Meredith Ludwig Curtis
  • Home
  • Jesus
    • Bible Studies >
      • God's Girls Friends to the End Bible Study
      • God's Girls Beauty Secrets
      • God's Girls Talk about Guys, Virtue, & Marriage Bible Study
      • The Making of Real Men
      • Real Men Talk about Freedom, GIrls, & Marriage
    • Worship
    • Testimony >
      • Family
      • Church Family
  • Books
    • Maggie King Mysteries
    • How -To-Homeschool
    • Teach History the Fun Way >
      • Ancient History Cookbook
      • Ancient History Timeline
      • HIS Story of the 20th Century
      • Let's Have Our Own Ancient Greek Olympic Games
      • Let's Have Our Own Archaeological Dig
      • Let's Have Our Own Medieval Banquet
    • Celebrate
  • Courses/ Units
    • Unit Studies
    • High School Courses >
      • Who Dun It
      • American Literature & Research Course by Meredith Curtis
      • Economics, Finances, & Business Course
      • Economics, Finances, & Business Answer Key by Meredith Curtis
  • Speaking
    • Speaking Schedule
    • Family & Ministry Workshops
    • Homeschool Workshops
    • Homeschool High School Workshops
    • Meredith's Financial Workshops
    • Worship Workshops
    • Pastor Mike"s Workshops
    • Family & Friend's Workshops
  • Blog

Learning from the Pilgrims & Puritans

11/23/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
It is the time of year we think of pumpkin, pilgrims and turkeys. In our minds, the pilgrims are just another holiday decoration.

What fun to make a pilgrim hat! 

Who doesn't want to color in the Mayflower?

​ My challenge to you this year to learn the WHOLE story, if you don't already know it, of this little Separatist congregation that sailed from England on the Mayflower. 

Back in those days (early 1600's), if you were English, you belonged to the Church of England. 

​There were still Roman Catholics in England, who refused to let go of their religion when Henry VIII rejected the pope and the Church of England was born, but, everyone else was part of the Anglican Church.

​For those inspired and transformed by the Reformation, the Church of England did not go far enough in breaking with Rome. Puritans wanted to see the Church of England purified, moving closer to based their practices on the Bible alone, rather than tradition.


Picture
Separatists, on the other hand, did not hold out hope for the Church of England. They simply wanted to be free to worship God according to the pattern they saw in Scripture. There was persecution for all those who rejected the Church of England.

"You are the salt of the earth!  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven,"  (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV).

One Local Church

Picture
In the little village of Scrooby, a tiny Separatist church met in secret to avoid imprisonment. Their pastor, John Robinson, preached the Word of God faithfully week after week. Among those listening to his sermons were William Brewster and young Will Bradford. After an increase in probing and scrutinizing by royal officials and a time of the men hiding out in Sherwood Forest (Yes! The same one from Robin Hood!), the little congregation decided to flee to Holland. Holland granted religious liberty to its citizens and immigrants. 

Picturesque Holland with its lovely cities and quaint canals was a place where the tiny congregation could now worship without fear. There were problems, though. Holland had long since passed the days of revival and sin was rampant. The Separatist children were picking up the ways of the world. Not only that, they were losing their English culture and starting to speak Dutch! 

"What about the wilderness across the sea?" 

"Virginia?" 

"Could our wives and children make the journey?" 

"Ah, let's pray and see what God's will would be."

The story, of course, continues with one mishap after another. To name a few: one ship breaks down before they really got underway, two ships' worth of people pile into one, a sad good-bye to their beloved pastor, a rough journey, blown off course, and landing just before a cold winter.  Half of them died the first winter.

More to the Story

Picture
Yes, but, there was that glorious Mayflower Compact, the amazing testimony of Squanto, and a dream in their hearts that God had called them to be a City on a Hill! Yes, that verse is taken from Matthew chapter 5! 
Ronald Reagan quoted the Bible and the pilgrims when he referred to America as a "City on a Hill." He was simply restating that dream that led the pilgrims to cross stormy seas for an unknown wilderness so that they could raise their children in the ways of the Lord!

