“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.”

—Acts 17:26–27

Dearest America,

There are many things I could say to you, but I’ll try to keep this short and sweet.

I was blessed to be born and raised within your vast borders and have called many of your states home, including in Oklahoma, New York, Florida, Indiana, and Tennessee. I’ve lived in major metropolitan areas like New York City and Podunk places with populations under one thousand. Therefore, I feel like I’ve gotten to know you pretty well over the past half century.

As far as nations are concerned, you’re still a new kid on the block. Kind of like the awkward teen version of countries. And similar to teens, you’re a bit rebellious and always trying on new identities—trying to figure out who you want to be and your place in the world.

And as many people who have raised teenagers say, teens aren’t always easy to live with or fun to be around. They can be moody, unpredictable, demanding, unappreciative, and irrational in flabbergasting ways. They can make you want to tear your hair out.

In spite of these challenges, you love them. You understand that they’re experiencing growing pains, and you trust that one day they’ll mature into the adults they were created to be.

When I look at you, I do see your flaws. And I’ve spent plenty of time and energy complaining about them!

But beyond your struggles, I see your potential. I know the ideals you were founded upon, and though you’ve often struggled to live up to those ideals, they remain the fabric of your being.

Empires and nations rise and fall, and we have no way of knowing whether you’ll still be here another 250 years from now.

Yet as long as I draw breath, I’ll continue to fight for what’s good, right, and true, so all of your people can live in peace in prosperity.

So, Happy 250th, America! God did shed His grace on thee, and I pray you’ll never forget that all of your blessings—and the blessings of your people—come from Him.

With love in Christ,

Amanda

xoxo

P.S. I also made a brief video to celebrate your special day. I hope you like it!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version^®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.