Men Gather 9500 Strong for Promise Keepers at the Sommet Center...
Many thanks for the hard work from all of the volunteers - hundreds of women, youth and men gave of their time to facilitate the third stop on the seven conference schedule... the best is yet to come!
Click here to visit the Nashville 2007 Flickr set for more photos!
In Memory of All Those We Have Loved and Lost
for the sons, daughters, spouses, friends...
Please don't stop praying for VT and don't stop believing that we can make a difference on the campuses and the world.
Visit hope for the hokies.com
Image courtesy of Passion
Via an email from Passion | 268 Generation:
A new Passion Podcast-hosted by Louie Giglio and featuring songs from Passion and sixsteprecords-is available at iTunes today. In light of the events at Virginia Tech, the Passion communiy worldwide wants to continue to pray for the entire VT family, and especially those who have lost loved ones in this tragic event. Our hearts are with you all, and even after the news dies down and the world moves on we will not forget you.
As a show of support for Virginia Tech, and as a statement to the world that because of Jesus light can shine in darkness and life can come from death, we are asking every single person on Facebook to change their profile pic to a VT logo for AT LEAST ONE DAY on Monday, April 30. For more information, join the Facebook group "Facebook United For Hope" and help us spread the word.
In addition to the latest podcast, an EP from Passion is available free at Hopeforthehokies.com to anyone around the world seeking encouragement in these days.
Please don't stop praying for VT and don't stop believing that we can make a difference on the campuses and the world.
Visit hope for the hokies.com
Join Facebook Group
Happy happy joy joy
Happy happy joy joy
Happy happy joy joy
What a great weekend!
My son Gary dropped in from McChord AFB in Washington state (whom we haven't seen in over a year) since he joined the Air Force to serve our USA where all of us participated at a delightful cookout with our future daughter in law Nora, her parents, family and friends... Chris (our future son in law) and Megan joined in as well... Yup, we have TWO weddings going on this year and...
And on some great news on the home front - which I'll share April 30th - under a non disclosure agreement for now. Let's just say I won't be working from home no mo. Looking for work is hard work, but I'm going to be around some very smart people who are passionate about what they do that will not only take advantage of my skill sets but stretch me as well...
There's a great line that jumped out at me on page 135 of The Blind Side by Michael Lewis; "She [Leigh Anne Tuohy] had watched her own penniless husband turn his athletic triumps into business success and, indeed, a happy life. But there was nothing inevitable about the process; you need to know how to translate one narrow kind of success into another, much broader kind."
I'll have that platform now.
I met up with some new and old blogger friends Saturday who asked how things were moving on the transistion front; and along the way I've received nice emails and phone calls of wisdom and encouragement, letting me that prayers were overflowing on my family's behalf.
Thank you so much - while I've been at times failing personally to do what 1 Peter 5:7 instructs - "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully..." you were there for me.
I am truly a man who is blessed by the company he keeps and by a wonderful wife of 27 years who has endureth much.
Happy happy joy joy indeed.
Here's the flip side of a gift from a friend who went home to the Lord two years ago. Carved from a bar of Dial soap while he was in prison, it is one of our most prized possessions.
Holy Week
Quotations to stir heart and mind.
Compiled by Richard A. Kauffman
IN THE CROSS IS SALVATION, in the Cross is life, in the Cross is protection from our enemies, in the Cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the Cross is strength of mind, in the Cross is joy of spirit, in the Cross is the height of virtue, in the Cross is perfection of sanctity. There is no salvation of the soul, nor hope of everlasting life, but in the Cross.
Thomas Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
HE DIED, but he vanquished death; in himself, he put an end to what we feared; he took it upon himself, and he vanquished it; as a mighty hunter, he captured and slew the lion.
Where is death? Seek it in Christ, for it exists no longer; but it did exist, and now it is dead. O life, O death of death! Be of good heart; it will die in us also. What has taken place in our head will take place in his members; death will die in us also. But when? At the end of the world, at the resurrection of the dead in which we believe and concerning which we do not doubt.
Augustine, Sermon 233
THERE IS WONDERFUL POWER in the Cross of Christ. It has power to wake the dullest conscience and melt the hardest heart, to cleanse the unclean, to reconcile him who is afar off and restore him to fellowship with God, to redeem the prisoner from his bondage and lift the pauper from the dunghill, to break down the barriers which divide [people] from one another, to transform our wayward characters into the image of Christ and finally make us fit to stand in white robes before the throne of God.
