God Bless Nebraska And Happy 153rd Birthday!
Plains, geological formations, velvety lakes, huge sunsets, huge storms, Sandhill Cranes, buffalo, elk, vintage buildings, trains, more trains, more trains, semis, more semis, Pony Express, interstates, U.S. routes, farms, football, tanking, “Carhenge”, and a great America spirit. Is this a description of heaven? Almost. It’s only a few things that characterize the fascinating state of Nebraska!
Nebraska’s Birthday: March 1, 1867
Today is the state of Nebraska’s birthday. The Cornhusker State was admitted to the union as the 37th state on March 1, 1867.
Happy 153rd Birthday, Nebraska!
To celebrate this historic day, Pray America Great Again, would like to pray for continued blessings on this veritable 77,358 square miles of God’s beautiful Creation and its inhabitants, both permanent and migratory, its churches, Christian leaders, and government officials at all levels and in all capacities.
Prayer
Lord God, today we gather around Your throne on behalf of the great state of Nebraska and its inhabitants and visitors.
Certainly Lord, You have blessed the Nebraskan people with a beautiful inheritance. May this portion of Your Creation’s beauty and majesty bring forth praise from all who gaze upon its divine artistry. May its breathtaking landscape, awe-inspiring events in the heavens, and velvety waters rouse all to worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness (Psalm 96:9).
We praise and thank You for the animals and birds who call this state home.
We praise You for the land’s generous production of enormous and multiple crops. Crops that feed the world. Crops that feed the United States. Crops that feed the people and animals at home.
We thank you for the farmers and the hard work they do every day. Bless them and bless their crops. Give them rain in season. Give them health and happiness.
We pray for those working in all levels of government, city, local, state, and federal. Give them wisdom and discernment in their jobs as they make decisions concerning the people and the resources of Nebraska. Most of all, give them the will to use the gift of godly wisdom in their temporary roles. Remind them 24/7 that they are servants of the people, appointed by You, Father God. To You, they will ultimately bring report. We praise You for the job they have done thus far.
We pray for those working tirelessly on the front lines of Nebraska’s communities—policemen, firemen, first responders, medical workers, and teachers. God, these people have tough jobs. We pray that You fill them with wisdom and energy, integrity and honor, as they serve the people.
And God, we especially want to lift up the servants of the Lord within the state, the leaders and laborers within the body of Christ. For each and every one who You have sent into the spiritual harvest fields, please give them wisdom, endurance, strength, and grace. May they abide deeply in Christ. May their lives be a reflection of the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Please bless each member of the Body of Christ with grace abounding. Give them an overwhelming boldness and confidence in the Almighty of Jesus Christ. May the presence of Jesus Christ emanate from them and may they serve as mighty witnesses to the Good News of the Eternal Gospel to all who cross their excellent path.
May this center of our nation, this manifold beacon, shed its light abroad to the entire nation. We thank You God for the 157 years of Nebraska’s statehood. We thank You for those who came before and built, worked and prayed over the Nebraska territory.
Lord, may You bless and protect Nebraska, smile on and be gracious to this state, and show Your favor and give Your peace to this state. We pray that Your Name be upon the great people of the Cornhusker State and bless them so they may be a blessing (Numbers 6:24-27).
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen
Is this Hawaii? Miami? Jamaica? No, it’s Grand Island, Nebraska. The flat plains of Nebraska grace its residents with picturesque sunsets that rival any beach sunset. Not only is Nebraska host to multiple cars, trains, and trucks traversing America, it is also the cross-country route for migratory water fowl and Sandhill Cranes on their spring migration from Texas and Mexico, north to Canada, Alaska, and Siberia.
For more info about Nebraska
For facts about Nebraska’s population, landscape, argiculture, universities, government, etc. visit Britannica.com’s comprehensive article on Nebraska.
Here is a list of the many and various things to do while visiting Nebraska (you will be amazed!).
Did You Know…
Arbor Day
Nebraska was the first state in the country to celebrate Arbor Day—in 1872. The Nebraska National Forest in west-central Nebraska resulted from a human effort to plant trees on the barren plains.
Buffalo/Bison
Bison had roamed widely over the Nebraska plains until their near extermination at the time of settlement in 1854. Some of these animals remain in their natural habitat on the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, near Valentine. Antelope and deer are also native to the state, as are prairie dogs, coyotes, jackrabbits, skunks, and squirrels. Migratory birds and pheasants are common. (from Brittanica.com)
Did God make these creatures stately or what? Absolutely gorgeous! Pair of buffalo on the range, Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge
Farms
Although Nebraska is one of the country’s leading agricultural producers, only one-tenth of the state’s labor force is employed in agriculture. In 2002, the average size of a Nebraska farm was 930 acres.
Agricultural Products
From the state’s earliest days, corn has been its top cash crop—hence Nebraska’s nickname, the Cornhusker State—but sorghum, soybeans, hay, wheat, and dry beans are also important. Nebraska is the country’s top producer of alfalfa and Great Northern beans. It also ranks high among the states in the production of sugar beets and potatoes.
The farmer plants and waters, but God gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). Modern farmers program complex planters, grain drills, and irrigation systems. Sometimes they hire software and hardware engineers, but many learn to do it themselves. Nonetheless, 1 Corinthians 3:6 remains true: “God gives the growth.”
Crossroads Of America
The number of people and products that pass through Nebraska on any given day is absolutely amazing. Trains, semi-trucks, and cars trek through the Cornhusker state on a virtual 24/7 basis.
Therefore, it is easy to understand why Nebraska is home to the following National Historic Parks:
- California National Historic Trail
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
- Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
- Oregon National Historic Trail
- Pony Express National Historic Trail
Interstates and major U.S. routes that pass through the state:
Tow truck for semi, Allied, Grand Island, Nebraska off Interstate
Elevated view of freight cars at Union Pacific s Bailey Railroad Yards, North Platte, Nebraska, the worlds largest classification railroad yard
Grand Island, Nebraska, Platte River. Migratory water fowl and Sandhill Cranes are on their spring migration from Texas and Mexico, north to Canada, Alaska, and Siberia
Photo Credits:
The amazing photos used in this article are from Dreamstime contributor Joe Sohm, whose portfolio can be viewed here.
