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A Small Candle on Allerton Hill

  • Feb 24
  • 14 min read

A Small Candle on Allerton Hill

February 10, 2026

by the Founder & President of Lettermen of the U.S.A.


I stood on Allerton Hill in Plymouth, Massachusetts, under a sky so blue it looked painted by a divine artist whose ability to create beauty is boundless. The glowing sun warmed the granite, sharpening every carved letter and fold in the statues’ robes. Before me rose the National Monument to the Forefathers. It is 81 feet of solid stone, quiet and hidden among trees, yet impossible to ignore once you find it.


At the top stands a woman named Faith. She is holding an open Bible against her heart, one hand pointing straight to heaven, one foot resting on the legendary Plymouth Rock. Everything else flows from her. Around the base sit Morality, Law, Education, and Liberty. These four massive seated figures are telling the same story in stone: when a people begin with God, the nation is blessed, just as Scripture declares, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).


I walked slowly around the pedestal, photographing every side. Passenger lists etched in stone—John Carver and wife, William Bradford, Myles Standish, Priscilla Mullins, James Chilton and his daughter Mary, Robert Cushman who never sailed on the Mayflower but made the voyage possible. Scenes unfolded one by one: the Mayflower Compact being signed in the cabin, the treaty with Massasoit bringing decades of peace, the embarkation: families boarding the ship, the landing—families stepping onto unknown ground much like Abraham, who “went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8), trusting obedience to God more than certainty.


On the back of the monument, William Bradford’s words are carved deep:

“Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand… and as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many… let the glorious name of Jehovah have all the praise.”


Bradford’s reflection mirrors the biblical truth found centuries later in Zechariah: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (Zechariah 4:10). Standing there, I felt that truth settle into my bones.


Something shifted in me that day. I realized how much of our true history has been hidden. But it's not always by conspiracy. Instead, it is by distance, neglect, and selective telling. The Pilgrims came to live under God’s moral law, shaped by the covenants of Deuteronomy and the justice of Leviticus, believing what Proverbs makes plain: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). Their order was deliberate—faith first, producing morality, just law, purposeful education, and enduring liberty.


The same thing happens with floods. In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene dropped unimaginable volumes of water across the mountains of northeast Tennessee and western North Carolina. Rivers became torrents overnight. Bridges vanished. Communities were cut off. The scale of destruction was hidden until the storm arrived. In much the same way, the depth of our nation’s spiritual foundations remains unseen until someone stands at the source and looks honestly.


I came home to Southside, Alabama, carrying that realization. My family has been rooted here for 195 years, long before the town had its current name, when Pilgrims Rest, Cedar Bend, and Green Valley were separate communities along the Coosa River. My ancestors crossed that river in the 1830s as Native Americans were being forced west on the Trail of Tears. That history is both beautiful and painful. It reminds me that legacies are not clean or simple, but they endure when people remain faithful and bear one another’s burdens, as we are commanded in Galatians 6:2.


That understanding fits perfectly with the work of Lettermen of the U.S.A.

We began by responding to natural disasters. Athletes, coaches, and supporters stepped in when storms struck. But the mission deepened. Today, we serve veterans and their families across Alabama with a singular focus: standing in the gap during the quiet crisis of transition. Scripture reminds us that love is proven not in words alone, but “in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).


No veteran has a cookie-cutter struggle. Each faces unique challenges—mental health battles, physical injuries, homelessness, family strain, or the loss of identity that once came with service. That is why we meet people where they are, believing that faith lived out looks like sharing shelter with the homeless and caring for those in distress, just as Isaiah 58:7 commands.


Autographs for Heroes, our signature program for fourteen years, delivers signed college footballs to wounded veterans during events like Heroes Week in Huntsville. What began as encouragement has opened doors for deeper restoration, because dignity often begins with being seen and remembered.


Shelters for Heroes began as a plan to help one veteran at a time while awaiting permanent housing. It quickly became a program for families. One included a mother battling cancer, and her child fighting the same disease. Providing shelter and stability so they could focus on healing reflected what James called “pure religion”—to care for those in their distress and refuse to look away (James 1:27).


Laptops for Heroes began during COVID, with support from the Governor of Alabama’s office for Gold Star children, and has since expanded to serve veterans’ children through a partnership with the Birmingham Barons. We believe what Scripture affirms: when you train up a child, you shape the future (Proverbs 22:6).


Our long-term vision is Heroes Village. It's a 44-acre community with tiny homes, family housing, a chapel, a learning center, and assisted care for aging veterans. A place where veterans can rebuild with dignity and purpose, not merely survive but thrive.

We should never leave our own behind. We see the spouses carrying unseen weight, the children navigating instability, the marriages strained by silent pressure. When families are overlooked, the cost is profound. So we step in, believing that when we bear one another’s burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).


