By General Mike Flynn

In this season of remembrance, as Americans gather in gratitude, it is fitting to reflect upon the origins of Thanksgiving and upon the noble trials through which our forefathers labored to secure a free Republic. The history of this day does not arise from ease or comfort. It springs from hardship endured with faith, courage, and unwavering trust in Providence.

When the Pilgrims observed one of the earliest Thanksgivings in the year 1621, they did so after grievous loss and severe winter privations. Nearly half their number had perished. The land before them was uncertain, and the future unknown. Yet they chose to set aside a day for humble thanks, believing that all blessings flow from the hand of Almighty God. Their example planted in American soil a tradition of gratitude that would endure through every age of the Nation.

More than a century later, the spirit of thanksgiving strengthened the resolve of the Founding Fathers as they stood against the weight of imperial authority. Their circumstances were uncertain and often perilous. Supplies were scarce, the enemy well supplied, and the outcome of the struggle far from assured. Yet they held firm to the belief, expressed by Thomas Jefferson, that the God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time. They regarded liberty as a sacred trust, inseparable from the divine order, and worthy of every sacrifice.

During the bitter winter encampment at Valley Forge, the army suffered cold, hunger, and disease. Men marched with bleeding feet upon frozen ground. In that season of trial, General Washington called for a day of thanksgiving and prayer, reminding his soldiers that no adversity could extinguish the cause of freedom. Later, as President, he proclaimed that it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and to humbly implore His protection. His words form the spiritual foundation of our national observance.

When independence had been secured, the Founders faced a new challenge equal in weight to war. They were tasked with designing a system of government capable of preserving liberty while guarding against the dangers of tyranny. The debates in Philadelphia were solemn and intense. The future of the continent rested upon their work. James Madison warned that the entire future of American civilization had been staked upon the capacity of the people to govern themselves according to the Ten Commandments. Such a warning was not lightly given, nor should it be lightly regarded by any generation that seeks to preserve the Republic.

Upon the completion of the Constitution, Benjamin Franklin famously observed that the Framers had produced a Republic if you can keep it. His words were not merely a remark. They were a charge to every future American. A Republic survives only when its citizens remain vigilant, virtuous, and steadfast in the defense of the liberties entrusted to them.

Thanksgiving, therefore, calls the Nation to more than remembrance. It calls us to renewal. It invites us to measure ourselves against the faith and fortitude of those who built this Nation amidst hardship, uncertainty, and sacrifice. John Adams declared that liberty must be supported at all hazards, for we have a right to it derived from our Maker. His admonition stands as firmly today as when it was first written.

As families gather throughout the land, may we pause to honor the generations who walked through fire so that we might live free. May we give thanks not only for the blessings that surround us, but for the principles that sustain the Republic. May we, in our own time, prove ourselves worthy of the mighty inheritance placed in our keeping.

May our gratitude rise to Heaven with the sincerity of those who founded this Nation.
May our conduct strengthen the liberty they secured, and may the Almighty continue to favor the United States with His protection and guidance.

May God bless you, your families, and these United States of America.