The American republic was founded on a set of beliefs that were tested during the Revolutionary War. Among them was the idea that all people are created equal, whether European, Native American, or African American, and that these people have fundamental rights, such as liberty, free speech, freedom of religion, due process of law, and freedom of assembly. America's revolutionaries openly discussed these concepts. Many Americans agreed with them but some found that the ideology was far more acceptable in the abstract than in practice.

This weekly Devotional employs the words of the wonderful people of which Lincoln spoke to deepen your relationship with this wonderful country they established. In so doing, the aim is not to produce a blind patriotism, but, rather, a thoughtful love and devotion to the United States of America, based on Liberty and Equality.

Considering that you lead a busy life, this Devotional contains 52 passages, one for each week of the year. You need only to read one page and dwell on it for a week. These passages have been selected from the writings of both the Founding Fathers and Mothers. They have been chosen for both their inspirational quality and their clarity for today's readers.
Each week will begin with one sentence that forms a kind of a headline. Then, the passage will follow, with its key phrase provided in bold letters. However, some surrounding text may also be provided to strengthen your understanding of the context of the writings. Finally, some information about the passage called the Story will provide you with further information about the passage on which to reflect.

This Devotional will be organized by the suggested chronological order of the opening sentence of the Gettysburg Address. The book is divided into roughly equal three parts - Liberty, A New Nation, and Equality. At the beginning of each part, a brief orientation will be given to you. Note that the orientation of each part will be a little different from the other two as our Founders translate their ideas into concrete actions.

Of course, you can read these passages at a faster pace. You may wish to absorb each part closer together to gain a holistic understanding of each of the three concepts and how they fit together as a whole. You will observe how a love of Liberty throughout the colonies led to the actions and sacrifices that gave birth to our country and then, how the dedication to equality led to specific actions to achieve it throughout the land.

By the time you complete the Devotional, some of the best writers that the country has ever produced will have spoken to you. You should have a clear picture as to why their thoughts and actions inspired President Lincoln so much. From this picture, your understanding of our country will grow and your love for America will be deepened. In some sense, you will be the writer of this story.