Ducky Dynasty’s Phil Robertson on Faith, Family & Fatherhood

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“What inspired me to write The Theft of America’s Soulis my observation of my fellow Americans over about the last 30 or 40 years,” Phil Robertson says. “I’ve been on the earth 72 years, and the sinful behavior that I have been witnessing I didn’t think was possible.”
“What inspired me to write The Theft of America’s Soulis my observation of my fellow Americans over about the last 30 or 40 years,” Phil Robertson says. “I’ve been on the earth 72 years, and the sinful behavior that I have been witnessing I didn’t think was possible.”

Since the final season of  Duck Dynasty aired three years ago, family patriarch Phil Robertson has been shocked by the number of people still hoping for a taste of West Monroe, Louisiana preaching and an Ouiachita River baptism. When fans find him (and find him, they do), he invites them for a meal and then uses the book of Acts as a guide for the rest of their day. “If you had seen the mighty throng since Duck Dynasty that we’ve baptized, you’d be stunned,” Robertson says, noting it’s not unusual for him to perform a marriage on the same day. “We explain to them how serious marriage is, so we marry ‘em right here on the living room floor. Then we share the Gospel with them… [and] take ‘em down by the river… and they go on their way rejoicing.” It’s a momentary glimpse into the Robertson’s life: simplicity, Scripture, family, nature. In a way, it’s the antithesis to the violence and immorality Robertson says is destroying mainstream America.

In his new book The Theft of America’s Soul (Thomas Nelson), Robertson responds to the 1966 Timecover that posed the question “Is God Dead?” When he saw the magazine as a college student, the question reflected dialogue he had heard among peers and professors at Louisiana Tech University. It was suggested that rejecting a belief in God would free man to be his own judge, define his own truth and virtues, change laws that seem inconvenient, and chase self-gratification. It’s this very way of thinking, Robertson writes, that primed our country for mass acts of violence and celebration of sexual sin. It’s the same way of thinking that drove him to “the drugs, the drinking, the sleeping around” that devastated his family in his early 20s. And yet the freedom he was chasing only led to a prison of shame.

In their time encouraging inmates in prisons, Phil Robertson says he and wife Miss Kay have witnessed how growing up with a “splintered” family structure can result in chaos as a young adult.
In their time encouraging inmates in prisons, Phil Robertson says he and wife Miss Kay have witnessed how growing up with a “splintered” family structure can result in chaos as a young adult.

During the writing and production of his book, Robertson witnessed media coverage of the mass shooting from a Las Vegas high-rise hotel, the dismissal of Matt Lauer from NBC’s Today Show, and a violent neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville, Virginia. In response, Robertson recalls John, Chapter 8, when Jesus hints that his Jewish opponents in the temple courts are doing the work of Satan, not the work of God. Many Americans think they are committed to something important, but they don’t quite know who they are working for, Robertson says. “It’s not the human beings that we’re wrestling with, it’s the evil one in them. He’s the father of lies; he’s the father of murder. We’ve killed 60 million of our own children in their mother’s womb. It’s the lies the evil one whispers in our ears: Make it legal! Make it legal! We practice perversion and we flaunt it in front of America.”

“Logically, I don’t really see the downside for a family structure to be together and the overarching verse that they live by is love God and love your neighbor. That’s what I instill in my sons and that’s what I go around telling America,” says author and Duck Dynasty family patriarch Phil Robertson seen her with his family including wife Kay and four sons Willie Robertson, Jase, Jules and Alan.
“Logically, I don’t really see the downside for a family structure to be together and the overarching verse that they live by is love God and love your neighbor. That’s what I instill in my sons and that’s what I go around telling America,” says author and Duck Dynasty family patriarch Phil Robertson seen her with his family including wife Kay and four sons Willie Robertson, Jase, Jules and Alan.

A Need for Male Leadership.“Overall in America, we have lost our family structure and the fear of God. We’ve lost it,” Robertson says. “And just look at us now, it’s a sad thing to watch.” Calling his family a “patriarchal system,” he suggests strong male leadership grounded in Scripture is not a picture of tyranny, as has been suggested by his critics, but a picture of direction and peace in his family. Robertson is now 72 years old, and his children have children of their own, but living in close proximity and teaching them to respect wisdom from their father in their youth set them up for the relationships they maintain today. “We’re still all together all the way down to we hunt together, we pray together, we sing together, and we’re still a tight family structure,” he says. Each of his sons has thanked him in adulthood for making the Bible central in their childhood because they felt prepared to train their own children.

Another priority for Robertson as a father was being an example of how to treat a woman. “The greatest thing about what I had to show my sons was I loved their mother. They had to see that,” he recalls. “And they saw the way I treated Miss Kay when I became a Christian. You gotta remember, I didn’t become a Christian until I was 28. I almost waited too late because two of my sons was already here. They were young, so I was able to rebound in time and start applying godly principles.”

Peace of Mind. In The Theft of America’s Soul, one of Robertson’s most powerful charges to readers comes at the end of Chapter 4, on appreciating God as the creator of all life: “Partner with the Almighty in tending to life…. as you see the beauty of God in his nature, recognize the beauty in the life of your fellow man also. See how he was created in the image of God.” Walking alone in the woods, watching deer run through a trail, Robertson says, it’s hard to sin. “We’re down here on the river, and among us, we never hear any profanity, we never hear fits of rage–nothing, zero. We’re withdrawn somewhat, but we’re still reaching a lot of people in a public way… we’re still getting the Gospel preached.” In a way, he writes later, “sin management in isolation is easy.”

Robertson asserts that his family’s lifestyle- intentionally simplistic in hunting for their meals, sharing the Gospel, and training their children–is a picture of comfort. It’s the opposite of the chaos that’s the result of sin. “I’ve learned what a rare commodity peace of mind is. And that’s what God gives you, peace of mind while you’re on the earth and immortality in the end,” he says.

For Americans who find themselves tangled in the lies that bring chaos, Robertson adds, the only way to be free and experience true peace of mind is to have an encounter with the living God. “Once you understand and embrace the bad news, the good news really is great news. All my sins removed and never counted against me. None of my future ones counted against me because He’s at the right hand of the father mediating for me,” he says. “He’s given us His spirit so that we can be loving and kind and peaceful and patient and good. I keep waiting on someone, and I ask these various audiences, if they have a better story. So far, no one has come up and topped that one.”

-Camille Smith Platt

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Cover Story Catherine Reddick commentator

Strong Faith, Strong Voice

A former professional soccer player and a 10-year Veteran of the U.S. Women’s National Team, Birmingham native Catherine Reddick Whitehill says playing for Briarwood Christian School was an integral part of her athletic development. It also bolstered the Christian faith encouraged by her parents. Returning to Birmingham to be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame this month, Whitehill reflects on the soccer and faith influences of her hometown.

A forward for Briarwood Christian School from 1996-2000, Whitehill’s memories of growing up in Birmingham include date nights with her father, Rev. Phil Reddick, an associate pastor at Briarwood Presbyterian Church. “We’d go to a local Mexican restaurant, currently it’s El Poblano, which is in Rocky Ridge. It’s a small place, but we love it. When I got a little bit older, it was a morning date to Chick-fil-A every Thursday. My dad and I would go to breakfast there and [talk] football. We kept a running tally of the games over the year, and whoever won bought the other person lunch.”

While a student at Briarwood, Whitehill says she was influenced heavily by Bible teacher Fran Sciacca, who taught courses on Old and New Testament Survey as well as 21st Century Faith. “We’d go through every single book of the Bible and find a keyword, key verse, key story. I still have that to this day,” she recalls. “He [encouraged] us to think outside the box, not just be in our own world. He taught us about challenges we were going to face when we went to college and the real world.”

Olympic Gold Medalist Catherine Reddick Whitehill will be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2019, at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel on April 27, 2019. Her parents live in Birmingham.
Olympic Gold Medalist Catherine Reddick Whitehill will be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2019, at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel on April 27, 2019. Her parents live in Birmingham.

