PrincipledMom™

In T&L, Rosalie Slater discusses every link on the chain of Christianity (beginning on p. 158) and she goes into detail about civilizations all along the Chain of Christianity. The CoC demonstrates God's Providential history through the lives of men on Earth's stage. That means as you plan your studies each year you find things along that Chain to highlight. My kids learn something from every era, in different cultures and countries, in history every year. Yes, we appreciate and study the Pilgrims and Founding Fathers, but we also view the whole of history as "Christ, His Story," which began long before the idea of America was ever planted by God in the hearts of His children.

And you can't talk about America without discussing what's going on outside our borders. Every country in the world has touched our shores. Immigrants came here for a better life and we have to recognize their contributions as well. And life doesn't happen in a vacuum. You must discuss what's happening at a certain time in history all over the world to get a complete picture. Look at different cultures along with your history studies. No need to feel isolationist. It's not exclusively American history. It's America's Christian History. And we must again make ourselves aware of the sacrifices made and the reason for America being here in the first place. We must emphasize it because our parents and grandparents have fallen asleep and our true history has been taken away from us. It is with humility and a contrite heart that we ask God's forgiveness for our ignorance and that we take up the cause to restore America's true heritage. How do we know our full purpose if we don't know where we came from? You don't have to be born here to claim it. Being American is in your heart, not in your bloodline.

Some people struggle with the idea of American Christian history. What about other countries? That seems arrogant or slighting to other countries. I have to say I don't see it that way at all. God set this nation here for a purpose, to be an example of the fullest expression of a nation founded on Biblical Principles. We are here to be a beacon to to the nations, to shine God's light and take His principles to a dark world. I don't see anything to get offended about. Take this example to the world. Show them that Hid Word really is true, that His principles work because you have seen them at work here. Tell them about Providence and how He used geography to keep a nation until it's proper time. Tell them how God is using you, the 10th link on the Chain of Christianity, to further the Gospel and if there were no America you would not be here to tell them the Good News.And it's your curriculum. Do what you like and what you think God is telling you to do. Focus any country any time. It's the Principles that are important.

The more my children see God's Providence in the whole of history, from creation to them as individuals, the more faith they will have that God is also performing His Providential care over them. He isn't just a God of the Bible or a God of antiquity. He moves through the lives of fallible men and women throughout time to further the Gospel and He will use them too. In my opinion it doesn't get any more missions-minded and world-focused than that. Glory be to God!

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