Hopefully, I've whetted your appetite for learning more about the story of the pilgrims. Here are some websites to check out:  Plimoth Plantation, Mayflower History (with original documents and letters!), and Annie's Thanksgiving History and Symbols page. A wonderful book for reading aloud with your children is Stories of the Pilgrims by Margaret Pumphrey (Liberty Press).   

When John Winthrop traveled across the sea to the New World, he penned a sermon aboard his ship, the Arabella, laying out his vision for the settlement he would help establish in Boston. He wrote these words, "We must consider that we shall be as a city on a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us."  

I have read many books that talk about the pilgrims. These authors write about the Pilgrims' and Puritans' desire for religious freedom and how they did not grant that same religious freedom to others. What people, looking back at the Pilgrims and Puritans, fail to understand is that these Christians' desire was not for religious freedom (to believe whatever they wanted to), but a desire to be free to serve God the way that His Word commanded. They were zealous for God's Ways, Laws, and Will. They were willing to risk their lives, money, property, and honor to OBEY the Lord. They saw the Bible as the authority to govern men, not their own ideas and opinions. 

It is so hard for us to understand the pilgrims in the twenty-first century where it is "all about me." Maybe it's time for a change! Maybe it's time to defend God's honor and justice, at the expense of our comfort, finances, reputation, and, even, our lives.   

Remember the dream in their heart. Let that dream beat in our heart...to be the light of the world, the city on a hill!

Picture
If you are interested learning more about celebrating Thanksgiving, I encourage you to purchase Celebrate Thanksgiving where you will not only learn the entire story of the Pilgrims, but you will read devotions, prayers, Scriptures, and poems that will inspire you. This book has everything you need to make your holiday Christ-centered and meaningful with recipes, crafts, and celebrations to try out in your own home. 

What a glorious reason to celebrate Thanksgiving is! How wonderful to set aside time to give thanks to Almighty God who has blessed us with so many incredible gifts. My print copy of Celebrate Thanksgiving is available at Amazon and the E-book can be purchased on my website, Powerlineprod.com.
​. 
Keep Shining for His Glory!
Merey
(Meredith Ludwig Curtis)

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Meredith Curtis, homeschooling mom & worship leader, is married to her college sweetheart. She is blessed with 5 amazing children, 3 adorable grandchildren, and an awesome church family!
    ​

    Picture

    Archives

    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    April 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011

