Tired of negative news and doomscrolling? Take back your news consumption rather than giving Facebook or Instagram algorithms the controls to feed you what they want.
I made that choice a couple years ago and just love the fair, unbiased, and generally positive news source that I read every day. Instead of bashing our country, this source posted a “Congratulations, America” in the spirit of this Independence Day. I’m happy to share. Here it is:
“Congratulations, America—Tuesday marks the 248th commemoration of the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress.
Through the centuries, the US has grown from 13 colonies with about 2.5 million people to 50 states and 14 territories with a population of more than 330 million. The economy has swelled to over $27T. Advances in public health have cut the child mortality rate from over 45% to under 1%, while our citizens live over 35 years longer on average.
Scientific achievements in the US have delivered everything from the light bulb, modern flight, and the internet to air conditioning, movies, and the polio vaccine. More than 2.7 million miles of power lines electrify the country across over 4 million miles of paved roads, with over 90% of households accessing broadband internet. The US has also been responsible for more than 800 human visits to space—the most of any country.
While there will always be challenges to face and improvements to make, we’ve come a long way since the beginning. So grab a hot dog and your drink of choice—here’s to the next 248 years.
PS–Enjoy the history behind the American barbecue” (1440 Daily Digest. Join here.)
Today, I am giving thanks for such a fantastic country of fabulous freedoms and open opportunities. I pray for improvements, of course, and most of all acknowledge God’s gracious providence for this gift. Happy Independence Day!
PRAYER: Lord of the nations, America celebrates our birthday today and we praise you for your gracious providence to our country. It’s a wonderful place to live, work and play! Guide us toward improvements that glorify you and do good for others. Especially, I pray, lead this nation to serve the purposes of your kingdom. Amen.
NEXT STEP: “5 Thanks” – give thanks to God for 5 blessings you enjoy if you are an American.