I’ve been thinking…offensiveness is so strong these days! Everyone is so offended. So it seems. This is one of the billion things I’ve been reflecting. I’m trying to ponder, not offend. Feel free to chime in.

Let’s talk about the phrase “one nation under God.” It’s something we’ve all said at some point, but I’m not sure we always stop to think about what it actually means or where it came from. When America was first being established, many of the people coming here were leaving places where they didn’t have the freedom to live out their faith the way they believed was right. They weren’t just chasing opportunity, they were chasing the ability to worship without fear, to raise their families in alignment with their beliefs, and to live without being punished for it.

The more I’ve learned, the more I’ve realized that the story isn’t as simple as “they came for freedom and gave freedom.” Because they didn’t always extend that same freedom to others. There were people already here who were displaced, people who were enslaved, and even within their own communities there were disagreements that weren’t always handled with grace or freedom. So while faith was part of the foundation, so was imperfection. I think that matters, because it reminds me that this country didn’t start as a finished product it started as something that would need to grow.

Over time, people began to wrestle with what freedom really meant. Not just for themselves, but for everyone. I Think that’s where we see this idea of separation of church and state begin to take shape. Not because faith didn’t matter, but because freedom does. It created space where the government doesn’t get to control your beliefs, and your beliefs don’t get forced onto someone else through the government. It means you have the right to choose, to believe deeply, or not believe at all and not be punished for it.

That’s the part I don’t want America to lose today. We live in a country where you can CHOOSE. You can practice your faith, you can speak your mind, you can disagree, and you can live differently than the person next to you. That is not something to take lightly. That is something people fought to shape over time, even when they didn’t always get it right.

Friends, I think our nation started to confuse discomfort with oppression. Not liking something isn’t the same as having your freedom taken away. Disagreeing with someone isn’t the same as being persecuted. If you are not being arrested, not being silenced by law, and not being punished for your beliefs, then you are still living inside the very freedom people were hoping to create when they came here.

This isn’t about ignoring problems or pretending everything is perfect. For me, it’s about perspective. It’s about recognizing that we have something valuable here, even if it’s still imperfect. Instead of constantly fighting each other, maybe the better question is how we use the freedom we’ve been given? Do we use it to tear each other down, or do we use it to live with conviction and still make space for others to do the same?

“One nation under God” doesn’t mean one nation forced into belief. It means a nation where people have the freedom to seek, to choose, and to live according to what they believe. Freedom when used well is what continues to shape who we are becoming.

I love you! I also love this Nation and although it isn’t perfect, it’s HOME! Here are my recent drawings, don’t lose heart and faith enough to share light! Hope you are well.
❤️Steph