    Categories

    All
    Abiding
    Baking
    Beauty
    Bible
    Bible Study
    Birthdays
    Book Reviews
    Books
    Business
    Celebrate
    Charity
    Christian Living
    Christmas
    Christmas Craft
    Christmas Homeschooling
    Church History
    College Prep
    Cooking
    Crafts
    Curriculum Reviews
    Devotions
    Doctrine
    Easter
    Economics
    Exercise
    Family
    Father's Day
    Field Trips
    Finances
    Finish Well
    Food
    Friendship
    Geography
    Gift Ideas
    Government
    Great Commission
    Health
    Heroes
    History
    Holiday Craft
    Holidays
    Home
    Homemaking
    Homeschool Conference
    Homeschooling
    Homeschooling Book Reviews
    Homeschooling Conference
    Homeschooling Curriculum
    Homeschooling Curriculum Reviews
    Homeschooling High School
    Homeschooling High School Reviews
    Homeschooling Reviews
    Hospitality
    Humor
    Lapbooks
    Learning
    Literature
    Living Books
    Logic
    Marriage
    Math
    Mentoring
    Ministry
    Money
    Motherhood
    Mothering
    Mothers Day
    Music
    New Years
    Nutrition
    Parenting
    Politics
    Prayer
    Reading
    Recipes
    Reformation Day
    Relationships
    Reviews
    Sales
    Science
    Sound Doctrine
    Spiritual Warfare
    Teaching
    Teens
    Testimony
    Thanksgiving
    Theology
    Time Management
    Traditions
    Traditions Devotions
    Travel
    Trials
    Unit Studies
    Wedding
    Worldviews
    Worship
    Worship Leading
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Anders Ruff Custom Designs, Sugar Daze, scrink, trekkyandy, H.C. Williams, whitneyinchicago, Elin B, Dottie Mae, Tony A., t i b i, the.laus, the.Firebottle, SebastianDooris, robinsan, wwarby, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Dougtone, williamcho, Randy OHC, littlemoresunshine, Alex E. Proimos, matsuyuki, ChR!s H@rR!0t, AMagill, Teddy Delivery, abcdz2000, UF Digital Collections, ElvertBarnes, auntjojo, BdwayDiva1, swanksalot, missycaulk, Lance Shields, Walter Saporiti, ComputerHotline, Sam Howzit, LeonArts.at, garlandcannon, midiman, kmezon, mickbarry, Official U.S. Navy Imagery, DC Central Kitchen, stu_spivack, aussiegall, saebaryo, Fairy Heart ♥, Damian Cugley, Vince Alongi, Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, momentcaptured1, epSos.de, davedehetre, 96dpi, geraldbrazell, bterrycompton, Lauren Manning, THE Holy Hand Grenade!, eser.karadag, archer10 (Dennis), Catholic Westminster, SmithGreg, flypig, jelene, rust.bucket, Robert Scoble, Sterling College, SharonaGott, timparkinson, Fire At Will [Photography], KitAy, mareeshastar, Dougtone, Ed Yourdon, California Cthulhu (Will Hart), John-Morgan, Monica's Dad, ktylerconk, doegox, Khairil Zhafri, floodllama, mattjlc, bunnicula, smithfischer, Ahmed Rabea, The Consumerist, blmurch, Sh4rp_i, dwstucke, dtcchc, arjin j, damian m, Panegyrics of Granovetter, ewan traveler, young shanahan, Rennett Stowe, singingwitness, ronnie44052, Tim Green aka atoach, russell pix, missbrendatoyou, Ambernectar 13, LancerE, riptheskull, rs-foto, Max Braun, Yoshimai, dbgg1979, TheSeafarer, Old Sarge, Ewan-M, rictulio, Gwydion M. Williams, quinn.anya, abbybatchelder, katmeresin, Mr. T in DC, tuchodi, SLV's, mealmakeovermoms, Hollingsworth, hoyasmeg, Monica's Dad, Shane's Stuff, frotzed2, Matthew Juzenas, bunkejer4, weeklydig, St.John'sFlowerGuild, InAweofGod'sCreation, Doc Wert, Nomadic Lass, Samdogs, Rojer, MASB Desenvolvimento Imobiliário, Calsidyrose, wallygrom, Tiberiu Ana, ZeroOne, Randy OHC, Betsssssy, georgiapeachez, Lars Plougmann, dtcchc, antwerpenR, Wiros, myfuture.com, ewan traveler, cliff1066™, Peggy2012CREATIVELENZ, 401K 2012, mikemol, Aranami, Randy OHC, Joan Lesan, jm3, Stifts- och landsbiblioteket i Skara, Lunatic Asylum Photostudio, Michael 1952, Zyllan, Images_of_Money, striatic, riptheskull, sanchom, Nick Harris1, S. Reachers, Matt McGee, fdecomite, Wesley Fryer, yenna, Daniel Dale, michael_swan, Rodrigo_Soldon, Barefoot In Florida, Bright Meadow, turtlemom4bacon, Svadilfari, Rennett Stowe, juliejordanscott, Emilio del Prado, Marysol*, avlxyz, Näystin, Belzie, cliff1066™, EraPhernalia Vintage . . . (playin' hook-y ;o), Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Etereal9, loco's photos, BigSéance, bigal_60714