As a young athlete, Whitehill struggled to find competitive girls club teams to help grow her talent. She spent much of her childhood through middle school playing for The Attack, a selective boys’ team. Her sophomore year at Briarwood, she was selected for the Olympic Development Program (ODP) Regional Team, then made the U-16 National Team. She went on to play on the U-18 and U-21 National Team, and her freshman year at the University of North Carolina, she earned a spot on the National Team as a defender alongside veteran players Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, and Kristine Lilly. As she adjusted to being a bit starstruck, a call from college coach Anson Dorrance helped her refocus. “I guess he had gotten a call from the national team coach who said I was being too tentative at practice. He called me up and said, ‘Stop genuflecting on Mia Hamm and play like Cat Reddick.’ I had her poster on the wall when I was a kid. That was scary at first, but thankfully I got over it.” Her senior year of college she won a gold medal with the team at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

After college, Whitehill married husband Robert and continued her career with the U.S. National Team playing soccer professionally for the Washington Freedom (2009-2010), Atlanta Beat (2011) and Boston Breakers (2012-2015). Her friend group had served as her faith-based community in college, and leaving that behind proved challenging. “I had such a good foundation growing up with my family. I love the fact that I have been able to get to know different cultures, get to know different people. [Travel] it made my faith even stronger because there’s not a lot of close friends out on the road. It’s a pretty lonely feeling, so you really dive into the Bible a lot or listen to a sermon or a podcast. It was really important to have that,” she says. With each new professional contract, in each new city, she also had to find a new place to worship.

Former professional and U.S National soccer player Catherine Reddick Whitehill now lives in Atlanta with her husbandRobert and dogs Izzy (rescued from the side of I-405 in Los Angeles) and Maeby (rescued by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in North Carolina).
Former professional and U.S National soccer player Catherine Reddick Whitehill now lives in Atlanta with her husband Robert and dogs Izzy (rescued from the side of I-405 in Los Angeles) and Maeby (rescued by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in North Carolina).

Although she is now retired from professional soccer, Whitehill recalls the strengths that made her so successful on the field, particularly as she moved to a position on defense. “I see the game really well. A lot of times I see where the forward is going to be before the forward even gets there,” she says. “Because my vision was so good, I was able to get into a position that would beat the forward where I wouldn’t have to get into a race with them. My longball was another strength of mine. I worked on that all the time, both feet.”

Now retired as an athlete, new successes for Whitehill include soccer commentary for FOX and ESPN, coaching in Boston and focusing on women’s rights. She recently traveled to Tajikistan with the U.S. Embassy to help women learn how to play soccer. “I went to help women who don’t have equal rights as men. We taught some of their coaches the best way to train because they don’t think they should train the girls the same way as boys,” she says.

In addition to her professional soccer career, Briarwood Christian School graduate Catherine Reddick Whitehill started on ESPNU offering commentary on college soccer in 2008, then moved to the SEC Network and World Cup broadcasting for ESPN and FOX. This summer, she will travel to France for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In addition to her professional soccer career, Briarwood Christian School graduate Catherine Reddick Whitehill started on ESPNU offering commentary on college soccer in 2008, then moved to the SEC Network and World Cup broadcasting for ESPN and FOX. This summer, she will travel to France for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Now living in Georgia, where her husband works as a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Hospital of Atlanta, Whitehill hopes to return to the sport as a coach in the south, tuned in to what modern girls need to hear from mentors. “They need someone to believe in them. And I think they need honesty,” she says. “I told my players [in Boston], if you don’t want to know the answer, don’t ask the question. I’m going to tell them the truth, and that goes a long way. It’s the best way to learn. You show them that you believe in them, not just as soccer players but as strong women. And you show them how women can be–how we can use our voices in a way that is so powerful.

  • Camille Platt
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Cover Story Jimmie Hale Mission Anticipated Cover Crop

Behind the Scenes:

Jimmie Hale died eight months after the Mission opened, but wife Jessie—a widow at 27 years old and pregnant with their first child—carried on her husband’s dream. In 1954, Leo Shepura joined her at the Mission, and they worked side by side until Tony Cooper became executive director in 1990. Jessie died January 5, 2010.
Jimmie Hale died eight months after the Mission opened, but wife Jessie—a widow at 27 years old and pregnant with their first child—carried on her husband’s dream. In 1954, Leo Shepura joined her at the Mission, and they worked side by side until Tony Cooper became executive director in 1990. Jessie died January 5, 2010.

Once known as the town drunk, Jimmie Hale surrendered his life to the Lord and decided to help others like himself–hopeless, homeless, and in need of a helping hand. He married a school teacher named Miss Jessie, and together they founded The Jimmie Hale Mission at a downtown Birmingham storefront chapel in 1944. Celebrating 75 years of meeting the spiritual and physical needs of the poor and hurting in Jesus’ name, Executive Director Tony Cooper asserts it has truly been a team effort. “It has really become our mission family,” Cooper says of the more than 100 full and part time employees who contribute to the programs and services offered at the Mission. “It takes all of us working together here to accomplish what God has called us to do.” Meet a few of them who serve on the frontlines.

Jessie’s Place, Director LaTonya Melton. Established in 1998 as a branch of The Jimmie Hale Mission, Jessie’s Place is a haven for women and children who are homeless, hurting, and in need of shelter on their journey toward self-sufficiency. Melton’s goal for the women is that they “become independent of man and dependent on God” -to acquire the tools they need to go back into the community as successful women and mothers, to have a home, to have a steady income, and to feel empowered by self love and the love of Christ. “That’s so important when you feel like you’ve been broken,” she explains. “When they come to Jessie’s Place, I am trying to show them that this is just a stepping stone to you moving to all that God has called you to be. This is just a piece of their testimony.”

“God called me and prepared me for this place,” says Tony Cooper, who became executive director at the Mission in 1990 after pastoring a church in Santa Rosa County, Florida and working at Waterfront Rescue Mission in Pensacola.
“God called me and prepared me for this place,” says Tony Cooper, who became executive director at the Mission in 1990 after pastoring a church in Santa Rosa County, Florida and working at Waterfront Rescue Mission in Pensacola.

A licensed professional counseling supervisor and nationally certified counselor, Melton first joined The Jimmie Hale Mission at Jessie’s Place working in case management, counseling and discipleship in 2006. She returned as director in 2014. Melton, her staff, and her student counseling interns maintain a safe refuge where women can focus on life skills training, Bible studies, education remediation, and Stewart Learning Center classes. Children have access to play therapy, and women transitioning off campus still have access to Jessie’s Place services as they try to maintain independence. Volunteers from the community prepare meals to serve on site, host birthday parties for women and children, lead Bible studies, and provide on-site childcare during classes. Melton says the most challenging part of her job is addressing loneliness and hurt: “You have to show more love. The Word of God says love covers a multitude of faults. You have to prove yourself. That can be hard for someone who feels like the people they cared about hurt them.”

Stewart Learning Center, Coordinator Charles Williams. With locations at Shepura Men’s Center, Jessie’s Place and Royal Pines, Stewart Learning Centers help Jimmie Hale Mission clients build confidence and skills for re-entering the workforce. Now in his fourth year, Williams came to the Mission from positions with the Jefferson County Personnel Board and as Chief Financial Officer at another nonprofit. Partnering with the Ready to Work program at Lawson State Community College, Williams guides clients through acquiring entry level hard and soft skills including time management, conflict resolution, computer skills, customer service, and the basics of finance. He also helps clients locate birth certificates and social security cards, create resumes, participate in mock interviews, prepare to take a GED exam, or navigate job openings for positions that fit their skill sets. “The most rewarding part of the position for me is when I see our clients get excited about accomplishing something positive in their lives for the first time, or overcoming the hurdles that they thought they would never overcome,” Williams says, adding that his passion for his work comes from his parents. “My dad always emphasized if you can ever find an opportunity to help someone else, then take that opportunity. He taught me how to give back to the community and to try to better someone’s life if I possibly could.”

The Jimmie Hale Mission will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a concert by Christian artist Steve Green at Gardendale First Baptist Church on March 25 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are free, though donations will be accepted. Visit Eventbrite.com. 
The Jimmie Hale Mission will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a concert by Christian artist Steve Green at Gardendale First Baptist Church on March 15 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are free, though donations will be accepted. Visit Eventbrite.com.

Williams is also the pastor at St. Mark Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Titusville. “I’m a firm believer that true salvation is validated through how you engage others, the difference you make in others’ lives. Because of my faith, what I do in terms of touching others around me is a fulfillment of the Scriptures.” He adds that Stewart Learning Centers could benefit from Birmingham businesses willing to offer a variety of work to men and women rebuilding their lives. “Many of our clients are not blue collar workers. Some of them were professionals, owned their own businesses, were regional directors with large companies, and we need a broader range of potential employers for our clients to have a more selective group of jobs to apply for.”