John Stott, The Preacher's Portrait
EASTER is not the celebration of a past event. The alleluia is not for what was; Easter proclaims a beginning which has already decided the remotest future. The Resurrection means that the beginning of glory has already started.
Karl Rahner, Everyday Faith
Copyright 2006 Christianity Today
I'D ALWAYS KNOWN, in one place in my throat, how Jesus must have cried in the garden--crying not to die, because there was no fear of death, and not to leave his friends, because he walked alone, and not to suffer, because the blood and bruises and thorns were part of his perfection--but crying because he could not find his Father's face, because when he would suffer all that he could bear, the pain of every person, living and dead, in that dark moment, there was really nobody there.
Paul Shepherd, More Like Not Running Away: A Novel
I'm giving thanks with a grateful heart A to Z this thanksgiving season - this is a repost from last year, so I'm glad things are stable.
A - Ally my lab dog and faithful companion for over 9 years - she has a vocabulary of 20 sign language words and just sweet as she can be!
B - For my wife Becky of 27 years - I love her so much for her friendship, insight and faithfulness to truth and for loving me always.
C - Christmas, when Christ was born in a manger.
D - Diggy, my grand dog... smart and loves to play.
E - Ears to hear and eyes to see.
F - Frank, my next door neighbor who been like a father to me for 21 years. Frank taught me to garden, fix cars and generally is always there as a good neighbor.
G - Gary - my son - I am so proud of him and seeing him grow up and embrace his destiny into Christlikeness. He's in the Air Force now and engaged to Nora!
H - Home. Great to be home after commuting for 14 months. Its been 14 months now that I've been back. Never again will I be separated from my family for work.
I - Insight and inventive thoughts.
J - Jesus Christ, my rock and salvation who models excellence and agape love.
K - Kerry, grateful that I have a name and was not aborted.
L - Love covers a multitude of sins.
M - Megan, my precious daughter. She is sweet with a big heart.
N - Nashville. I love this city so much - the people, community and wealth of treasures around every corner.
O - Opportunity in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
P - My parents who sacrifice greatly to raise a big family, always making sure we had food and education.
Q - Quiet moments alone with God and away from the rush of the world.
R - Relationships... we were not meant to be alone.
S - Stability; worth pursuing, nice to have.
T - Time to do all the things I want to do.
U - Understanding; how sad to hear and not understand.
V - Volunteering; what a joy it is to serve others.
W - The extended Woo family; 3 brothers and 3 sisters scattered around the country.
X - X marks the spot; to be in center of God's will for my life.
Y - Today's youth, who are passionate for life.
Z - Zest and Z's
There are those rare opportunities in life when God's timing is impeccable to receive a blessing and a "defining moment" to see the world through other people's eyes.
I received an email correspondence from my old Promise Keepers staffer and friend Greg Hogan back in Denver asking if I could wrangle a day or so out of my schedule to assist with the 2006 MOPS International Convention conference here in Nashville last week.
Greg in his 12+ years with Promise Keepers has worked Speaker Hospitality many times and he contracts out once each year to handle the same duties for MOPS' (Mothers of Preschoolers) annual convention (6,000 screaming moms - which is a cultural shock for a Promise Keepers guy!).
When I think about how thankful I am to be able to work from home with a great team of guys and have the flexibility to do activities that are meaningful, I said without hesitation, yes.
Last week, I did some airport runs in a new Chevy Suburban, which has got to be one of the biggest vehicles I have ever driven. Every time I pulled into the ten minute parking zone at the Nashville Airport, heads turn wondering whom that guy was driving that boss set of wheels. Somebody thought I was with the Titans and others gave me the "Get out of way, I can't see around you" look of disgust.
Despite the crazy construction on Briley Parkway, people still drive fast; I had a couple of near misses, but with a big vehicle people will move out of the way.
I was assigned to guest host Dr. Wesley K. Stafford who is the Chief Executive officer of Compassion International.
"Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults. Today, Compassion helps more than 770,000 children in more than 20 countries."
My role was to simply get him from one place to another. There was the sound check at 8 am; onward to the Green Room, being on time to the platform, to the book signing and seminar location while navigating the expansiveness of Opryland Hotel. Wess as he insisted on being called, was probably one of the nicest and humble guys I have ever met. He was extremely relational and would stop and talk to any one who wanted to say hi.
