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As I was watching the fireworks last night, I reflected on my life. I was in a different state, at a different school, with a different job, and with different friends at this same time last year. Wow! How things have changed in only 365 days. Thoughts of my personal life soon transitioned into reflections on the past year of our country as I am working, it seems, in the heart of policy at BreakPoint. Again, I thought -- wow! How things have changed in only one year.

While there were certainly some positive feats this past year for our country, I couldn’t help but notice the pit in my stomach when I thought of the not-so-positive political happenings between July 4, 2011 and July 4, 2012. President Obama supported the building of the Ground Zero mosque, as well as raised the National Debt substantially. He determined the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, and repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Occupy Wall Street protests were intense and violent. And, just recently, Planned Parenthood opened a facility on a public high school campus, and the Supreme Court upheld Obamacare, a slap in the face to religious freedom.

Phew. I'm out of breath.

When looking at these events, it’s hard not to adopt a negative outlook on our country. It may seem that Christian conservatives are more quickly than ever losing the fight to uphold the values on which our country was founded, especially the principle of religious freedom. I have asked myself, admittedly too often, if I should just give up. Should I really be so outspoken about my conservative views? Will it ultimately do any good to a country that is seemingly “doomed”?

But, as God always does, He reminded me of His faithfulness. Just as I was having these thoughts, three songs came on the radio: “The Way” by Jeremy Camp, “Praise You in this Storm” by Casting Crowns, and “Turn to You” by Selah, in that order. God knew my heart, and in that moment, He knew how to give me peace, hope, reassurance, and more than anything, the tenacity to keep on fighting.

These songs reminded me that in this time of upheaval, in this storm, we must turn to the Lord. After all, where else would we go? What else can we do?

As Chuck Colson wrote in his book Born Again, “[A revivial of flagging national spirit] can come only in one way — as each of us bows in submission to Him and as the Almighty leads us from darkness into light — so that once again we might stand together, truly one nation under God.”

Also on our nation’s birthday, my grandma shared with me 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” She told me, “Megan, He is speaking to you and me, personally and directly. He is saying, 'Megan and Angilee, if YOU humble yourselves and pray and seek my face and turn from your wicked ways, I will heal your land.'"

So, I challenge you all, as my grandma challenged me, to take on this verse personally. Let us humble ourselves and KEEP praying for a revival of our nation, especially lifting the President in prayer. Even with each blow, even with each defeat, we must remember three things, as God reminded me last night:

1. We must trust God’s will for our nation.
2. God is God, NO MATTER the state of our nation.
3. We must turn to Jesus. After all, what else can we do?