Americans like holidays, and that’s not a bad thing.

It’s actually good to have special days set aside to remember what people or groups of people have done that affected America in positive ways. It’s odd, however, that even though we love holidays, America only recognizes 12 “national” holidays.

We have holidays to celebrate our independence, memorialize our veterans, as well as to contemplate all the things we are thankful for. We also honor great people and their accomplishments. Holidays are so scarce that all 44 of our presidents have to share a single day! When you think about it, there are only two people who have achieved such distinction that they have a holiday of their own – Martin Luther King, Jr. and Christopher Columbus. And you know what is strange about that? Columbus failed!

That’s right. Christopher Columbus was on a mission to find a shorter trade route to India, but he missed it by over nine thousand miles. Nine thousand miles! However, that failure put a spotlight on new lands that motivated future explorers, attracted settlers, and eventually resulted in the creation of great nations.

It was one of history’s biggest blunders, yet we celebrate that failure every year with one of our national holidays.

So, the next time you think you’ve made a big mistake, think about the legacy of Christopher Columbus.

You’ll see that God can turn your blunder into something great.

Written by Bryant Wright, Founder, RFTH