When Heaven was released in 2004, people said, “How can this be true, since I’ve never heard it before?” I understood—I’d never been taught these ideas in Bible college, seminary, or church.

The best thing you can do is replace those lies with the truth, and let the truth be what you focus on. Randy has shared this quote attributed to Martin Luther: “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair.”

It seems like there is so little understanding of what goes on in the brain of someone with dementia. We know that once we're on the New Earth, our resurrected bodies won't suffer from any of the diseases and ailments we experience here on Earth.

Scripture commands us to set our hearts on Heaven: “Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). And to make sure we don’t miss the importance of a Heaven-centered life, the next verse says, “Set your minds on things above.”

Our perspective today is informed by the reality that resurrection awaits God’s children. According to God’s Word, the best is yet to be. We who love Jesus do not pass our physical and mental peak in this life, nor do we reach it.

Randy gave a baccalaureate message to the 2024 graduates of Sam Barlow High School, including one of his grandsons. Randy also graduated from Barlow in 1972.

In this clip from his conversation with Matt Mancinelli from Generous Giving, Randy answers the question: How do you manage the tension between caring for your family’s needs and giving generously?  Randy says that he realized early on “my biggest responsibility to my children is not to leave them an inheritance but to leave them a heritage.” 

In 2022, Randy spoke on a Zoom call with Matt Mancinelli and a group from Generous Giving. He shared about his grief since the recent loss of his wife Nanci, as well as insights regarding inheritances and giving money to children.  

While some people say that in Heaven we will no longer be male or female, the Bible doesn’t say that. When people saw Jesus in His resurrection body, they knew He was still a man. Likewise, in the final Resurrection, women will be women and men will be men.