Discovery Clubs, Director Len Gavin. One afternoon each week, 1,500 children in eight different Birmingham area public school systems meet for Discovery Clubs, a free opportunity to learn about God’s love, make friends, and grow in faith, sponsored by The Jimmie Hale Mission. An ordained Anglican priest, Gavin was friends with Discovery Clubs founder John Glasser who started the ministry at the age of 87. The chaplain at Princeton Baptist Hospital for nearly 15 years, today Gavin carries on Glasser’s vision by training and managing 400 volunteers from 120 local churches who have committed to teach the provided curriculum 23 weeks of the year. “If you’re a Christian, if you’re a church-going person, you’re called to be a missionary disciple,” he says of recruiting volunteers. Gavin looks to Billy Graham, one of his heroes, for inspiration. “I look at his life, and I want to finish the course with joy, faithfulness, and make sure I haven’t had anybody come into my life where I haven’t [spoken] the love of Jesus.” Gavin explains that because their parents do not attend church, many of the children in Discovery Clubs have no other opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ. “The greatest thing is we see is how eager they are to bring Jesus into their life, how quickly they learn things like how to read the Bible and how to maneuver through the Bible. You just see them change,” he says. “Our biggest supporters of Discovery Clubs are principals because principals see what a difference it makes in a kid’s life.”

After 25 years of seeing lives changed at the Jimmie Hale Mission, Dale Cooper (L) is retiring this year.
After 25 years of seeing lives changed at the Jimmie Hale Mission, Dale Cooper (L) is retiring this year.

Business Administration, Director Dale Cooper. Cooper began part time at Jimmie Hale Mission in September 1993, processing donations and maintaining an up-to-date donor file in the business office. Within three months, the Mission needed her full time, and since then she’s acquired responsibilities in accounts receivable and payable as well as human resources. Business administration at The Jimmie Hale Mission includes receiving donations and making sure they are deposited in a timely manner; sending thank you letters to donors; and paying bills for water, electricity, telephone, Internet, gas, and insurance for all four facilities. Working alongside her husband, Executive Director Tony Cooper, for 25 years, Dale Cooper is retiring from her position this year. Cooper prays for every donor as she opens the mail and says some of the most touching moments on the job are seeing envelopes come in from dedicated donors who give a small amount each month throughout the year. “They may send $10 or $15 or even smaller amounts than that. I always think about the widow and what Jesus said. She gave more than what anybody else did because that was all she had. God blesses those who give from their heart, and they give it to help others that are struggling.”

-Camille Smith Platt

 

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Ruth Graham
Hear Ruth Graham speak at the National Day of Prayer Breakfast at the American Village in Montevallo, Ala. on May 2 at 8 a.m. Tickets are available for $40 per person. Call 205-665-3535 ext. 1031 for reservations. hoto Credit: Sarah Cramer Shields
Hear Ruth Graham speak at the National Day of Prayer Breakfast at the American Village in Montevallo, Ala. on May 2 at 8 a.m. Tickets are available for $40 per person. Call 205-665-3535 ext. 1031 for reservations. Photo Credit: Sarah Cramer Shields

It’s been one year since Ruth Graham’s father, the evangelist Rev. Billy Graham, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As she and her siblings rode from Asheville, N.C., to his final resting place in Charlotte, N.C., the interstate overpasses were crowded with well-wishers kneeling, waving flags, holding signs and praying. “I’m so grateful that he was so dearly loved,” Graham remembers, pausing to control her tears. “Everybody loved him. I think we’re going to know his loss a lot more in the years to come. He was a standard for righteousness in this country that we don’t have anymore.” Looking forward to 2019, Graham particularly reflects on her supporters who were in prayer for her and her family this past year, emphasizing that prayer plays a more powerful role than we perhaps understand in both our personal lives and in the future of the persecuted church.

All five of Billy Graham’s children have followed in his footsteps as champions for the Christian faith. As his third child, Graham has struck a chord with believers struggling to cope with the stress and sin in everyday life. The author of In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart (Zondervan) and Fear Not Tomorrow, God is Already There (Howard Books), she has been publicly open about her divorces as well as parenting a daughter with an eating disorder, a son with a drug problem and another daughter with two children born out of wedlock. At her father’s funeral, Graham stood at the small wooden pulpit that used to travel on his global crusades and told the story of dating a “handsome young widower” after her first marriage ended. She ignored a phone call from her father, who was in Tokyo at the time, requesting she take the relationship slow, so the family could get to know him. “They had never been a single parent; they had never been divorced. What did they know? So being stubborn, willful and sinful, I married this man on New Year’s Eve,” she said. “It was in 24 hours I knew I had made a terrible mistake. After five weeks, I fled.” Graham drove two days back home to her parents. Her father was waiting for her when she pulled into the driveway. “As I got out of the car, he wrapped his arms around me and he said, ‘welcome home.’ There was no shame. There was no blame. There was no condemnation. Just unconditional love. And you know, my father was not God, but he showed me what God was like that day. When we come to God with our sin, our brokenness, our failure, our pain and our hurt, God says, ‘Welcome home.’”

Ruth Graham has three children and nine grandchildren and lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. She has written for Moody magazine, Decisionmagazine and the Saturday Evening Postand blogs regularly about family, faith and Christian living at www.RuthGraham.com.
Ruth Graham has three children and nine grandchildren and lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. She has written for Moody magazine, Decisionmagazine and the Saturday Evening Postand blogs regularly about family, faith and Christian living at www.RuthGraham.com.

Graham says that toward the end of his life, her father was not able to communicate, nor was he able to see and hear well. Yet while he was “somewhat withdrawn,” she was able to hold his hand and see a sparkle in his blue eyes. “He knew I was there. Isn’t that really what we need with the Lord? We know that He’s there, and He knows that we’re there. As I shared at the funeral, my father showed me what God was like. I know a lot of people can’t say that… My father was gentle and loving.”

Adjusting to life without her father has also required tackling personal health challenges. In 2018, Graham was treated for hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid around the brain. Balance issues that had previously been caused by a benign tumor on her spinal column had returned, and she needed a shunt placed in her brain to drain the extra fluid–a procedure her father had done in 2008. In the days preceding, Graham admits she struggled with a “new level of stress and anxiety.” She fought the fear with a memory from her recovery from spinal surgery in 2016. A spinal fluid leak had required physicians to take her into surgery a second time. “I couldn’t think, I couldn’t pray, the headache was like a jackhammer inside my head,” she remembers. “I said, ‘Lord, I’m your daughter; you have got to help me.’” While in recovery, Graham turned her television to Fox and Friends, and during the last five minutes of the three-hour show, which could have been dedicated to election banter, she instead found Dove Award and Billboard Music Award-winning artist Chris Tomlin singing “You’re a Good, Good Father.” “He was there in the room with me. He was present. And the headache went away finally. God is present to us, and I don’t think we call on him enough.”

Ruth Graham is seen here spending time with her father Rev. Billy Graham who died one year ago this month, February 2018.  She says a favorite family story from her father’s life is of the day he walked into a forest to confess doubt and make a vow to God. “He put his Bible on the stump of a tree and said, ‘Lord, I don’t know all there is in this Bible, but I’m going to believe that it’s true. By faith, I’ll believe that it’s true.’ He did from that day forward. He never questioned it.”
Ruth Graham is seen here spending time with her father Rev. Billy Graham who died one year ago this month, February 2018.  She says a favorite family story from her father’s life is of the day he walked into a forest to confess doubt and make a vow to God. “He put his Bible on the stump of a tree and said, ‘Lord, I don’t know all there is in this Bible, but I’m going to believe that it’s true. By faith, I’ll believe that it’s true.’ He did from that day forward. He never questioned it.”

The last few years have also brought Graham to a new understanding of the need for prayer not just for herself but also for Christians in oppressive and war-torn countries worldwide. In 2017, a Washington, D.C.-based summit of church leaders, victims of persecution, and advocates from 130 countries exposed her to shocking details about unequal rights and violence projected upon people of faith. Once home, she contacted the ministry leaders and pastors she knew and asked to meet for breakfast. “We didn’t talk about prayer, sing about prayer–we prayed,” she recalls. Graham has also begun speaking across the U.S. in honor of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church and the National Day of Prayer. She will travel to Birmingham this year to share her passion for prayer and the persecuted church at the National Day of Prayer Breakfast at American Village on May 2.

Open Doors USA names North Korea as the most dangerous country to be a Christian, noting that North Koreans are required to memorize 100 pages of ideological documents, poems and songs and can be sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for owning a Bible. Graham recommends Christians use OpenDoors.org to learn about the power dynamics at play in heavily persecuted countries and view a World Watch List that outlines the 50 most dangerous countries to live as a Christian. “This is a time for us to pray, not to retreat. We can pray quietly; we can pray loudly; we can pray alone; we can pray with someone, but God hears our prayers,” she says.

