Email Responses to Safety and Prayer Newsletter by Safety Speaker John Drebinger

The following are the email responses I received for my newsletter titled, “Safety and Prayer”. (To read the entire article click here) I posted these to strengthen those of you who express your faith in your daily life. As a safety speaker I also am grateful for the support I receive from each of you.

Yours in His service,

John Drebinger

“I start each day with prayer and for the safety of my family and friends.”

“I just want to comment on how great I think it is that you would advocate how the power of prayer can help us be protected and secure in all aspects of our lives. I’ve worn the white hat as a member of our Behavior Based Safety Steering Committee in the past and also currently wear the robe of an Southern Baptist Associate Pastor, so I say ‘Amen, Brother!’

I say a prayer every morning for the safety of the folks I supervise and ask for wisdom in discerning over the decisions I make that will effect them. I’ve even preached on the similarities between how behavior based safety correlates with a behavior based salvation, making the right choices to live a life of eternal value. It was truly a blessing to read your article this morning.

May God continue to bless you and yours.”

“While I don’t always have the opportunity to read your Safety Messages, this most recent one caught my attention.  I am a believer in the power of prayer and I wholeheartedly subscribe to its benefit.  In today’s PC environment, thank you for taking such a bold stand on this topic and its practical application to personal safety.”

“Nice article, John. Thank you for that. Besides the faith-based

benefits of prayer, the secular benefits of added reflection and

thought are essential even for non-believers or questioning people.”

“10-4, I saw a great bumper sticker the other day, Got God, it’s Hell without Him. Looking forward to seeing you again soon.”

Reply From Me:

“Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the encouragement. Actually being safe in the Lord is probably the ultimate safe position to be in. I have often thought a fun bumper sticker would be, “Jesus, The ultimate fall protection!”

“Good morning. I had the privilege to here you speak a few years ago in Casper Wyoming. Since that time I have been enjoying your email and articles on safety in the workplace.. As a safety manager for a small company in Gillette Wyoming I have come to appreciate all your insight on how to have an effective safety culture. Your article today on praying for the safety of your workers really hit home with me. Please let me share a little story with you.”

“I had worked for 19 years for UPS as a driver and a manager. I came to the point where I could not keep up with the 90 – 100 hour weeks that was put on me as a manager. So at 45 years of age I made a career change. I now am a HR/Safety Manager for an electrical contractor. When I took the position the company had an environment that injuries were just part of the job. We needed to change that way of thinking. So the first thing that I did was to start to pray for the safety of the workers and for the company as a whole. We started to make some changes from policies to performing observation to having weekly safety meetings and daily tailgate meetings. I am proud to say that as of today we have worked 685 work days since our last lost time injury almost 3 years ago. I still pray for the safety of our workers. I know there is power in prayer.

Thank you again for your servant attitude for those of working for the safety and protection of our workers.”

“Thanks for your note on prayer.  I sometimes forget to pray for my guys in the field and yet there have been occasions when God has directed me to lead them in prayer.  Of course, that always raises an eyebrow or two.. Once I was approached by a Manager the day after I had prayed out loud for my guys in a Safety Meeting and asked me to be very careful about how I promote my faith.   I took it as a bit of persecution and praised God for his faithfulness… Anyway, the guys in the field know where I stand and those that are Christians have thanked me for praying for them.  The bible says so much about Safety when it comes from having a relationship with Christ.”

“Great message! Thank you!

You are very welcome!”

“I’ve always wanted to send you a message on how much you were an

encouragement even at the National VPP conferences that I have attended..

I love the fact that even though you are speaking on safety, you never forget to mention your faith in God… I love it!

I truly enjoy the magic acts, great stuff.”

“Thanks for a good note.  As a Christian, I will sometimes pray for individual employees who have been injured.  I will try to start praying for safety of employees BEFORE they are injured.”

“Thank you so much for this reminder.  All too often we keep our prayer in our personal life, but don’t bring it into our work life.  I appreciate the fact that you are using your position to openly share your faith about the one true God.  Prayer is something that I have been trying to improve upon this year.  Specifically praying and giving thanks throughout my day.  I have not been doing the best with creating this new habit, so this has been a good reminder for me personally.  Once again thanks and God bless.

Also, congrats on the weight loss!  Lookin’ good.  Keep it up.”

“It is not often that I am impressed by informational letters that I get as email. I have to tell you, however, that I was very impressed with your call to prayer. It was an excellent reminder, that all of our efforts are minimal without God’s guidance, care and grace. Thank you for that reminder.”

