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America at 250: Faith, Freedom and Our Future

America at 250: Faith, Freedom and Our Future

Last updated on: July 4, 2026 at 5:00 am by Michele Gunn

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America at 250: Faith, Freedom and Our Future 2026-07-03T05:46:20-05:00 Michele Gunn

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America at 250: Faith, Freedom, and Our Future/created in Canva with ChatGPT

For my July series, I will be writing about freedom, rest, renewal and new beginnings. There is no better way to start than celebrating 250 years of America! We are the land of the free and the home of the brave. Today our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence! This brings an opportunity for each of us to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and for many generations to come.

A Freedom Milestone Worth Reflecting On

Today, July 4, 2026 commemorates 250 years since the American Declaration of Independence was signed into existence. They had a vision for our country. This special celebration is not only a perfect time to enjoy fireworks, food, friends and family, but it is also a great time to take a moment to reflect on who we were and who we are becoming as a nation. Are we aligned with that vision that our forefathers created for us?

As we reflect on those questions, it is the perfect time to look outward and upward. How is our faith reflected and protected in this country? Of course we must not forget that the document that was signed asserts that “all men are created equal” and possess unalienable rights, including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

How America Began: A Foundation of Faith and Freedom

One of the basic premises of founding our nation was the pursuit of religious freedom. The foundational belief was that all men are “endowed by their Creator…” This means that our rights are received as a gift from God, not from our government. Faith is the foundation of our government, not the other way around. Our government was not intended to dictate faith and definitely was not supposed to remove faith. So remember Proverbs 14:34, “Justice exalts a nation, but sin is a people’s disgrace.” Our leaders today don’t seem to.

Many of the early leaders acknowledged divine guidance. They did not overstate perfection or claimed to be “above” everyone else. They led with their faith as a strong foundation. There is a mayor local to us that lives, works and serves in this same manner. He does not hide his faith and neither does he force it on others. He is transparent and forthcoming while he shares his faith and leads by example. This is the mayor of Manvel, Texas.

What We’ve Become: Growth, Struggle and Progress

Our country has made great progress since 1776. There has been expansion, innovation and opportunity. Many people eagerly sought our country for these ideals as well as what our country was founded on. This influx of diversity brought more growth, innovation and opportunity. This diversity enriched life in the United States of America, affectionately called the “melting pot.” People brought their cultures, their languages, their skills and their families and became a part of our great nation. Everyone wanted to contribute to the whole.

However, there were people who focused on imperfections. This caused division which led to ongoing struggles. Some of these imperfections were only perceived. Some people believed they were better than others and wanted to make sure they knew it. That is not how God created us. God created each of us uniquely different so that we could serve beautifully together. When you have that relationship with God, it helps you to see and understand the value of each and every person.

Where We Are Now: A Nation Searching for Faith and Freedom

Our country (and our world) has increasing secularism. I am not at all saying that the government should not be imposing any one faith or religion, but should itself have it as a foundation. The people in our government should both live and lead by example. As a result of the absence of faith and living it, we witness shifting values. Our country is focused on busyness, division and leads with a loss of moral clarity. At the very foundation, people are no longer treated with dignity and respect. They have no value except what they can be “used” for. It is not necessarily that God was removed. He is just often replaced, ignored or deprioritized.

The government should not be taking away freedom or religion from people. It should not be focused on dividing people or removing them from our country. In addition to considering how to better serve the people, it should be doing so with a foundation of God as we were founded to do. Thankfully, there are many people beginning to search again for faith and freedom. Because this needs to be done to bring us back to where we started: for the people.

A Faith Response: What Are We Called to Do?

We are called. You are called. Equally, I am called. But what exactly is this calling?

To pray for our nation and leaders just like we are told to in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, “First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.”
Live out faith personally by being a light in the world. Use your God-given talents as strengths to build up the kingdom.
Model love, integrity and truth. Especially do this in words and actions.
Because it impacts collectively, return to God individually. Get to know Him. Build that relationship with God and make it stronger.

As a citizen of the United States of America and a person of faith, you are called to do and be these things. You are an important light in this world.

The Invitation: Returning to Our True Foundation

America’s strength is not just in its systems, but in its people. In fact, it is the people that make these systems strong. It is the people, you and me, that create fairness, kindness, equality and love in this world. Furthermore, “we the people” are the strongest when rooted in God. Pray, teach and practice 2 Chronicles 7:14, “if then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land.”

The invitation has always been there to return to the kind of freedom our great nation was founded on. That foundation is “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” You can make a difference. Together, we can make a great impact on the world today.

Hope for the Next 250 Years

In summary, let’s bring our nation back to hope. We know that God is not gone. He is still present if we allow Him to be. God has always been a part of our country, even before we were a country. We must remember that renewal is always possible. It can be done daily or as often as it is needed. It begins with each person. So have hope in the future because it can be shaped by faithful hearts.

Perhaps the invitation before us is not just national, but deeply personal. The invitation is to rise in our faith, to align our lives with God’s truth and to shine His light in a world that so desperately needs it. As we reflect on our nation’s journey, may we also reflect on our own; awakening our faith, aligning our lives and shining with purpose in the world God has placed us in. And never forget that a nation’s future is not secured by power, but by the people who choose to walk with God.

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