Mama always said, “Son, when you marry, love will seem to fade at times. You may not always feel in love. Two words will get you through those times: trust and respect.”
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Dan was fetched up behind a turning plow on a red dirt farm in the Louisiana Hill Country. Ten hours a day, he followed the south end of a matching pair of northbound mules, which he named Pete and Repete.
His Catahoula leopard dog, Bob, was always close just in case a Bobwhite quail became a threat. Dan was 18.
The only dirt Julieanne trod was her daily walk with her calico cat, Alice, in Central Park in the heart of Manhattan, a faraway land to Dan.
Julieanne named her cat after the animal rights activist and writer Alice Morgan Wright. Julieanne was only 17.
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On December 7, 1941, both of their hopes and dreams of a better life crumbled when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Dan enlisted in the Army Air Corps the next day. Julieanne volunteered to sell War Bonds to fund America’s military operations.
Julieanne was a reader, even though 19 of every 20 books sold cost more than two dollars, a luxury few could afford.
When paper rationing began during the war, publishers and individuals donated books for our men in the armed forces. Julieanne donated her cherished “Pride and Prejudice.”
Soldiers discovered the delights of good books, from tiny Pacific islands to huge European depots. Dan would rather be with his mules and cow dogs than read a book. The exception was Zane Grey’s western novels.
But all that he held dear was back home. He was lonely. He picked up a free used book at the military commissary and began to read “Pride and Prejudice.” Dan discovered that the English novelist Jane Austen was no Zane Grey.
He was disappointed. He thought it was a book about the Civil War, not a romantic novel. But just when he decided to return the novel, he noticed the notes in the margins.
He became enamored with Julieanne’s personal and frank tone about what matters in life in the margins.
Although her name and address were marked through on the inside front cover, he made them out by holding the page up to the sun.
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Dan wrote her a letter. To his surprise, she responded to his letter. Although such was the day’s custom to encourage and support our soldiers overseas.
Her letters made clear her values and character over the next two years. She was the woman Dan’s mother spoke of in Proverbs 31. He soon fell in love with her, but she was as cautious as any domesticated cat—calico, white, black—it didn’t matter.
Dan wrote his mother, Ruth, with a footnote at the bottom of the letter, saying that after he mailed Julieanne a picture of himself in uniform, he requested one of her.
She responded, “If you believe I am a Proverbs 31 woman, no picture is needed.” He agreed, but later asked for her photograph again. She did not respond.
Dan’s mother replied, “Beauty will fade, son; trust and respect have kept your father and me as one since the winter of 1916. That’s when the two of us became one, tying the knot under a tall Cypress tree that overlooked Barber Creek, the house where you were later born.
When the war in Europe ended, Dan and Julieanne agreed to meet at the Grand Central Station ticket booth in Manhattan.
She would hold his photo and a red rose, and he would hold “Pride and Prejudice.”
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As he deboarded his train and headed to the ticket counter, a woman walked straight towards him. He could not ignore her countenance when she slightly glanced at him and passed within a few feet.
She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, but she made no eye contact, had no red rose, and did not have his photograph.
Dan walked another 20 feet, and there Julieanne stood, glancing at his photo in one hand and with the red rose in the other. She was somewhat disheveled and plainer than he had imagined.
For a brief moment, he was disappointed and almost walked away, and then his mother’s words came to mind, “Beauty will fade; trust and respect have kept your father and me as one.”
As Daniel approached her, he said, “Here I am. I hope you’re not disappointed.”
The lady looked stunned and said, “Mister, I don’t have a clue what’s going on, but that woman who just walked by you told me to tell you if you approached me to tell you. “She would be at the café across the street waiting for you.
“Sir, please return your photo and red rose.”
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Dan and Julieanne celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1995 with five children, eleven grandchildren, half a dozen calico cats, and three Catahoula leopard dogs in attendance.
Dan’s mules sent their regrets. They were busy explaining how to plow a straight row to a lamb and his friend, a lion in Heaven.
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Dedicated to my mother, Ruth Lawson Willis, a Proverbs 31 woman.
Choose your Destiny
Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied. —Proverbs 27:20
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There are insatiable desires in man of appetites, recognition, money, and lust. Many are always wanting more, bigger, and better things. This is nothing new.
For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. —2 Corinthians 11:14
The eyes of man are never satisfied, the scripture records. Our restless heart that cannot find contentment in worldly possessions. We seem to be always seeking more.