In his talk, he shared his one simple belief: God's children are priceless resources. He spoke of his passion and Compassion's efforts to see the cycle of poverty broken for children everywhere. In a heartfelt interview format onstage, Wess shared with great transparency how he suffered years of abuse nearly fifty years ago at a young age of ten at a boarding school for the children of missionaries in a West African village. It was in this unspoken hell of abuse and darkness, that he no longer wanted to be labeled as "a tool of Satan" for exposing the wrongs of the faculty.
Wess shared to the degree that one can (and must), that the only way to get through the trauma of abuse was forgiveness. He was no longer going to be shackled to his abusers' actions whether they were seeking forgiveness or not while moving forward in his adult life. Speaking to the audience of 5000 women, Wess said to all abused women present to know that you don't deserve abuse, and you don't owe anyone anything. Abuse should be yielded to God's grace to a state of being protected and sanctified by His favor.
In that defining moment of a declaration of freedom, I was taken back by how many women in the audience needed to hear that as evidenced by the tears and later, standing ovation.
I'm honored and very humbled to have met Dr. Wess Stafford. What a heart for children.
Too Small to Ignore: Why Children's Are the Next Big Thing, written by Dr. Wess Stafford
Learn how to sponsor a child via Compassion.
I woke up this morning with the song He Knows My Name written by Tommy Walker.
I have a Maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in his hands
Five years ago on September 11, 2005, I was sitting at home. Unemployed. Laid off. Looking hard. Feeling very fragile and pressing into God for provision, favor, mercy and grace.
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and He hears me when I call
As I sat horrified at the breaking news that unfolded before my eyes, my heart sank and was despondent for the lives that were affected. Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters. Five years later, I'm still trying to process the events and comprehend my understanding of Why? Is there that much hate and venom that Americans must die? People are dying of Aids. Muslim women are bound up as second class human beings. Where do I fit in making a difference when myself and many others in a post 9-11 economy struggle to find work? I can't even provide for my family, yet I'm grieving for the lives lost.
I have a Father
He calls me His own
He'll never leave me
No matter where I go
I'm sitting in Los Angeles that is a potential hotspot today on 9-11-2006. Nine million people moving around, each with their own struggles, hope and dreams. I shook my fist at God soon thereafter, as the checks ran out and nine months of seeking work like so many others cause me to question my own faith.
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and He hears me when I call
My God did not fail me. I've got all the character I can stand now. I'm full of hope and especially today in rememberance of the 2996 innocent lives. Honor them by reading their stories. Pray for your family. Remember the men and women serving our armed forces. Ask for grace and mercy and protection. Be hopeful. I am.
Never forget those who died. My hope for you today is that may no harm befall you, may no disaster will come near your home.
Denny at VitalSigns Ministries writes: Promise Keepers certainly isn't making the national splash it once did. 
The absence of the outspoken, charismatic Coach Bill McCartney at the helm of Promise Keepers left the movement without its initial fervor and its ability to grab the headlines. The football arenas around the country haven't been filled with attentive worshipers for a long time now and Promise Keepers' hope to create thousands of "accountability groups" among America's Christian men never really materialized.
However, neither of these failures are the fault of Promise Keepers as an organization. The real problems in reaching the organization's goals have come from all the "regular suspects" which have historically limited the Christian man's spirituality in America: apathy, inconsistency, improper passions, desires for comfort and entertainment, and so on. Promise Keepers did an incredible job of shaking things up in the early 90's -- God bless 'em for their vision and dedication to biblical orthodoxy. But keeping things shook up? Well, that required the rest of us to follow through with courage, faith and an aggressive work ethic for the Kingdom. We didn't.
So, is Promise Keepers completely a thing of the past? No, far from it. Their audience events may be smaller, fewer and less publicized but the organization is very much alive with enthusiasm and commitment. And, of particular significance, Promise Keepers hasn't sold out its founding purposes. When the numbers began to decline, there must have been tremendous pressure brought upon Promise Keepers to compromise its values, to soften its doctrinal statement, to pragmatically remove (or at least keep quiet about) some of its more controversial elements, especially its insistence on preaching Christ crucified, its pro-life convictions, its fidelity to biblical teachings on marriage and sexuality, etc. But Promise Keepers kept its own promise to God and therefore deserves our fervent appreciation and respect.
And they deserve our present attention too.
For although the "movement" of Promise Keepers (amazingly influential) has run its course, the ministry of the modern version of Promise Keepers is very much alive. Clicking on the title of this post will take you to the Promise Keepers web site where a visitor can see how true the organization has been to the Lord Jesus and how active they yet are in changing the character of America by bringing redemption, illumination and spiritual power to one man at a time.
