Vermont is a land rich in beauty and anointing. It offers a unique, flavorful personality and, perhaps surprisingly, a quiet influence for a state so small both in land mass and population. And for such a laid back place that often prefers to keep to itself, it tends to offer a big punch in a small package for those who take the time to discover it.

Yahweh’s creativity is on constant display in Vermont, whether it’s bursting forth colorfully in the spring or quietly luring admiration through a silent snowfall on a corn field at rest in the winter. Who hasn’t heard of the legendary fall foliage in autumn when the hillsides seem to erupt into flames for a few weeks each year, drawing onlookers from around the globe? And the oft unsung summers draw one of the overall healthiest populations out of doors for jogs, bike rides, picnics, strolls along the Church Street marketplace, and boating and swimming in a sparkling Lake Champlain. Of course, it’s in the spring and summer that Vermont most lives up to its name, from the French “vert mont,” which means “green mountain,” an apt name indeed.

If we say that Vermont’s personality is flavorful, that’s partly because much of its unique character has to do with things edible! Dairy farms across the countryside produce milk and fine cheese, and Vermont is famous for its maple syrup and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Culturally, it is a politically charged state that also exhibits strong independence and a desire to be left to its own affairs without interference. Deemed one of the healthiest populations and one of the most educated, overall, a Vermonter you meet on the street might easily be an artist, a farmer, a city board member, a student, or a small business owner.

Vermont also polled out as one of the least likely states to believe in God. Part of its “live and let live” attitude in many ways reflects a desire to escape a rigid spirit of religion so often found in the church. However, despite being misrepresented to many here, Yahweh loves this land, its people, its purpose, and its anointing. As sons of God and Vermonters, we feel the same way! Vermont has an anointing to be first, or a leader, in areas of influence or national concern, an anointing not forgotten by Yahweh. A leader in the environmental awareness movement and in its percentage of small and home-based businesses, Vermont also was first to embrace the abolitionist party and the anti-Masonic movement. It was a brigade of Vermont soldiers that played a pivotal role in the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg, and it was Lake Champlain that hosted important battles in the Revolutionary War involving both Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen. The University of Vermont, located in Burlington, was the first secular university in America. For better or for worse, Vermont is a place where matters of national or international concern often find their footing and gain momentum.

We love this land, as Yahweh does, and we know that part of our purpose here is to redeem it back to His intentions for its great anointing. We do not despise the day of small beginnings, because we Vermonters have a history of seeing them played out into greatness, nor do we doubt that big things often come in small packages. As we advance the Kingdom of Yahweh here, according to His spoken word and Holy Spirit, we daily enjoy its great beauty and anticipate great things.