The American Soul
The American Soul
Heroism & Heritage: From WWII Valor to Congressional Prayer
Making time for what truly matters—God and family—shapes our faith journey and relationships in profound ways.
• Reflections on prioritizing God in our daily lives through prayer, Scripture, and quiet time
• Song of Solomon's teaching on marriage reveals God's design for intimate relationships
• The importance of fulfilling our roles in marriage instead of simply expecting from our spouse
• Scripture reading from Colossians 3:18-4:18 on family relationships and Christian living
• Medal of Honor tribute to Edward Andrew Bennett, exemplifying selfless sacrifice
• Historical account of the Continental Congress beginning with prayer, showing America's Christian foundations
• Reminder that despite denominational differences, Christians should unite around core beliefs and love of country
If you're looking for wholesome, family-friendly reading, check out my middle-grade fantasy series "Countryside" available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you enjoy it, please leave a review and share it with others.
The American Soul Podcast
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Hey folks, my son is Jesse Cope, back with another episode of the American Soul Podcast. Hope y'all are doing well, wherever y'all are, whatever part of the day you're in. I sure do appreciate y'all joining me. For those of y'all who continue to share the podcast with others, tell others about it and to pray for me and for the podcast, thank you so much, very, very grateful for that. I'm sure you can tell I'm still a little under the weather, so I apologize for my voice again. We'll get through this, father. Thank you for today.
Speaker 1:Thank you for you, father, and your Son, jesus Christ and your Holy Spirit. Thank you for all your blessings, father, the ones we admit and the ones we don't, for whatever reason. Thank you for the people that listen to this podcast and share it. Please be with them, be with their families. Give us wisdom and courage and a strong faith. Help us to do your will above all else, to follow the commands of your son, jesus Christ. I love you with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us when we forget. Forgive us when we turn to other things, father, besides you, when we make other things more of a priority in our lives than you. Help us to run the race all the way to the end, to do your will. Above all else, be with those who are hurting and alone, who are scared. Comfort them. Be with those who are sick, who are injured. Comfort them. Help us to focus on what matters most to you. Be with our military and our law enforcement, our firefighters. Guide them in all they do. Comfort them. Surround them with your angels. Protect them from evil of any kind.
Speaker 1:Be with our educators across the nation, at home, in public school, in private school, coaches, teachers, moms, counselors. Be with our students. Be with our moms counselors. Be with our students. Be with our children, lord. Help us to teach our children your statutes, to tell them about all the wonderful things you have done for our nation and our past. Help us to remember that it's your guiding hand that has blessed us and protected us, and help us to encourage virtue, father, in our sphere of influence, whatever that may be. And God, my words here, please. In your Son's name, we pray Amen.
Speaker 1:Have you made time for God today? Have you made time to read his word, to pray, to talk to him, to listen to him? Have you made time just to be still and be around him. I struggle with that often. Maybe some of y'all do too. And if you're married, have you made time for your spouse? Do they know that they are your second priority above everything else save God and Jesus Christ or do they know that they're not? No matter what you say, can they tell by your actions that they just aren't quite a priority?
Speaker 1:A lot of times, folks you know the proverb we like to rage against God, but we're the ones that have put us in this situation. A lot of times we like to complain about our life, our marriage in particular, but the person that's most responsible for that is often the one staring us in the mirror, because we want our spouse to fulfill their roles, just like we want God to bless us. Right as a nation today, that's so clear in America. We still want God's blessings, but we don't want to do what he tells us to. We want this great marriage, but we don't want to do what God told us to do as a husband or a wife. Nobody else to really blame folks for the state of America or for the state of a number of our marriages besides ourselves, especially those of us that claim to follow Christ Marriage verse for today.
Speaker 1:Song of Solomon, chapter 5. Song of Solomon the husband. I have come into my garden. My sister, my bride. I have gathered my mirror with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey. I have drunk my wine and my milk. Friends, eat, friends and drink. Drink your fill of love. The bride, the wife.
Speaker 1:I slept but my heart was awake. Listen, my beloved is knocking Open to me. My sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night. I have taken off my robe. Must I put it on again? I have washed my feet. Must I soil them again? Beloved thrust his hand through the latch opening. My heart began to pound for him. I rose to open for my beloved and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh on the handles of the bolt. I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had left. He was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer. The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They beat me, they bruised me, they took away my cloak. Those watchmen of the walls.