So, for those of you who well remember the way God moved you in one of those PK stadium rallies and for those of you whose earnest spiritual adventure began after those halcyon days, today's Promise Keepers is a ministry well worth your prayers, your support and your participation.
(Wednesday, May 31, 2006)
(Note: I served on staff at Promise Keepers from 1995 to 2000)
The Go Center, located in the Nashville Convention Center - where students can find out about missions opportunities and resources
Below are four images from the Passion06 conference going on downtown at the GEC and various late night locations downtown thru Thursday. Nearly 18,000 college students passionate about their faith and Jesus Christ are gathered here in Nashville. I had the honor to meet and welcome students arriving today from Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico as they arrived enmass via church vans and tour busses into my post at one of the Vanderbilt hotels. More postings to come later tomorrow.
The unique purpose of Passion is to gather college students from campuses and churches across the nation, uniting them across ministry and denominational lines to seek the face of God together in worship and prayer. Affirming and valuing the work of local churches and campus ministries, Passion seeks to foster unity and connectivity among them, encouraging them to draw strength and encouragement from each other, resulting in a louder anthem of God's renown.
Steve has a play by play rant on the status of the New Orlrans football team post Katrina. This unfolding story is one to watch as the city of New Orlrans deals with the repairs to the SuperDome, the fan base, NFL public relations and owner Tom Benson's perfect alibi to leave town for greener pastures...That was the slogan of this year's New Orleans Saints. Some clever commercials and the expectation that the long suffering Saints fans would support another questionable team, that's what the Saints offered. If faith is what the fans needed,talent is what the Saints needed. In the Saints long history the team has managed to win exactly one playoff game. But the New Orleans fans are faithful and over the last several years our relatively small city produced a long string of sellouts watching a mostly mediocre team continue a tradition of mediocrity.
Read more here
After playing at the Superdome for more than two decades, the New Orleans Saints are one of several teams in the NFL who want a new stadium built. In the summer of 2001, owner of the Saints, Tom Benson requested that a new retractable roof stadium be built for the team by the 2006 season. Several sites have been discussed on where the stadium should be built including one 10 blocks from the Superdome. However, since 2001, little progress has been made on a new facility for the Saints. Originally the projected cost was roughly $450 million. Under the original plans, if a new stadium was built, it would be in an oval shape with 60-70,000 seats and a retractable roof to protect fans from bad weather. The stadium would also include a state of the art entertainment system, and fans would also be allowed to tailgate around the stadium. Throughout 2004 and 2005 there have been discussions of the Saints possibly relocating to Los Angeles or possibly San Antonio. There has been discussions of renovating the Superdome at a cost of around $174 million, but in April 2005, the Saints dropped the negotiations. The team does have a clause that allows them to leave the Superdome at New Orleans after the 2005 season.
Source: Saints Stadium
Gathering Leaders Include Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin, John Piper, David Crowder Band, Beth Moore, Matt Redman, Others
Passion Conferences is returning to Nashville, TN to host Passion 06, a four-day indoor gathering for college students from around the nation and world, January 2 - 5, 2006. Leading the gathering will be renowned speakers Louie Giglio, John Piper and Beth Moore, among others, as well as such acclaimed artist-worshipers as Charlie Hall, David Crowder Band, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Shane and Shane, Nathan and Christy Nockels, and more.
Passion 06 will be held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center (GEC) in the heart of Downtown Nashville. Not only will students worship together in an arena packed with thousands of faces representing campuses from every corner of the nation, but they will also have the chance to sit and process what God is doing in their lives with a small group of students they connect with through the smaller community groups that make up the fabric of the conference.
Similar to last January's Passion 05 in Music City, Passion 06 will provide smaller sessions through Community Groups, Family Groups and Late Nights in various venues throughout the downtown area within walking distance from the GEC. The Community and Family groups will allow students to unpack what they learn throughout the week in small group environments and the Late Nights give students a chance to "hang out" after the evening session ends each night.
"Not only are we thrilled and humbled by the growing number of students making their way to join us in Nashville, we are excited about the possible impact of these four days on the collegiate culture as a whole," notes Louie Giglio, Passion Conferences founder/director. "Millions of students are searching for a meaningful encounter with their Creator and we are praying Passion 06 becomes fuel for a generation that will amplify the name of Jesus to the world."
