We’re celebrating life and liberty this week. Plus, Anna and I are throwing in a little good ole patriotic music in honor of American faith. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of music—sounds like a great theme for the Fourth of July!

The Pursuit of Music

“I was trying to find the one that has the verse about ‘land of the noble free.’” She couldn’t remember which song so she ended up reading lots of hymns. “It was so fun,” she adds, laughing about her own life, liberty, and the pursuit of music.

We think faith, freedom, and music go together. 

Land of the Noble Free

Sweet Anna mentioned “God being kind to us as a country” and my heart took note. Immediately, I asked her about how she’s using hymns to teach her kids about life, liberty, and the pursuit of music. (For more thoughts, including how to celebrate state borders with kids, check out today’s podcast. Or click here for more on raising liberty-loving kids.)

Pictured above: One of our family’s favorite first-generation Americans, the amazing Sasha Vukelja, whom I call the patron saint of oncology, poses in front of a patriotic mural in East Texas. (For Sasha’s story, click here.)

Author of Liberty

Anna found the thought she was searching for in My Country Tis of Thee: “My native country, thee, land of the noble free, thy name I love.” (For more from Wikipedia, click here.) But check out the following thoughts in another verse.

Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright,
With freedom's holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God our King!

God’s Kingship Taught in Public Schools

If you’re like me, you actually remember singing this verse in school—the public school—every morning right after the Pledge of Allegiance. (For First Liberty’s Lathan Watt’s Book List for liberty-loving kids, click here.)

We were taught America didn’t have a king because God is our king, unlike many other nations on earth. Long before I decided to become a Christian myself, life, liberty, and the pursuit of music already impacted my ideas about freedom.

I didn’t take offense when other people believed in God. I just took the time I needed, many years, to analyze what seemed logical to believe. (For more on raising history-loving kids, click here.) In the meantime, I respected other people’s beliefs and they respected mine.

Freedom’s Holy Light

“Freedom is holy, it says it right there,” Anna adds, “‘With freedom’s holy light.’ It’s holy because He authors (freedom), therefore it’s holy.” (For more about knowing God, click here.)

The 1960s represent a special era in America, with many tumultuous changes. The civil rights movement. Assassinations of JFK, MLK, and RFK. Vietnam. We watched the first step on the moon on television as it happened. It was an amazing era.

We were taught Americans were kinda special because we had God as our king. Times have changed. Music has changed. But faith still undergirds our nation, still providing freedom for those who choose not to believe in God.

Faith in God undergirds freedom for all. Our forefathers’ faith is one reason Anna and I cherish the old patriotic hymns. 

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Music

In a world that seems to be falling apart because people can’t agree, certain foundational ideas bind Americans together. True liberty represents solid Biblical thought. Fortunately for us all, our patriotic hymns capture those thoughts. 

“Great art preserves and interacts with truth.”~Anna Krafve Pierce

Certainly, Our beloved patriotic hymns help us pass freedom along to another generation of Americans. (For more on how freedom and faith extinguish anarchy, click here.)

“I was an artist long before I was a mom,” says Anna, explaining why she loves the art of music, “That’s what these really beautiful, good piece of music with lyrics are.” (For more about how art and music can inspire our kids, click here.)

She loves the way good music alone powerfully pulls us toward truth. But add in great lyrics and our culture gains a beautiful masterpiece. A powerful tool for truth.

“That’s probably why I love these songs about patriotism because they’re all about what is true about freedom,” adds Anna.

United We Stand

In 1956, Congress changed our national motto from E Pluribus Unum—Out of Many, One—to In God We Trust.

“They are very similar sentiments,” says Anna. “The idea of ‘In God We Trust’ is a very unifying idea.” Why? She explains further, “There is an Ultimate Being out there who loves us and is all-powerful and we’re going to trust Him together.”

The idea is so strong, it also allows us to respect others’ free will. We can make room for people who don’t believe in God because we trust in Him ourselves. (For more on how hospitable hearts bounce back in blessings, click here.)

As Christians, we commit to loving others from our whole hearts regardless of differing perspectives. This kind of trust in God allows us to pursue peace, while we present the values we hold dear with confidence and patience. 

Stewarding Freedom

Our cherished patriotic hymns instill a sense of stewardship for freedom. As Americans, we are blessed with freedom. While other countries might have kings, the United States is a country of self-governing people accountable to a mighty God. We are responsible for passing it to the next generation in better shape than we got it.

The powerful message of past generations still comes down to us forcefully through our patriotic hymns. May you enjoy a delightful holiday with those you love celebrating life, liberty, and the pursuit of music this year! Happy Independence Day, our beloved fellow-Americans!

May we pray together?

Dear Father in Heaven, You are the God of our Fathers and we worship You. Thank You for the life and liberty we enjoy. Give us courage to live truth out in our lives b loving others the way You love them. Bless and protect this wonderful land that we love. Stand beside us and guide us with the light from above. Teach us to cling to Your truth and justice, setting aside our disputing. Heal our Land, O Lord. Let us reason together as Your beloved children. Grant us Your grace. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

We LOVE to hear from YOU!

What is your favorite hymn? How are you passing along truth to the younger generations? What’s your favorite thing about America?

Up Next!! Yay!! Finally!

Finally, yes, finally! Next week we get to share Deb Butterfield‘s interview. I can not wait!! With tender grace, Deb recounts her personal story about being slammed with pain when her beloved daughter was molested by a trusted family member. (To find Deb’s book in the meantime, click here.)

Plus, her beautiful daughter, the amazing Sarah Van Hook, has agreed to share all her wisdom in an upcoming interview. Please pray for sweet Sarah as she contemplates what to share to help the most

Wanna Give a Book a Title? I Need Your Help

Our marriage communication book is scheduled to come out this fall, but the working title feels too long. The Gentle Art of Companionship: Communicating Your Way to a Delightful Marriage. Anybody good at writing titles? Headlines are my weakness! (Well, one weakness of many.😉 )

I need some suggestions. Would you like to name a book? Please….

Cathy Krafve, Columnist, Speaker, Blogger, Podcaster, and Christian Writer, invites your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.