A Celebration of Peace – by Thomas H. Herlong, FCFI Co-Founder

Peace comes at a tremendous price. Throughout history, the cost of war has included the loss and injury of human lives, the separation of families, the destruction of businesses, and many other hardships.

Each day, we have a choice about what we allow our minds to focus on. The brain is a remarkable creation that responds to our thoughts and emotions. Have you ever had a dream so powerful that, when you woke up, your emotions were still affected as though the dream had actually happened?

This is one way to understand how our thoughts influence our lives. When we choose to focus primarily on what is wrong with our country, our words and actions often reflect those beliefs.

I recognize that our nation faces many problems. However, I also choose to focus on the many things for which we can be thankful. We live in a country where citizens have the freedom to express their opinions and live their lives in a nation that upholds peace.

More importantly, I believe our life on earth is temporary, and we have the opportunity to worship God, who blesses our lives when we uphold His values. Jesus died so that we could have eternal life in the presence of God. There is no greater peace than experiencing His gift of love, grace, and forgiveness.

Many countries do not provide their citizens with the same freedom to worship. For this reason alone, we should be grateful for the blessings we enjoy in the United States. Generations of American families have served our country, and many have given their lives to help preserve these freedoms.

These are some of the reasons I will celebrate our nation’s historic birthday. I challenge each of you to focus your thoughts on what is good and to pursue a life that brings peace and purpose. Just as importantly, choose to be a blessing to others and use the gifts you have been given as a witness to your faith and values.

Let us pray for the strength to make good choices and for the continued peace and freedom of our nation.