Happy Birthday, America the Beautiful

July 4, 2026

I was born an American but in a foreign land. My parents were missionaries in the 1950s and 60s and our whole family came to love their host country. We also maintained a great love and appreciation for the land we were citizens of—the United States of America.

In my decades as an adult, I have lived and worked with my wife and eight children long term on three continents: Central Asia, Eastern Europe and North Africa. None of the places I have lived long term are places on the “bucket list” for typical American tourists. And yet, we were very purposeful about learning to appreciate those places and the cultures represented therein.

Before moving to a foreign land, my wife would play a game with our kids where she would cook up some really disgusting flavors and we would all practice eating them without making a face—bonus points for smiling and finding some way to truthfully appreciate what you were tasting. This came in handy when we were in the home of a friend in our host country and were served chicken feet or a goat’s head or a deep-fried scorpion or some other strange concoction. We did not wish to offend, and we would always find ways to bless and compliment the meal and the country we were experiencing that meal in.

Our cross-cultural training encouraged us to keep this mantra in mind: “It’s not wrong, it’s just different.” Sometimes, we would have to repeat this several times so that we could come closer to believing it. “It’s not wrong, it’s just different. It’s not wrong, it’s just different.” I must admit that our family had a private joke in which we would say, “It’s not wrong, it’s just different . . . but sometimes, it’s just wrong!”

“We would always find ways to bless and compliment the meal and the country we were experiencing that meal in.”

We would always say it with a smile, but there were, in fact, many, many things within every culture we experienced that were wrong. We live in a very fallen world, and the principalities and powers of darkness have held sway over the cultures of men for millennia. Our goal, as bearers of Light, was to find redemptive qualities in each culture that we could build bridges upon that would bear the burden of Truth (aka Jesus). In some countries, that was more difficult than in others.

My entire family has a deep and good appreciation for the United States of America. We have lived in areas around the world that are filled with more darkness, perversity, and corruption than the typical American mind could fathom. The Bible has clear teachings on generational blessings and curses though the American church avoids the subject like the plague. Generational curses are powerful and can last, according to Scripture, for three or even four generations (Exodus 20:5; Numbers 14:18). This does not mean one bears the sin guilt for their ancestors. It means they feel the sway and effects and even the consequences of the sins of their forebears in powerful ways, often without even being aware of their origin.

“We have lived in areas around the world that are filled with more darkness, perversity, and corruption than the typical American mind could fathom.”

In a spiritual sense, neither Satan nor his legions of demons are omniscient. However, in every bloodline, there are demonic forces that have specialized on the sin weaknesses of that family for generations, and they know each person quite intimately. Their goal for this generation is the same as those who came before them. They want to destroy life, liberty, and happiness. The powers of darkness know, even if we do not, that to do this means keeping individuals, families, and generations away from Jesus and his redemptive powers—powers to break the chains that have been built up in these families and societies for generations.

Yes, the effects of generational sin curses ARE powerful. It is sobering to think that you, left to your own fallen devices, will negatively affect your children’s grandchildren. But there is good news. God’s Word teaches us that generational blessings are far, far more powerful. Why? Because they, like all good things, originate with an all-powerful Creator who loves us and loves to bless those created in His image.

Scripture tells us that the positive effects of righteousness will last for a thousand generations (see Deuteronomy 7:9; Exodus 20:6)! If you take the genealogies in the Bible and then continue to today, there have not even been 1,000 generations living since Adam! An individual’s decision to follow Jesus allows Jesus to break chains of unrighteousness and create a pathway to abundant righteous living. Walking in that “Way” will positively affect their progeny in every generation until the Lord comes again!

“Scripture tells us that the positive effects of righteousness will last for a thousand generations.”