Reflecting on her own history as a daughter, a mother, and a Christian, Graham asserts that prayer works, and God is ready to listen and to intervene. But perhaps there’s a responsibility on the believer to plead for intervention. “He’s sitting in eternity and he’s the Ancient of Days. He knows the end from the beginning, and He’s listening to what I have to say. That gives you pause: one, not to take it so casually; two, to trust Him with all the details. We have the privilege of going to Him and talking to Him about what’s going on in our lives. He will work on our behalf, and there’s enormous power there. When we enter into prayer, we are entering into a spiritual dimension that is powerful, and the whole host of hell is trying to keep us from praying, and we can’t let them win. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us.”

Since her father’s passing, knowing he is present with the Lord makes her own prayer life feel nearer to the heavenly realm. “I miss my dad, and it’s made me think about heaven a little bit differently. It makes me realize Dad’s there with Jesus, and they’re talking about me and events in the world,” she says. “It makes things a little closer. I miss him so badly; I think we all do.”

-Camille Smith Platt

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Yoland Adams full lenght grammy backdrop from Children s subscription shutterstock 71275732
“I think your first everything means something,” Yolanda Adams says of winning her first Grammy Award in 1999. “Because most of the awards that I get are peer awarded… to win it because people feel a connection with what you do and what you’re called to do is phenomenal.”
“I think your first everything means something,” Yolanda Adams says of winning her first Grammy Award in 1999. “Because most of the awards that I get are peer awarded… to win it because people feel a connection with what you do and what you’re called to do is phenomenal.”

There’s a touch of the past that peeks through five-time Grammy Award winning Yolanda Adams’ voice, posture and passion when she’s on stage. Best known as the contemporary gospel artist who merged the genre with R&B and jazz, she’s a picture of her father’s love for B.B. King, Miles Davis and Charlie Pride. Adam’s says being the oldest of six siblings and losing her father as a young teenager instilled in her leadership and advocacy for children. In February she will advocate for children here in Alabama, performing as a part of “Believe! A Night of Hope” benefitting Children’s of Alabama. “The medium of music is one of the best forms of reaching hearts,” she explains, “Hearts reach hearts, and that’s why we do what we do.”

Also the winner of three BET Awards for Best Gospel Artist and four Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, Adams grew up in Houston, Texas, in a home grounded by strong family relationships, music and faith. “Faith in Christ was the basis of our family, period. There was no trying to find Him. No, he was in the house,” she recalls. “We were brought up in a house full of love and a house full of faith, a house full of prayer.” Her mother, prolific in piano and orchestration, was the minister of music at their church. Her father was a deacon and sang in the choir. He also coached athletics, so the house ran according to seasons–football, baseball, track and field. By age eight, Adams was joining him at the driving range once or twice a week. She also played tennis, and because her height made clothes shopping a nuisance, she learned how to make patterns and sew.

Adams was 13 years old when her father died as the result of a car accident. She suddenly found herself in a position of great responsibility. He had been her “best bud,” she recalls, and had taught her how to balance a checkbook, how to resolve conflict, how to get the younger kids to and from extracurriculars. One of 12 siblings himself, he had fostered a closeness among extended family in the Houston area. “We could have been the poster kids for loving unconditionally family,” says Adams about the importance placed on looking out for your siblings, gathering with extended family and communicating with each other. “My dad always said that you never fight in house. There should not be a squabble in house that does not get squashed by love.”

In 2018, Yolanda Adams won a Tony Award for Best Original Score Written for Theatre for her work on SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical.
In 2018, Yolanda Adams won a Tony Award for Best Original Score Written for Theatre for her work on SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical.

In her father’s passing, Adams’ foundation of faith and family stood firm. “It was a blow to the whole family, and by the grace of God and faith that we have in God, we didn’t just manage the situation. We didn’t just cope with it. We thrived through it because in order to face what you are facing, you have to understand that there’s another side to this; there’s another reason why this happened. I often say I don’t know if I would be the leader that I am right now had I not been thrust into that position.” Adams attended the University of Houston and later Texas Southern University, where she studied radio and television communications. A singer since she was a toddler, she also joined the Southeast Inspirational Choir. In 1986, her featured vocals with the choir were noticed by American producer Thomas Whitfield, and she signed a recording contract with Sound of Gospel Records the following year. In 1999, Mountain High… Valley Low propelled Adams from urban gospel to mainstream, featuring collaborations with artists and producers who had previously worked alongside Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Brandy, and Bebe & CeCe Winans. Mountain High… Valley Low won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album and went two-times Platinum

Both educators, Adams says memories of her parents’ advocacy for children has fueled her philanthropy work. Representing the inspirational community with FILA’s Operation Rebound, Adams has joined NBA players like Grant Hill and Ray Allen in visiting schools in underserved communities in Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Washington, D.C. to talk about the importance of setting goals. President Barack Obama presented her with the Achievement Award for National Community Service for her involvement with charities like the Children’s Defense Fund, and her Houston-based Voice of an Angel Foundation She has also worked with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources to help children in low-income neighborhoods receive immunizations. Despite the accolades, Adams insists that raising her daughter, Taylor (17), has been her greatest opportunity. It has also prompted Adams to pass on the importance of faith, family and philanthropy that her parents passed on to her. “There’s a different type of nurturing for a kid who comes into the world who can pretty much have everything,” she says of parenting alongside ex-husband Tim Crawford. “We made sure that philanthropy and social awareness is a part of her DNA, so she also volunteers, she also does great social work. It was very important to us that she knew it was a blessing to be born into this family, but it was also a responsibility. Because of your name, because of your notoriety, you have to bless people with the way you’ve been blessed.”

Fellow Grammy Award winning composer and conductor Henry Panion will join Adams on stage in Birmingham. February 26."I just love the fact that he’s very passionate about music and making sure that it sounds authentic and it also reflects the artist that he works with," says Adams. "He is phenomenal when it comes to allowing the artist the freedom and the control to bridge together that sound. He’s amazing, absolutely amazing."
Fellow Grammy Award winning composer and conductor Henry Panion will join Adams on stage in Birmingham. February 26.”I just love the fact that he’s very passionate about music and making sure that it sounds authentic and it also reflects the artist that he works with,” says Adams. “He is phenomenal when it comes to allowing the artist the freedom and the control to bridge together that sound. He’s amazing, absolutely amazing.”

In addition to her work in the music industry, Adams continues to host the “Yolanda Adams Morning Show,” a syndicated radio program that has been on the air for 11 years and will soon announce a new grid of networks airing the program nationwide (www.YolandaAdamsLive.com). Adams is also an entrepreneur, marketing her own line of coffee and bath and body products at YolandaAdamsLive.com. Above all, however, her heart still belongs to children. Preparing for “Believe! A Night of Hope” at the historic Lyric Theatre in Birmingham, Adams says if you cannot be physically present for a child outside of your child, or children outside of your children, she says, then supporting a charitable organization like Children’s of Alabama financially is a way to start. “I also believe that we have to become more concerned about the safety and awareness of our kids and not make excuses as to why we can’t help,” she says. “Every child, no matter what socioeconomic status they come from, deserves to be heard, and they deserve advocates.” Adams promises an evening of gospel music that continues to reveal her varied musical influences and ultimately focuses on inspiring listeners to be open to a blessing. “You never know when you meet a person how their day is going; you never know when you meet a person what they’ve gone through in their lives. To me what music does is it chips at the barrier, that wall that people have up a lot of times, and by the second or third song, the person is open to the blessings of the song. The blessings of the performance. And so, it’s going to be emotional; it’s going to be riveting; it’s also going to be healing and repairing.”

Sponsorship packages for the February 26 event are priced from $1,000 to $10,000 and include VIP seating at the concert and a meet and greet after the performance. A limited number of individual general admission tickets ranging from $55 to $65 and single VIP tickets priced at $100 are available through Ticketmaster. For sponsorship opportunities or ticket information, contact Andrea Martin at 205-638-9017 or [email protected].

