From the Jetsons’ flying cars, to Marty McFly’s self-tying shoes, we all have desired to see a glimpse of what the future will be like. Yet, where are the flying cars? Where are my self-tying shoes? Will men soon set foot on Mars? Perhaps most importantly, what are the communities of tomorrow really going to look like?

Growing up in the Shenandoah region of the United States, autumn was always a special time for me. Much like the hues of a beautiful sunset, the colors of autumn in western Virginia reliably left their mark on my memory each year. And, just as reliably, each year the “Leaf Peepers” came out by the hundreds to see the hills and mountains “catch fire” when the leaves turned bright and the season “fell.”

On September 9, 2015, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II officially became the longest reigning British monarch—longer than 40 other kings and queens. She is the most respected figure in British public life, acclaimed by world leaders and admired worldwide for her dedication to duty. Twelve U.S. Presidents have served during her reign. Much has changed in the U.K. during her nearly 64-year sovereignty, with moral decline and social changes gathering pace. In a recent U.K. moral leadership poll, the Queen came first before even religious leaders. What lessons can we learn from the Queen’s extraordinarily successful reign?

As this commentary is being written, an elected county clerk in Kentucky has been sentenced to jail due to the conflict she perceives between her duty as a public official and her personal religious convictions about same-sex “marriage.” This raises many vital, fundamental questions—and, for students of God’s word, it should bring to mind many dire prophecies.

“Almost half of British girls have required help with their mental health, according to a new survey. The Girlguiding UK research into the pressures facing girls today found self-harming was one of the biggest health concerns for girls aged 11-21, followed by mental illness, cyber-bullying and depression” (The Telegraph, August 24, 2015).