Embrace God's truth with our new book, The Lies that Bind

Donate
OUTREACH & PARNTERSHIPS
Return
Shop
Return
Seasonal sale

Spring’s promise begins here

See the new spring collection. Get 20% off all orders using code: SPRING.

Shop now
Spring’s promise begins here
Articles
Return
Featured Article

‘The Star Thrower’ and the Difference You Can Make

In 1978, author Loren Eiseley published an essay called “The Star Thrower.” It recounts a beach walk by a narrator...

Read More
Abide
Return
The Abide App

Find Peace and Rest in God's Presence

Devotions, prayer, sleep stories, Biblical meditations, and more — all designed to bring you peace and draw you closer to God.

Learn More
Find Peace and Rest in God's Presence

10 Travel Tips for a Cheaper Vacation

Posted on by Roberta Messner

“Summer afternoon–summer afternoon, to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”

That age-old sentiment by Henry James has long been one of my favorites. But how do you have a vacation during those beloved months that doesn’t break the bank? With some careful planning, it’s possible. Here are some tips to make your trip as affordable as possible:

1) Plan ahead.

You usually secure the best fare and accommodation rates when you book early. And, no matter where you’re going, hotels and attractions often fill up quickly during the busy summer travel season. The few rooms that may remain are usually the most expensive. Pick some dates and start planning!

2) Check travel websites frequently.

On travel sites like Farecast, Kayak, Orbitz, and Last Minute, you can sign up to be notified by email when fares to your desired destination are cheapest. Some even offer great last-minute deals.

3) Travel with another family.

On a road trip, you’ll share gasoline and wear and tear on a vehicle. And you’ll have memories that will last forever.

4) Check out B & Bs.

For a more charming (and often budgetwise) stay, bed and breakfasts offer a beguiling alternative to traditional hotels and motels. And because the first meal of the day is included for the whole family, the savings can be substantial. Ask if there’s a price break for staying mid-week instead of over a weekend or for recommending the establishment to others. Whether you’re at a hotel or a B & B, ask about discounts for AAA members or AARP members. Check out sites like AirBnB to find cheap, cozy places to rent by the night, instead of spending a fortune on hotels.

5) Pack your own snacks.

The costs of vending machine and convenience store pop and chips can really add up. Fill a cooler for your next road trip with favorites from home or the dollar store. You’ll not only save, you’ll have more nutritious and tastier treats as well.

6) Collect spare change throughout the year.

Every time you receive change after a transaction, tuck it away in a Mason jar. When the whole family does this for a year, it can add up to an amazing amount of spending money for a long-awaited trip.

7) Look into trains for travel.

My brother Bob says trains are the new bus. His comment convinced me to travel from West Virginia to Chicago with his family on the rails last winter to revisit my brother’s college town. It was cheap, clean, and oh so nostalgic. And the stories we shared will never be forgotten.

8) Book when the rates are lowest.

My friend Jim always books hotels during Halloween weekend when many locations offer surprisingly affordable packages as families usually want to stay home come the end of October. Also, try booking airline prices on Fridays and departing between Tuesdays and Thursdays.

9) Clear your cache when searching for fares.

Have you ever looked up a flight on a travel site only to come back later and find the fares have increased? Because travel sites collect data on who visits their sites, they can increase the fares on potential customers who don’t purchase right away. If you clear your cache by going to your web browser’s history settings, the travel site won’t have any recollection of you visiting the site already and fares should return to the ones you originally saw.

10) Teach your kids the old-fashioned lesson of the value of the dollar.

Ask each child to find a way throughout the year to earn extra money be it babysitting, cutting lawns, or shoveling snow. Then have them save that money toward a family trip. They’ll appreciate the time they had so much more when they make a real contribution and the lessons learned will serve them into adulthood.

10 Things to Know About Pope Francis

Posted on by Brooke Obie

Pope Francis is scheduled to visit the United States in September. Everyone from TV news crews to souvenir vendors is preparing for his visit, but many people may not know much about this pope, who is making his first apostolic visit to the U.S. Discover 10 facts about Pope Francis–from his many “firsts” to his feelings about the Popemobile.

—Kimberly Winston

10 Stops on a Black History Tour of New Orleans

Posted on by Brooke Obie

Scroll through these photographs to see the oldest African American neighborhood in the country, learn the story of the first coffee seller in New Orleans and meet the people who are shaping the city today. From Congo Square to the Mayor’s Office, there is much to learn about one of the most vibrant cities in America.