That small candle Bradford wrote about still burns. One faithful act lights another. One restored life strengthens a community. Light spreads the way Christ said it would—meant to shine, not be hidden, giving light to everyone in the house (Matthew 5:15).

Right now, there is a veteran who feels like a train at the bottom of a steep hill—wheels spinning, steam running low, despair pressing down like saltwater that never lets anything float. He’s trying to climb, but the fuel is gone. His family is watching, hoping.

We can be that fuel.


Every dollar given, every hour volunteered, every football delivered, every conversation started adds coal to the fire. Each act becomes a drop of fresh rain in an ocean of despair. One drop seems small, but God has always multiplied small offerings placed in faithful hands (John 6:9–13).


That is what Lettermen of the U.S.A. is doing—one yard at a time.

If you feel that tug—the same tug I felt on Allerton Hill—don’t ignore it. Let your light shine in a way that points others back to the Father (Matthew 5:16). Join us. Donate at lotusa.org. Volunteer. Share our story. Help fuel Shelters for Heroes, expand Laptops for Heroes, or lay the foundation for Heroes Village.


Because small beginnings still produce greater things.

And one small drop can help an ocean reflect the light.

Let the glorious name of Jehovah have all the praise.


May 2022 at the National Monument to the Forefathers, Plymouth, MA. This hidden 81-ft granite giant lays out the Pilgrims’ blueprint: Faith first (Bible in hand, pointing to heaven), then Morality, Law, Education, Liberty—all rooted in biblical moral law.

That day hit me: so much of America’s true founding history has been overlooked. But it’s carved in stone for anyone willing to seek it.


As founder of Lettermen of the U.S.A., it fuels our mission—standing in the gap for Alabama veterans & families, one yard at a time through Autographs for Heroes, Shelters for Heroes, Laptops for Heroes, and our vision for Heroes Village.

Small beginnings still light a thousand candles. Let Jehovah have all the praise.



May 2022 at the National Monument to the Forefathers, Plymouth, MA. This hidden 81-ft granite giant lays out the Pilgrims’ blueprint: Faith first (Bible in hand, pointing to heaven), then Morality, Law, Education, Liberty—all rooted in biblical moral law.

That day hit me: so much of America’s true founding history has been overlooked. But it’s carved in stone for anyone willing to seek it.

As founder of Lettermen of the U.S.A., it fuels our mission—standing in the gap for Alabama veterans & families, one yard at a time through Autographs for Heroes, Shelters for Heroes, Laptops for Heroes, and our vision for Heroes Village.

Small beginnings still light a thousand candles. Let Jehovah have all the praise.



Just as ancient Israel was set apart and consecrated to God through covenants at Sinai—binding themselves to His law and promising faithfulness in exchange for His blessing and protection—so the Pilgrims, in their Mayflower Compact, solemnly covenanted in the presence of God to form a civil body politic “for the Glory of God, and advancement of the Christian Faith.”

The National Monument to the Forefathers stands as a modern echo of that consecration. Dedicated in 1889 by a grateful people, it rededicates the ground of the new nation—America—to the same divine foundation. With Faith towering at the summit, Bible in hand and arm raised to heaven, it declares that this land and its people are consecrated to Jehovah: starting with reliance on Him, flowing into biblical morality, just law rooted in His principles, education in His truth, and the resulting liberty blessed by His hand.

The monument isn’t just a tribute; it’s a renewed covenant in stone—reminding us that America’s exceptional freedom emerged from Gospel-grounded commitments, much like Israel’s identity flowed from their consecration. In dedicating this landmark, later generations reaffirmed: this nation, like Israel of old, is set apart for God’s purposes, to walk in His ways, so that “the light here kindled hath shone unto many.”

May we, in our time, renew that same consecration—personally and nationally—lest we forget the Source of our blessings.



May 26, 2022 – Close enough to read every word on the National Monument to the Forefathers.

“Erected by a grateful people in remembrance of their labors, sacrifices and sufferings for the cause of civil and religious liberty.”

This stone panel doesn’t whisper—it declares: the Pilgrims’ journey was consecrated to God, just as ancient Israel was set apart at Sinai. They bound themselves to His moral law, and later generations raised this monument to rededicate the ground of the new nation—America—to the same divine foundation.

That day, it struck me: our true history isn’t hidden; it’s carved in granite for anyone willing to stand before it and read. Faith first, then liberty born from sacrifice and covenant.

As founder of Lettermen of the U.S.A., it reminds me why we stand in the gap for Alabama veterans and families—one yard at a time. Small, faithful acts still light the way.



May 26, 2022 – 12:37 PM, walking the base of the National Monument to the Forefathers.

These etched names—John Carver & wife, William Bradford & wife, Myles Standish & wife, Love & Wrestling Brewster, Priscilla Mullins, and so many more—aren’t just a list. They’re 102 ordinary people who crossed an ocean on faith, risking everything for religious liberty and a life under God’s moral law.

