI, and both he and Agent Marcus Allen had their security clearances restored, as well as back pay and benefits. I hope this Christmas will be much more peaceful for these courageous men and their families.

Earlier this year, the ACLJ sent a demand letter to Los Angeles County on behalf of Church on the Beach, after the church was told it could not hold services on a public beach – despite having met there for 18 years. After receiving our letter, the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors conceded, and worship has returned to the beach.

We also witnessed a shocking rise in multiple cities arresting preachers for sharing the Gospel in public. We successfully represented three preachers in Chicago, who faced such unconstitutional attacks.

And as we celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus, we give thanks for a big victory we helped make possible by helping stop the taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood and other abortionists – as these cases continue on appeal. The ACLJ will never stop fighting to save the unborn. 

But we must also remember the many innocent Christians around the world who won’t be celebrating this Christmas because they are suffering and even dying for their faith. We continue to urge the U.N. and Congress to defend dying Christians in countries like Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Pakistan, among others.

And we’ve told you about clients such asAshan Masih,Amoon and Qaisar Ayub, and Shahzad Masih – all who have been sentenced to die under Pakistan’s harsh laws for their Christian faith. We continue to fight for their lives, literally, and ask for your continued prayers.

I’m sure many of you reading this are familiar with Isaiah 9:6–7:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.

It’s a verse we often read around Christmas, but it feels especially appropriate this year. The far Left is waging a war on our Christian faith. Look no further than our latest U.S. Supreme Court battle to defeat Gov. Gavin Newsom’s crusade to bankrupt a California church. However, as the Bible says, “[T]he government shall be upon his shoulder.” No government can overpower Him.

At the ACLJ, we have so much to be grateful for this Christmas. Particularly, the steadfast support of our ACLJ members and Champions. Your gifts make the 2025 victories – and future ones – possible.

From my family and the entire ACLJ team, I want to personally thank you for your support and wish you and yours a Merry Christmas.  May God bless you in the upcoming year.