14 minute read
Dr. Rick Rigsby: Faith to Go Beyond the Comfort Zone
Faith to Go Beyond the Comfort Zone and Become Who You’re Meant to Be
by Abigail Nibblett
Growing up in the Bay Area in the 1960s, Dr. Rigsby, then called Ricky, watched his parents live out the values they instilled in their sons.
Becoming who you were created to be is hard, especially as a young adult launching into the world. When graduates accept their diplomas and walk off stage, they quickly fi nd themselves navigating unfamiliar waters, trying hard to make friends and pay bills and discover the life they’ve always dreamed of. Almost immediately, doing life well can feel overwhelming. Motivational speaker and bestselling author Dr. Rick Rigsby shares a secret to forging ahead: when we get back to the basics, we can lead a life that’s not only worth living, but will positively impact others. He learned this secret from the wisest man he ever met: a third-grade dropout who happened to be his very own father. “I have four degrees, and my brother is a presidential appointee judge. We weren’t the smartest ones in our family,” declares Dr. Rigsby.
“My father always used to say to me, ‘Son, you’d rather be an hour early than a minute late.’ He was a cook who had the breakfast shift at California Maritime Academy. He had to be at the academy
at 5:00 in the morning, and it was only 15 minutes from our home. My mother said for over 30 years, he left at 3:45 in the morning. And one day she said, ‘Daddy, why do you leave so early?’ And his response was, ‘One of these days, one of my boys will catch me in the act of excellence.’ What he was really saying is how you do anything is how you do everything. It’s never wrong to do the right thing.” Both of Dr. Rigsby’s parents helped their sons identify their talents and chase after their dreams. “All I wanted to do was talk. So my father and mother said, ‘Ricky, you can’t just be on the football team. You have to be the captain of the football team. You can’t just be a student in junior high school. You have to be the president, because the leader talks.’ “And I couldn’t just be a member of the junior usher board at church. I had to be the president, and I hated every minute of it. But my parents knew that if they could put me in a situation where I could grow my God-given gift, it would help me in the future. So all of a sudden, here I am, eight years old, welcoming visitors every Sunday. Why? Because my parents were thinking twenty, thirty, forty years ahead. They were preparing me to impact the world.”
A former professor at Texas A&M, Dr. Rigsby spent many years watching young people dream the way he once did about the ways they would impact the world. And he’s found a common ingredient that can help anyone make their mark. “We live in a culture that would rather live good than be good, so the most important thing I could say to graduates is to grow your infl uence. And that has nothing to do with what your hair looks like or your physical shape. It has everything to do with executing basics. Are you telling the truth? Are you dependable? Are you looking out for other people? Formulated together, those things have tremendous blunt force that can cause you to impact another life.”
been on the mountaintop or dancing on the rooftop. The greatest lessons I’ve ever learned have been the result of being in the pit. So for anyone facing a new challenge, fail on a regular basis—because failure truly grows our dependence on God.”
Adapted for print from Dr. Rigsby’s upcoming interview on the Jesus Calling Podcast.
Dr. Rigsby speaking at Ignite men's conference
Since he was a boy, one of the largest driving forces in Dr. Rigsby’s life was his strong faith. Over the years, he’s watched his faith slowly shift the way he views himself and the world.
“I’m 63 years old, and for many years, I made life about myself. I was very successful, and the problem with successful people is sometimes they start to believe their own press. Faith can come in and ground that. I fi nd that without faith, I’m left to my own vices, and I’ll choose to serve God when it’s comfortable and when it’s convenient. But faith says, “Nuh-uh. Get out of your comfort zone. “Faith tells me to go talk to the truck driver when I don’t want to talk to. Faith tells me to pull off my headphones after I preach the revival, and I’m on an airplane, and all I want to do is fall asleep. Faith encourages me to go beyond my comfort zone to encourage the people of Jesus. “There are mountaintops and there are valleys. There are high times when you’re on the rooftop dancing, and then there are times when you’re in the pit. The greatest lessons I’ve ever learned have not
Top Tips from a Third-Grade Dropout
❑ Always be kind.
❑ Make sure your servant’s towel is bigger than your ego.
❑ If you’re going to do a job, do it right.
❑ Do what you say you’re going to do.
❑ Remember that you’ll never look into the eyes of someone God doesn’t love.
Dr. Rigsby’s book, Lessons from a Third Grade Dropout, is available wherever books are sold. Dr. Rigsby’s book,
TRY YOUR HAND AT JOURNALING! Setting Goals for a New Season
1. Think about the basic skills you learned growing up. Which ones are still part of
your life? As you enter a new season, how can you see these skills adding value to you?
2. Write down three basic skills you want to master. How will adding those skills help you
reach bigger goals?
3. Think about the people in your life. How can you make sure you’re watching out for them
and using your infl uence in positive ways?