Speaker 1:Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you. If you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him I am faint with love. Friends, how is your beloved better than others? Most beautiful of women, how is your beloved better than others that you so charge us?
Speaker 1:The wife, the bride, my beloved is radiant and ready, outstanding among ten thousand. His head is purest gold. His hair is wavy and black as a raven. His eyes are like doves by the water streams, washed in milk, mounted like jewels. His cheeks are like beads of spice yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with myrrh. His arms are rods of gold set with topaz. His body is like polished ivory, decorated with lapis lazuli. His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars. His mouth is sweetness itself. He is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend.
Speaker 1:Daughters of Jerusalem, of Jerusalem Again, just to mention. I think we do a disservice to a lot of our married couples of any age that we don't talk about that more inside the church. There's a reason that God put that book there. Folks, and as much as we seem to be struggling, are struggling with marriage today, inside and outside of the church Seems like it would be wise to pay a little more attention to it. Scripture reading Colossians, chapter 3, verse 18 through 4, verse 18.
Speaker 1:Wives submit to your husbands as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. Husbands love your wives and never treat them harshly. Children always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not aggravate your children or they will become discouraged Slaves. Obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you Serve them sincerely because of your relevant, reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you are working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward and that the master you are serving is Christ, but if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done, for God has no favorites Masters. Be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a master in heaven.
Speaker 1:Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
Speaker 1:Tychus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord's work. I have sent him to you for this very purpose to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychus will tell you everything that's happening here. Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, barnabas's cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way.
Speaker 1:Jesus, the one we call Justice, also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish believers among my co-workers. They are working with me here for the kingdom of God, and what a comfort they have been. A papyrus, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus. Send you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you.
Speaker 1:Servant of Christ Jesus, send you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Heropolis. Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas. Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea and Nympha and the church that meets in her house. After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so that they can read it too, and you should read the letter I wrote to them and say to Archippus be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you. Here is my greeting in my own handwriting Paul, remember my chains. May God's grace be with you. Psalm 78, verses 56 through 72.
Speaker 1:They made him jealous with their idols. When god heard them, he was very angry and he completely rejected israel. Then he abandoned his dwelling at shiloh, the tabernacle where he had lived among the people. He allowed the ark of his might to be captured. He surrendered his glory into enemy hands. He gave his people over to be butchered by the sword because he was so angry with his own people, his special possession. The young men were killed by fire. The young women died before singing their wedding songs. Their priests were slaughtered and their widows could not mourn their deaths.
Speaker 1:Then the Lord rose up as though waking from sleep. Like a warrior aroused from a drunken stupor, he routed his enemies and sent them to eternal shame. But he rejected Joseph's descendants. He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, he chose instead the tribe of Judah and Mount Zion, which he loved. There he built his sanctuary, as high as the heavens, as solid and enduring as the earth. He chose his servant, david, calling him from the sheep pens. He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob's descendants, god's own people, israel. He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands Proverbs 24, verses 28 through 29. Don't testify against your neighbors without cause, don't lie about them and don't say now I can pay them back for what they've done to me. I'll get even with them. Medal of Honor for today.
