“In God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me.” (Ps. 56:4)
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man or in princes.”
(Ps. 118:8 and 9)
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No. 2! Add Your Voice.
In only six years, nearly 75,000 (!) Virginia drivers have mounted “In God We Trust” license plates on their vehicles — including motorcycles. It now ranks fifth among the entire range of over 250 special interest plates now available to VA drivers! Laus Deo! Furthermore, as more and more people see the plate and want one for themselves, we expect this number will continue to rise.
Background: The Valley Leads!
With appreciation to Jack Clark in N.VA for launching the plate in 2009, the Forum led the way in collecting approximately 40% of the required pre-file petitions – most of them from the Valley.
Sen. Mark Obenshain and Del. Dickie Bell then took it to the VA General Assembly in 2011 for near unanimous approval, and the first plates became available in 2012.
Our Faith, Our Anthem, Our Coins, and Our Motto
The phrase “In God We Trust” is a recurring theme in the Bible and especially in the Psalms, such as in Psalm 40:3, Psalm 56:4 & 11, Psalm 71:1, Psalm 73:28, and Psalm 118:8 and 9.
It gained national recognition in 1814 when Francis Scott Key included it in the fourth stanza of “The Star Spangled Banner”, which then became our national anthem in 1931. It reads as follows:
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’
The phrase began appearing on U.S. coins in 1864 as an Act of Congress, where it remains today on both coins and paper currency. Congress then approved it as our official national motto in 1956 in place of E Pluribus Unum. The Senate reaffirmed that decision in 2006, and the House took similar action in 2011 in a nearly unanimous vote.
IGWT Plates across America
Today, at least 18 other states also offer IGWT plates: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Several more states have plates that also mention God but in other ways, as in “God Bless America”.
Apply Now
If you don’t already have one, you can see a sample and apply at your local DMV office or do so online HERE. You can also call the state office in Richmond at (804) 497-7100 for additional information and assistance.
For God and Country!
Dean