Seeing them carved in granite at eye level hit me: this isn’t hidden history; it’s preserved history, waiting for anyone willing to stop and read. The Pilgrims consecrated their journey and the ground they stepped on to Jehovah—just as ancient Israel was set apart at Sinai.

As founder of Lettermen of the U.S.A., it reminds me why we serve: to honor sacrifice, stand in the gap for Alabama veterans and families, and keep that same faithful light burning—one yard at a time.

Small beginnings still produce greater things.



May 26, 2022 – The Education panel on the National Monument to the Forefathers.

Education sits with book in hand, teaching wisdom to the young. Beneath her: the Signing of the Mayflower Compact—free men covenanting under God for just self-government.

Just as ancient Israel was consecrated to Jehovah at Sinai, binding themselves to His law, the Pilgrims consecrated their new beginning here—promising to form laws “for the Glory of God, and advancement of the Christian Faith.” This stone monument rededicates that ground: America set apart, rooted in divine moral law.

Standing there, it struck me—history isn’t lost; it’s etched for anyone willing to look. As founder of Lettermen of the U.S.A., it fuels our mission: educating, mentoring, and standing in the gap for Alabama veterans and families—one yard at a time—so the next generation inherits hope, not despair.

Small covenants still change nations. Let Jehovah have all the praise.



May 26, 2022 – Bradford’s words on the National Monument to the Forefathers, echoing Zechariah 4:10: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”

“Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand… as one small candle may light a thousand… let the glorious name of Jehovah have all the praise.”

Governor William Bradford

Just as ancient Israel was consecrated to God, the Pilgrims consecrated their small, faithful start to Jehovah—covenanting on the Mayflower and planting a light that grew into a nation. This monument rededicates that ground: America set apart, beginning small but trusting God for the greater things.

That day, under the blue sky, it reminded me: no act of service is too small. As founder of Lettermen of the U.S.A., we live this truth—one yard at a time—fueling hope for Alabama veterans and families through Autographs for Heroes, Shelters for Heroes, Laptops for Heroes, and our vision for Heroes Village.

Small candles still light thousands. Don’t despise the day of small things.



May 26, 2022 – Under that perfect spring blue sky, standing at the Law panel of the National Monument to the Forefathers.

Law sits with book in hand, flanked by Justice and Mercy, declaring that true civil law must flow from divine moral order. Below: the Treaty with Massasoit—Pilgrims and Wampanoag in solemn agreement, a covenant of peace rooted in fairness and mutual respect, not conquest.

Just as ancient Israel was consecrated to God at Sinai, binding themselves to His law for blessing and protection, the Pilgrims consecrated their new commonwealth here—promising governance “for the Glory of God, and advancement of the Christian Faith.” This monument rededicates that ground: America set apart to walk in righteous law, so liberty endures.

That day, it struck me—history isn’t buried; it’s etched in granite, waiting for us to walk around and read it. As founder of Lettermen of the U.S.A., it drives our work: guiding Alabama veterans and families through systems that can feel unjust, connecting them to fair resources with mercy and dignity—one yard at a time.

Small covenants still build lasting peace. Let Jehovah have all the praise.



May 26, 2022 – Circling the base of the National Monument to the Forefathers, this corner panel stops me in my tracks.

PASSENGERS of the MAY FLOWER—names like John Turner & two sons, John Goodman, Thomas Williams, James Chilton wife & daughter Mary, Samuel Fuller wife & son, William Mullins & Priscilla, Joseph Mullins, Edward Thompson, Peter Browne, and Robert Cushman (who chartered the voyage and arrived on the Fortune in 1621).

Flanked by Evangelist (praying, proclaiming the Gospel) and Justice (scales in hand, upholding equity), these names aren’t forgotten footnotes—they’re the human faces of sacrifice. 102 souls who consecrated their perilous journey to Jehovah, stepping into the unknown to build a commonwealth under His moral law.

Just as ancient Israel was set apart at Sinai, the Pilgrims set apart this new land—covenanting on the Mayflower and planting a seed of faith that grew into a nation. This monument rededicates that ground: America, consecrated to God’s purposes, built on Gospel truth and grateful remembrance.

That day, under the spring blue sky, it reminded me—every name here matters. As founder of Lettermen of the U.S.A., we honor sacrifice the same way: standing in the gap for Alabama veterans and families—one yard at a time—through Autographs for Heroes, Shelters for Heroes, Laptops for Heroes, and our vision for Heroes Village.

Small lives, faithfully lived, still change everything. Let Jehovah have all the praise.



May 26, 2022 – The Morality panel on the National Monument to the Forefathers, bathed in that spring blue sky.

