July 4, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This is truly a historic milestone. Over the course of these two and a half centuries, the United States of America has faced a multitude of trials and challenges. During this time, countless brave and selfless citizens have given their lives in service of this great nation, believing that freedom is worth fighting for.
The Declaration of Independence ends with these glorious words: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Since the beginning, our founders have invoked the shield of the Almighty over our country as we try to preserve a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
One could argue that the protection of divine Providence has truly been granted, as the founding fathers requested, as we look at some amazing miracles in United States history.
- During the French and Indian War, a young George Washington had two horses shot from under him, sustained four bullet holes in his coat, and found lead bullet fragments in his hair, but was otherwise unscathed. He lived to fight another day.
- In the Battle of Brooklyn during the Revolutionary War, a peculiar dense fog, which seemingly came out of nowhere, covered the movements of the American army as they retreated across New York Harbor and away from almost 32,000 British troops that were about to attack. The Continental Army was outmanned three to one and, without the thick fog, would have surely been annihilated – thus ending the war with an American surrender.
- President Abraham Lincoln called for a day of fasting and prayer in 1863 after the Union Army had sustained heavy losses. Two days later, in a freak accident, highly successful Confederate General Stonewall Jackson was hit by friendly fire and died eight days later. His death shifted the momentum of the Civil War right before the pivotal battle of Gettysburg.
- Tennessee mountain man and sharpshooter, Sergeant Alvin York, single-handedly turned the tide of World War I. German forces heavily attacked his platoon. One by one, he picked off German gunners. Eventually, 132 Germans surrendered, believing they were facing a much larger American squad. York was also able to capture 35 machine guns, crippling the offensive capabilities of the German forces.
- Before the Battle of Midway in 1942, the country held national days of prayer to help turn the tide of the war. In a huge twist of fate, U.S. dive bombers got lost and followed a Japanese destroyer, which met up with other members of their fleet. The U.S. arrived exactly within a ten-minute window when the Japanese planes were refueling and totally defenseless. Up until this battle, the U.S. was heavily outnumbered and losing badly in the Pacific.
- In 1970, Apollo 13 was in trouble. An oxygen tank exploded 200,000 miles from Earth. President Nixon called for a day of prayer for the astronauts. The crew rigged a carbon dioxide filter with duct tape and eventually splashed down safely.
- On July 13, 2024, in Butler, PA, presidential candidate Donald Trump escaped an assassination attempt by turning his head ever so slightly to gaze at an illegal immigration chart while a bullet intended to end his life instead grazed his ear.
Some might call these stories merely coincidences or lucky breaks. But for those of us who believe, divine Providence is real. May our country turn back to our Christian roots through prayer and fasting. May Almighty God heal the wounds of division and fight the enemies of freedom within our midst, so that the United States of America can celebrate many more 4th of Julies.
Editor’s Note: If you would like to find out more about these miracles and others, check out the book Miracles in American History by Susie Federer and William J. Federer.