This Black History Month, there’s no better time to visit New Orleans.

Brooke Obie visited New Orleans courteousy of the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation.

10 Inspiring Quotes from Poet Mary Oliver

Posted on by Carolina Pichardo

Mary Oliver, who published dozens of poetry and essay collections during her decades-long career, was known for her affinity for nature and animal life. She won several awards for her work, including a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award. She passed away at the age of 83 on January 17, 2019. Guideposts honors her work with some of her best poetry quotes and sayings.

10 Hawaiian Sayings for a Happier Life

Posted on by Brooke Obie

Hawaii is world-renowned for its beautiful landscapes and shorelines. But what keeps me coming back to the islands is the aloha culture. For Hawaiians, aloha is not just a way to say hello and goodbye; it’s a lifestyle of love, compassion and recognition. “Ha,” like in many languages, signifies the breath of life. When you greet someone with aloha or you interact with someone with an aloha spirit, it’s about recognizing a person’s humanity and their significance in creation. I think of it as like saying, “I recognize God in you.” With that in mind, your interactions with others can be more kind, more considerate and more loving, improving your day and perhaps even someone else’s.

Enjoy these 10 Hawaiian sayings translated into English that capture the spirit of aloha and these beautiful photos from the island of Molokai.

Brooke Obie visited Molokai, Hawaii courtesy of the Destination Molokai Visitors Bureau.

10 Good Books To Read

Posted on by Guideposts

Whether you’re enjoying the last days of summer vacation or hard at work and looking forward to Labor Day weekend, the Guideposts editorial staff has got a book for you.

Like our readers, we at Guideposts each have our own voices and opinions, which makes for a very diverse reading list. From works by a Pulitzer prize winner and thought-provoking non-fiction, to “the ultimate never-want-it-to-end, just-one-more-chapter-and-I’ll-go-to-bed” read, there’s something here for everyone.

Check out these recommendations and share your favorite books in the comments.

Kindred, by Octavia Butler (Beacon Press)

Recommended by Daniel Kessel, Assistant Editor, Mysterious Ways

I’m really not a science fiction person, but in Kindred, Butler dispenses with the science and brings out the best of fiction. With the main character Dana, we travel from 1976 all the way back in time to the 1800s, where it’s suddenly her job to save the life of a slave owner’s son. From there, we witness the world of slavery first hand and get entangled in the power politics of the master/slave dynamic. Butler handles the subject matter with compelling sensitivity and even, on occasion, humor. The clear prose makes for relatively easy reading, so I recommend reading this anywhere, even on the beach.

When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life’s Sacred Questions

Recommended by Sabra Ciancanelli, Senior Digital Editor

I fell in love with Sue Monk Kidd’s writing years ago in Daily Guideposts when I discovered her gift of seeing God in everyday moments. I found When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life’s Sacred Questions tucked away in my favorite used bookstore in Wellfleet, Cape Cod. It called out to me at just the right time, as books I need so often do. When the Heart Waits is a spiritual journey filled with personal heartfelt experiences, wisdom and hope for life’s challenges. It gives beautiful insight for times when we are waiting—waiting for an answer, waiting to feel God’s comfort—and how waiting itself is a spiritual process that awakens us to experience moments of God’s grace.

Looking for more books? Visit the Guideposts Shop

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Penguin Books)

Recommended by Keren Baltzer, Editor, Guideposts Books

Hanna Heath, an Australian rare-book expert, is offered the job of a lifetime: analysis and conservation of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which has been rescued from Serb shelling during the Bosnian war. Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest Jewish volumes ever to be illuminated with images. When Hanna discovers a series of tiny artifacts in its ancient binding—an insect wing fragment, wine stains, salt crystals, a white hair—she begins to unlock the book’s mysteries. The reader is ushered into an exquisitely detailed and atmospheric past, tracing the book’s journey from its salvation back to its creation.

Hanna’s investigation unexpectedly plunges her into the intrigues of fine art forgers and ultra-nationalist fanatics. Her experiences will test her belief in herself and the man she has come to love. Inspired by a true story, People of the Book is at once a novel of sweeping historical grandeur and intimate emotional intensity, an ambitious, electrifying work by an acclaimed and beloved author.

