A Salute to Our Country’s Service Members

As Memorial Day approaches, we at BfA would like to take this time to honor our country’s military service members with this salute.

Why we remember

In the bleakest hours of the American Revolution, facing a brutal winter and the waning enthusiasm of his army, General George Washington read to his men the patriotic words written by Thomas Paine in the tract, The American Crisis:

“These are the times that try men’s souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”

General Washington was able to revive his men, using these words to reach into their weary souls and light an ember of hope. This hope continued to burn as the brave soldiers crossed the icy Delaware River with a renewed will to live, persevere, and fight for victory.

More than two hundred years have passed since those simple words were penned. Yet the same courage and resolve to protect this great nation continue to beat in the heart of each service member. And the debt of gratitude, love, and respect is still owed to the guardians of our borders. Many wars have been waged. Men and women have perished. We recognize that the price for our continued safety has not come cheaply.

Today the United States of America is recognized as the land of the free. In this great country one of the most precious liberties we have been afforded is the right to worship God and read His Word. We may take this right for granted, but people around the world suffer persecution for reading the Bible or following the Lord Jesus Christ.

This Memorial Day we remember the men and women who died maintaining the safety and freedom of their families, friends, and countless strangers. We at BfA are deeply grateful to those who sacrificed their all while protecting our freedoms. As our country raises its flag in a silent salute to these courageous service members, we honor and remember them.

To all who serve

George Washington once said this:

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, is directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated.”

We agree with this sentiment and want to take this time to express our appreciation for all those who have served and are still serving. As we sit in our comfortable homes, hearing news reports of our troops, let’s all be reminded to pray for each one. These men and women face adversities daily. We are the beneficiaries of their service.

We at Bibles for America would like to pay tribute to the men and women who fight for our right to worship God and spread the Bible. We encourage service members and their families to order a free copy of the New Testament Recovery Version here.

From all of us at BfA, thank you for your service.