Barbara Schenkel

I have a passion for history and recently held discussion groups in my home state of Arizona on the question, "Was God involved in the founding of the United States of America?"

This resulted in a two year intense research into the writings of the founding generation from original sources.

I grew up with history discussions around our family dinner table about Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison, and other founders. When I was in middle school my father, who taught history, decided to take the whole family to see something really historic.

This meant a two week trip by car to Mount Vernon, Williamsburg, Monticello, Montpelier, Arlington National Cemetery and Washington, D.C. I was enthralled with the trip. I remember with tears in my eyes, standing at President Kennedy's grave site. With a smile on my face standing at the Jefferson Monument at the capitol, touring the Smithsonian Museum, and walking at Mount Vernon.

In our discussion groups, we discovered, that one has to persevere to get to original sources for writings, prayers and sayings of the founding generation about God. Most history books in the past 80 years delete God sayings out of their pages. The result of persistent research, is the book, "I Pledge Allegiance to God". Included in this book are 87 quotes about faith and God from Samuel Adams, Abigail and John Adams, George and Martha Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Noah Webster and others.