There are so many words I could use to describe Ralph Woerner. He was passionate, giving, loving, driven, intelligent, motivating, an entrepreneur, a voracious reader, a skilled writer and so much more. To his family...to me...he was Paw Paw. He taught me how to work hard, play hard, love hard, and best of all, how to be an intentional follower of Jesus Christ. He taught me that life is not about me. To all of us who continue to work on Answer Magazine, which he founded in the early 70's, he has been a provider.
Ralph founded this company because he loved people, and could not bear the thought of one soul perishing in eternity without first having the opportunity to discover the greatest gift of all time...the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
The best way for you to know my Paw Paw and our founder is to read the words of his family. You can visit ralphwoerner.blogspot.com and read the powerful words from those he leaves behind. Those who are determined to carry on his legacy of advancing God's kingdom with more determination than ever before. We will never know this side of Heaven the deep impact he has made on lives all over the world through his generosity, his writings, and his preaching. But I believe he now knows what an impact he made, because when he entered the arms of Jesus, he heard "Well done Ralph...well done!"
He lives on because, as you may know, his hand penned the passions of his life. Even today, the articles he wrote in Answer Magazine continue to be spread across this nation. Our most requested articles are none other than Ralph's. I have heard many times from readers how much of an impact his articles had on their lives.
He modeled a giving life. Wow, did he ever do that! I’m smiling now as I think about the fullness of life he embodied. He gave life to his family, to his churches, and to his many readers through his numerous articles. He gave life through his spoken words, his touch, his looks, his laughter, and his writing.
So, it is with great honor, respect, humility and strength that we pick up the mantle that he has left. We will carry it further, faster, more intensely, more passionately, more lovingly and with more unity than those before us. Why? Because that is what he would have wanted…every previous generation desires for the next generation to go deeper. How will we be able to do this? Because we have each other, and we have the One who binds us together with cords that cannot be broken. Through his death, we find life.
1 comment:
jon- thanks for the words about pawpaw- well spoken!
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