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A few weeks ago, my 5-year old son was playing with a girl from his class. I gave them snacks, a plate of chips each. My boy eyed up the plates and went to grab the one that appeared to be larger. I stopped him and asked if he was forgetting something. He smiled sheepishly and replied: “Oh yeah, ladies first.” When I asked him why he was going to let his lady friend pick first he replied with a line we say every day: “Because that’s what gentlemen do.” We repeat that line several times a d...
The human soul transcends earthly value Q: Our friends have two teenagers with severe behavioral problems and claim that it is due to mental illness, but neither child has been diagnosed with any particular disorder. Having been close with this family through the years, the problem to me seems simple—the parents don’t discipline them and lets them have their own way. Doesn’t this seem dangerous that their children will never be able to appropriately assimilate into society? A: Mental illness is a general term used to cover a wide range of psych...
On Monday, I had an early doctor’s appointment that required me to be in town early. As a result, I wasn’t able to get to the gym first thing in the morning. It’s the first time in 2 months that I haven’t exercised first thing in the morning. It is a habit that I have maintained most days of the week for nearly 18 months. Missing my morning gym time felt weird, like skipping my morning coffee or shower. It’s become a normal part of my routine. It’s a habit. Missing it felt awkward. I have been...
Dr. Martin Luther King is one of my heroes! And we need his wisdom these days. He of course is most known for his “I Have a Dream” speech. “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” But here are a few more quotes by Dr. King “Let no man pull you low enough to hate him.” “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” “People fail to get along because they fear each other; They fear each other b...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I am determined to turn over a new leaf this year. But I am afraid it will be like all the years before. How can I make my New Year’s resolution stick? A: Slogans have been around a long time, perhaps as early as the Middle Ages. Slogans were passwords used to help identify individuals in the heat of battle. Today they are used in advertising to “distinguish a short, striking or memorable phrase.” Various presidents have used slogans to dramatize their philosophy of government. Roosevelt had the ...
Recently, I have been very focused on my health and have been working hard to lose weight, eat better, and exercise regularly. I’ve done well with the eating better and the daily exercise, but I am discovering that losing weight is very difficult. The reason for this is simple: Eating healthy is a good step, but how much you actually eat makes an enormous difference. I like to eat, and I do it way more than I should. I do pretty well for the majority of the day. My trouble comes when dinner a...
Happy New Year! I bought myself a Craig Edwards art photograph. I saw wings of creativity and new directions. I just wanted to know more about the picture so I asked Craig Edwards to tell me about his photograph. Glen and Anita Cook were eating lunch with me and when she saw it she said, "I see a seed pods exploding." Craig said, "It's pigeon wing impressions in the dust of the ceiling in a grain bin." I wanted to know if he actually knew it would turn out to be such an awesome picture. He...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: Some people think Heaven will be like living a fairy tale. Others think it will be boring. What is the right answer? A: Heaven captures the imagination, but it is not an imaginary place. It is not a fantasyland in which to dwell. It is not a place one can travel to and come back again—at least not in our earthbound life. Heaven is a literal place. The wonderful book of Proverbs is deep and wide because it is the voice of wisdom speaking to our hearts. It is the Lord Jesus Himself gathering up His e...
Last weekend, I hosted a book sale/reading/signing for a book I wrote and published myself. In the days leading up to the event, I found myself losing sleep and worrying at length as to how the whole thing would go. This isn’t all that unusual for me. In the weeks leading up to publishing the book in the first place, I found myself very nervous and worried about how the whole thing would go. In both instances, my younger brother told me something wise that assuaged my worries. He pointed out t...
Q: I lost my wife to cancer. She was a wonderful Christian lady and I find my anger and resentment toward God unbearable. Why would He allow this to happen? A: From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham The Bible tells us to be thankful to God in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It is not that we thank God that loved ones have been taken from us, but that our loved ones are in Heaven where pain and death will never touch them again. Be thankful that God is with us in our own grief. God is still in control—even when we do not understand all t...
This morning is the first time I have sat at my desk, in my office, in a little more than a week. My wife and I just got back from a vacation week in Hawaii a celebration of our 20th wedding anniversary (which was technically back in July). Every morning while we were there, we got up early and went to the beach to exercise and watch the sunrise. One morning, while I was out running, I realized that the sunrise on the islands is pretty, but I actually think the sunrise over the Bear Paw...
In 1934, an American theologian wrote a prayer for a sermon he was delivering. Reinhold Niebuhr’s short prayer has grown fairly well known over the years: God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Though it is generally presented with slightly different wording and has a second stanza, most people recognize it as the Serenity Prayer. The prayer is m...
