Celebrating Three Years of Citizenship: A Reflection on Belonging, Becoming, and the Journey of Grace

Today, I am celebrating three years since I officially became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America.

Three years ago, in the midst of the COVID l9 pandemic, I stood in a crowded room, raised my right hand, and pledged allegiance to a country I had long lived in, but only then, at that moment, could officially call home.

This journey of becoming is a strange and beautiful thing,

Naturalization is an embodiment of something deeper: a commitment to place, to people, to principle. It’s more than paperwork. It’s a declaration of choosing to belong.

For me, this moment was layered with gratitude, relief, and pride.

True citizenship asks something of us. It is not simply a right but also a responsibility. It’s not all about what we can get, but about what we will give.

Becoming a citizen is not just about being accepted, but about accepting the work of weaving oneself into the fabric of a community, a nation, and a purpose beyond self.

Pledge of Allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Belonging Beyond Borders

As someone who has spent decades living and working in America, I’ve seen firsthand how easy it is for people to be unseen and experienced how many people live in this country without ever truly feeling they belong. Homeless Americans. Lawful immigrants. The grieving and the forgotten. I think about how they, too, long for a place at the table, not just physically, but spiritually, socially, emotionally.

Maybe that’s why this anniversary means so much to me (and Terri). It reminds me of my own longing for belonging and how we all, in different ways, search for a place to call home.

The Preamble to the United States Constitution

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. 

Citizenship is not only about where we live, but about how we live.

Being American is about showing up for your neighbors, your city, and your calling. It’s about embracing a new identity while honoring the path that brought you here.

Becoming Takes Time

Like healing (shout out to David’s Daily Dose), becoming has a pace of its own.

Three years ago, I became a citizen on paper. But in many ways, my journey of becoming began long ago. It continues today.

As a new American, I learn daily what it means to belong here, to contribute here, and to grow roots here. As a Christian, I must also remain open to the winds of the Spirit. God has a way of using our journeys for His purposes.

As I reflect on the importance of today, I’m reminded that I carry more than a passport. I carry a story. A testimony. A responsibility to help others belong, too.

2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

A Prayer of Gratitude

O Lord, my God, thank You for guiding me on this journey. Thank YOU for being present through trials and triumphs, loneliness and community, longing and belonging.
Help me, O Lord, be a citizen not only of this country but of Your Kingdom.
May my life reflect Your justice, mercy, and love where I am planted. May I be a light of Your goodness.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

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