Jim Graff

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 […]

We’ve all been there—trying to fix a relational problem, only to say or do something that makes it worse! In those moments, we realize the person in the mirror is often part of the problem. The apostle Paul understood this when he urged believers to live worthy of their calling by being completely humble and […]

Wedding rings became part of the Christian wedding ceremony in the Middle Ages for two reasons. First, precious metals symbolize that our vows are precious because they’re taken before Almighty God. Second, the unending circle signifies our commitment until death do us part. These rings remind us not to walk away when marriage requires work, […]

When I was 15 years old, my father sat me down gently but soberly before my freshman year. He said, “Jimmy, you’re getting ready to start high school. Do you know what that means?” I stared at him blankly. He continued: “That means new temptations and new pressures are coming, and what you decide will […]

By the end of his life, the Apostle Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, had witnessed Christianity mature beyond its early excitement. He saw believers who knew about God—even believed in Him—but struggled to fully grasp what salvation meant for their daily lives. Beyond that, they faced brutal persecution under the Roman emperor Nero, the first of many rulers […]