Morality sits with scroll in hand, supported by Prophet and Evangelist—virtue flowing directly from God’s Word proclaimed and lived. Below her: the Embarkation relief—Pilgrims boarding the Mayflower, families clutching belongings, children in tow, stepping into sacrifice for conscience and covenant.

This is the heart of the blueprint: faith produces true morality. Without it, law becomes tyranny, education becomes empty, and liberty crumbles. The Pilgrims knew this—consecrating their lives and their new land to Jehovah, just as ancient Israel was set apart at Sinai to walk in holiness and justice.

Seeing it carved in granite that day reminded me: morality isn’t optional; it’s the foundation. As founder of Lettermen of the U.S.A., we live this truth—serving Alabama veterans and families with integrity, dignity, and unwavering commitment. Through Autographs for Heroes, Shelters for Heroes, Laptops for Heroes, and our vision for Heroes Village, we stand for what is right, one yard at a time.

Small, moral choices still build nations—and heal broken lives. Let Jehovah have all the praise.



May 26, 2022 – The Liberty panel on the National Monument to the Forefathers, under that endless spring blue sky.

Liberty sits triumphant, Tyranny Overthrown at his feet—freedom as the crown blessing of faith, morality, law, and education. Below: the Landing at Plymouth Rock—Pilgrims stepping ashore, not as conquerors, but as bearers of a dream.

For 5,000 years mankind longed for this: a place where men could live in freedom of worship, freedom of commerce, and the pursuit of happiness under just laws rooted in divine moral order. Ancient Israel glimpsed it in covenant with God; the Pilgrims consecrated this ground to make it real. This monument declares: the American republic stands as the fulfillment of that ancient dream—a nation set apart, where liberty is not license, but the fruit of faithfulness to Jehovah.

That day, it burned in me: this isn’t past glory; it’s a living charge. As founder of Lettermen of the U.S.A., we fight to keep that dream alive for Alabama veterans and families—restoring worship unhindered, commerce rebuilt, happiness reclaimed—one yard at a time through Autographs for Heroes, Shelters for Heroes, Laptops for Heroes, and our vision for Heroes Village.

The 5,000-year dream is still unfolding. Let’s not let it fade. Let Jehovah have all the praise.



This powerful group photo captures the heartfelt energy of the third Autographs for Heroes event, our oldest and foundational signature program at Lettermen of the USA (LotUSA).

Launched in 2012, Autographs for Heroes has partnered annually with the Semper Fi Community Task Force of North Alabama during Heroes Week in Huntsville, Alabama. Through a months-long drive, we collect signed college footballs from coaches and players across the nation—representing schools like Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, Texas, USC, and many more. Each wounded veteran attending Heroes Week receives a personalized, autographed football from their favorite team, hand-delivered by a LotUSA member.

What started as a simple gesture of encouragement has grown into a 14-year tradition (with the partnership spanning over a decade), delivering hundreds of these meaningful gifts while fostering deeper connections, recognition, and moral support for our wounded heroes. This early event helped spark our expansion into many other vital programs—proving that being seen, remembered, and honored can be the first step toward restoration and dignity.

Thank you to all the lettermen, coaches, and supporters who make this possible—one signed football, one veteran, one yard at a time.



Shelters for Heroes began as a plan to help one veteran at a time while awaiting permanent housing. It quickly became a program for families. One included a mother battling cancer, and her child fighting the same disease. Providing shelter and stability so they could focus on healing reflected what James called “pure religion”—to care for those in their distress and refuse to look away (James 1:27).



From humble beginnings in the heart of the pandemic to opening doors for education and hope today—one laptop at a time.

December 22, 2020 — The inaugural Laptops for Heroes distribution, launched with support from the Governor of Alabama’s office to provide new HP laptops (and a signed football!) to Gold Star children who lost a parent in service. What started as a response to COVID challenges quickly became a way to honor sacrifice and equip the next generation.

October 29, 2024 — At the Alabama Air National Guard 1-117th Air Refueling Wing, a young man receives his laptop from Lettermen of the USA. His mom, a veteran, and their family lost everything in a devastating fire. Moments like this remind us: a simple tool for learning can help rebuild lives and restore stability.

August 30, 2025 — Our growing partnership with the Birmingham Barons shines as we gift laptops to veterans’ children who otherwise couldn’t afford one for school. Surrounded by community, mascots, and smiles, these kids step toward brighter futures—because when we invest in children, we shape tomorrow.

As Proverbs 22:6 reminds us: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Through Laptops for Heroes, we’re proud to support veterans’ families, Gold Star legacies, and the kids who carry their torch forward.

Grateful to our partners, donors, and lettermen who make this possible. One yard, one laptop, one future at a time.



Our long-term vision is Heroes Village. It's a 44-acre community with tiny homes, family housing, a chapel, a learning center, and assisted care for aging veterans. A place where veterans can rebuild with dignity and purpose, not merely survive but thrive.

 
 
 

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