With students registering many times faster than last year's Passion 05, which brought together more than 11,000 college-age students representing every state, 1,100 campuses and eight foreign countries, thousands have already registered for Passion 06. Students are encouraged to register early, as space is limited. Early registration closes Dec. 1. Detailed schedule and registration information can be found at http://www.oneday03.com/. Registration fee includes conference materials and lunch on Jan. 3 and 4.In order to make Passion 06 happen, over 1000 volunteers are also needed to serve throughout the conference in various jobs. For people over the age of 25, Passion Conferences requests they attend as a volunteer or as a leader of a group. Those interested in volunteering at Passion 06 are asked to submit a volunteer application at www.268generation.com before the Dec. 1 deadline.
As Passion 06 approaches, an experience of last year's Passion 05 can be heard on sixstepsrecords' eighth Passion project, Passion: How Great Is Our God. The recording features music recorded live from the main stage at the Passion 05 gathering. Capturing the heart of the gathering with 13 live tracks, the recording released April 12 to wide critical acclaim and became the No. 1 best seller in its first week out on the SoundScan Christian Retail sales chart. The album also landed at No. 74 on the Billboard Top 200 sales chart.
The Passion movement began in 1995 with a stirring in the heart of Passion founder Louie Giglio. Born out of a desire to see the 13 million college students of the nation awaken to the reality of a glorious God, the vision took shape under the leadership of men like Louie Giglio and the board of Choice Ministries, the non-profit umbrella for Passion Conferences. Like-minded campus ministers then met together in 1996 and paved the way for the first of three Passion gatherings (1997, '98 and '99) that united over 18,000 college students with the desire to see God magnified in their lives, their campuses and throughout the earth.
Since then, millions have connected with Passion through one of the several gatherings, such as the OneDay gatherings and the Passion Experience Tour featured by the New York Times, CNN, among others, or through eight Passion worship recordings and three DVDs that have been released worldwide, selling well over one million copies. The domino effect has spawned a movement that has circled the globe.
The unique purpose of Passion is to gather college students from campuses and churches across the nation, uniting them across ministry and denominational lines to seek the face of God together in worship and prayer. Affirming and valuing the work of local churches and campus ministries, Passion seeks to foster unity and connectivity among them, encouraging them to draw strength and encouragement from each other, resulting in a louder anthem of God's renown.
"If you want to know what's good about Promise Keepers, ask a Promise Keepers' wife."
That's the old slogan of PK from the early days of 1996. It's still true today. PK gives a man the means and opportunity to re-focus on things that are truly important, including his relationship with his wife and kids. The person who is closest to him sees the change.
PK is more than a terrific two-day worship experience. It combines soul-searching with a call to action. Coming back from a PK event, most men re-dedicate themselves to a new level of accountability for their behavior, as well as a commitment to seek God's purpose in their lives.
These things could happen in an ordinary church context, but they usually don't. To really "catch fire" men need to see and feel the energy of God at work in a large assembly of other men. That's what a PK conference does.”
-- Central Presbyterian Church, Baltimore, Maryland
“I knew that all the spiritual benefits my husband received at Promise Keepers would overflow to me. How could they not? Is not his honor my honor? His integrity my integrity? Are not his blessings my blessings?”
-- Judy, Onova, Iowa
a Promise Keeper prays for his wife... 
passion 06
passion06
COLLEGE STUDENTS.
UNITED FOR SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IN THIS GENERATION.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT.
passion 06 nashville
January 2-5, 2006 / Gaylord Entertainment Center / Nashville, TN
register here
download the movie here
My former pastor at Belmont Church in Nashville, Stephen Mansfield was not only an excellent Biblical teacher, but has found success as a speaker and best selling author. Stephen has a passion for history, leadership and if one ever had a seven minute conversation with him, the word "destiny" always came up!
His new book, The Faith of the American Soldier is a follow up to the New York Times bestseller, The Faith of George W. Bush. Stephen Mansfield is a sought after speaker and expert on faith and American culture.
Below is a Fourth of July article from Stephen that expresses the sacrifices made by our Founding Fathers, from a perspective that is not always considered. Enjoy.
For 219 years Americans have celebrated the Fourth of July as the birth date of their nation. It marks for them a beginning, a sort of national commencement - of the Revolution, of our nation, and of our vision of freedom.
Yet if we consider this important day through the eyes of our Founding Fathers, we find that the Fourth of July marked for them not so much a beginning as an end to a long and painful process, a troubled time some have called the First American Revolution the one in the minds and hearts of men.
