At the time it was completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. During the first phase of the project 23 men fell to their deaths in the icy water. Things were going from bad to worse because there were very few safety devices and the workers were becoming more and more afraid to work. And so, when it was halfway completed, they decided to take another look and make some changes.
                Do you know what they did? They built the largest net ever made and attached it under the area where the men were working. Was it worth the cost and the time it took to do this? Ask the ten men who fell into it without being injured! Not only did it save those ten lives, folks say that the work was completed in three-fourths the time because the workers no longer lived in fear of falling. The net provided them with the courage to continue.

                We need to know that we have a great safety net in the Lord. He is always with us to protect us, provide for us and to catch us when we fall. Having the knowledge that Jesus is there for us and with us should give us the courage to step out of our comfort zones and the confidence to go to work for Him! There is work to be done and there is a time frame to complete the task so step out in faith and do your part, knowing all the while that Jesus is with you ready to help you and to catch you when you fall!

                Pray for your mission team this week as they are on the field encouraging our mission partner, Pena de Horeb, in Acapulco. Pray for them to know that the Lord has His safety net all around them, protecting them in all they do for Him while they are away! Pray for yourself this week as you take the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and go to work for the Lord! May we all have a great week knowing that as we serve, wherever we are, that we can serve with confidence knowing that Jesus is with us!

            This weekend we celebrate our independence as a nation. It is a great time to pause and think about all that has happened in years past to secure the many freedoms we enjoy as a country. It is also a great opportunity to make a commitment to do whatever we can to continue to make sure the freedoms we enjoy remain in place for all who follow after us! May these quotes, stories, sayings help you pause and pray for your country and praise God for the freedoms we enjoy!

The American Creed, by William Taylor Page, was adopted by an act of Congress, April 6, 1918.

            I believe in the United States of America, as a government of the people, by the people,

for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

            I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.

William Arthur Ward wrote this among many of his inspirational writings.

            I believe in America. I believe it became great because of its' faith in God, its' hope for independence, and its' love for freedom. I am grateful for America's glorious past; I am awed by its' unbelievable present; I am confident of its' limitless future.

            I am not ashamed to take my hat off and to stand at attention when Old Glory passes by. I do not apologize for the lump in my throat when I repeat the Pledge of Allegiance. I am not embarrassed by the tears in my eyes when I hear "The Star Spangled Banner."

            Like millions of Americans, I want a free choice, not a free handout. I prefer an opportunity to prove my abilities on the job rather than a license to demonstrate my frustrations in the street. I am an old-fashioned American with a new-found determination to do my part to make democracy work.

Old Glory
             "Some people call me Old Glory, others call me the Star Spangled Banner or the Stars and Stripes, but whatever they call me, I am your flag. I remember some time ago people lined up both sides of the street to watch the parade and naturally I was leading every parade, proudly waving in the breeze. What happened? I'm still the same old flag, but now I don't feel as proud as I used to. When I come down your street you just stand there with your hands in your pockets. Then I see the children running around and shouting. Is it a sin to be patriotic anymore? Have you forgotten what I stand for and where I've been?"