February 2012: Celebrating Dr. Stanley

Dr. Stanley has said that one of the most valuable things he ever inherited was his grandfather’s well-worn Bible. It was the only copy of Scripture George Washington Stanley ever used, and its edges are completely tattered and soiled from long hours of reading, studying, and memorizing.

George was a godly preacher and evangelist who taught Charles to love the Word. Dr. Stanley may have visited his grandfather in Siler City, North Carolina, only two or three times, but it was enough to set the course of his life. The young man was like a dry sponge that soaked up everything his granddad said—including truths that would become Dr. Stanley’s 30 Life Principles.

What interested Dr. Stanley most about his grandfather was that the man knew how to listen to God. Taking in his grandfather’s wisdom had the effect of birthing a desire, deep within, to hear from the Lord. So Charles began to meditate on Scripture the way the elder Stanley had taught him—asking questions as he read: “Lord God, what are You saying to me? How do You want me to apply this to my life? What is it I’m supposed to learn, Father?”

The love of Scripture that Dr. Stanley inherited from his grandfather has helped him immeasurably during times of trial and difficulty. God’s Word truly is an immovable and steadfast anchor in times of storm. By holding onto it, we can weather whatever tempest may come.