The Shadow of the Wind, by Carols Ruiz Zafón (Penguin Books)

Recommended by Diana Aydin, Editor, Mysterious Ways

A coming-of-age tale that truly has it all – shocking twists and turns, mystery, romance, tragedy, a man without a face and even a Cemetery of Forgotten Books, i.e. the place books go to die. The protagonist, Daniel, finds one such “forgotten book” at age 10 and it takes him on an unforgettable journey into adulthood, as he tries to track down the book’s enigmatic writer, Julián Carax. Zafón is a Spanish writer and the novel is set in dark, post-World War II Barcelona. It’s the ultimate never-want-it-to-end, just-one-more-chapter-and-I’ll-go-to-bed read.

Last One Home by Debbie Macomber (Ballantine Books)

Recommended by Rick Hamlin, Executive Editor

The perfect book for the beach or the hammock or the back porch is Debbie Macomber’s latest novel Last One Home. You know somehow that all will work out for the heroine Cassie and her teenaged daughter, but you have to hold on tight to make sure she ends up with the incredibly decent widower who is very much in love with her and she with him. All the characters in this intensely readable book are believable and their motives understandable. I especially like it that the so-called “enemies” have many redeeming qualities and redemption indeed is spread around, while love triumphs in the end.

Undivided: A Muslim Daughter, Her Christian Mother, Their Path to Peace by Patricia and Alana Raybon (W Publishing Group)

Recommended by Brooke Obie, Senior Digital Editor, Guideposts.org

One of the most enjoyable books I’ve read this year is the powerful story of a mother and daughter who, after a 10-year tumultuous relationship due to their different religious beliefs, literally write their way to a peaceful reconciliation. Each chapter is a beautifully written conversation between the two, explaining why they believe what they believe, but most of all, expressing how they can love and respect each other better. It’s a heartfelt look into the beauty and complexity of faith and a hopeful guide for healing family rifts that I’ve been recommending to others ever since I read it.

Guideposts Books & Inspirational Media

(We just had to recommend these!)

Did you know Guideposts publishes books? You may be familiar with Daily Guideposts, the beloved devotional, or Guideposts Daily Planner, which offers a way to connect your spiritual life with your daily life. You may not be aware that Guideposts just released a brand-new fiction series, Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries, and Mornings with Jesus offers a beautiful way to begin your day.

And we have two special offers right now for the two-book sets Thin Places by Sabra Ciancanelli and Heaven Sent by the Editors of Guideposts and Miracles in the ER by Robert D. Lesslie, MD and Miracles & Moments of Grace by Nancy B. Kennedy. Go to ShopGuideposts.org to buy these books and more!

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (Grand Central Publishing)

Recommended by Melissa Roberson, Freelance Blog Editor, Guideposts.org

When I was a little girl, I sometimes used to go to sleep in one of my mother’s cocktail dresses. There was a pink satin one with long shirred sleeves that I remember best. I’d suit up for the night and drape its liquid folds artfully across my bunk bed, trying my best to look like an exquisite princess in a bowl haircut. My dream was that a prince (preferably British) would come and whisk me away as I slept. Again, I was only 7 or 8…ok, maybe 12… So the book on my nightstand is The Royal We, a spunky, funny novel by Jessica Cocks and Heather Morgan about a young American woman who snags, yep, a Prince of Wales named Nick. More than 50 years later, I can still dream.

Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague by Geraldine Brooks (Penguin Books)

Recommended by Doug Synder, Assistant Art Director

This novel by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author is inspired by the true story of Eyam, a village in the hill country of England, devastated by the plague in the 17th century.

It is written from the point of view of a young woman who experiences the worst of the plague, watching her loved ones perish. My favorite part of the story is watching her reluctantly fall in love, while all around the two lovers the plague takes one person after another.

The Wall Street Journal called the book “emotionally intelligent” and said it introduces “an inspiring heroine.” It is about love and loss. It is an unforgettable read.

The Spirit Level by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson (Bloomsbury Press)

Recommended by Stephanie Castillo Samoy, Managing Editor, Guideposts Books & Inspirational Media

This book addresses the way extreme amounts of wealth inequality aren’t just bad for poor people, which most of us recognize, but that inequity produces worse outcomes across the entire social gradient, from carpenters to lawyers and even directors of Fortune 500 companies.

