June 30, 2025

We are officially halfway through Skill-Up Summer! Congratulations to Ashley Pichea, Kay McFarlane, and Alan McCain for guessing this week’s location correctly!

Join Paula as she travels around the land of the free and home of the brave. Visit popular tourist attractions with her such as Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, Pike Place Market in Washington, Garden of the Gods in Colorado, and the Gulf of America in Florida. She might even stop at Mount Hood in Oregon, the Biltmore in North Carolina, see the wild Chincoteague ponies in Virginia, or enjoy the coast of Bar Harbor in Maine.

In honor of America’s independence, here’s a short poem about the upcoming holiday:

On the Fourth of July, we gather ’round, with friends and family, joy abounds. Barbecue sizzles, apple pie sweet🥧, laughter and love, a cherished treat.

As twilight falls, the sky ignites, with bursts of color, dazzling lights🎆. We gaze in awe, hearts lifted high, fireworks dance across the sky.

Yet in our hearts, a solemn beat, for those who made our freedom sweet🎖️. Their sacrifice, we honor true, in red, white, and blue, our gratitude.

LinkedIn Learning Videos:

How the Gospel is Spread in America:

62% of US adults identify as Christians. While this number seem like a lot, it also includes denominations and religions the secular world might see as “Christian” but don’t adhere to the biblical qualifications of true Christianity. According to PEW Research Center, there are only 78 million Evangelical Christians in America, which is roughly 23% of the total US population (342 million). That means 87% of America needs the Gospel.

Fortunately, there are thousands of Christian organizations and ministries throughout the country, striving to reach the lost with the hope of the Gospel. One of these ministries is Good Laundry. Good Laundry is a Christian nonprofit in partnership with Good Church in Flint, Michigan. Leo and Miosha Robinson, IMB missionaries and founders of Good Laundry, saw the hygiene poverty in their city and knew they were being called to take action. In October 2020, they opened an affordable laundromat business to offer clean clothes and hope to their community. Good Laundry provides a safe environment for the people of Flint to not only do their laundry, but to gather as a community and connect with one another. Some services Good Laundry provides include an event space to gather, meet, and connect, complimentary Wi-Fi and laptops, a dedicated children’s play area, community events and workshops, and a relaxing lounge area.

Read Leo and Miosha Robinson’s full story here.

Check out some interesting facts about laundromats in this article!

Fun Facts About America:

  • Considered the most popular food in the US, 350 slices of pizza🍕are consumed by Americans per second. Pizza was first introduced to the US in the late 19th century by Italian immigrants. Read about the first pizzeria in the US here!
  • In the US, there are over 65 million dogs🐶as pets, the most in the world. Read about Americans’ love of their furry friends here!
  • Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president🎩of the United States, was known for many things, such as being extremely honest which earned him the nickname “Honest Abe.” However, an uncommon fact about this former president is that he was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame🤼‍♂️in 1992. Read about “Honest Abe’s” wrestling career here.

Hint for Next Week’s Location:

Where fields of gold and skies so blue
Have long withstood both false and true.
A trident guards the people’s name,
And poets speak of freedom’s flame. 

The language sings in Eastern tune,
With lilac bloom in days of June.
From Carpathian peaks to Black Sea shore—
This land has soul, and so much more. 

Guess next week’s location here 

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