Why am I saying all this in an article titled “America, the Beautiful”? You see, I love the U.S.A. but I am not your typical patriot. I love standing and singing the national anthem. I even had the chance to sing it in a quartet before tens of thousands at an Oakland A’s/New York Yankees game (that was awesome). And yet, I struggle to stand to say the “Pledge of Allegiance” because I feel I should pledge allegiance only to Jesus. I am very happy to put out the stars-and-stripes flag on holidays (when I’m living in the U.S.) but I can completely understand those who struggle with that because they feel embarrassed by the prideful ultranationalism some Americans have that seeks to denigrate anyone else who is “different.”

My time abroad has shown me one thing clearly. God has blessed America in unbelievable ways. I have lived in some very spiritually dark places around the world. These are places where the truth of God’s love shown through His Son Jesus has never been known for generations upon generations and to this day. Abuse, corruption, and perversity are cultural norms. Satan has had ultimate rule over entire generations upon generations, and the curses are clear, evident, and undeniably mixed into every facet of family and culture. These places are not hopeless because Jesus is the hope for all mankind. In the darkest of places, the stark contrast in a person’s or family’s life when the Light invades their heart and home is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever been privileged to witness. Jesus is truly a chain breaker.

“In the darkest of places, the stark contrast in a person’s or family’s life when the Light invades their heart and home is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever been privileged to witness.”

Why is America beautiful then? We have our shares of problems, perversities, and profanities. Our political mud-slinging makes monster trucks jealous. Our divisions and polarizations are showing themselves in every family and every church. Still, America is beautiful. I know.

Even Americans in the darkest alleys in the most impoverished slums are unwitting recipients of God’s blessings that flow like glacial rivers through this land. Why? Because people have known and followed Jesus for generation upon generation here. Perfectly? Absolutely not. None of us are perfect. Faithfully? Yes, many have been faithful to the end. Look at the epitaphs of any American cemetery and you will find people who have obviously put their faith first until the very last moments of life.

Beyond the blessings that have built exponentially from faithful followers of Christ, our country’s origins have beautiful roots in godly truth. Contrast the French, Russian, and Chinese revolutions with the American Revolution. Their differing views of humanity are striking. The American founders believed the biblical view of the fallenness of man. They therefore recognized the need for realistic checks and balances and separation of powers in order to protect the citizens from the inherent fallibility of man.

“Contrast the French, Russian, and Chinese revolutions with the American Revolution.”

The French Revolution came from the so-called “Enlightenment” where humanistic pride was the driving force—originating from this naïve Rousseau ideal to just “remove the chains” and experience utopian freedom. This utopian view was also at the heart of the communist/Marxist movements. The resulting gap from these ideals to the reality of this fallen world was soon experienced. That gap could be closed only through violent force. Consequently, all of those revolutions were murderous and tyrannical because their ultimate trust was in man. In contrast, there is something to be said for a country that proclaims, “In God We Trust” (even if it seldom practices that ideal).

From its inception, the United States has worked to varying degrees to live within the framework of biblical principles. Yes, there are plenty of examples in which we as a country have miserably failed in that striving—slavery, civil war, and abortion on demand being the foremost. But, often, we have been a force for great good in the world. We have also been blessed with at least three great gospel-centered nationwide spiritual revivals that have helped “right the ship” when we were wandering far away from that biblical foundation.

My family and I love America because we have seen the fetid fruit of completely godless nations. We have seen cultures where corruption rules in every facet of society: politics certainly but even education, the medical profession, businesses, and every level of the judicial system. We have seen societies where there is a tangible and permeating fear that undergirds the daily lives of ordinary people. We have seen levels of deep perversity and its effects on women and children that are beyond the imaginings of even godless Americans.

“We have seen cultures where corruption rules in every facet of society.”

And then, we come “home” to a place where people open the door for you and, here in the South, smile and say hello; where you accidentally leave your wallet and return the next day and find it found and waiting for you with the cash you had still in it; where a kind stranger pulls over to help a young lady change a tire. This is not “normal” on a global scale, but it still is here.

When we lived abroad, we would work hard to find and appreciate the good things within that nation and the cultures represented. We succeeded in that effort, and we still love every place we’ve lived. We love the people that God loves. We miss them and wish we could return to be with them. We have dear friends in every corner of the globe, brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those who do not yet follow Him.

