We are in historic times now as our country faces many challenges within and without. Our resilience is certainly being tested, and I think it is a good time to see “what kind of metal” we are made from. Our Government of the One, or in other words, our ability to think through situations, make decisions and be responsible for those decisions, is even more important now than ever before in my lifetime.

As many opposing forces are trying to pull apart a nation that has a divine destiny, that has had a voice in helping countries throughout the world at different points in its history, it would be easier to give up and think the light of the nation is being blown out. However, historically, that is when people really begin to understand what is most important to them in life and are able to raise to a higher level personally. A nation is no stronger than the people who inhabit it individually and collectively. And just like a person has strengths and weaknesses, so does a nation. When people focus on weaknesses and set aside recognizing their strengths, they become weaker and more vulnerable. Not that we should boast of our strengths of character, but we need to recognize them in order to benefit those around us. This nation was built one community at a time and the continuance of it lies in us helping to strengthen the areas we live in community by community. Our voice for good and encouragement is much needed.

We live in very turbulent and perilous times. Families are tearing apart. Time tested morals and codes of conduct are dissolving.What was considered good at one time is now labeled bad. What was once bad is now deceivingly packaged as good and desirable. Groups within the nation are at conflict one with another and there are voices all around us, trying to pull us in different directions. The Nation once conceived upon the principles of the Constitution is slipping away.

We are definitely at a crossroad; such as families and individuals were during Revolutionary War and Civil War time periods. We may wonder where do I turn for direction? Can I really make a difference among the chaos of conflicting voices? I answer, resoundingly, YES! If we don’t respond individually and as families, then who will?

Government of the One is the result of me asking these very questions and my quest to find the answers. I believe that  you have an innate power and destiny to influence every level of society, that is uniquely yours alone to give. It is not by chance that you were born where and when you were. There are a few well known heroes, but far more “unsung” heroes; everyday people, including you and me, that weave the fabric of society through our power to make decisions and be accountable for them. How strong that fabric depends on how well we make decisions and have a voice.

Now is the time to live true to the destiny that lies within you. I invite you to share the adventures and life changing lessons learned in Government of the One, on this blog or on my Facebook page.

Many people have asked me the question, “What led you to write the book?”  I would love to share the reason I wrote Government of the One.

Several years ago I recognized my ongoing concern about the direction this nation, as well as the world, is headed. As I shared my concerns, I found many other people were experiencing the same feelings.There were and are a variety of things happening socially, economically, and politically which have created a formula for the downfall of our nation. I prayed to know what I could do specifically to influence a change. The answer came, leading me on a quest to read, study, analyze, and learn about past cultures, people who lead our country at this time, the personal attributes of this nation’s founding fathers and mothers, and the constitution.

The founders of our nation were everyday people who chose to do amazing things. Did they know in the beginning that their daily decisions would bring about a new form of government that would be an ensign to the world? I don’t think so. These men and women started with a desire that grew to be a fire within. One decision led to another which influenced others to follow. Those decisions eventually led to the founding of a new nation that became a beacon of light and hope to people around the world. The founders studied the principles upon which the constitution was formed and freedoms are grounded. They were concerned about the future of the United States of America and foresaw a time when the people would turn away from those principles. I recognized that many of the challenges they foresaw, we are now experiencing at a national and personal level.

I knew that other peoples’ daily decisions affect my life and felt a great desire to help all of us understand that we are not “an island unto ourselves”. Every decision  anyone makes has consequences; whether small to large, immediate to long term. Therefore, every decision we make has an influence, not only in our lives, but everyone around us. Because each of us is unique, we each have something unique to offer to the world that is only ours to give. We also have many things to learn.

One evening I was in a constitution class when the Lord inspired me to write a book. He placed in my mind not only the title of the book, but a picture as well. I saw a circle with the words “the One” inside. Then other circles graduating in size encircling “the One” which were labeled: the Family, the Community, the State, the Nation, and the World. I knew everything that happens in the world begins with the One, which influences the other levels, and that no level of society could be separated from the others. It was very clear that the One influences every aspect of society with rippling effects all the way to the world. All governments start with the One and the collective One.

I felt overwhelmed at the prospect of writing a book. What could I say that was unique and had not been said a thousand times. Again the Lord answered, this time with a line from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. The main character, Jo, left home to discover who she really was. She knew she loved to write and loved adventure. She wrote fiction involving heroes and damsels in distress; yet her writing lacked something. When she asked a professor, who was boarding at the same house, for his opinion, he offered a totally different answer than expected. Instead of praising her for her fictional literary accomplishments, he encouraged her to be true to herself and write what she knew from personal experience. Those same words played over and over again in my mind. The answer was also true for me-to write what I know, which is the only unique thing I have to offer.

Thus, Government of the One comprises some of my family’s true-life adventures and the knowledge gained  throughout my lifetime. It is my hope and prayer that you will “hear my voice” in the writings and share the adventure!

Mary Lee McPhetridge Durham