America the Beautiful

2 Nephi 1:5,7- Notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands…Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever. 

      I don't know why I was given the privilege of living here in the United States, but I know that I am so blessed to live here. Guys, we are so lucky. 
   
     Alexis De Tocqueville wrote: "America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."     


     It's true... there are a lot of things going on in our country right now that are not good. Our political system needs some work (lots), our economy is bad, people are lowering their standards and tempting us to lower ours... 
I think that sometimes people get caught up in all of the awful things happening in our country right now, and they forget that they are living in a choice and blessed land. If we keep striving, as individuals, to make our country and world a better place... to put God and country first... we will be able to make America great again. 


In the meantime, never forget how lucky you are. You are so lucky to live in the circumstances that you live in. And just to give you an idea...
(And I know that I listed the following things in this post... but I know a lot of you didn't read that, so here it is again...)

- If you woke up this morning with more health than illness... you are more blessed than the million who will not survive the week.

- If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

- If you can attend a religious meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death... you are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.

- If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world.

- If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealth.

- If your parents are still alive and still married... you are very rare, even in the United States.

- If you can hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful... you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

- If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder... you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch.

- If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over 2 billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

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God has performed many miracles for our nation. It is obvious that if we put our faith in Him and trust His judgement, things will work out for us.  

The following are excerpts from the book Seven Miracles That Saved America by Chris Stewart and Ted Stewart...


“At critical times in our nation’s history, God provided miracles to save us. And there are miracles yet to come,” according to the book. “This country was too important to the future of mankind to let it fail. Despite our weaknesses, which are many, and our failings, which have existed since our inception, God has been willing to intervene so that this nation might survive.”
No man is perfect. And neither is any nation. Yet, despite our weakness, we are still, as Abraham Lincoln said, “the last, best hope of earth.”


This is a fantastic book... and I looked up the seven miracles that they listed so that you could read them...


-Christopher Columbus’s “against all odds” discovery of the New World and the undeniable hand of God that led him here.
-  Jamestown – the English colonists’ survival of the “starving time,” which assured that America would be settled by a religiously oriented and religiously tolerant people.
-  A summer fog: How an unexplainable fog shrouded the East River on an August morning, allowing General George Washington and his army to escape annihilation at the hands of the British troops.
-  The epic events that led to the miraculous creation of the United States Constitution, forever establishing the United States as the “shining city on the hill.”
-  Abraham Lincoln and the Battle of Gettysburg: At a time when it looked like our fledgling democracy was actually going to fail, God answered Lincoln’s desperate prayer for a victory at Gettysburg – an event that literally changed the future of the world.
-  The Battle of Midway: The incredibly unlikely scenario that played out in this famous World War II battle, paving the way for the Allies to win the war.
-  Half an inch: How an assassin’s bullet barely missed President Ronald Reagan’s heart, sparing his life and allowing him to go on and play a key role in defeating communism, smashing the Iron Curtain, and “tear[ing] down this wall.” 




There have no doubt been many more miracles...

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And also... thank you to all of those valiant men and women who risk their lives to defend our freedom. I know that we sometimes take it for granted... I promise that I'm trying not to.

There She Stands - Michael W. Smith