Man has a hole in his heart. It’s a void, an emptiness. We can never fill it with relationships or money. Nor an endless array of entertainment, stimulants. Family and religion cannot fill this emptiness either.
Why? Only God can fill the “hole in our hearts.” Jesus Christ can and will satisfy that sense of longing and emptiness. We are designed—created—for God alone to occupy our souls: our heart, our mind, our will, our emotions.
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. —Psalm 139:13
We need a personal relationship with the Lord of Creation, Jesus. This means a one-on-one connection with God in the Flesh. Jesus, the Christ of the Bible, fulfills this role. He alone can fill the longings of our hearts.
Millions try pills, drugs, and alcohol. History is littered with those who have taken this route. Some try education, career, family, and religion. My friend, only Jesus can fill the longing in our hearts. He alone can fill the hole in your heart—your soul —your mind.
Jesus loves you. He came to this earth because of that love. Jesus was beaten, and a crown of thorns was pressed into his head. His beard was plucked out. He was nailed to a cross naked. Shedding his blood, God’s blood for you and me.
His coat was gambled for. And dying high on that hill called Calvary—while his beloved mother wept. His disciples, who had witnessed His miracles, all fled—save one. Despised, mocked, and rejected, he prayed.
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. —Luke 23:34
All of this for you and me. That’s how much he loves you and me.
Do you want joy and peace, and a sense of purpose? Do you long to know why the Holy God in Heaven created you? Is his intent to jerk you up by the “nap of your shirt” and then condemn you with a smirk? Not hardly.
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. —John 3:17
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Is your heart broken? Have your dreams failed? Are you overwhelmed? Are you oppressed? Jesus said in Luke 4:18:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed. —Luke 4:18
Join me on the most extraordinary destiny ever offered to mankind.
This most extraordinary destiny ever offered to mankind.
You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. —Habakkuk 1:13
The Lord God in Heaven cannot look upon sin, for He is Holy. Yet He loves us, sinful man, and has provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him. To spend eternity with Him.
This is the story of this most extraordinary destiny ever offered to mankind.
Let’s begin with the last invitation in the Word of God, which is in Revelation 22:17.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” —Revelation 22:17
Are you thirsty? Then come. Let him who hears come. And whosoever will, can come.
The invitation is to you—to me—to “whosoever will”—to everyone!
Bring your disappointments, failures, fears, and heartaches. The Holy Spirit says, Come to Jesus, our Savior.
God loves you. He wants to save you. He will save you. Come to Jesus, and drink the water of life freely.
Christ suffered, He bled, He died because He loves you and me. Listen to the still voice of the Holy Spirit, bidding you come to Jesus.
Don’t wait—come today! The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2 today is the day of salvation.
The Ends of the Earth
Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. —Isaiah 45:22
All you ends of the earth” includes the Aboriginal people of the Central Australian desert.
All you ends of the earth” are those in darkest Africa.
All you ends of the earth” are the isolated tribes in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.
All you ends of the earth” are presidents, world leaders, and kings.
All you ends of the earth” is the polished lawyer, the gifted doctor, and the brilliant college professor.
All you ends of the earth” is the prostitute. It is the drug dealer. It is the rapist. It is the thief. It is the murderer.
All the ends of the earth is me—and you. Come today!
Why a Bronze Serpent
“So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was if a serpent had bitten anyone when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. —Numbers 21:19
Bronze represents judgment. The serpent is destructive, deceptive, and the most dangerous creature you will ever encounter. He is our adversary and the father of all lies. His name is Satan.
He does not appear with horns, a red cape, and an ugly face. Instead, he appears as an angel of light and says, what harm can what I offer do? No one will know. No one will be hurt.
It’s your body. You are in control. You can be your own god. You can be like god. No one can tell you what you can and can’t do. He is Satan, and he comes to destroy God’s most cherished and loved creation: You.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. —John 10:10
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Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. “Take a little cocaine,” Satan whispers. “It will make you feel good. No one will know. You’re not hurting anyone.”
The Greek term pharmakeia, in the Bible, is the root of the word “pharmacy,” in English. Pharmakeia is used in the New Testament (Galatians 5:20; Revelation 9:21; 18:23) to describe sorcery, witchcraft, and drug-related magic.
Jesus says, He has come that we may have life and have it more abundantly. Choose an abundant life in Jesus today.
