Preface: Last year I decided to express my thanks during the month of November for something new each day, as so many others have done before me. I never finished this series, so that’s my goal this year. I am re-posting the ones I wrote last year and adding new ones. This was originally posted on 11/07/12 (with slight changes made today).

I fully admit that I took my American freedom for granted until 2005, when I spent a month in North Africa learning about life in the Middle East after college graduation.

Despite spending my college years studying our nation’s history and political science (and gaining a huge appreciation for what our Founding Fathers established), I still didn’t fully grasp how wonderful our country really is in comparison to many countries around the world until I left it.

We have it good here.

Since that trip I have done extensive reading about the lives of women in the Middle East (specifically Saudi Arabia and Iran)…and it truly breaks my heart. Books like Reading Lolita in Tehran , Inside the Kingdom, Kabul Beauty School, and In the Land of Invisible Women ignited a passion within me for these women who are so oppressed by their governments and their culture…and even their own families.

I cannot imagine living in a world where I am unable to live freely… 

I am thankful that I can walk around freely without fear of corrupt police trying to falsely accuse me so that I will pay them off.

I am thankful that I can wear what I would like to wear.

I am thankful that I can say what I want to say when I want to say it (using wisdom and discernment, of course 🙂 ).

I am thankful that I can worship God freely and without constraint.

I am thankful that I can travel freely, by myself if I choose.

I am thankful that I can blog freely without fearing repercussions from the government and without fear of censorship.

And the list goes on and on…

I know that our country is far from perfect, but the freedoms that were established by our Founding Fathers are remarkable and unique, and I believe that they are biblical in nature. God sent Jesus so that we could be set free!

I am SO thankful to have the privilege of living here.