-Camille Smith Platt

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American Villate Chapel in snow horiz Featured Image
The Festival Service of Nine Lessons and Carols will be held at The American Village Chapel in Montevallo. The chapel is seen here December 2017 in a blanket of snow. “I never tire of this service, for it is truly a wonderful start of the Advent and coming Christmas season.  And how we are indebted to those who offer their God-given talents to help make this such service such a blessing,” Tom Walker, Founder & President, American Village
The Festival Service of Nine Lessons and Carols will be held at The American Village Chapel in Montevallo. The chapel is seen here December 2017 in a blanket of snow. “I never tire of this service, for it is truly a wonderful start of the Advent and coming Christmas season.  And how we are indebted to those who offer their God-given talents to help make this such service such a blessing,” Tom Walker, Founder & President, American Village

Christmas celebrations in the American colonies were very different than they are today. You would not have found piles of wrapped gifts under Christmas trees, stockings hung with care on mantels, or televisions playing reruns of It’s a Wonderful Life. But many things were the same. Christmas was an important religious holiday in George Washington’s time, and the twelve nights of Christmas, ending in balls and parties on January 6 extended the holiday season. For Washington, his Colonial Christmas experiences were both joyful and terrifying.

George Washington’s boyhood home in Fredericksburg, Va. burned down on Christmas Eve of 1740. The Washington family took shelter “in the detached kitchen and spent a cheerless Christmas Day.” In 1751 George ate Irish goose and drank to the health of absent friends while onboard a ship returning to Virginia from Barbados, where Washington had been with his older brother Lawrence who was hoping the warmer climate might help cure his tuberculosis. Christmas of 1753 was spent on the western frontier with the Virginia militia fighting the French and Indian War. Christmas 1758 was a momentous time in George Washington’s life, as he married Martha Dandridge Custis on January 6, 1759 – the twelfth night of Christmas. George spent much of Christmas 1770 in typical activities, foxhunting with friends and family and visiting his mill. He attended services at Pohick Church and had dinner at home with his family.  In 1775, during the first Christmas of the American Revolution, Martha Washington traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts to be with her husband. Martha’s presence at the Continental Army’s winter encampments not only  helped to encourage Washington, but also boosted the morale of the entire camp. Christmas 1777, Gen. Washington and much of the Continental Army were in winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Almost half the camp was either sick or dying. It snowed Christmas day and by the next morning, it measured four inches deep. 1781 was a bittersweet Christmas, spent in Philadelphia. Washington had defeated Lord Cornwallis in the last major battle of the Revolutionary War in October. However, Martha’s son, Jacky, died a few weeks after that victory of a fever contracted at the siege of Yorktown. Christmas 1786 saw the Washingtons finally spending Christmas together at their Mount Vernon home. They most likely attended services at Pohick Church, then returned home, where a “Yorkshire Christmas-Pye” was served.  On December 26, 1786, Washington wrote David Humphreys, a friend and former aide, that the Washingtons had served “one [a pie] yesterday on which all the company, (and pretty numerous it was) were hardly able to make an impression…” The recipe for the impressive dish included a bushel of flour and the preparation was lengthy, labor intensive, and difficult. 1789 was George Washington’s first Christmas as the President of the United States. The White House had not yet been constructed, so the Washingtons were in their rented New York home for this holiday season and attended services at St. Paul’s Church.

The American Village’s fifteenth annual Festival Service of Nine Lessons and Carols will be held Sunday, December 2 at 5 p.m. in the Lucille Ryals Thompson Colonial Chapel. Music will be provided by the Montevallo Community Chorale and organist Dr. Laurie Middaugh. The service is free, and no reservations are required.
The American Village’s fifteenth annual Festival Service of Nine Lessons and Carols will be held Sunday, December 2 at 5 p.m. in the Lucille Ryals Thompson Colonial Chapel. Music will be provided by the Montevallo Community Chorale and organist Dr. Laurie Middaugh. The service is free, and no reservations are required.

In 1798, with the young people away, George and Martha had a relatively quiet Christmas at home in Mount Vernon, the last they would spend together. George Washington died eleven days before Christmas of 1799. As Washington was dying, Mrs. Washington is recorded as having no doubts, no fears for him. After forty years of devoted affection and uninterrupted happiness, she “resigned him without a murmur into the arms of his Savior and his God, with the assured hope of his eternal felicity.”

Lessons & Carols. From the first Sunday of Advent and continuing through Christmas Eve, colonial parishioners, including Washington, would have heard the same collect or prayer from the Book of Common Prayer:

In virtually every public speech or public writing, Washington spoke of God’s providential care in the establishment of the United States and its Constitution. Seen here in the American Village ballroom is a copy of the Lansdowne Portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1965, oil on canvas. The piece is on loan from the Birmingham Museum of Art.
In virtually every public speech or public writing, Washington spoke of God’s providential care in the establishment of the United States and its Constitution. Seen here in the American Village ballroom is a copy of the Lansdowne Portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1965, oil on canvas. The piece is on loan from the Birmingham Museum of Art.

ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and forever. Amen.

This will also be a part of the American Village’s fifteenth annual Festival Service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday December 2. The service begins with the procession from the west door of the Chapel, symbolically passing from darkness to light, and continues with lessons—readings from Holy Scripture that will be almost identical to those used on Christmas Day in Washington’s time, namely the Gospel of St. John, 1:1-14.  The essence of the service is to center the attention of worshipers and participants alike on the central message of the relationship of God and mankind – from the creation, the disobedience and fall of humanity, the promise of a Messiah, the “Word made flesh” that came to dwell among us, and ultimately of Christ’s sacrifice and redemptive resurrection. Set in a chapel evocative of colonial times the service offers a wonderful opportunity of worship to God the Father, Jesus Christ His son, and the Holy Spirit.  The American Village invites you to join us for this special service, no reservations required, and bids you a meaningful Advent season and a joyous Christmas.

-Tom Walker

Founder and President, The American Village, Montevallo, Ala.

Since it’s opening in 1999, about 650,000 students from all over the Southeast have visited the American Village, “stepped back in history” and discovered the drama of America’s founding, www.AmericanVillage.org

More about Christmas with the Washingtons can be found at www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/george-washington-at-christmas

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Jermaine on Stage IMG 1838

Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson:

A master of “football” comedy, Birmingham’s Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson is best known for his social media presence and viral videos related to college football in the South. He will perform stand-up comedy at the StarDome Comedy Club in Hoover on November 20, 21, 23, and 25. As a part of the StarDome’s 35th Anniversary Celebration, the Club is giving away a pair of tickets to see FunnyMaine, visit www.facebook.com/stardome for details. For tickets, visit www.stardome.com or call 205-444-0008. Photos Courtesy Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson
A master of “football” comedy, Birmingham’s Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson is best known for his social media presence and viral videos related to college football in the South. He will perform stand-up comedy at the StarDome Comedy Club in Hoover on November 20, 21, 23, and 25. As a part of the StarDome’s 35th Anniversary Celebration, the Club is giving away a pair of tickets to see FunnyMaine, visit www.facebook.com/stardome for details. For tickets, visit www.stardome.com or call 205-444-0008. Photos Courtesy Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson

Logging nearly one million viewers on social media every week, Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson is best known in Alabama for his college-football YouTube series “How Bama Fans Watched.” The Birmingham, Ala.-based viral video personality and stand-up comedian is also a blogger, a graphic designer and an afternoon co-host on 97.7 JAMZ. In all these endeavors, he is recognized for his big smile and a silly style that pokes fun at sports, southern trends and nightlife. Preparing for a four-day set at the StarDome Comedy Club in Hoover, Ala.(www.stardome.com) in November, FunnyMaine explains how his focus is on encouraging others and trusting in God for continued success as God sees it.

The youngest in a house full of boys, FunnyMaine says his childhood in Opelika, Ala. included scouts, music, and a lot of church. “My dad was a pastor; he started off small. He actually had a service in the living room then purchased a small building, then a bigger building, then another building,” FunnyMaine remembers. “I got to see it grow, and I know firsthand all the challenges that come with being pastor of a church. You’re dealing with so many different personalities, so many different opinions, but I’ve seen my dad stand strong in what he believes and how he wants to do stuff. He’s still in it years later.”

FunnyMaine says his father’s strength also stood out in family tragedy. When he and his brothers were all under the age of 10, their mother died from medical complications related to lupus. “My dad was straight up and honest with us…He just told us, you know, this is what it is. We love her, she’s gone, but we’ve got to keep pressing forward. We’ve got to live our lives. That’s what she wanted. He was very upfront about it, and he encouraged us not to be afraid to miss your mom. Cry when you have to,” FunnyMaine recalls. “Then he remarried, and God blessed me with another motherly figure in my life. He definitely stepped up to the plate.”