You don’t need hangouts, hangups, or hangovers. You need a personal relationship with the Lord of Creation, who created the Universe and you. Jesus is His name.
In that relationship lies your future, your blessed Hope, your salvation, and your joy. And your Christ blood bought destiny. Choose your destiny today. It has already been paid for with Jesus’s blood on the cross of Calvary. But you must accept God’s free gift of eternal life. That is done through faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. —2 Corinthians 11:14
You and I have been bitten by sin, like the Israelite’s who followed Moses out of Egyptian bondage.
The Israelites had to choose whether to put their faith in God. It was a simple act of faith, but a life-or-death decision. We too face such a choice.
Those who looked lived. Those who looked were healed. Those who looked were made whole. Those who looked were saved. They didn’t wait until they were better people. They didn’t have to touch it. They just looked.
Jesus tells us in John 3:14-15 that this is a picture of Him being lifted up on the Cross of Calvary.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. —John 3:14-15
The bronze serpent represented the people’s sin. According to the Scriptures, Christ was made sin for us.
Will you look to Jesus?—will you put your trust in Him?—the One who died for your sins.
Will you put your faith in Jesus?—the One who shed His lifeblood for you—and me.
My son Aaron Willis’s Two Automobile Accidents
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. —Hebrews 13:2
April 20, 2026, was not my son, Aaron Willis’s first miracle. In both cases, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. Each morning, I plead the blood of Jesus, as found in Revelation 12:11, and I pray Psalm 91 for protection over my family.
I was awakened very early on April 20 by the Holy Spirit. I did not know what was going on, but I knew I needed to pray for my family.
It’s difficult to explain how I knew the Holy Spirit was speaking. It’s like there was a disturbance in my soul. As if my piece in the Lord is not right. Such an inadequate way to explain that feeling, I know.
But once I prayed, an overwhelming peace came over me. The Apostle Paul writes of this peace from prison in Philippi.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:7
My son, Aaron Willis’s truck early on April 20, 2026
That’s my red GMC pickup with the taillights flashing. I arrived before the police, fire truck, and ambulance on April 20.
Aaron crawled through the windshield before it collapsed and called me.
The same day after Aaron’s release from the hospital, he went to the towing company to make sure he had all his possessions. Notice the collapsed driver’s side.
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But this was not the first time Aaron was almost killed in an automobile accident.
When Aaron was in high school, he was in another automobile accident. His back was broken so severely that the doctors said he might never walk again.
Several vertebrae in his lower back were fused. After that, he was able to begin the long task of healing from the spinal fusion surgery. He was encased in a rigid plastic back brace from his neck to his waist.
Months later, his doctor agreed to let him briefly remove the brace and shower as long as someone was with him.
Divorced, I was driving to pick Aaron and his brothers up for the weekend. Unbeknownst to me, his brother Josh helped him remove the brace as the doctor had instructed. Aaron could take a hot shower in his shorts. Josh, his brother, was with him, but was much smaller than Aaron at that time. Aaron’s doctor approved this protocol.
I began to exit to stop at the Austin post office on St. Johns, off Interstate 35, when a small but clear voice said, “You need to go now.” I had known this voice since my youth.
I passed the post office exit. I drove as fast as possible to Wimberley, an hour away. I wondered what that warning was about.
There were no cell phones then. As I entered their mother’s home, I asked their mother where Aaron was. She said in the shower.
I ran to it, and the moment I entered the bathroom, Aaron said, “Dad, I’m dizzy.”
I stepped into the shower and placed my arms under his armpits from behind. He immediately passed out.
I told Josh to help me move him to a bed while their mother called 911. His dead weight was more than I could have imagined.
We got him onto a bed without re-injuring his back. I knew if he had fallen, he probably would have been paralyzed.
I prayed as I followed the ambulance to the emergency room at Austin’s Seton Medical Center. I noticed the symbol on the back of the ambulance.
It was the American Medical Association’s (AMA) logo of a serpent wrapped around a staff.
The sign of healing medicine reminded me of the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up on the staff. Christians believe that’s where the symbol originated.
But, more importantly, it reminded me of Jesus being lifted up on a cross for my son. God’s son suffered in place of my son.
To this day, I cannot see that symbol without giving thanks to the Lord for that warning. I remember the shed blood of Christ lifted high upon a cross. It was for my son’s sins, my sins, your sins, and the entire world’s sins.
