From Valley Forge to Gettysburg, from Berlin to Versailles, from Pearl Harbor to Normandy, from Viet Nam to Iraq and Afghanistan, American soldiers and their families sacrificed their lives, limbs, physicial and mental health, and relationships for the freedom of others.

Today, we remember their sacrifices and celebrate the freedom that they fought so valiantly for.

Freedom cost everything, and they were willing to sacrifice it for us. Some died, so that we could live freely in America.

When Keith and I returned from three years at Clark AB in the Philippines, we were struck by how different America had become. We stopped at a gas station to fill up my Mom and Dad’s car, and we didn’t know how to put gas in the car. In that short three years, gas stations had gone digital!

In that short three years, we had changed and my family had remained the same, except Softsoap was now in their bathroom. We tried to tell them about the monsoons, typhoons, fear of Keith being deployed to Iran, and fear for safety. They could not understand.

Our service men and women have sacrificed much, and we can only see glimpses of how much those sacrifices cost them.

I can only imagine the sacrifices that Jesus made for me. I can recite those sacrifices, but how can I understand them fully? God died for me. God died for you. For freedom!

For in Him (Jesus) all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross. Colossians 1:19-20

That freedom cost Jesus everything. More than death. Jesus suffered the humiliation of being beaten and scourged so horribly that He was too weak to carry His cross to Golgotha. Then, He was nailed to the cross and died. A Roman soldier pierced Him with a sword. The Divine Son of God, God Himself, took the sin of the past, the present, and the future upon Him. He became sin, and because of that sin, He agonized as God turned away from Him for a time.

Our freedom from sin cost Jesus everything. But He was the Victor. He rose and took His place at the right hand of God to speak on our behalf!

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galations 5:1

For freedom, our soldiers and their families sacrificed everything.

For freedom, our Savior sacrificed everything.

My Prayer

Father in heaven, thank You for our military service men and women, our veterans, and their families. Bless them, we pray, with the knowledge of You and with the satisfaction that they have made a difference in America. We are privileged to live in freedom in America. Thank You for placing us here. We are privileged to know Jesus as our Savior. Thank You for giving us the gift of freedom in Jesus. May we bring glory to America and to You. God, bless America richly and turn her back to You!