The author shows that, in America, the more equitable states have better social outcomes than less equitable states. It’s fascinating that it doesn’t matter how rich or poor the state is, just how equitable it is. Some states with the best social outcomes are quite divergent. A few New England states have great social outcomes, but North Dakota also ranks high and has exceptional levels of equality (low taxation, but all residents make close to the same salary).

The Spirit Level illustrates that although we may disagree on the way to achieve greater income and wealth equality, we must recognize it is a serious problem that needs to be solved together.

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss (W.W. Norton & Company)

Recommended by Alex Bova, Editorial Intern

“Part of me is made of glass, and also, I love you.” –page 63

There is nothing that truly epitomizes this spectacular novel more than this sentence. This novel is about the fragility of life as we know it – about finding love and losing love all at the same time. The story is told from Leo Gursky’s perspective as well as a fourteen year old girl named Alma, both strongly connected to a book titled, The History of Love. The reader will embark on a journey through the lives of these two narrators trying to grapple with the beautiful tragedy that is love. This book has stayed in my soul since the first time I read it; my copy has dog eared pages.

10 Fun Facts from 50 Years of ‘Sesame Street’

Posted on by Brett Leveridge

On November 10, 1969, a pioneering new approach to children’s programming was born when Sesame Street, the beloved show that for 50 years has both entertained and educated young children (and many not-so-young ones), made its debut on PBS.

According to Joan Ganz Cooney, co-creator of the program, she first discussed using television to educate young children in 1966 during a small dinner party at her Manhattan apartment. Lloyd Morrisett, then an executive at the Carnegie Corporation, was in attendance, and after exchanging ideas over dinner, he and Ganz Cooney would go on to create the pioneering and influential show.

To celebrate the show’s golden anniversary, here are some fun facts about this beloved program.

1. The show wasn’t originally to be called Sesame Street, but when it was learned that the original title—123 Avenue B—was an existing address in New York City, the name was changed.

2. Big Bird is without a doubt aptly named: He stands a towering 8 feet 2 inches.

3. The Count, Sesame Street’s numbers-loving (and definitely not scary) vampire, is probably unimpressed by the show’s 50th anniversary. After all, he turned 1,832,671 on October 9, 2019.

4. During the first season of the show, Oscar the Grouch was not green, but orange (however, his disposition was no sunnier than in later seasons).

5. Elmo once donned a suit and tie to appear before Congress—specifically, the Education Appropriations Subcommittee—where he spoke in favor of increased spending on musical instruments for school programs.

6. Bert’s pal, Ernie, enjoyed a brief stint as a pop music star. His 1970 single, Rubber Duckie, made it to no. 16 on Billboard’s singles chart.

7. To date, four First Ladies—Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama—have appeared on Sesame Street.

8. In 1976, perhaps inspired by the nation’s Bicentennial celebration, Big Bird ran for President.

9. Actor James Earl Jones was the first celebrity to appear on Sesame Street. A bonus fun fact: Actor Burt Lancaster made his television debut in the show’s first season.

10. Cookie Monster is the show’s only monster who has five fingers (the others all have just four).

Happy anniversary, Sesame Street—here’s to the next 50 years!

10 Easter Eggs from Around the World

Posted on by Ashley Lateef

Decorating Easter eggs is a tradition for many families today, but it’s a custom that originated a far back as the 13th century. Many cultures developed their unique decorating styles and Easter customs over the years. Check out some traditional Easter egg artwork from Italy, Russia, Ukraine and more along with some fun facts about each country’s traditions involving eggs. We hope these beautiful designs inspire your Easter egg designs. Enjoy!

READ MORE: The Easter Story in 14 Bible Passages

100-Year-Old Woman Gets Her ‘Wish of a Lifetime’

Posted on by Guideposts

Ruby Holt had done many things in her century on earth. The mother of four spent her years working on a farm and raising her family in rural, land-locked Tennessee. But for her 101st birthday, there was one thing Holt wanted to do more than anything else: see the ocean for the first time.

She had never found the time or the money to travel, and now the wheelchair-bound Holt was living in an assisted living facility. “I’ve heard people talk about it and how wonderful it was and wanted to see it, but I never had the opportunity to do so,” she said.

The odds of making the 400-mile trip to the Gulf of Mexico at her age seemed slim, until the earth angels at her facility contacted the Wish of a Lifetime organization about Holt’s wish. The non-profit organization specifically for seniors sent Holt on an all-expense-paid trip to the Gulf of Mexico to see the ocean, equipped with a motorized wheelchair with heavy-duty tires so she could easily roll over the sand.

