Retired Navy SEAL Chris Wyllie joins 'Saturday in America' to discuss the anticipation for America's 250th anniversary, including a special ball drop at Times Square ahead of July 4th, 2026.

New Year's Day 2026 kicks off the 250th year of the United States of America. Our nation's founders planted the first seed of liberty on July 4, 1776, when they adopted the Declaration of Independence. This single act started our sovereign nation. 

I started falling in love with true stories from our nation's founding era nearly 20 years ago. An editor at AMG publishing asked me to write a book for their series, "Battlefields and Blessings." Because they had already published a 365-day devotional about the Civil War, they encouraged me to choose another conflict, such as World War II or the American Revolution.  

I dove into writing "Stories of Faith and Courage from the Revolutionary War." I was also pregnant at the time, but was soon put on bed rest after developing preterm contractions. As it turned out, bed rest allowed me plenty of time to research, think and write before I safely delivered my middle son.  

INTERIOR DEPARTMENT PLANS AI THEODORE ROOSEVELT EXHIBIT FOR AMERICA'S 250TH

As I started researching, I was skeptical. Was George Washington overrated? Are stories from 1776 relevant to life today? How can we relate to people who lived 250 years ago?  

George Washington, portrait painting by Constable-Hamilton, 1794. From the New York Public Library. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

I realized that technology changes, but the human heart does not change. The need for love, acceptance and freedom transcends time, whether we drive a Tesla or a horse-drawn carriage.  

I cannot explain how transformative studying the American Revolution was for me. It completely changed my understanding of what the United States is all about and how it came to be. As a former White House staffer for President George W.........

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