Have you ever wondered why the house where our U.S. President lives is called the “White House”?

Interestingly enough the White House was designed by an Irish immigrant architect by the name of James Hoban. They began building the White House in 1792 and the first president to live in it was President John Adams and his wife. At that time it was called the “President's House”. So where did the name “White House” come from?

Well, when the War of 1812 started, the British army was still sore from the licking they had taken in the American Revolution, so they were determined to get even - one great way was to burn down our capitol city and everything in it. So, during that War, at a strategic moment, the British troops stormed Washington DC, took it over, and immediately made plans to burn it down. One of the buildings they set on fire was the President's home. Fortunately, the house did not burn completely down, but the outside was turned black from the smoke and fire damage.

So what happened? The British troops were driven out of Washington DC before they could finish their job of destruction, and when the War was over the president's house was painted, you guessed it, it was painted white, and people started calling it the “White House”.

In 1901, President Teddy Roosevelt officially named it the “White House”.

Very interesting story, but here's one other interesting fact worth noting. When the British took over Washington, DC they were almost unopposed, so the British troops were feeling pretty good about their easy victory - and they were determined to level that city by fire!

Here comes the mystery.

As they began setting fires all across the city, a terrible storm came up from seemingly nowhere, striking the city with wind and rains so violent that historians tell us it may have been the single most powerful storm in the history of Washington DC. When that violent storm began to rage, and the rain began beating down on the soldiers, it was reported that they became afraid, very afraid. So afraid that they abandoned their efforts to burn down the city and just left.

Now, some would want to call it all a mysterious coincidence. But not me, and not the people then either. They believed with all their hearts that Almighty God Himself had sent that violent storm to save America, to help our nation when we could not help ourselves and they thanked Him.

In 1952 when the two words “under God” were added to our Pledge of Allegiance, then President Dwight Eisenhower, said “Of all the weapons we possess in our nation, our spiritual weapons will forever be our country's most powerful resource in both times of peace and war.”

Who do you seek to save you? Who do you seek to save America?

May God bless you, and may God bless America.