Watch the heartwarming video below:

Encourage Positive Thinking In Others

Posted on by jongordon

With so many people in the world telling us we can’t succeed, we need to hear people telling us we can.

I remember my high school English teacher telling me not to apply to Cornell University because they wouldn’t accept me and even if they did I wouldn’t be able to do the work. (It’s funny that I’m a writer now).

I almost didn’t apply but a few days later I saw Ivan Foldfarb, a former teacher, in the hallway and asked him about Cornell. He said, “If you get in, then you go. You can do it.” His words made all the difference. I applied, was accepted and majored in Lacrosse.

Too often we think it’s our role to inject a dose of “reality” into someone’s life. We think it’s our job to protect people from the pain of failure and defeat. We think we must point out how bad the economy is and how horrible the job market is and how the sky is falling. We think that dreams were meant for others.

I say there are enough pessimists and “realists” in the world. The world doesn’t need more negativity and impossible thinkers. The world needs more optimists, encouragers, and inspirers.

The world needs more people to speak into the hearts of others and say “I believe in you.” “Follow your passion and live your purpose.” “If you have the desire then you also have the power to make it happen.” “Keep working hard.” “You’re improving and getting better. Keep it up.” “The economy is tough but you can still grow your business.” “The job market is not great but I believe you’ll find the right job for you.” “We’ve hit a lot of obstacles but we’ll get the project finished.” “Even if you fail it will lead to something even better.” “You’re learning and growing.”

When it comes to encouragement I know that every one of us loves working for and with people who bring out the best in us. We love being around people who uplift us and make us feel great.

And while we’ll always remember the negative people who told us we couldn’t accomplish something, we will always cherish and hold a special place in our heart for those who encouraged us.

Today I want to encourage you to be an encourager. So often the difference between success and failure is belief. And so often that belief is instilled in us by someone who encouraged us.

Today decide to be that person who instills a positive belief in someone who needs to hear your encouraging words. Uplift someone who is feeling down. Fuel your team with your positive energy. Rally others to focus on what is possible rather than what seems impossible.

Share encouragement. It matters and we all need it.

Download your FREE positive thinking ebook!

Encouragement for Those in Tough Times

Posted on by Shawnelle Eliasen

“Mom, may I have this old camera?” Gabe asks. He’s holding a digital camera that Lonny and I used a few years ago. It wasn’t a very good camera, and we upgraded soon after purchase. Today Gabe found it on the bottom shelf of Lonny’s bedroom cabinet – behind the plastic tub of Play dough toys he’d been rooting around for.

“I don’t know if it works,” I say. “Wait until Daddy’s home. He can change the batteries and see.”

Gabe agrees, and a few hours later, hands curled around the camera, he meets Lonny at the door.

“Can we get this working?” he asks.

And soon they’re hunkered over the dining room table.

Later in the evening I’m standing at basin of dishes when I hear a tumble of voices from the schoolroom.

“Look at me,” Sam says. “I was so small.”

I wipe my hands and follow the voices. Lonny and the three boys are jumbled on the sofa. The camera is working and they’re looking through pictures on the long forgotten disk.

Shawnelle and her husband Lonny with the sun on their shoulders“Look, Shawnelle,” Lonny says. “Pictures from the lake.”

I take the camera in my hands and peer at the screen. The pictures are from seven years ago. Lonny and I are standing close, backs to the lake’s variegated blues.

We’re smiling and my hair is blowing in the breeze. The sun is on our shoulders. Our five sons were somewhere near us, and we’re completely carefree.

I didn’t know that soon, that fall, we’d have struggles with two of our sons.

But I stood that day, kissed by summer and endless good things. I stood, in what I thought was seamless joy, having no idea of what was coming around the bend.

Oh, I wish that I could whisper to that unknowing, smiling, unsuspecting me.

I wish I could pull that mama aside and speak in tones of compassion. I’d hold her hand and share from the heart. Here is what I’d say:

Things will be tough. But you have a Savior who will understand your struggle. He’ll speak through His Word. He’ll speak into your life. He’ll encourage you. And His voice will be your sustaining grace.

Your relationship with your husband, in God’s goodness, will grow. You’ll love and understand and support one another in new ways. The struggles will stretch to the foundation of your marriage but the Lord will meet you there and will build you strong.

