Max Lucado has written dozens of books that have landed him on every major national bestselling list. He also pastors Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas.
Have you ever read a book that had such an impact on your life that it moved you to tears? A book so spot-on with your life that you wondered if the author got ahold of your diary?
Heather McIntyre has.
Heather found herself in line for a Max Lucado book signing at the Billy Graham Library Wednesday at the pleading of her 9-year-old son, Duncan.
“He heard about it on the radio and said, ‘Mom, I really want to go,’” Heather said.
Duncan has read a few of Lucado’s kids’ books and wanted to meet the author in person. But he didn’t have to twist his mom’s arm that hard. In fact, Heather cried in line, telling how one of Lucado’s books helped her through the hardest thing she’s ever had to face: her mother’s death this past March.
Ironically, it was about this time last year that Heather’s parents Bob and Yvonne Shelley visited the Library for the first time. Wednesday, Bob joined Heather and Duncan for a second trip—this time, without Yvonne. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor early this year and passed away five weeks later.
Heather stood among a crowd of people in the Library lobby, clutching a book. It was one of Lucado’s most recent releases called You’ll Get Through This.
“There were times I didn’t think I would,” Heather said.
Last year, prior to her mom’s diagnosis, she signed up to get email devotionals that went along with the book.
“Every day, I was like, ‘Max, get out of my diary,’” she said, adding that Lucado’s book helped lay a firm foundation for what she was about to go through.
“The book could not have been more timely,” she said. “God was using Max Lucado to speak to me.”
Recently out of a job, she’s now rereading it.
A little further back in the book signing line were Glen and Debi Gasbarro, who had always wanted to visit the Library. They finally made the trip for Debi’s birthday. And perfect timing—they’re also Lucado fans.
Glen still remembers reading Lucado’s book He Still Moves Stones several years ago and learning how “God wasn’t just for the past; He’s part of our lives every day.”
Liz Twitchell knows that well. She joined dozens of others for the book signing, holding a kids’ book near and dear to her heart: The Crippled Lamb. Lucado wrote this book about a lamb named Joshua who couldn’t run with the other lambs and was left behind in a stable one night. Yet, in that stable, he witnessed Jesus’ birth and curled up beside the newborn King to bring Him warmth.
“My son’s name is Joshua,” Liz said. “And he’s in a wheelchair.”
A friend gave her Lucado’s book more than 10 years ago to read to her son, now 18. Her son was adopted as a premature newborn and has cerebral palsy.
“Sometimes you get caught in up in the day-to-day tending to your kid,” Liz said, tearing up. “But I know God has a plan for Joshua. … His innocence has touched so many people.”
And if she could tell Lucado one thing about his book: “I just want to say thank you.”
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