Email Forwarded

“Gentlemen,

As I sit at my desk putting the presentation(s) together for the meeting tomorrow with ConocoPhillips Executive Management, I ponder on how to deliver our corporate safety recovery plan. These past weeks have been stressful for our team and I am challenged to try to inspire and motivate our team to stay focused and strong, in the midst of our high level of incidents.

As I think about how I, as a leader, must try to lead the team through these tough times God sends me a gentle reminder of “Who is really in Charge!”  What am I passing on is a newsletter that comes out monthly that I have subscribed to. I usually “fast-read” these e-mail’s and delete. I attended Mr. Drebinger’s presentation at the VPP Conference a couple years back and enjoyed it so much that I signed up for his newsletter. I printed this newsletter yesterday having all intention to read it, but failed to get to it until this morning.

WOW, how this hit me. Here are a couple of nuggets from below:

“If you are asking for God’s help, you will likely keep safety a little higher in your mind, as it would be inappropriate to invoke the help of God and then ignore safety yourself.”

“Prayer can also move you from a feeling of helplessness, to a state of peace, reminding you that you and the people you pray for are loved and cared for by God.”

Bottom Line – I am asking my Brothers in Christ to join me in lifting up the AES team in prayer. We have had a challenging start to the year, but I know we can make it. Especially now that I know “Who is in Charge!”

In His Service,”

“Took guts to write this.  Excellent article.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Amen!”

“Thank you for the article. I have never had anyone bold enough to actually write an article like this and being one who believes strongly in the power of prayer I thank you for the reminder and encouragement!

God Bless,”

“Of all the great advice you have given over the years this is your best one yet! Thank you and be blessed….”

“Great message, thanks for sharing.”

“God’s Blessing on you, your family and your work,”

“Truth well stated.

Thanks and God Bless.”

“I have received your safety tips and presentation emails ever since I met you in Anaheim at the VPPPA convention a couple of years ago.  I really enjoy your down to earth approach to safety.   I wanted to comment on this presentation email “Safety and Prayer”.  In it you have touched upon a topic that most employers and employees alike would rather veer away from.  But the fact is, the main reason most of us are safety conscious and spend so much of our personal time on safety in the workplace is that we do believe that God our creator loves us and desires that this Love carry over to those we work with; (after all He has arranged it so that these particular people are in our midst for a reason).

This Love in many of us is so strong that we try to do all we can, both on and off the clock, to make sure that each co-worker goes home to his family safe and sound at the end of every shift; and that the employer is made aware of safety concerns, hazards, and policies that must be implemented, monitored, and maintained so that all employees have a safe working environment.   This attitude is not always a popular one and does not always make life easy.  We in safety are usually the fish that are swimming against the current with little or no reward.  The successful safety advocate is not in safety for recognition or reward in this life but is truly concerned with the well being of others and this true concern stems from a belief and love of God.

You have been the only person I have met in safety so far to touch upon this fact and I wanted to thank you for your dedication, bravery and honesty to write such an article.

Thanks again and May God bless your work.”

“I was in one of your classes at LA in 2008.  What a delightful and Charismatic person you are.  I wanted to commend you on this article.  What a wonderful breath of fresh air to have a person like you that can reach so many people come up front

and personal with the only solution that will ACTUALLY work for ALL of us.  Thank you…. Prayer sustains me thru the days and nights.  It can only bring us a calming that would help us work more efficiently; it will keep our thinking clear to accomplish our hands on jobs that can be very life threatening at times at some of the facilities that we are assigned.”

“What a great way to start a conference for our working people.

THANKS AGAIN,

On the Journey, Keep the “SON” Shining,”

“I found your recent letter on safety and prayer most enjoyable and extremely uplifting.  For those of us as “believers”, it comes naturally and comforting to pray for our friends, family and coworkers. as a woman who lost her 15 year old stepson in the summer of 2000 due to the negligence of a 19 yr. old driver,  it is my wish that NO ONE ever receive that kind of phone call, whether a close friend or a complete stranger. I appreciate your outlook and diligence in working for a safer workplace as well as in the general community.”

“You are a True Hero.  You’re right there’s a loving God helping us be safer and protecting us all.  What a great reminder…..Thanks for all that you do for others.  You look great!!!

From your friend”

“Thanks, I truly appreciate the concept of prayer, when Corporate America embraces the power of PRAYER, there will be less injuries.  I was listening to Dr. Mike Murdock last week when he stated that until America learn to truly trust the Word of God, it will be a long time before change comes…. Prayer is my #1 connection to the Master in all things, not just safety.

