Whenever I’m concerned about something or have a lot on my mind, the best thing I have found to help is to take the time to pray and then after closing the prayer, come to Jesus Christ in my mind. It’s a self-guided meditation I use to find this place in my mind and heart where hearing Him seems easier.

This morning, I woke up early as I often do, with a lot of swirling thoughts. In my mind Jesus held both my hands in His. I could feel the nail prints in His palms, and I could hear Him saying, “Quiet your mind, Marnie. Let it all go. Focus on my voice.”

As He said this, a stillness settled over my mind. The swirl of client projects, the state of our nation, and concerns for my children all melted into the silence. I felt peace in His presence.

After some time in silence together, I heard Him say, “I understand what you’re going through. Love for your country and freedom principles are woven into the very fabric of your soul. Your parents lovingly sewed it into the tapestry of your life at a young age.”

Tears began rolling down my cheeks as I felt the truth of His words. He did understand! He did see me and my beautiful parents. He knew that the precious truths they integrated into the fabric of my soul formed the operating system of my life. For someone to tear my country’s freedom away feels as if it is ripping away parts of me that can’t be extricated without destroying me in the process.

Then Jesus cupped His hands together and said, “Give me your country. Let it go.”

What? How am I supposed to do that? Jesus just said He understood how tightly woven these ideals are into the core of who I am. How am I supposed to give that to Him now? I didn’t see it in that moment, but I see it in retrospect, that He was asking me to give Him myself on a whole new level.

As He asked me again to give Him my country, I remembered other times when He has asked me to give Him things that seemed impossible to extricate from the foundation of my life – my career, my property, my marriage, my dreams, my home, and even talents I leaned on for survival.

At this point, I began to see the logic in what He was asking me. One by one, He asked me if I would trade anything from my life today for those former things He had asked me to give up. Not a single one would I trade. The old, sad marriage was replaced with a beautiful, connected one. The old career has been replaced with one that feeds my soul. The dream, the home, the property, and the talents He gave back renewed and more beautiful than ever before.

Anything I have given Him, He has returned beauty for ashes. In the process I have learned that what He really desires is for me to learn to trust Him explicitly — that He is working everything together for my good.

Over the years I’ve put my trust in my ability to make money, in the businesses I’ve built, in the talents I’ve developed, in my home, relationships, and dreams. I learned that none of these things can be relied upon for a steady foundation. Only Christ, my God, can be trusted. My faith in and connection to God, is the only thing that has brought me through when everything has fallen apart.

I have put SO much trust in the freedom of my country. Every day I wake up assuming that I will be free to run my business as I see fit, speak what is on my mind, come and go as I please, travel where I want to travel, go to the store for anything I need. I’ve trusted that the dollar has value. I’ve trusted that I won’t be attacked by anyone as I go about my day. I’ve trusted no one will take over my home and quarter armies in my house and property. I’ve trusted the consistency of traffic laws and traffic lights. I have come to expect ORDER. I’ve lived in a world of order and freedom to say, believe, build, create and worship according to the dictates of my own conscience.

I’ve taken for granted that my country was there for me… assuming it was a sure foundation. Perhaps, it could even be said, I’ve trusted this foundation more than I’ve trusted God at times. In asking me to give my country to Him, Jesus was really asking me to put even more trust in Him. He was asking me to give more of myself and my heart to Him.

In God We Trust

Should all the freedoms I’ve grown accustomed to disappear, no one can take God from me. No one can climb into my heart and mind and take the peace that only He can give. In that inner space, I am truly free.

Reluctantly at first, and then with more trust, I handed Jesus my country. It was a small, round thing, about the size of a softball in His hands. It had the markings of the American flag wrapped around it. The evidence of red and white stripes and a blue field and a star or two where shiny and bright on this round ball.

Jesus cupped it in His hands, and I hoped that He would do as He has done for me other times and return beauty for ashes. Would He give it back to me even better like He did my land and home? Would he create something vibrant, new and different like he did in my marriage?

Deep down I knew there is no guarantee of any of that. I have to be willing to give it to Him and never see it again. So, if America dies and fades away into nothingness, I resolved this morning to trust Him to take care of me and my family and the people I have come to love.

Whether in this world or in that heavenly country, liberty shall reign supreme once more. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty. And He is the only thing that lasts.

In God We Trust

Featured Image Copyright: Kharolina Mendoza / BigStockPhoto.com