The Lord will also bring others to help you. To pray with you. To extend empathy and support and wisdom. His provision will be sufficient. His provision will be sweet.

Your trust in the Lord will grow. You’ll begin to understand His love for your children. You’ll cling to the truth that He will go with your children wherever they go. And slowly, in time, you’ll open your fist and release to Him what you hold most dear.

I hand the camera back to Lonny and the boys laugh as he continues to move through the pictures. I sidle in next to them and join the fun. There’s a shot of Gabe as a toddler. His hair is whiter than the sand. There’s one of Logan and Grant, giving a gun show, flexing pre-teen muscles on arms that are tanned brown.

And there’s one of the seven of us. Isaiah is a baby in a floppy sun hat and the bigger boys are making funny faces. The smile on my face comes straight from the heart.

There’s one more thing, I think, that I’d share with that mama in the photo:

Laugh when you can. Remember how to smile. Take the time to let the sun rest on your shoulders.

These things are sustaining graces.

And you’re going to be okay.

Encourage and Be Encouraged!

Posted on by Elizabeth Peale Allen

I pressed my best suit and starched a white shirt. Held up each and every one of my ties, trying to decide which one looked the most professional. It was the night before my first day at my new job. Not just any job. A job at the White House. I was full of nervous energy.

When I tried to read, my mind kept wandering. I thought back to all of the experiences and the people who had helped me get to this point. College professors. Friends from graduate school. Mostly though, I thought about the people from my hometown. I thought about Madison Park.

I was raised by my grandparents—Mama and Daddy, as I called them—in Madison Park, a town founded by freed slaves on the edge of Montgomery, Alabama. In 1880, John Motley, Sr., my great-great-grandfather, joined a group of freedmen as they stood on the ground that would become Madison Park and pledged to build a community where people could thrive. Daddy built almost half of the black churches in Montgomery, including Union Chapel AME Zion Church in Madison Park.

Some kids had paper routes after school let out. I had a people route. Almost every day when I was growing up, I would go around the neighborhood and visit with each of the people who had made an investment in my life. Especially my tutors.

When I was in first grade, Mama got a letter from my teacher explaining that I was being demoted from the Rabbit reading group to the Turtle reading group. Even though she and Daddy didn’t have much formal education, Mama would have none of it. She immediately called my Aunt Shine. The next Sunday in church, Aunt Shine stood up and made a plea to the congregation.

“Brothers and sisters, we have a serious problem,” she said. “Eric Motley has been moved from the Rabbit to the Turtle reading section at his school. Eric needs to practice reading, and he doesn’t have many books at home. If you have any books you’ve finished reading, please drop them off at the Motleys’.” I was mortified. and yet that afternoon, reading material started arriving on the porch. Books, old magazines, volume “L” of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Even some poetry.

That wasn’t enough for four retired teachers who lived in Madison Park: Aunt Shine, Aunt Prince Ella, Mrs. Carrie Madison Seay and Mrs. Frankie Lee Winston. They came by the house every afternoon, two by two, to tutor me. They didn’t stop at reading, either. They helped with math, science, history—you name it. Eventually, they expanded their efforts to all the kids in the neighborhood. For a few years, about 60 of us would gather at the church every afternoon for tutoring.

My Rabbit status was restored, and I excelled in school. But the efforts of my neighbors were far from over. They weren’t content for me just to be a Rabbit. They had their eyes on a bigger prize. College.

In my teen years, my afterschool routine changed. At 4 p.m., when I got off the bus, Mama would greet me with a cup of hot tea and cookies and we would chat about our day. Then I’d change into working clothes—worn khaki pants and a hand-me-down denim shirt—to do my chores.

Next was my favorite part of the afternoon: my people route. I’d say hello to the McCarters, who lived across the street. They had 10 kids, but Mrs. McCarter always set aside an extra slice of pie or scoop of ice cream for me. I’d holler at the other kids on my way through the neighborhood—Regina Gibbs, the Simon and Henderson boys—before visiting with my tutors.

Aunt Prince Ella would wait on me to walk with her to gather eggs from her chickens. If Mrs. Seay’s clothes were on the line outside, I’d take them down and help her fold them. Aunt Shine would talk to me about history and politics. Mrs. Bertha Winston became my speech coach. She would drive me to our church so I wouldn’t be distracted by the comings and goings in the neighborhood. We’d park under a big oak tree, and she would give me a list of words to recite. Mama and Daddy couldn’t afford many books, but Mrs. Winston taught me that if I memorized the passages that spoke to me the most, they would always be with me.