A Father, His Son, and What Matters Most
CRAIG MORGAN REMEMBERS THE IMPORTANT THINGS
by Laura Neutzling
Craig Morgan never set out to be a country music star, but God had more in store for him than he could have ever imagined. The 55-year-old singer, songwriter, and part-time reality television host was greatly infl uenced by his Nashville upbringing and by his father, a bass player featured on The Ralph Emery Show and other country music programs. But during his younger years, Craig dreamed of a diff erent life.
“I joined the military, ironically enough, to get away from home, not to leave the family. I had a great family life—I just wanted to do something diff erent. And I’ve always felt like I had this diff erent sense of respect for our soldiers. Looking back, I know that it was God leading me, but that’s what really pushed me into the military.” Craig’s faith was instilled at a young age. “I grew up in a church-going, faithful Christian family. Not to
say that we were perfect by any means—far from it. But I’ve always had that foundation, that cornerstone of faith in Christ in our lives.” Following his seventeen-year military career, Craig found himself led back toward the music of his roots. But his country music pedigree didn’t make the journey any easier. “For me, the progression of my career in music, we didn't have American Idol, The Voice and all of these things that we have now that launch—actually catapult—careers. It was a slow build. We had country radio. That was it. And that's where careers were made and broken. And I was very fortunate that my success was gradual.” Eighteen Top 10 songs, ni ne albums and multiple awards later, Craig refl ects on how this “gradual” success kept him focused on what was really important. “My life did not depend on the success of my music. I’m grateful for every second of it—to the fans, the industry—and I love it. But my life is not dependent on that. If you depend on it solely, you lose perspective. And when you’re focused on God, family, country—when your career revolves around what’s important, I think your career will last longer.”
That rock-solid family structure and faith would go on to be a much needed place to lean on when Craig’s world turned upside down in 2016, when he learned his 19-year-old son, Jerry, had been killed in a boating accident. “That brought me down more than anything that’s ever happened to me. It’s just a lot of sadness. My whole life revolves around my family. So when you lose a part of that, there’s a space in you that’s really hard to fi ll.” In the days that followed, Craig, his wife Karen, and their whole family were lifted up by the outpouring of prayers and support they received. 5718 likes
cmorganmusic The loss of our son Jerry is the hardest thing we have ever had to endure as a family. Karen and I are so grateful for all of the wonderful people who have shown us unwavering support during this diffi cult time. There are too many to name here, but we are especially thankful for the Humphreys County Sheriff and Fire Departments, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and all the additional agencies and volunteers who turned out to bring our son home. We would also like to thank our friends, family members, and Jerry's friends who have all shown us an immense amount of love and support. Additionally, we cannot thank the music and outdoor communities enough for wrapping their arms around us, as well as our industry friends, fans, and all those that loved our son. We are blessed by the outpouring of prayers and condolences from across the world. Jerry may be gone from this earth, and we will miss him every day, but his spirit will live on in our hearts. We will fi nd peace knowing that God has a bigger plan, and that one day, we'll be reunited with him again in Heaven. John 3:16 – Craig July 20, 2016
Craig wrote of his gratefulness to those who expressed their sympathies through a post on his Instagram page shortly after they laid their son to rest.
As it often does for musicians, some of Craig’s healing came through music. He describes how his song “The Father, My Son, and the Holy Ghost,” written in tribute to his son, came to life. “When I lost Jerry, I felt like I didn’t know enough about God—I needed to know more to understand what was going on. So I started studying. And in the process of doing this, I really started getting into the historical foundation of our Christian faith. And in just one night, about 3:00 a.m., God laid it on me. God wrote this song. I did not write this song.”
When Craig’s country music colleagues caught wind of the song, the groundswell of support was instant. His good friend Blake Shelton tweeted to his 21 million followers to download the song, and fellow celebrities like Luke Combs, Ricky Skaggs, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, and Carson Daly echoed their sentiments about the healing power of the song. Since that time, Craig has gotten countless messages from folks who say the song has helped them fi nd hope in a time of loss. “There’s no doubt this song has had an impact beyond anything I’ve ever done musically. I got a Facebook message from a guy who said, ‘I’m not a big believer. Haven’t lost anyone. Dropped my daughter off at school today. Heard the song, pulled off on the side of the road, cried and prayed for the fi rst time in my life.’ That’s God—that’s how He uses everything.” As Craig and his family continue to heal from their loss, they are moving forward with their lives and have come together for another project they hope will uplift people: a new series on Circle TV that focuses on their family life—onstage and off —called Craig’s World. Craig has a new record coming out in the spring, and also has plans for a tour. Craig thinks of Jerry every single day, but he’s comforted by memories of his son and feels his presence daily. And when it comes to encouraging others as they deal with their own trials and losses, he has this to say: “No matter where you’re at in your life, whether on the battlefi elds of Iraq or Afghanistan, or whether you’re walking down the street struggling with personal loss in your life—when you have that relationship with Christ, you have faith to rely on. And even in those times—especially in those times—Christ is there.”
Adapted for print from Craig’s upcoming interview on the Jesus Calling Podcast.
You can fi nd Craig’s single “The Father, My Son, and the Holy Ghost” at your favorite retailer or streaming provider.