When we arrived at the hospital’s emergency room, the doctors gave him intravenous (IV) fluids. They also gave him two bottles of Gatorade for dehydration.
The hot shower, combined with pain medication and his early morning dehydration, caused his blood to rush to his feet. This resulted in him fainting.
Look
Will you look to the One lifted up on a cross for you and me? Will you look to the Great Physician—Jesus—to heal you of all your pain, emptiness, and disappointments?
Will you look to Jesus? He took your place on the cross and died for your sins. Through Him alone, you can be made new, whole, and born again.
Choose
Jesus hung between two thieves (criminals) on a cross. One rejected Him, but the other put his faith in Him.
“Will You remember me when You enter Your kingdom?” one thief asks.
Jesus replied, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
Both of those men were guilty of crimes serious enough to warrant the Roman death penalty. One put his trust in Jesus, and the other chose not to.
The question is, which thief on the cross are you? The one who said yes or the one who said no?
Now, there was the third cross that day. It was for another criminal named Barabbas, and he represents us.
Jesus was crucified on a cross meant for Barabbas—it was your cross—it was my cross, too.
Come
Come just as you are.
Will you say yes to Jesus—today?
There’s a Scripture that I love, and it explains things so clearly even I can understand.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. —Romans 10:9-10
You can settle this question in heaven and on earth today. Say yes to Jesus. Accept His pardon, just as that one thief did on the cross. There are no prescriptive or mandated words. Praying is just talking to the Lord.
Open
Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” — Revelation 3:20
Ask
Self-improvement will not qualify you for salvation, for God’s Word says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10)
Comparing yourself to others will not work either: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
We seek to commend ourselves to God. However, God says our good works are like filthy rags in His sight [Isaiah 64:6]. If we are ever accepted in the eyes of Holy God, it must be through Christ our Lord.
There is no other way, as says Habakkuk 1:13: “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.”
If you could be good enough to pay for your sins, think about this. Why did Jesus have to die for you?
Jesus bore your cross and my cross. He took our place on the cross. He shed His blood for our sins on that cross high on a hill for all the world to see.
The Just for the unjust. The Righteous for the unrighteous. The Godly for the ungodly The sinless Lamb of God for the sinner.
According to the Bible, we all have feet of clay and fall short of God’s glory. Our righteousness is described in the Bible as filthy rags. God’s grace (his undeserved favor) is available to us all. However, we must accept His gift of forgiveness. This gift was bought and paid for with Jesus Christ’s lifeblood on the cross. You can say yes to Jesus’s free gift right now.
Our greatest need is forgiveness. Christ came to forgive us, but we must accept that free gift. Jesus said in Revelation 3:20:
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. —Revelation 3:20
Jesus knocks, but you must open the door to your heart, to your life, to your future.
It’s not a prescribed list of words. In Luke 23:42, one of the criminals crucified with Jesus pleads, “Lord, remember me when You come into your kingdom. His heartfelt cry of faith from the cross saves him.
Jesus answers in the next verse with a promise. He says, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” The first person to accompany Christ to Heaven was this lowly thief on the cross.
Isn’t it time to decide which “thief” on the cross you are? Are you the one who put his faith in Jesus Christ? Or are you the one who rejected our Savior who gave His lifeblood for us?
The most famous 25 words ever written.
For God so loved the world. He gave His only begotten Son. Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. —John 3:16
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If these words are how you feel in your heart, then pray:
Heavenly Father,
I pray to You, asking for the forgiveness of my sins.
I confess with my mouth. I believe with my heart that Jesus is Your Son. He died on the cross at Calvary so that I might be forgiven.
Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead. I ask Jesus to come into my life as my personal Lord and Savior.
I turn from my sins and will surrender to your will throughout my life.
Your word is truth. I confess with my mouth that I am born again. I am cleansed by the blood of Jesus!
In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen!
Reach out and touch Him today!
For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well. —Matthew 9:21
How did I come to know Christ?
I was headed to Temple Baptist Church with Grandma, and my owner’s manual: the Bible. It was Grandma Lillie Hanks Willis who first poured Jesus into me; sometimes, she even used words. That’s my dog Pedro wanting to follow me.
We attended Temple Baptist Church in Clute, Texas, every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. It seemed that everyone attended church in those days.
