As America celebrates 250 years of independence, may we pause to honor our past, celebrate the freedoms we enjoy – and all too often take for granted, and look with hope toward the future – and may we do so with grateful hearts.
On July 4th, 2026, our community gathered to dedicate the Overmountain Men Memorial Statue, honoring the brave patriots who answered the call during the Revolutionary War. The Overmountain Men left the safety of their homes, crossed the rugged mountains, and passed through these foothills, crossing Alexander’s Ford before riding on to Kings Mountain, convinced that liberty was worth every sacrifice. Their victory became a turning point in America’s fight for independence and helped shape the nation we proudly call home today.
The Overmountain Men blazed the trail to secure our freedom. Every generation since has answered the call to preserve it. That same spirit has echoed through every generation of Americans.
They came from different backgrounds, different churches, different political beliefs, and different walks of life. Yet they stood side by side, united, not because they were the same, but because they believed that freedom was worth defending together. They understood that what united them was far greater than anything that could divide them.
From the victory at Kings Mountain that helped secure our independence during the Revolutionary War to Belleau Wood, to the beaches of Normandy, to the frozen hills of Korea, to the jungles of Vietnam, and to the deserts and mountains of the Global War on Terror, generations of ordinary Americans have answered the extraordinary call to serve.
Today, as we gather with family and friends, enjoy fireworks, and celebrate the blessings of living in this great nation, may we never forget why those traditions exist. They are possible because someone, somewhere, chose sacrifice over self.
This November, that same spirit of service and sacrifice will be reflected once again as The Wall That Heals comes to Rutherford County. The 58,281 names engraved on the memorial remind us that freedom has always carried a cost. Every name represents a life. A family. A story. Together, they remind us that the blessings we celebrate today, and the freedoms we cherish were entrusted to us by generations who answered the call to serve.
As we celebrate America 250, may we count our blessings with grateful hearts. May we honor those who blazed the trail before us, remember those who carried freedom forward through every generation, and leave a legacy of faith, gratitude, unity, and service for the generations yet to come.
Happy 250th Birthday, America.
God bless our veterans. God bless those who continue to serve. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.
Lisa Marie Barrett, Director, Military Ministry Father’s Vineyard