While I was driving across the Narrows Bridge this Christmas Eve, I was thinking about my experiences this last year and those of my friends. Most everyone has felt this was a different Christmas than most and were having a hard time this season. As I thought about that and listened to Christmas music on the radio, I realized that there have been much harder Christmases that this one.

What came to mind were the hardships endured the Continental Army under the leadership of George Washington in Valley Forge in December of 1776. The men were malnourished, were inadequately clothed and life was harder than we can imagine.

Yet, they endured. To me, the crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton, which changed the tenor of the Revolutionary War was nothing short of a miracle. Because of these men, these brave men, our country was able to come into being. They enabled us to have the incredible lives we are able to live in these United States.

Despite the hard things that we are going through in our nation right now, I am remembering my forefathers and their determination to suffer through all they did. I am grateful for them and grateful for the love our Creator has for us to grant the miracles necessary for a new nation to come into being. We have much to be grateful for and much to do to make this nation what it was destined to be.

I crossed the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, not the Delaware and my challenges this last year were far from hardships endured by others. But I feel a part of what they lived through and pray this great Nation of ours can heals its wounds to stay the greatest nation on earth.