Thou Shalt Trust Thy God
Religion today is not as big a deal as it was centuries ago. Sure, we still believe in some form of a God, depending on what religion you follow. Yet, you cannot tell me that every single person in your town or city goes to church every Sunday. It used to be different. Children were brought up from an early age to follow their religion, and usually stuck with it their whole lives. Today not many families go to church together on Sunday. What happened? In the revolutionary war, the Patriots relied on God to help them through a war that seemed impossible. In “Five Smooth Stones” by Kristiana Gregory, Hope’s family goes to church everyday and prays constantly for the safe return of her father. In the book, the council leaders say that the war against England is like David trying to fight Goliath. Mr. Dean says that this is to remind the Patriots to “be brave and to trust God.” Through out the novel the thing that most appeared was the faith in God that these people had during rough times. They did not just pray for the soldiers that were going to go up against an army that was much larger than their own, but also for small things. Hope often prays for her mother while she is pregnant. After some time, her answers were answered and her mother birthed a healthy little girl. Then when Ethan ran away and ended up captured, the family prayed for his safe return. Though many still go to church, the interest in church has faded. Children now find it boring to sit in a pew and listen to a prayer. Religion was lost over the years. Though we should still go to church every Sunday, we don’t. The point to this is that frankly, the belief in God can help through troubling times; that prayer can act as a sanctuary when you’re feeling down.