My tutors weren’t the only people on my route. I always had a steady supply of odd jobs to complete after school. When I was done visiting with my tutors, I would mow lawns, trim shrubs, pick blackberries and weed gardens. Anything for a few bucks.

My neighbors could have easily done the work themselves. They hired me to help build my college fund. I would have much preferred if they’d just given me the money. Mama and Daddy insisted that I earn every penny.

I worked along my people route until dinnertime. Dinner, like breakfast, was a full cooked meal. Usually Mama made okra, peas and some sort of delicious main course like meatloaf or pork chops. Before eating, Daddy would ask, “Eric, do you have a couple of lines you want to give us?” Then I’d stand at the end of the table and recite a few lines from a poet I loved, often someone Mrs. Winston had introduced me to. Over the years, I covered a wide range of poets, from Shakespeare to Langston Hughes. Then Daddy would pray over our meal, saying, “For these blessings, we give you thanks. And make us ever mindful of those who have not. Amen.” To this day, I still say this prayer before eating.

My favorite times with Daddy, though, were the Sunday mornings we spent on Little Joe Simon’s back porch. At eight o’clock, the men of Madison Park would congregate at Little Joe’s for a haircut before church. We would sit under the magnolia trees and drink coffee while catching up on what was happening. I loved when Little Joe cut my hair. More than that, I loved being a part of something, witnessing so many people come together. It was the most important stop on my Sunday people route.

The tutors, the neighbors, the odd jobs, everyone who came together on my behalf—they all helped get me to college. I received a full scholarship to Samford University, about 90 miles away from Madison Park. After graduating college, I went even further, all the way to Scotland, for graduate school in international relations.

Now I was headed for the White House, where I would serve as a special assistant to President George W. Bush. I closed the book I’d been trying to read and checked the clock. It was 10 p.m. Even with my clothes laid out and my briefcase packed, I couldn’t sleep. The phone rang. I checked the caller ID. Montgomery, Alabama. I picked up. It was Mrs. Bertha Winston.

“I hope I didn’t wake you, Eric,” she said. “I just couldn’t sleep. I wanted to tell you how proud we all are of you. Tomorrow, you go in there and work! When you go into that White House, remember you’re taking Madison Park with you.”

I thanked Mrs. Winston and hung up, feeling peace wash over me as I remembered that this job, this opportunity to work in a place of influence, was more than mine alone. Even though I was far from the family and friends who had shaped me, they would always be a part of everything I accomplished.

The next day, I walked into the White House with pride, wearing the red-and-blue striped tie that Daddy had worn to my high school graduation.

I worked in the White House for four years. I was ready for a new opportunity at that point, but a good friend unintentionally sowed doubts in my mind. “Don’t leave the White House!” he said. “If you do, you’ll no longer be Eric Motley from the White House!”

That was true, but I wondered how I’d given him the impression that my identity was only of value in relation to the White House. Wasn’t being Eric Motley from Madison Park good enough?

One of the odd jobs I did around Madison Park was picking blackberries. I was picking them one day when one of Mama’s friends, Miss Daisy, appeared. I chatted with her to be polite, just small talk about the weather and her health. She didn’t reciprocate.

“You mustn’t pay attention to me or to anyone when you’re working the work before you,” she said. “You have to be totally involved in what you’re doing and consumed with what’s before you.”

Her advice reminded me of a prayer I’d once delivered to a church in Montgomery: “Help us to know ourselves more fully and wholly; help us to never forget whence we have come.” God answered my prayer and reminded me where I came from. I listened to the advice of Miss Daisy over the advice of my good friend. I knew that the work before me no longer included my job at the White House. It was time to move on.

I’m now an executive vice president at the Aspen Institute, a nonprofit leadership think tank, and my management strategy comes from the wisdom of the people I grew up with. I seek to encourage rather than criticize, to build up rather than tear down. Every day I rise before the sun, as Mama taught me to do, and I remember that even though she and Daddy have passed, as have so many of my friends and mentors from home, I carry the spirit, principles and values of Madison Park with me.

For more inspiring stories, subscribe to Guideposts magazine.