Besides being a standup comic and a viral sensation, FunnyMaine is also a radio personality, co-hosting with Dwight “D. Stone” weekday afternoons on Birmingham’s Hip Hop and R&B station, 95.7 JAMZ FM. Photos Courtesy Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson
Besides being a standup comic and a viral sensation, FunnyMaine is also a radio personality, co-hosting with Dwight “D. Stone” weekday afternoons on Birmingham’s Hip Hop and R&B station, 95.7 JAMZ FM. Photos Courtesy Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson

A self-professed class clown, FunnyMaine’s family moved to Pratt City, where he graduated from Jackson-Olin High School. At Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, FunnyMaine studied mass communications, served as drum major and student recruiter, and hosted basketball games. His first time on stage for stand-up was a favor from a friend. His fraternity brother was working as a disc jockey at a back-to-school comedy show for UAB in 2005. After a five-minute set, FunnyMaine received a standing ovation. Since then, he has opened for celebrities including DL Hughley, Rob Schneider and Tom Green. He has performed in front of sold out audiences at The Looney Bin in Little Rock, Ark.; The Mint in Los Angeles, Calif.; The Punchline Comedy Club in Atlanta, Ga.; and Zanie’s Comedy Club in Nashville, Tenn.

Leaning into social media platforms on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, FunnyMaine launched his first “How Bama Fans” video on Facebook in September 2016, and the series averaged 1.8 million views per week through the end of the football season. Each segment is two to five minutes long and walks viewers through the facial expressions and verbal banter likely shared among Crimson Tide supporters during the previous Saturday’s college football matchups. Poking fun at underdogs, impressive plays, controversial calls and upsets, the marriage of football and comedy simply works. “It’s more than just a culture in Alabama. It’s something we decided a long time ago. This is our thing,” he says. “We’re good at it. We’re passionate about it. And I think everybody loves to laugh.” FunnyMaine says Birmingham has been particularly responsive to his material. “With the StarDome being here in Hoover for over 30 years now, I think we’re a comedy smart city. We’re a football smart city. When you put the two together, it seems like it was destined to be a win-win.”

Thank God for prayer,” FunnyMaine says. “It’s free. You can do it most times. It’s all about finding a space and finding that good mental space to be in and do your thing. I love it.” Photos Courtesy Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson
Thank God for prayer,” FunnyMaine says. “It’s free. You can do it most times. It’s all about finding a space and finding that good mental space to be in and do your thing. I love it.” Photos Courtesy Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson

FunnyMaine admits that a career in the comedy industry hasn’t been without struggle. He has experienced a repossession and an eviction. However, it was a grief he is thankful came with patience that was perhaps a gift from God. “It didn’t break me. It actually just made me stronger,” he remembers. “I realized nothing is going to be given to me. If I want to get out of this hole, if I want to change things, if I want to do all this great stuff that I feel like I can do, I’ve got to go harder. I’ve got to step it up a notch. And that’s what happened.”

Aside from the stage and social media, you can find FunnyMaine sharing his faith at churches, including The Worship Center where he has been a member since 2011. His message typically touches on avoiding the negative influence of a culture often focused on determining who is right and who is wrong. Initially, he explains, this lies in politics. But ultimately, it’s something more. “The bigger problem is we don’t know how to disagree anymore. We don’t know how to have conversations with people we don’t agree with, people who don’t live where we live, people who don’t look like we look, people who don’t worship like we worship. Can you imagine living in the world where you’re surrounded by people who just agree with you? And everybody does what you do? How can you ever learn in that? If everybody around you agrees with you, you’re not putting yourself in a position to learn anything.”

For wisdom and encouragement, FunnyMaine turns to Scripture.“I love Psalm 62; it’s a chapter to me that’s about believing in God vs. trusting in God. I think a lot of us have got the believing part down, but we don’t have the trust part down. That’s what I try to work toward–trusting in God and not just believing in God.” For FunnyMaine, he’s trusting that God will continue to create opportunities for his personal and professional growth, but also that God will help all men and women appreciate their differences instead of see differences as walls that divide. “I am also just believing and trusting in God that it can happen. Sometimes you go speaking positivity and people say, ‘You’re crazy, you should give that up.’ You’ve gotta be crazy enough to believe that change can happen.”

–Camille Smith Platt

See Jermaine “Funnymaine” Johnson perform live at the StarDome Comedy Club in Hoover, November 20, 21, 23, 25, 2018. For tickets visit www.stardome.com or call 205-444-0008.

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Doing the Next Right Thing

After earning many honors for his football play at Gadsden City High School and the University of Alabama, the Cincinnati Bengals drafted Dre Kirkpatrick in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft- where he still plays today.
After earning many honors for his football play at Gadsden City High School and the University of Alabama, the Cincinnati Bengals drafted Dre Kirkpatrick in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft- where he still plays today.

“Life is about doing the next right thing.” As a player on two national title teams at the University of Alabama, Dre Kirkpatrick heard this statement more than once from his football coach, Nick Saban. “You don’t focus on winning the game or the title, you focus on winning the moment. You do the next right thing. Success will take care of itself,” remembers Kirkpatrick.

For D’Andre LaJuan “Dre” Kirkpatrick, doing the right thing extends far beyond the football field. A Gadsden, Ala. native, Kirkpatrick recently treated a group of local children to a back to school shopping spree. Giving back is so important to Kirkpatrick, he made underprivileged children the focus of his charity, Dre Kirkpatrick’s 21 Kids Foundation.

Dre Kirkpatrick started his charity, Dre Kirkpatrick’s 21 Kids Foundation, to give back to children in his hometown of Gadsden, support underprivileged youth and offer a message of faith and hope to children who need to know there is a way forward in life.
Dre Kirkpatrick started his charity, Dre Kirkpatrick’s 21 Kids Foundation, to give back to children in his hometown of Gadsden, support underprivileged youth and offer a message of faith and hope to children who need to know there is a way forward in life.

Before the start of football season, Kirkpatrick came home to Gadsden and personally took the group of children shopping for school clothes and shoes. He gave each child a $250 allowance. For Kirkpatrick, who grew up in the Oakleigh neighborhood, giving back is a message of hope. “I always wanted to give back because that’s what my dad always preached to me. My Foundation’s purpose is giving kids another outlook on life. Letting them know school is cool. Getting an education is the thing to do. I want to be the face of the youth and let them know there’s a way out,” says Kirkpatrick.

The Oakleigh neighborhood, which he calls “The Oak,” plays a role in his tale of childhood adversity. On a tour with visiting reporters from Cincinnati, where he now plays football for the Cincinnati Bengals, he pointed out numerous drug houses on his street and the house next to his where children were gunned down in a drive by shooting. “The Oak” inspired him to work harder and it inspires him to bring a positive message to children in similar situations.

Kirkpatrick learned the value of a strong family life from his father, Charles Kirkpatrick, pastor of United Christian New Beginning Ministry Church and his mother Kim. He is seen here with his son D’Andre.
Kirkpatrick learned the value of a strong family life from his father, Charles Kirkpatrick, pastor of United Christian New Beginning Ministry Church and his mother Kim. He is seen here with his son D’Andre.

Dre Kirkpatrick’s childhood had some positives too. His father is a local pastor who instilled a sense of faith in him from a young age and his mother gave him a strong work ethic as well. Today, his father serves as an advisor for his charity and still preaches every Sunday. “At a very young age I was taught the importance of having faith and that became very important to me,” says Kirkpatrick. “I understand that man gives the award, but God gives the reward.”

Kirkpatrick has earned a lot of awards. Coming out of high school, he was ranked a five-star recruit and The Sporting News recently placed him on a list of best high school players of all time. In college, he played for two BCS championships and was named an All American in three different ranking services. He left Alabama after his junior season and was drafted in the first round by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2012 NFL draft.

Former University of Alabama football star Dre Kirkpatrick now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL.
Former University of Alabama football star Dre Kirkpatrick now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL.

Success is more than football, however. Kirkpatrick has arranged charity basketball games in Cincinnati and speaks at schools when he can but, he says, he rarely talks to students about football. “Education is just as important as the game. I can’t stress that enough,” he says. “There’s a quote out there that says, ‘Where the mind goes, the body will follow.’ You also have to be willing to listen and remain teachable. There is something to be learned every day.” Kirkpatrick says the lesson applies to himself as well. As a father, he has a 12-year-old son and a daughter due later this year, he stresses the importance of a willingness to learn. “Personally, I’m learning new things every day, so I’m constantly working on myself, to be better at all things,” he says. “Being a better father, a better son, a better athlete, a better person, just a better human being.”