Speaker 1:Edward Andrew Bennett, corporal High Strength, major World War II day. Edward andrew bennett, corporal high strength, major world war ii, bravo company, first battalion, 358th infantry, 90th infantry division, us army, february 1st 1945. Location hecoshide, germany. He was advancing with bravo company across open ground to Assault Hecklescheid, germany. Just after dark, when vicious enemy machine gun fire from a house on the outskirts of town pinned down the group and caused several casualties, he began crawling to the edge of the field in an effort to flank the house, persisting in this maneuver even when the hostile machinegunners located him by the light of burning buildings and attempted to cut him down. As he made for the protection of some trees. Reaching safety, he stealthily made his way by a circuitous route to the rear of the buildings occupied by the German gunners. With his trench knife he killed a sentry on guard there and then charged into the darkened house. In furious hand-to-hand struggle he stormed about a single room which harbored seven Germans Three he killed with rifle fire, another he clubbed to death with the butt of his gun, and the three others he dispatched with his .45 caliber pistol. The fearless initiative stalwarted combat ability and outstanding gallantry of Corporal Bennett and eliminated the enemy fire which was decimating his company's ranks and made it possible for the Americans to sweep all resistance from the
Speaker 1:town. Accredited to Middleport, meigs County, ohio, not awarded. Posthumously Presented October 12, 1945, at the White House Rose Garden by President Harry S Truman, born February 11, 1920, middleport, meigs County, ohio. Died May 2, 1983, campbell, california. Buried Golden Gate National Cemetery 2-TAC-B-TAC-10714, san Bruno, california, edward Andrew
Speaker 1:Bennett. Lord, hope that we still have some men like that, folks who are willing to sacrifice for God, family, country, as opposed to just for self. There's a huge difference in men like that that are willing to give everything for others, compared to so many that we celebrate today in entertainment, athletics and even politics. That seem like they're sacrificing a lot, but when you really dig down into it they're just sacrificing for their own glory. It's a letter from John Adams to his wife, abigail, september 7th 1774. So kind of close to
Speaker 1:now. Right when Congress met, mr Cushing made a motion that it should be opened with prayer. This was after the first day of the first session of the Continental Congress, by the way. It was opposed by Mr Jay of New York and Mr Rutledge of South Carolina because we were so divided in religious sentiments some Episcopalian, some Quaker, some Anabaptist, some Presbyterian, some Congregationalist that we could not join in the same act of worship. Mr Samuel Adams arose and said that he was no bigot and he could hear a prayer from any gentleman of piety and virtue who was at the same time a friend to his country, a prayer from any gentleman of piety and virtue who was at the same time a friend to his country. He was a stranger in Philadelphia but had heard that Mr Duchesne deserved that character and therefore he moved that Mr Duchesne, an Episcopal clergyman, might be desired to read prayers to Congress tomorrow morning. The motion was seconded and passed in the affirmative. The motion was seconded and passed in the
Speaker 1:affirmative. Mr Randolph, our president, vowed on Mr Douchet and received for answer that if his health would permit he certainly would. Accordingly, next morning the Reverend Mr Douchet appeared with his clerk and in his pontificals and read several prayers in the established form, then read the collect for the seventh day of September, which was the 35th psalm. You must remember this was the next morning after we heard the horrible rumor of the candidate of Boston. I never saw a greater effect upon an audience. It seemed as if heaven had ordained that psalm to be read on that
Speaker 1:morning. After this, mr Ducey, unexpectedly to everybody, struck out into an extemporary prayer which filled the bosom of every man present. I must confess I never heard a better prayer or one so well pronounced Episcopalian. As he is Dr Cooper himself, this was Adam's personal pastor never prayed with such fervor, such ardor, such earnestness and pathos, and in a language so elegant and sublime For America, for the Congress, for the province of Massachusetts Bay and especially the town of Boston. It has had an excellent effect upon everybody here. I must beg you to read that psalm. Maybe we'll go back and do that at some point. You got to remember, folks, this is the first session of Continental
Speaker 1:Congress. When people tell you that our country wasn't founded based on the principles of Christ, this is just one more little piece of evidence that you know. They either don't know what they're talking about or they have ulterior motives. And you notice here the point Samuel Adams said Look, I'm not a bigot, I don't care who it is, I don't care if it's Episcopalian or Presbyterian or Baptist or Methodist or Orthodox or whatever else Presbyterian or Baptist or Methodist or Orthodox or whatever else If that person is a friend of their country and they believe in Jesus Christ, I'm good. And that should be our attitude, folks. That should be our
Speaker 1:attitude. If you get a chance and you're looking for a middle grade fantasy that's wholesome, family friendly, I would ask that you would check out Countryside. I've got two books written in the series so far working on the third, and you can pick it up on Amazon Barnes Noble paperback hardback e-book and, if you enjoy it, if you'd leave a review, I would appreciate that very much and share it with somebody else. God bless y'all. God bless your families. God bless your families. God bless your marriages. God bless America. God bless your nation, wherever you are around the world. Listen, folks. We'll talk to y'all again real soon. Looking forward to it.