Changed Lives Change Lives
Posted on October 7
In 2008, I reached the United Methodist Church mandatory retirement age of 70. Some people invited me to lead a non-profit ministry to train Pastors and lay people for leadership. The John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries was formed. Mike Hutson and Ken Love were leaders in forming this ministry and served on our Board for 18 years. They both died in September 2026. Mike Hutson and his family moved to Montgomery just after I moved... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Miss America–Abbie Stockard
Posted on September 30
Abbie Stockard, Miss America 2025, was my most recent guest on our monthly podcast, Go Getters and Go Givers, which will be available Friday, October 2. If you haven’t signed up to receive the notification monthly to access my podcast, you can go to my website at www.johnedmathison.org to sign up. Here are a few things that you will learn from Abbie: She has that phrase written on cards and notes in many places in... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Teamwork Works
Posted on September 23
I love that the John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries has in its bylaws that we will serve all denominations, all races, and all opportunities to share the Good News. I am a Methodist. I have always co-operated with other denominations and participated in their ministries. The older I get, the more I see the great things that other denominations and ministry groups are doing. My eyes were really opened when I worked on the steering... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Receiving and Ratifying
Posted on September 16
On December 6, 1865, the U.S. ratified the Thirteenth Amendment which banned slavery. The Mississippi legislature had voted against ratifying the amendment because it had the largest enslaved population in the country. In 1994, a Texas legislative clerk was studying the Thirteenth Amendment and discovered that Mississippi had not technically signed it so he sent Mississippi lawmakers a resolution that would make the ratification unanimous. The State of Mississippi signed it in 1995. But somehow... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Who Always Wins?
Posted on September 9
I was born on March 19, 1938, in Florala, Alabama. My mother grew up in Laurel Hill, Florida, about five miles from Florala. My parents lived in Pensacola, but because my dad had to travel with the Florida Highway Department, my pregnant mother went back to Laurel Hill so people could help her. My dad entered the ministry about the time I was born. He started College at Palmer Junior College, and it closed. He... more »
Posted in Inspirational
1% Can be Big!
Posted on September 2
Little things are extremely important because they become big things. My dad used to tell me, “If you take care of the little things, the big things will take care of themselves.” I moved to Montgomery in 1972. Dr. Bob Combs and his family moved at the same time and joined Frazer. He became my family doctor. I just attended a birthday party for his 93rd birthday. I went in each year for a physical.... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Never Say Never
Posted on August 26
I remember in my lifetime hearing or reading or witnessing some great athletic event, and someone made the remark, “That record will never be broken.” In older life, one thing I learned is, “Never say never.” It refers to athletics and to your whole life. Here are eight world records that were broken this summer that most people thought would never be broken. Most folks thought that Roger Bannister’s record of breaking a 4-minute mile... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Gladly Stand Up!
Posted on August 19
In 1977, the radio station WLWI was bought by the Colonial Broadcasting Company and went on the air. I was invited to offer a devotional as the first words to come from the new WLWI. It came at 6:00 am, which is considered the beginning of the day in radio land. I have continued a devotional on WLWI every weekday morning since 1977! I would record a week’s messages each Thursday morning at the radio... more »
Posted in Inspirational
I’m Proud to be an American
Posted on August 12
Our democracy is 250 years old. We are celebrating that birthday this year. It raises a big question–what are we going to do today to be sure that America celebrates another birthday 250 years from now? Gallup published a poll this summer that showed that national pride in being an American is at the lowest reading in Gallop polls. Less than half of the people in America expressed that they are extremely proud or very... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Unity in the Community
Posted on August 5
The Devil is alive and well. His strategy to win the world is to divide the people in the world. Division works in his favor. We are experiencing that in America and in Montgomery. So much could be done in our city and our nation if we worked together. I saw a great demonstration of this possibility recently on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Ken Austin has a ministry of feeding people. He is breaking the... more »