—  Terry Schrimscher

Photos Courtesy Dre Kirkpatrick’s 21 Kids Foundation, Associated Press

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Eddy Stewart competing American Ninja Warrior Photo Credit Myron LuzniakNBC AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR

There was a time when fitness was an obsession for five-time American Ninja Warrior competitor Eddy Stewart. A Hueytown firefighter, personal trainer and bodybuilder, his family was often at the mercy of his detailed meal and workout schedule. Shifting his focus to ninja athletics, however, initiated healing in both his relationships and his Christian faith. A Top 30 finisher on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior in Seasons 7-10, 35-year-old Stewart reflects on the hop off the Cannonball Drop that eliminated him from the Miami City Finals in July and says ninja training represents resilience when life gets hard.

PRIORITIES. Stewart grew up an only child on a dead-end street in Bessemer. He passed his time climbing trees, making bicycle ramps to jump ditches and charging elderly neighbors $1 to pick up sticks out of their yards. He participated in Little League baseball, and later high school football, wrestling and tennis. He attended Brooklane Baptist Academy for grades 5-10, then finished at McAdory High School. He remembers his parents as godly influences who made prayer, family dinners and church a priority. He says one of his strongest childhood memories is the day his father refused to let him quit football the summer before his senior year. “That established a mentality of if I’m going to do something, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got,” he says. “That was one of those pivotal moments of being mentally tough and sticking with something even though it gets hard.”

“I work with a bunch of good guys, and man they are super supportive of me,” says Stewart, who is an apparatus operator and paramedic in Hueytown.
“I work with a bunch of good guys, and man they are super supportive of me,” says Stewart, who is an apparatus operator and paramedic in Hueytown.

Stewart studied criminal justice at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), spending the last six months of his senior year interning with the U.S. Marshals Service. He turned down a job offer with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department after suspecting God might have something else planned for his future. In 2007, he began serving as a firefighter and paramedic in Hueytown, prioritizing fitness in his free time. He trained for bodybuilding competitions and also worked part time as a personal trainer. By 2012, however, the pressure his fitness aspirations put on his family finally came to a head. His wife, Natalie, and two sons Henry and Charlie, needed his time and attention. “We’d go to the beach, and I might be able to go down to the [sand] for an hour and a half, then I’d need to come back up to the room because I had to eat my meal. Or if we were going out to dinner, I had to [tell my family] no, we can’t go eat at 4:30—we had to eat at 6:00. It became all about me.” Stewart admits his faith suffered as well. After placing third for Mr. Alabama at the National Physique Committee (NPC) Alabama State Championship, he left bodybuilding and personal training to spend more time at home. “My priorities got back in order. I saw what I became—I became a very selfish person, and the Lord kind of opened my eyes to that, and it really hurt my family. What’s neat was that as the Lord was healing my marriage, healing my family, even healing my relationship with my friends, he was doing a good work restoring my heart.”

Eddy Stewart’s mission work has included helping rebuild a church in the Philippines. In November, he will travel to Cambodia with a group of competitive ninjas to host clinics and raise money to help Raven’s Hope International bring women to the U.S. for temporary respite, trade training, and Biblical studies.
Eddy Stewart’s mission work has included helping rebuild a church in the Philippines. In November, he will travel to Cambodia with a group of competitive ninjas to host clinics and raise money to help Raven’s Hope International bring women to the U.S. for temporary respite, trade training, and Biblical studies.

MISSIONS. A trip to the Philippines in 2013 confirmed God’s blessing of a new sense of unity in Stewart’s family. A mudslide had destroyed a church in the mountains of Purok Abaca in the Southern Negros Islands. The church was so remote it could only be accessed via a 45-minute bus ride, a 20-minute motorcycle ride, and a two-and-a-half-hour hike. Stewart had visited the area before to contribute resources to rebuild, but this time, he would take Natalie. After an exhausting hike through jungles and across a flooded river to speak at churches, the couple was surprised by a day of rest on the beach. Friend and pastor Edgar Buhat had arranged a surprise renewal of wedding vows. What Buhat didn’t know was that Stewart had already been praying about the possibility he could re-wed Natalie while abroad. “After the ceremony, I asked Edgar why he did that, and he said he felt the Holy Spirit tell him to give us that gift when he saw us get off the plane,” Stewart remembers. “For Natalie and I, we knew that the Lord was reconfirming our commitment to each other and we realized just how good the Lord had been to us, seeing us through that difficult time.”

COMPETITION. American Ninja Warrioris a popular televised parkour-style obstacle course competition that includes running across angled discs, swinging between platforms, using outward pressure to move between two plexiglass walls, and scaling a 14-foot six-inch warped wall. Stewart had been watching the show, and its Japanese counterpart Sasuke, for years when Natalie suggested he apply to compete in 2015. Since then, he has become a fan favorite most recently known for his “left, right, double, double” pec flex. He made it to the Las Vegas Finals in 2015 and has finished the Qualifying Round three seasons since then. He also travels nationally to compete in events hosted by the Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association and the National Ninja League. With children’s activities and competitions included, it has become a hobby that belongs not only to him but also to his entire family. “Now it’s not all about Eddy; now it’s a family thing. I go compete, but they are there supporting me, they are involved.”

“I’m an adventurous person at heart, I’d go jump out of a plane right now if I had a plane to jump out of. I’m just that kind of a guy, that’s the kind of a heart that God put in me,” says American Ninja Warrior’s Eddy Stewart, who earned the nickname “Flex La Pec” from show hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila. Photo: NBC, American Ninja Warrior
“I’m an adventurous person at heart, I’d go jump out of a plane right now if I had a plane to jump out of. I’m just that kind of a guy, that’s the kind of a heart that God put in me,” says American Ninja Warrior’s Eddy Stewart, who earned the nickname “Flex La Pec” from show hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila. Photo: NBC, American Ninja Warrior

Stewart also speaks to his sons—and to the Birmingham area community—about the metaphors ninja athletics offers to perseverance, patience, faith and hard work. “In other sports you are competing against other people. This is a sport where the whole community cheers on everybody because you’re competing against the course. You’re all trying to finish an obstacle. You’re all trying to complete this series of tests,” he says. “You can kind of relate that in life. There are going to be obstacles in life, you’re going to face tribulations and hard times, and sometimes you’re going to fail… Just because you mess up, just because you fall, doesn’t mean you’re going to stay down. You get back up and you try again, and that’s something I am able to pass on to my kids.

“There’s going to be some times that things are going to be hard,” Stewart adds, “whether in sports, in school, even in the Christian walk. Sometimes you’re going to have tough times, you’re going to have temptations, you’re going to have obstacles in your faith. That’s when the Lord gives us grace. When I mess up, I’m going to learn from that and I’m going to keep pushing forward.”

Eddy and Natalie Stewart attend Valley Creek Baptist Church in Hueytown with their children, Henry (10) and Charlie (6). The couple renewed their vows during a mission trip in 2013. Photo: Rachel & Noah Ray Photography
Eddy and Natalie Stewart attend Valley Creek Baptist Church in Hueytown with their children, Henry (10) and Charlie (6). The couple renewed their vows during a mission trip in 2013. Photo: Rachel & Noah Ray Photography

An unexpected step off the course on obstacle two eliminated Stewart from this year’s American Ninja Warrior Miami City Finals. While the episode was taped in April, Stewart admits that watching it air on NBC in July exposed him to another round of disappointment. Stewart’s son Henry, age 10, was perhaps more upset than anyone. Stewart simply hugged him and said that next year, they’ll try again. “It’s important to me that I represent Christ, in successes and failures. And having two boys watching my every move, my primary goal is to always point them towards Him,” he says. “I’m extremely thankful the Lord has even given me the opportunity of a lifetime to compete at this level… Now it’s time to put down the doughnuts and get ready for Season 11.”

 

  • Camille Smith Platt
by
Lauren Sisler Game Day Alabama RS558603 102117 MFB SECNation ABB392 Photo Credit Amelia Barton ESPN Images

 

Sisler’s role at SEC Nation includes sideline interviews with coaches like Alabama’s Nick Saban and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn.
Sisler’s role at SEC Nation includes sideline interviews with coaches like Alabama’s Nick Saban and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn.

The United States makes up four percent of the world’s population yet experiences 27 percent of the world’s drug overdose deaths. This is a jarring statistic for sports journalist Lauren Sisler. It’s also a personal one. In 2003, while a freshman at Rutgers University, she lost both parents to prescription drug overdoses within hours of each other. Best known for her work as an “SEC Nation” pregame reporter alongside Tim Tebow and Paul Finebaum, she reflects on how her Christian faith bolstered her journey through grief, gave her the courage to trust in God’s timing, and has led her to serve as an addiction prevention advocate in Central Alabama.