All of these places had many things to dislike as well, especially through the view of God’s eyes. After living there for a while, we would sometimes forget the good things and get stuck focusing on the bad or annoying parts of where we lived. We would call this “cultural weariness.” One cure for cultural weariness was to welcome guests who would visit us from our home country. We would drive them around and show them all of the amazing and unique things about where we lived. We enjoyed introducing them to the remarkable and special people we had come to know and love. This helped us to see our adopted home and culture through fresh eyes and to renew an appreciation we had lost. 

“We enjoyed introducing them to the remarkable and special people we had come to know and love.”

In this summer of 2026, I believe the U.S.A. is experiencing this on a nationwide level. We are hosting great numbers of soccer fans from around the world. Through these foreigners’ social media posts, we are seeing our country through the fresh eyes of countless numbers and it’s been a sweet reminder of all the good that God has blessed us with here:

• a German named Freddy praises the service and friendliness in a 1:00 a.m. Waffle House and the convenience of a typical gas station.
• a British woman goes crazy over ranch dressing.
• many shocked expressions of foreigners over an entire gallon of milk at a very reasonable price.
• two young Japanese fans roll their eyes in delight after eating Texas BBQ.
• and scores of posts about the friendliness and helpfulness and kindness they are experiencing from Americans from all walks of life.

We have been blessed by their enthusiasm as well. Who can refrain from smiling watching a packed bar full of Scots singing “country road, take me home to a place I belong” or a postgame stadium with fans of Japan staying late to help clean the place up? The utter shock on the faces of those who visit Buc-ee’s for the first time reminded us of our own disbelief when we first witnessed this paramount example of American consumerism. My favorite post was of a Boston policeman juggling a soccer ball and being celebrated by a mass of rabid soccer fans. Through these media posts from people speaking broken English, we find new appreciation for the most ordinary of American experiences like Wal-Mart or even Taco Bell (and especially Costco).

“Through these foreigners’ social media posts, we are seeing our country through the fresh eyes of countless numbers and it’s been a sweet reminder of all the good that God has blessed us with here.”

They don’t know it, but these fans from around the world are experiencing the blessings of generations of faithful Jesus followers. Yes, we have corruption here, and violence, and real poverty, but not on the level that is portrayed in our media and especially in the media they see in their home countries. Now, they are seeing a different picture and we, through their eyes, are being reminded that we live in an unbelievably blessed country.

I have to confess that I was concerned about the world arriving for the World Cup. America has a pretty rotten reputation around the world, and it is quite normal to get into conversations in other countries where they openly talk bad about your country. There are some notable exceptions (I’m thinking of Albania), but America is generally looked down upon as prideful, brash, bigoted, and dangerous. Not surprising, as that is what their news shows them because, yes, those things exist here. These are the exceptions, though, and not the rule.

As I write this on the day before our 250th anniversary celebration, our U.S. soccer team is surprisingly still in it and is looking better than ever. The players represent the beautiful melting pot that is America and that you will not find anywhere else in the world. They are standing for the national anthem before the game and kneeling in a prayer circle after the game. Our country’s fans are unashamedly chanting “U.S.A.!, U.S.A.!” and singing that same “Country Road” song arm in arm. It is a revival of appreciation, and it has been enjoyable. But it will fall short of what we ultimately need.

“It is a revival of appreciation, and it has been enjoyable. But it will fall short of what we ultimately need.”

Our country desperately needs another spiritual awakening because all of the blessings that are being experienced will only fade away if we fail to recognize and celebrate where the blessings come from. America is indeed beautiful in so many ways but only because of God’s blessings upon this nation and her people. May we reclaim what we proclaim: “In God We Trust.” May we pray out what we sing out, “America! America! God shed His grace on Thee.” While I love the world deeply because God’s heart is a heart for all nations, I am thankful for my home country. Happy birthday, America, the Beautiful. I thank God for you.