For You, They Signed

My cowpokes and I have been reading a book called For You They Signed: The Spiritual Heritage of Those Who Shaped Our Nation by Marilyn Boyer for our character study.

The day after the electoral college votes were cast we read these incredibly thought-provoking words and questions: “Does God really use individual people to effect the course of nations? God wants to use YOU to help bring America back to her godly foundation.”

We were specifically studying Samuel Adams and the book continued to ask my ‘pokes and me these amazing questions: “How did God use his (Samuel Adam’s) passion and faith to secure YOUR freedom? Why did he expect victory even when circumstances looked bleak?”

“Samuel Adams labored tirelessly for your freedom. He had the vision that the freedom to be won would affect “millions yet unborn.” So it is with your life. Ask God to build vision into your life for ‘millions yet unborn.’”

These questions and words sparked outstanding discussion in our home. Are these the type of questions we are actually asking our kids? Are we really challenging ourselves to be expecting victory when life is simply really hard?

I have seen many Americans say that they are just not going to vote in upcoming elections. That is about the most absurd thing I’ve heard (although there have been so many absurdities over the past 10 months it might be hard to tell…) Burying our heads in the sand is asinine.

We were given the gift of a constitutional republic. It is not only our God-given privilege to live in this free America, but it is our obligation to defend it. Sitting by and doing absolutely nothing is a luxury we can no longer afford.

America has been severely divided throughout her past. For Pete’s sake, we had a Civil War where 100 percent of the people who died were Americans. ALL OF THEM! I believe in the year 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic and election has divided us again like nothing most of us have seen in our lifetime.

I think the questions at the forefront of all of our minds are:

How do we move forward from here?

When will we be allowed to live our “free” life again?

When will we become the UNITED States of America versus the DIVIDED Americans again?

I believe with all of my heart that families need to get back to being family – a place where we enjoy being with the children the Lord has given us. I think the church-at-large needs to get back to the Word of God – the wheat and the chaff are being separated – the division and the seeker-friendly Gospel is doing NOTHING to help families actually train their children to follow Christ. I know many families and churches are genuinely trying to do just this, but they are more a rarity than a commonality.

As a mama I have found myself sincerely concerned about the future my ‘pokes will grow up in. But then, as I sit in prayer, the Lord graciously reminds me that I, and my children, were created for a time such as this. I know I am raising warriors for Christ. I am training them to walk in the authority of His word (the Bible) and in the faith of knowing that God is in control. We must drive back the darkness with light through truth and grace and love.

It is not too late.

There is still hope.