Jim Graff

Let’s face it—loving difficult people isn’t easy. In fact, it may be one of the hardest things Jesus ever asked us to do. Maybe someone betrayed your trust. Maybe they lied about you, criticized you, or deeply wounded you. Everything inside you wants to protect yourself—or maybe even get even. That’s human nature. But Jesus […]

Not long ago, I got up in the middle of the night and headed to the pantry for a snack. On the way, I stubbed my toe on the bed. Man, it hurt! I bruised it pretty badly but went back to bed and forgot about it until the next day. Until Tamara and I […]

America looked very different when I was growing up. I knew the names of nearly every family on our street. Today, many people know their neighbors’ Wi-Fi password before they know their neighbors’ names. Somewhere along the way, we’ve become disconnected from one another, and the effects are showing up in our homes, our communities, […]

In April of 1985, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. At the time, I was scheduled to preach several hours away. Instead, I canceled the meeting, bought her flowers, and went to be with her. When she saw me, she burst into tears and said, “Jimmy, could you ever forgive me for trying to crush […]

In April of 1985, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. At the time, I was scheduled to preach several hours away. Instead, I canceled the meeting, bought her flowers, and went to be with her. When she saw me, she burst into tears and said, “Jimmy, could you ever forgive me for trying to crush […]

Everyone desires a fulfilling life. We long for meaningful relationships, strong families, and a sense of purpose. Yet many of the choices that undermine those desires come not out of rebellion, but out of self-interest. When we pursue what feels good rather than what honors God, we often end up sabotaging the very blessings we […]

I heard of a guy who was about double the body weight that he should be, and he decided he was going to lose weight. He told his doctor, and the doctor said, “Okay. Let’s just start with something easy. I want you to quit eating before you go to bed. Wait till the next […]

There are times He looked at me in disbelief. His vibe was, “Your sermons better get better if you are going to step into that dream.” I could tell he thought my youthful positivity had caused me to lose touch with practicality. The good news is, when God gives you a promise, and you believe, but the […]

Shows like American Idol and America’s Got Talent are popular for two obvious reasons: we love seeing hard work turn into realized dreams, and it’s entertaining when someone thinks they can sing, and they can’t!             The reality is that we all carry hopes in our hearts, but discovering the right dreams to live for requires wisdom. Paul writes in Ephesians […]

Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison for resisting apartheid—nearly three decades behind bars. He entered angry and resolute, driven by justice and conviction. But somewhere in the waiting, something shifted. Instead of allowing confinement to harden him, he chose to let it form him. He read voraciously, earned his law degree through correspondence, learned […]