THE FOUNDATION: The Rules

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MY WHISPER: This is the first of many appreciated letters from Mom. For six or seven years of my life, I received one of these “ILY letters” on a regular basis. Most instances I was at a crossroads and/or crisis – college, girls, career, money, zits. Mom was kind of like my guardian shepherd who held my hand through it all. God constantly puts people in our lives that assume this role. He is working and blessing us through them. It’s been a while since I received one of these in the mail. I hope that’s because I’ve turned into a “wonderful grown-up son.”

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, 

teaching in their synagogues, 

preaching the good news of the kingdom 

and healing every disease and sickness. 

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, 

because they were harassed and helpless, 

like sheep without a shepherd. 

Then he said to his disciples, 

"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, 

to send out workers into his harvest field."

Matthew 9:35-38

THE FOUNDATION: Before Faith

MY WHISPER: In my journal entries from high school, there is overwhelming evidence that I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I was brash, stubborn, but mostly confused. The last line of this entry – “I don’t have dreams anymore” – is nothing short of tragic, and it’s hard for me to believe there was a time in my life when I actually felt this way. (I will go ahead and apologize about the language and the third-person references in this excerpt.)

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THE FOUNDATION: Sincere Love

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THE FOUNDATION: The Postcard

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MY WHISPER: I have no idea who sent me this postcard, and I have no idea when I received it. I do know that I have kept it in a keepsake box for quiet some time, waiting for just the right moment to share it with others. The time has come! Reading over the prayer again, it makes me smile knowing that someone took the time to write this for me. In a world of mass e-mails and text, bulk mailing, and form letters, someone sent me a handwritten prayer. This person had a conversation with God about...ME. And what a tremendous prayer it is, too. Phrases like “guard him” and “send your angels about him now” drive home the power of prayer. Just think, you can have this exact same impact on someone’s life.

THE FOUNDATION: Mom's Prayer Request

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MY WHISPER: Mom, this journal is my prayer for you – and for every other person that I love with all my heart. Remember, you don’t have to “intellectually grasp” God. You just have to open your heart and know that his one and only Son died on the cross for our sins. For members of a SELFISH society, the hard part to grasp is the SELFLESSNESS of God’s love.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, 

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

THE FOUNDATION: My Letter

Dear family and friends,

This has to be the most selfish AND selfless gift that I have ever given to anyone. I have combined old letters, entries from journals, photos, quotes, and scripture to create this daily devotional and inspirational journal.

The only agenda I have with this gift is to share my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you are reading this introduction letter, that means you are a person that I care about very deeply. It is important to me that you know – without a doubt in your mind or in your heart – that I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. 

“Whoa, Drew! We don’t talk like that in this family!”

I know we don’t. My prayer is that this journal helps start that conversation.

“I HATE it when people shove religion and God down my throat!”

No shoving – I promise. I just want to share. Whether you listen – or read in this case – is completely up to you. I’m not going to call you every morning and ask, “Did you read your devotional today?” I’m not going to get upset if I find it buried underneath a stack of old magazines at your house. I’m not going to argue with you and get mad if you think this gift is stupid.

I just want to share.

When I was in college, I opened my heart to Jesus. A girlfriend of mine shared with me her spiritual beliefs, which slightly cracked the door to my faith. (I actually remember getting very angry and defensive.) 

To keep the “door” metaphor going – it was a few weeks later at church when God completely kicked that door in. 

It was during a baptism ceremony and the pastor reminded the congregation, “You don’t have to be baptized to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You don’t have to sign a piece of paper or stand up and announce it at the top of the lungs. You’re more than welcome to do that,” he said, “but all it takes is for you to open up your heart – you can do it sitting right where you are today – and acknowledge and give thanks that God sent his only Son to die on the cross for our sins.”

Since that day, my spiritual relationship with Christ has continued to grow through church, bible studies, fellowships groups, and prayer. This Christmas gift represents the pinnacle of my faith to this point in my life. God has given me the strength, courage, confidence, and wisdom to share this incredible relationship with you.

There was a time in my life where I couldn’t AND wouldn’t have done this.

“Why now?”

I’m proud of my relationship with Jesus Christ, and I want YOU to know that if something happens to me, and I’m taken from this earth, that I’m going to spend eternity in heaven.

This is where this gift gets “selfish” – I want to know whether the people that I love are going to be there, too. You may have a wonderful relationship with Christ, but I want to know about it. If something happens to you, I want to be able to stand up at your funeral and say, “They are in heaven, because I know without a doubt in my heart they had a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.”

There are members of our extended family that have passed away under a cloud of spiritual uncertainty. I don’t know – without a doubt in my heart – whether they’re in heaven or not. I would like to think that they are – and I pray that I’m right – but I don’t know for sure. They never shared their spiritual beliefs and faith with me.

This hurts my heart for two reasons. First, I won’t know until I’m in heaven, which will be too late. Secondly, I feel guilty that I didn’t give this Christmas gift years ago and start the conversation with every person that I have ever loved.

Selfishly, I couldn’t wait any longer to know where YOU stand. My prayer is that this Christmas gift is as much a present to me as it is to each one of you.

Like I said before, this is a unique collection of letters, photos, journal writings, quotes, and scripture. In every excerpt that I have included, I truly feel like God is alive and speaking directly to us – whether it’s a letter from Mom telling me to clean my room or a note from Dad telling me that he his proud of me.

On almost every page, I’ve included “My Whisper,” which helps explain the context of the excerpt or help put it into perspective.

I do not put a Bible verse on every page – Jesus and God are not mentioned by name on every page either. Their love, compassion, message, and empathy is there, though. They are there in our written words and in our images.

I have broken up the excerpts into days – e.g. Day1, Day 15, Day 96 – instead of dates. I want you to read this on your terms. I want to read this when you have time to focus and appreciate every word. If you skip a day, I want you to be able to just pick it up and not miss a beat. If you want to open the journal in the middle and start reading – feel free. If you want to read this journal from cover to cover on Dec. 26th – be my guest.

However you decided to use this journal, I ask one favor: Listen. I love you very much and I want you to HEAR MY WHISPER.

Lots of love! Merry Christmas! God bless!