Originally from Virginia, Sisler describes her upbringing as sports-centered, happy and rich in family relationships. Saturdays were for college football, Sundays for church then the NFL or NASCAR. She and her older brother, Allen, were lovingly competitive. They’d challenge each other to foot races, to see who could throw a ball the furthest. By high school, Sisler was a competitive gymnast training 20-25 hours a week. Many weekends were spent driving to out-of-town meets. Even with a hectic weekend gymnastics schedule, faith in Christ remained center stage. Her coaches were Christians, and she collected inspirational quotes and Scripture passages passed from them and her mother. Her favorite was the poem “Footprints in the Sand.” And prayer time was important. Before bed, Sisler would yell down the stairs for her father to join her for evening prayers. “Those memories are very vivid and strong,” she says.

“If you walk into an ER and you’re bleeding, you’re going to be treated right away. Mental health issues aren’t as easy to recognize because you don’t have a physical scar to show for it,” says Sisler, pictured here are her brother Allen and her parents not long before their parents’ death.
“If you walk into an ER and you’re bleeding, you’re going to be treated right away. Mental health issues aren’t as easy to recognize because you don’t have a physical scar to show for it,” says Sisler, pictured here are her brother Allen and her parents not long before their parents’ death.

In March 2003, however, her faith was tested. While a freshman at Rutgers University in New Jersey, Sisler woke up to a distressing late-night phone call from her father. Her mother had died, and she needed to get on the next flight home. Hours later, she arrived in Roanoke expecting her father to pick her up at the airport. Instead, her uncle and cousin were waiting at the curb. Just hours after her mother died, her father had died as well—both to accidental prescription drug overdoses. Lesley Sisler, 45, had struggled with a degenerative disk disease that required multiple surgeries. George “Butch” Sisler, 52, had PTSD from his service in the Navy and had chronic back pain. Their daughter had no clue their dependence on Fentanyl, which according to the DEA is 100 times more potent than morphine, had spiraled out of control.

Sisler’s brother Allen was in the Navy, stationed about four hours from home, when their parents died of prescription drug overdoses on March 24, 2003. Today they both live in Birmingham and attend Church of the Highlands together.
Sisler’s brother Allen was in the Navy, stationed about four hours from home, when their parents died of prescription drug overdoses on March 24, 2003. Today they both live in Birmingham and attend Church of the Highlands together.

“When I received that news at first it was very unbelievable. I thought I was having an out of body experience. I’m dreaming,” she explains. “In my mind, the word addiction and drug overdose could not be used in the same sentence as my parents. And I struggled with that emotion and that guilt and that shame for so many years. It took me seven years to acknowledge how my parents actually died,” remembers Sisler. “In the back of my mind, I knew bits and pieces of the story, and my Aunt Linda did her best to try to educate me, but I put up walls of denial and made it hard for her to get through to me. The one thing she finally told me was ‘Lauren, you can’t allow the way they died to define how they lived.’ As I went through that grieving process, I realized OK, wait a sec… you’re right… this is something that happened, I can’t change it, but maybe I can do something with it.”

By the time Sisler came to terms with her family’s past, she had graduated from Rutgers University (2006) and was working as a weekend sports anchor in West Virginia. She moved to Birmingham in September 2011 and spent nearly five years at WIAT 42, where she was nominated Best Sports Anchor by the Alabama Associated Press in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, she became a sports reporter and host for AL.com and was offered a job as a sideline reporter for ESPN, covering college football and gymnastics. Keeping her role at AL.com during the week, she moved to the SEC Network on weekends in September 2017. The transition has inspired her to reflect on what it means to be content. “You hear Nick Saban talk about being where your feet are. For a long time, when I was at the local TV station, I started getting complacent and getting anxious for what’s next,” she says. “Now that I’ve reached this level of getting to work with some of the best in the business, I’ve started to realize ‘be where your feet are,’ don’t always focus on the destination. I think this is where God intended me to be. Everything that I’ve been through up unto this point has taught me patience, has taught me to better appreciate where I’m at and the people that are around me.”

Watch Lauren Sisler alongside host Laura Rutledge and analysts Paul Finebaum, Marcus Spears and Tim Tebow Saturday mornings this fall on the SEC Network. Sisler shares about Tebow, “Tim has recognized his ability as an athlete but also as a leader and as an influencer. Even just sitting on the bus of SEC Nation and listening to him sing, to recite Scripture. He gets fired up about a particular topic and you think [it’s because the cameras are rolling]. He’s like that 24/7. He is the hype man, and I absolutely love it.” Photo credit: Scott Clarke/ESPN Images
Watch Lauren Sisler alongside host Laura Rutledge and analysts Paul Finebaum, Marcus Spears and Tim Tebow Saturday mornings this fall on the SEC Network. Sisler shares about Tebow, “Tim has recognized his ability as an athlete but also as a leader and as an influencer. Even just sitting on the bus of SEC Nation and listening to him sing, to recite Scripture. He gets fired up about a particular topic and you think [it’s because the cameras are rolling]. He’s like that 24/7. He is the hype man, and I absolutely love it.” Photo credit: Scott Clarke/ESPN Images
Sisler has become a speaker and advocate on addiction. She has worked as a mentor at The Foundry Ministries and is on the Board of Directors and Advisory Board at Addiction Prevention Coalition (APC), based in Birmingham. “Unfortunately, this is a disease, and this is an epidemic that a lot of people turn their heads to—not my problem, not my child, our school system doesn’t have this problem—so there’s a level of denial. Prevention is such a big part of APC’s philosophy… trying to get in front of it before it begins.” Reflecting on her own experience, Sisler wonders if being able to see and acknowledge her parents’ problem would have made a difference. “Hindsight is always 20/20. I wanted to believe that my parents were the strongest people on this planet. They were strong, they were loving, they gave me and my brother everything we needed to succeed, and that was what I believed in my mind. I tried to hide from the fact that they were struggling internally and behind closed doors were having to resort to medication and to alcohol and to other things to try and cope with the pain they were feeling—both chronic pain as well as addiction pain, and then also emotional pain and depression and financial struggles…. I truly wanted to believe that I was invincible and my family was invincible and nothing could tear us apart.”

Lauren Sisler with her Aunt Linda on the set of SEC Nation. Sister to Leslie Sisler, Linda Rorrer stepped in as a mentor and mother figure after Lauren’s parents’ deaths, encouraging her to return to her academic and gymnastics commitments at Rutgers University after two weeks of grieving.
Lauren Sisler with her Aunt Linda on the set of SEC Nation. Sister to Leslie Sisler, Linda Rorrer stepped in as a mentor and mother figure after Lauren’s parents’ deaths, encouraging her to return to her academic and gymnastics commitments at Rutgers University after two weeks of grieving.

For years, Sisler was critical of herself for her own denial, for taking so long to admit her family’s story and make a difference in addiction prevention and recovery. Today, however, she acknowledges her journey has been in God’s hands all along. “I truly believe that God paved this path and gave me the tools that I needed to deal with the grief myself, to take me through my own process before He was ready to open me up to the concept of sharing their story so openly with other people,” she says. “…. Now it’s very apparent to me that it’s not on our timeline, it’s on His timeline. While we sometimes want to suit up and get back on the horse and ride into the night as soon as tragedy strikes, that’s not how things work. The lessons that have been taught to me throughout this entire process have certainly been a product of faith, perseverance, and really a testament to being the person that I was brought onto this earth to be by our good Lord above.”

As she prepares for football season, Sisler acknowledges that just as she has found her own story to tell, it’s finding the story in others that makes being a journalist so fulfilling.“I just enjoy getting to know people more than just their sport and their game. What drives them? What motivates them? What gets them out of bed every morning and ultimately how did they overcome tragedy? What have they faced in their lives that has made them who they are? What has helped them to identify with themselves and identify with others?” Sisler says. “Nick Saban said it best: when you wake up in the morning, do you pray to be blessed or do you pray to bless others? ….

“I’ve rested on that quote and thought that was a great way to encapsulate my thinking,” Sisler concludes. “If I have an opportunity—whether it’s one person or a million people—to make an impact through my story and telling my parents story, then it’s worth it.”

Photo Credit: Amelia Barton ESPN Images
Photo Credit: Amelia Barton ESPN Images
  • Camille Smith Platt

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