We must remember that the famous Lexington and Concord engagements, as well as the ride of Paul Revere, popularized in the Longfellow poem, took place in April of 1775. However, it was not until July of 1776, some fifteen months later, that Congress formally endorsed the Declaration of Independence. What took our Founding Fathers so long? What was the struggle that raged within?
The men who would ultimately sign the Declaration of Independence were not men for whom the idea of revolution came easily. A conservative lot who held dear their Christian faith, their English heritage, and the unique colonial society they cultivated at great cost in the wilderness, these men were not the wild-eyed malcontents we think of as revolutionaries in our day.
Instead, the Founding Fathers were men of strong principle who could not back down when their ideals and lifestyles were threatened by English aggression. When a war they did not want was forced upon them, when their values, their property, indeed, their very lives, were at stake, peace on British terms was never an option and here we find one of the most misunderstood truths of our national origins.
The American Revolution was fought, unlike modern revolutions, to preserve a social order rather than to change one. What we have called a revolution was in reality a colonial rebellion against a power seeking to destroy a largely Christian and traditional way of life. As Peter Drucker has noted, the American Revolution was a "conservative counter-revolution," fought not by power hungry radicals seeking to overthrow an established government but by loyal citizens against a grasping tyranny.
The truth now so often forgotten is that England first declared war on the American colonies. Attempting to consolidate her possessions following the French and Indian War, the British Parliament passed, on November 20, 1775, the Prohibitory Act which broke off relations with the colonists and declared them a "foreign enemy." John Adams wrote in response that the Act "makes us independent in spite of our supplications and entreaties." England had forced the colonies out from under Royal Protection, declared themselves adversaries. This belligerence stunned the colonial leaders and they sought every means available to prevent separation. Even after Lexington and Concord, they hoped against hope that England would modify her harsh course. It was not to be.
Finally, with every possible remedy exhausted, the colonial leaders pleaded their case in a Declaration before the nations of the world, claiming America's rights according to God's law and the law of reason. America was, and of a right ought to be, a free and independent nation.
The Founding Fathers were not radicals seeking power; they were family men, business men, ministers and, for the most part, Christians, who were now forced to fight a defensive battle, seeking a return to established legal principles and government policies-and it cost them dearly.
Of the signers of the Declaration, many were killed during the War. Some were heartlessly made to watch as loved ones were tortured or hanged by the British. Many lost their estates, their life's savings, and a large number suffered physical ailments for the rest of their lives from wounds incurred during the war. They were hunted, vilified and despised by the British and some colonists alike. Yet they knew (they always knew) that their course was the right one.
The Founding generation knew what it seems at times this generation has forgotten - that there are some things which warrant a pledge of "our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." For our own age to rediscover these values would mean nothing less than cultural renewal.
Writing some years after the events of the Revolution but as an eyewitness to most of it, John Quincy Adams wrote, "Posterity, you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it." Perhaps we will. Perhaps.
© 2004 Mansfield Group
For more about Stephen's Mansfield's work, blog, articles and much more, visit The Mansfield Group
If you have been a member of the Second Continental Congress in 1776, you were a rebel and considered a traitor by the King. You knew that a reward had been posted for the capture of certain prominent rebel leaders and the largest British armada ever assembled was just outside New York Harbor. Affixing your name to the document meant that you pledged your life, your fortune, and your sacred honor to the cause of freedom. 
Declaration of Independence
Join the signers of the Declaration of Independence
Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.
-- words written on the Liberty Bell
"Independence Day is regarded as the birthday of the United States as a free and independent nation.
The holiday recalls the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. At that time, the people of the 13 British colonies located along the eastern coast of what is now the United States were involved in a war over what they considered unjust treatment by the king and parliament in Britain. The war began in 1775. As the war continued, the colonists realized that they were fighting not just for better treatment; they were fighting for freedom from England's rule. The Declaration of Independence, signed by leaders from the colonies, stated this clearly, and for the first time in an official document the colonies were referred to as the United States of America."
Celebrating Independence Day
"On July 4, 1776, we claimed our independence from Britain and Democracy was born. Every day thousands leave their homeland to come to the 'land of the free and the home of the brave' so they can begin their American Dream.
The United States is truly a diverse nation made up of dynamic people. Each year on July 4, Americans celebrate that freedom and indepen-dence with barbecues, picnics, and family gatherings. Through the Internet we are learning about and communicating with people of different nations, with different languages and different races throughout the world. Bringing the world closer with understanding and knowledge can only benefit all nations.
We invite all nations to celebrate with Americans online this Fourth of July.
Happy Birthday, America!"
4th of July - Independence Day
