I loved watching my boys participate in sports. One of their youngest ventures was t-ball. For the uninitiated, t-ball is baseball without a pitcher. The baseball is placed on a tee for the young boy or girl to hit. Now the beauty of t-ball is that you can’t strike out. If you happen to miss the ball when you swing, your coach will help you position your bat, and you get to try again. In fact, you keep on trying until you finally hit the ball. My boys called second and third swings “do-overs.” I wish I had some do-overs Read the full article…

Please forgive the personal nature of this blog. As you read my article, my daughter-in-law, Rachel Rainer, will be giving birth to Harper Grace Rainer by C-section. Though we anticipate no problems, both mom and baby have some risks. Harper will be delivered prematurely to minimize the risks to Rachel. As most of you know Rachel and her husband, Jess Rainer, lost a son just 60 minutes after birth 19 months ago. Subsequently, the doctors are taking extra precautions with both Rachel and Harper. The Excitement of a New Grandchild I can’t wait to meet Harper. She will be my Read the full article…

My fifth and sixth grandchildren are due in the next week and three weeks respectively. As an “experienced” granddad of three years, here are ten commandments that Rad Rad (my name to my grandchildren) tries to follow. Thou shalt show your grandchildren unconditional love. They should see you as a refuge of grace. Thou shalt not interfere with the rules established by the parents. It will confuse your grandchildren and frustrate your children. Thou shalt initiate communication with and, if possible, visits to your grandchildren. Don’t always wait on them to come to you. Thou shalt not tell the parents Read the full article…

In last week’s post, I covered lessons one through six. We conclude with lessons seven through twelve this week. Lesson 7: Communicate the Blessing with Words and Touch Perhaps this lesson could be included in lesson six. I simply want to emphasize that even if our children know we love them and that we are proud of them, they need to hear it. They need to feel with our hugs. When they are young, the physical interaction with children is critical. When they are older, we must still keep hugging them. Lesson 8: Talk to Your Children I love it. Read the full article…

I once did an interview for an online publication, and one of the questions was: “Who has been the greatest leadership influence in your life?” Without hesitation, I wrote: “My three sons: Sam, Art, and Jess.” Fatherhood has been an educational journey that no school could provide. I have learned so much. And even to this day, I listen to my sons. They may think that I am offering them words of wisdom, but I am learning from them as well. I do not see myself as the great expert on fatherhood. I hope I have been transparent and honest Read the full article…

As president of LifeWay, I am so proud of the partnership we have with Sherwood Pictures. Many of you know Sherwood as the creative force behind the movies Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous. I’m excited to announce the Men of Honor Simulcast. This event is specifically designed to equip men to take courageous living to a new level in their walk with the Lord. More about the event: This two-hour simulcast will be filled with solid teaching, inspiring worship, and powerful stories to challenge the men of your church and community to become strong men of honor for Read the full article…