Jim Graff

In my first year of college, I attended church every time the doors were open. I was determined to grow in my faith and knew I had a lot to learn. One week felt exceptionally rough. I was trying to decide whether to continue playing college baseball or quit to focus on the calling I […]

In 1831, after preparing to become a minister at Christ College in Cambridge, England, a young man set sail on the Beagle—a ship filled with naturalists invited to explore and study the world for five years. During his time aboard, new ideas challenged this young man’s beliefs. He was living in the Age of Enlightenment, […]

In my first year of college, I attended church every time the doors were open. I was determined to grow in my faith and knew I had a lot to learn. One week felt exceptionally rough. I was trying to decide whether to continue playing college baseball or quit to focus on the calling I […]

One summer, some of our family went paragliding. If you’ve experienced paragliding, you know how nerve-wracking it can be. Before the jump, I bombarded our guide with questions, trying desperately to calm my fears. Geoffrey, our youngest, volunteered to go first. I could hardly watch as he took off! 15 yards…10 yards…5 yards… “Stop!” our […]

One of my favorite quotes on leadership is by J. Oswald Sanders. In Spiritual Leadership, Sanders wrote, “The best leaders are those who know the way, go the way and show the way.” Most leaders have the first two down. They’re well-educated in their trade and regularly achieve at a high level. But the last […]

The first time I remember doing laundry for myself, I was a sophomore in college (I know it sounds crazy, but I was the baby of my family!) I was shocked when I pulled out my once-white socks, t-shirts, and underwear and realized they had turned pink! Since I was a broke college student, I […]

In traditional Jewish culture, a beautiful part of the wedding ceremony is the Hora—a dance symbolizing honor and unity. I love watching the wedding party lift the bride and groom in chairs as they dance around the room, celebrating the couple’s new life together. Every time I watch this dance, I’m reminded of the vital […]

When I was a senior in high school, my co-captain of our varsity basketball team won Mr. Pittsburgh—an area-wide strong-man competition. It was a big deal, so I invited him out along with two of our girl friends to celebrate, on me. I thought first we’d go bowling, and then possibly go out to eat […]

All over the world, Christmas celebrations are coming to a close. The trees are being taken down, extended families are returning home, and leftovers are disappearing as we shift our focus to the New Year and our deepest hopes for it. If you’re like me, you have written goals down. You know what you’d like […]

Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace The first time I heard these lyrics sung, I was a young Christian. I so desperately wanted to believe what I’d been learning—that God would fulfill His […]