Again, thanks for sharing,”

“Enjoyed your presentation at the Geller Conference in July and your emails are beneficial.   I live in a small community and my entry point provides for a 20-mile drive relatively alone on the highway. I use this time for prayer every morning and have been incorporating prayer for my co-workers safety for some time now. I had a thought the other day that I need to recruit others to ensure that we get a focused effort to help keep people safe by covering them with prayer.  Thanks for validating the inspiration.

PS.

Loved the idea about tracking your mileage as a trip to a given point. I am now “hiking” the Appalachian Trail.  Unlike my governor here is SC. I am headed north.”

“Great message! May God continue to bless & keep you & your family” John Drebinger.”

“Thanks for stepping out and sharing your faith with those that receive your safety message.  You might have lost some at the title, maybe some after the second or third paragraph, not me.  There are a lot of people that are hurting and don’t know where to turn.  This is what they might have needed; a nudge, someone to say it’s alright, a glimmer of light to follow . . . maybe they just needed that ‘seed’ for the future.”

“Great email!!  Prayer is powerful!”

“I am a big fan of yours and have been ever since the first time I met you at a Reg. VI VPPPA conference many years ago.  I must tell you that this particular article touched a deep chord in my heart as I am a FIRM believer in prayer and always have been.  I’ve seen way too many miracles in my lifetime (me being a miracle myself) to ever doubt the power of prayer!  I am the product of a mother’s prayers in a delivery room nearly 47 years ago when I came into this world as a still-born and because a mother did not fear calling on the name of the Lord in her time of need, life was restored to a tiny body that had been laid over on a cold countertop and left for the morgue to carry away.  The miraculous didn’t stop there…July 5, 2008, my husband and I were taking a little helicopter tour over some property we purchased near San Antonio Texas, (Canyon Lake) and while on that little excursion, we had a mishap and we crashed on the property next to ours.  When I realized we were in trouble and were going down, I did the only thing I knew to do at that moment and that was call out to the Lord…so all I could say the whole time we were going down was “IN JESUS NAME, IN JESUS NAME, IN JESUS NAME, IN JESUS NAME!!!”…and the rest is history…the chopper came down miraculously on both skids, perfectly between a ring of trees and the rotor blade never once even scrapped a limb.  Now while the chopper was no longer able to fly and was damaged, our lives were spared and other than a minor foot injury that I sustained, the pilot and my husband walked away unscathed!  The pilot personally thanked me for praying and I quote him, “Ma’am, I know without a doubt that it was your prayers that saved us today.  Thank you for praying!” and this is a seasoned helicopter pilot with about 30 yrs. flying experience including his time as an Army helicopter pilot!   That happened on a Saturday and I was back in the office working on Monday!  So no one can tell me prayer doesn’t work!

Thanks so much for taking that stance and introducing the most powerful tool for our safety back into the minds and hearts of all who will read your article and beyond!

God Bless You!!!!!

“I start each day wit prayer and for the safety of my family and friends.”

“Thanks for this insight John. As you are probably well aware, there has been a concerted effort over the years to remove God from the workplace. I have long believed in the power of prayer and would be curious to know how many other safety professionals do as well. Perhaps a poll or survey of some sort?”

“Thank you for that article on Safety and Prayer I know it is not a popular subject but I do believe in prayer and sometimes it is all we have to hold onto.”

“Thank you for this powerful reminder.  You made me stop and think today about what truly is important and often forgotten in our workplace.”

“A great non-traditional safety message.   Bless you for feeling the tug.”

“This came at a perfect time for me.  The Safety profession can be very frustrating at times.  My wife recently told me that safety was my ministry when she noticed my frustration.  Now, you send this very inspiring e-mail on praying for our employee’s safety.  I think God is trying to tell me something. Thanks for the inspiration and God bless you.”

“I really appreciate your reminder to us to pray for Divine intervention in our own safety and the safety of those near & dear to us whether they be family or coworkers.  I have personally experienced and witnessed God’s protection in ways that defy human and scientific explanation.  Other witnesses to these events could only ask, “How did that happen?” and the only answer that could be given was that God had performed a miracle.  He has always been in the miracle business and He always will be.

Thank you again for reminding us to invite God into our workplace, our safety, and especially into the things that we think “we can handle on our own.”  I see too few times in corporate America where God is still acknowledged and even fewer times that He is called upon in prayer.

May God richly bless you as you speak of Him, and in your concerns for the safety & welfare of others.”