Q: My husband is having an affair and I am devastated and have no one I can trust to turn to for counsel. What is a wife to do? A: From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Scripture documents many accounts of the weary-hearted and declares: “But they did not ask counsel of the Lord” (Joshua 9:14). We all have the right to pray and ask the Lord for wisdom and discernment in making all of our decisions. Often the Lord puts someone in our pathway that we can trust to share our burdens, but ultimately we must hold to God’s promise that He will ne...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: Someone on the radio spoke about God putting a value on the human soul. How can this be since no one can see or touch the soul? A: From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham It was reported several years ago that it would take a hundred billion dollars to get one man safely to Mars. That is a staggering amount of money. It is interesting how people place great value on things and even experiences. But God, in His outpouring of love for mankind, placed the value of one human soul at an incalculable...
This Christmas give yourself and others a gift of thinking before you speak. This is a recent poem I wrote for the Variety Show recently held in Big Sandy. It’s called The Power of Words. I’d love to write a poem where the words have power Power to help people to sing and dance Or the power to crawl out of a hole Or move them to action and stir them to service I’d love to use words to help people to find peace and tranquility allowing them to breath deep and finally to rest Words can bring sweetness to the soul By giving healing power to pain...
This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham. Q: I am not necessarily against Jesus but I think people throughout history have embellished his story and made him bigger than life. Show me where I might be wrong. A: From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Jesus Christ is bigger than life! He breathed life into the first man, Adam, and He gives life to every human being. He is so much bigger than life that He speaks it into existence. “He gives to all life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25). “You alone are t...
Years ago, I learned a format for praying that I continue to use in my personal devotions. It’s very simple: ACTS. It’s an acronym meaning Adoration (adoring God for His grandeur and awesomeness) , Confession (confessing my sins and asking for forgiveness), Thanksgiving (saying thank you for the blessings I have received), and Supplication (asking God for stuff). When I take a large block of time to talk to God, I usually follow this simple formula. The thing that I have discovered praying thi...
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, because it reminds me to always have a thankful spirit! If I can live life thankful I'll have fewer days of pity, fewer days of regret, fewer days of anger, and fewer days of depression. A few years ago, I learned of the true story of Squanto, also known as Tisquantum. He was a Native American of the Patuxet native American tribe near Plymouth Massachusetts in 1588. Squanto was captured as a young man in 1605 by Captain George Weymouth who brought...
Anthony Hopkins once played C.S. Lewis in a movie. C.S. Lewis is the most quoted Christian author of the 20th century and one of my favorite writers. The movie, The Shadowlands, tells the story of Lewis’ brief marriage to Joy Davidman, who was dying of cancer when the two were wed. Lewis knew she was dying and married her anyway because he loved her. There is a great scene in which one of Lewis’ fellow professors remarks on how much Lewis had been praying over his wife’s situation. Lewis respo...
I can’t help but comment about our responsibilities as citizens of this state and our great nation following the mid-term elections. It was a great turnout, but it can’t end there. Whether your candidate won or lost it is our responsibility to stay engaged with the issues facing us. I remember a Montana Senator once told me a number of years ago that he had gotten a lot of letters concerning an issue and he decided he needed to research it to see what he could do to help. I was curious and I asked him, “How many letters did you recei...
This morning, while I was making breakfast, my 5-year old came into the kitchen with a book he got a few weeks ago: The Jurassic World Survival Guide. He wanted to talk to me about how important the book would be in the event we encountered dinosaurs or if we take the time to watch the Jurassic Park movies again. He told me all about the reasons a guide book would be useful. During the time that I cooked the morning eggs, I learned a great deal about dinosaurs and guide books in general. Later...
While I was at a conference recently a statement was made that has stayed with me. She said, "Remember in this day and age perception is more powerful than truth." It reminded me how currently to many people only listen to, read articles and books, and watch only the news that already proves what they believe. Our perception drives our vision. It reminded me of a photo I took. It had been a very stressful day. I took my camera and went for a walk down Hopp Road. I had walked this gravel road so...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: My wife tells me I am addicted to golf and that God is not pleased with my obsession. I work hard to provide for my family and golf is a release from the tensions that build up during the week. Is this wrong? A: Obsessions can bring harm to relationships. But golf can be a useful game. When the value of what may be considered a leisurely activity is explained, often it can relieve the anxiety it may create in others. The apostle Paul wrote about physical exercise and competition of his time. The...
Q: Can a person really find a soul mate to share the deepest things of life? A: From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Matchmaking has become a booming business in our culture’s restless search for a “soul mate.” Online services promise to bring light into your life by matching you up with someone just right for you. “Relationship experts” teach clients to practice “self-love” in order to attract a potential partner. One such expert wrote, “We have the power to create our own personal movie-like narratives, love stories based on our ow...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: Several times a year I do prison visitation to bring encouragement to inmates who feel they have no one to turn to for a listening ear and a word of hope. Some are so hardened it is like talking to the cement walls, but others warm to the message that God will pardon them and give them a new purpose. Many people tell me I am wasting my time. Am I? A: History reveals that there are those who have actually refused a pardon. From the records of the U.S. Supreme Court comes such a story of defiance. In...