On a Wednesday night, my mother could not attend church. I walked to church from our home at 519 Coleman Street. My twelve-year-old sister Marjorie accompanied me. I was only eight.
I had no intention of that night being any different from any other. I cannot recall a word Pastor Bill Campbell said in his sermon. But I remember vividly another voice that spoke to my mind—my heart—my spirit.
It was not an audible voice. It was a still, gentle voice, tender but ever so clear, telling me to go forward and accept Christ as my Savior.
I recall my response to the Holy Spirit as if it were five minutes ago: “Lord, I am too shy. I would if my mother were here to go with me.”
I felt someone touch my left shoulder. My sister Marjorie was sitting in the back row with her friends. She could not see my face, for I was seated near the front.
She said, “I’ll go with you if you want me to.” I immediately stood and walked with her to the front of the church and made my decision public.
I know you do not have to have an experience like that to be born again. Nevertheless, I am grateful for that experience; it has never left my mind or my heart.
I was eight when I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior.
More Photos of Aaron Willis
Josh, Adam & Aaron Willis skiing a few years after the auto accident.
Aaron, Randy, Josh, and Adam Willis.
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Aaron Willis Hyde Park Baptist Church Austin 1991
Aaron and Alana’s daughter, Presley Willis Wimberley, First Baptist
Aaron and Alana’s daughter, Baylee Willis Wimberley, First Baptist.
Alana, Baylee, Presley, and Aaron Willis, Maui, Hawaii
My Family
Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father. —Proverbs 17:6
L to R: Presley Willis, Baylee Willis holding Baby Violet Willis, Corbin Willis, and Olivia Willis holding Juliette Willis
Our family in Port Aransas, Texas
Our Family Costa Rica
Our Family Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii
Our family is in my “backyard” in the Texas Hill Country. I took this photo.
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I found this charred letter from my pastor, Dr. Ralph Smith, after my home burned in the Texas Hill Country. It was the encouragement I needed.
“Many today have just enough religion to inoculate them from knowing Christ.” —Randy Willis
Randy Willis Mini-Bio
Best-selling and award-winning master storyteller Randy Willis—books about adventure, family, and faith.
Randy Willis is as much at home in the saddle as he is in front of the computer, where he composes his family sagas.
Randy draws on his family’s heritage of explorers, settlers, soldiers, cowboys, and pastors. He carries on the tradition of loving the outdoors. Randy shares it through the adventures he creates in his short stories, biographies, and novels.
Randy Willis is the author of 19 books. These include Destiny, Beckoning Candle, Twice a Slave, Three Winds Blowing, Texas Wind, and Louisiana Wind. Additionally, he authored The Apostle to the Opelousas. He also wrote The Story of Joseph Willis and his autobiography, To the Best of My Recollection.
Twice a Slave has been chosen as a Jerry B. Jenkins Select Book, along with four best-selling authors. Jerry Jenkins is the author of more than 200 books. His works have sold over 70 million copies. This includes the best-selling Left Behind series.
Twice a Slave has been adapted into a dramatic play at Louisiana Christian University by Dr. D. “Pete” Richardson (Associate Professor of Theater).
Randy Willis owns Randy Willis Music Publishing. It is an ASCAP-affiliated music publishing company. He also owns Town Lake Music Publishing, LLC. This is a BMI-affiliated music publishing company.
Randy Willis is an ASCAP-affiliated songwriter. He was an artist manager and TV producer.
Randy Willis is a Texas Hill Country Rancher.
Randy Willis founded Operation Warm Heart in 1991. It provides food and clothing to those in need in Central Texas.
Randy Willis was a member of the Board of Directors of Our Mission Possible in Austin, Texas. This organization empowers at-risk teens to discover their greatness.
Randy Willis was a charter member of the Board of Trustees of the Joseph Willis Institute for Great Awakening Studies at Louisiana College (Louisiana Christian University).
Randy Willis served on the Board of Directors of the Austin Apartment Association for four years. He was on the Board of Directors of the Texas Apartment Association for the same duration.
Randy Willis was born in Oakdale, Louisiana, and lived as a boy near Longleaf, Louisiana, and Barber Creek.
He currently resides in the Texas Hill Country near his three sons and their families.
Randy Willis graduated from Angleton High School in Angleton, Texas, and Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
Randy Willis was a graduate student at Texas State University for six years. He is the father of three sons and has six grandchildren.