“I very much enjoyed this particular newsletter.  I started praying for the safety of our workers years ago as well as guidance to recognize the hazards.  How refreshing to get your newsletter and especially your boldness and courage for speaking out on your Christianity to so many people through your newsletter!  Have a blessed day.”

“Thank you for this message.  I pray frequently each day for the safety of those in my charge and for the healing of those who have been injured.”

“Strong advice – and very welcomed.”

“Many thanks for the note below! We certainly need more prayer…in every aspect of life. And, it is not often folks include this in email. You can lift one up for me!”

“Cool!”

“Love it, and Amen!
Thanks for bringing prayer up to your e-mail audience, John!
Take care.”

“Good to hear from you, looking forward to seeing soon.

BE SAFE IN THE LORD”

“I enjoyed your newsletter,…..We should take a moment to remember who put us here and how we fit into the big picture….(you take up a lot less room in the picture these days…great progress on the diet!)”

“Thank you for bringing God and prayer into so many peoples lives in your newsletter.”

“Very enlightening ….. Thank you!!”

“This was a great reminder of the power of prayer. Thanks John!!!!”

“Thanks for the right-on message! This one is especially appreciated, as so are your other messages! Take heart in the valued service you are doing!”

“Praying is having fellowship with and the focus on God and requesting his assistance and intervention for others’ well being. Thanks again for expressing this number 1 step in living life and for interceding for our service for Him!”

“Thank you for saying it.  A lot of people reading your Safety and Prayer news letter probably have had the same reaction as I had when I read it; lean back in our chair and silently pray for all those in our sphere and at the same time shake our heads in admiration of the man that had the perception and courage to put it in print in the most simple and easy-to-entreat manner.”

“You are making an impact.  And thank you for sharing your continued belt campaign success!”

“Thank you for your service.”

“Thank you for this wonderful article.  The power of prayer is awesome and if folks are paying attention, they will see it at work every day.  Thanks again and I will continue to pray every day asking for protection and guidance for those around me.  Thank you.”

And to be fair of all the responses only one objected to the content of the newsletter. It is printed below along with my response.

“This is not the right forum for you to bring in religion and this may make many uncomfortable, and is a misuse of your contact list.  I learned long ago while working as a nurse in Intensive care that everyone has their own beliefs, and some people have no connection to a particular religion or faith, so I did my work and took care of everyone the same, but never imposed my religious/spiritual beliefs. On others………that was not the purpose of my work, unless a patient or family member asked, and then I would do my best to give, or find a way to support them in their own beliefs. I extend this same respect for each of our employees, and others I meet.  This is my opinion and suggestion, but if you don’t agree you may just eliminate my name from your contact list.

Dear…,

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. My approach to sharing personal values is that people should always wish the best in the manner that fits their beliefs. This can best be explained by what happened years ago when my wife’s mother passed away. I called a friend of mine and told him of our loss. He is a naturalized citizen who came from India. He has since embraced the religious teachings of our Native American culture. His response was to tell me that that evening he would burn some sage for my mother-in-law. He knew I was a committed Christian and I was in no way offended by his offer. He was saying in his own way that he cared and was going to act on that caring.

To me true diversity is each of us expressing our values and traditions and sharing the greetings from those beliefs. Diversity is in the listening. I have asked for prayer at a safety meeting for someone who was in the process of giving birth. Later I found out the person and her husband were atheists. We remain friends because they know I was expressing love and caring for them and their child. In their minds it was a useless gesture but they understood the intent.

I would agree with you that imposing your beliefs on others would be inappropriate and from a Christian perspective contrary to God giving us free choice. I guess the key is the definition of the word imposing. To me imposing on someone else is insisting on their taking action in a specific way. If I insisted that all my employees pray that would be inappropriate. However, if I share with them how prayer has made a difference in my life that is an act of caring just as sharing about a beautiful place they might want to visit that I have been before. I am not imposing my travel itinerary on them only sharing what I have enjoyed.

I hope this clarifies my purpose and intent. I would be pleased to keep you on my mailing list or remove you whichever you wish.

Most importantly I applaud that you cared enough to write. I am sure there are others that held your position who just didn’t care enough to take the time. For the record my email goes out to over 10,000 people and usually I get from 4 to 5 responses. This email received an amazing 61 responses to date. Of the 61 only yours expressed concern. Safety is a field where actions speak louder than words and I thank you for caring and taking action. I will be doing a future issue with quotes from several of the emails as to how prayer has helped in their workplace.

Yours in Service,

John Drebinger,  Safety Motivational Speaker

john@drebinger.com

+1 209-747-9645