Jim Graff

At 14, James Harrison had to have a lung removed. He was in the hospital for several months and received two gallons of donated blood as he recovered. This blood saved his life. Knowing this, Harrison decided he too would donate blood once he was old enough. And he did. Two years into donating, doctors […]

G. K. Chesterton, renowned British author, once visited America. He later penned What I Saw in America about his travels, calling the U.S., “a nation with the soul of a church” because it was “founded upon a creed.” That spiritual heritage is obvious all throughout our land. Read history, and you’ll find that all thirteen […]

In my twenties, I served as a missionary for three years. One night, on a brief visit home, God began dealing with me about witnessing to my mother. This was not a simple task, as my mother had strongly opposed my faith at its start. She had even kicked me out of my childhood home […]

As much as I hate to admit it, I have a habit of losing focus. My mind often drifts, leaving me unaware of my surroundings. One of my worst focus failures occurred at my son’s baseball game. My aunt had joined me for the game, and we’d both grown hungry, so we made a trip […]

One of my life’s greatest regrets occurred when I was a new Christian. I was training for my first year as a college baseball player when the bike I was training on broke down. I knew my dad’s cousin could fix it, so I took it to him. As we were working in the garage, […]

We all face trouble. Jesus told us we would. But amid that trouble, often what we need is not simply a new set of circumstances; it’s a new set of eyes. Why? Because the perspective we choose in hardship has the power to either thwart or secure our victory. Think about your life for a […]

Awhile back, I awoke in the middle of the night, thirsty. I reached over to my nightstand to grab what I thought was a water bottle. When I realized it wasn’t, I set it back down. The next morning, Tamara entered the kitchen with a broken glass figurine, along with an obvious look of distress. […]

Frederick the Great, King of Prussia in the mid-1700s, once summoned the pastor of his courts asking for proof of God’s existence. The pastor thought for a minute then answered: “the Jews.” He thoughtfully asked the king to consider how God’s people had been preserved time and time again despite incessant persecution. In Psalm 77:13-14, […]

I love movies. I’ve always enjoyed watching stories come alive on screen, especially when those stories are inspiring, and even more, when they’re true. My favorite types of stories are what I call “underdog” stories. You know the kind—tales of someone fighting from the bottom, through trial after trial, to reach their dream. Perhaps I […]

Throughout my young adult years, I struggled with perfectionism. One day, while preparing a message, I felt so overcome with frustration that I bit my Bible, leaving teeth marks on the front cover. I had to buy a new one to preach with that Sunday! Thankfully, I’ve come a long way since then. It took […]