Newsletters

February is often recognized as the month of love—a time when hearts, cards, and kind words take center stage. At The Paul Anderson Youth Home (PAYH), however, love is not confined to a single month or expressed only through words.

January has a way of stirring hope. It marks a new year, a clean slate, and the opportunity to begin again. For many, it’s a time of resolutions and renewed focus. At the Paul Anderson Youth Home, new beginnings are more than a seasonal idea—they are at the very heart of our mission.

As the Christmas season draws near, our hearts naturally turn toward giving. It’s a time when we celebrate the greatest gift ever given—the gift of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, who came to bring light, hope, and redemption to a broken world.

As many have said through the years, getting older is not for cowards. There are issues with bad teeth, aching body parts, memory lapses, and many other ailments associated with aging.

"If I, Paul Anderson, the World's Strongest Man, cannot make it through one day without Jesus Christ, how can you?" -Paul Anderson

Historically, Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers and is traditionally observed on the first Monday in September. It became a federal holiday on June 28, 1894, when it was signed into law by President Grover Cleveland.

At the Paul Anderson Youth Home, we believe that character is not just taught—it’s forged through experience. Whether in the classroom, on the job site, or out on the athletic field, every moment is an opportunity to mold young men into leaders of integrity and purpose. One of the most powerful tools in this transformation is team sports, and more specifically, team building through sports.

As we look forward to the celebration of our nation’s Independence Day, July 4, 2025, we are only one year short of the United States of America’s 250th Birthday, which will be July 4, 2026! We are truly a blessed nation to have enjoyed such a wonderful, democratic nation for so long.

In Luke chapter 9, Jesus gives His disciples power and authority over demons and to heal diseases, and He sends them to heal and proclaim the gospel. They were to take no provisions with them; instead, they were to rely on provisions from others. Verse 6 confirms that the disciples did what they were sent to do.

As Eddie and I slowly drove around the campus, surveying the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, my eyes couldn’t help but land on the devastation. Downed trees, snapped branches, and debris scattered across the property painted a picture of destruction. The storm had left its mark, and our once-beautiful landscape now looked like what I imagine resembles a war zone.

Easter is in April this year, a month in which Spring truly emerges. We are fully immersed in Spring weather and the blooming of flowers and trees; dogwoods, cherry blossoms, pear, azaleas, rhododendrons, daffodils and tulips. We are aware of the changing of our environment and the landscape all around us.

Much like the physical world awakens from its winter slumber, God’s work of regeneration in our lives mirrors this process. The Bible speaks of renewal in many ways, emphasizing how God restores and revives not just the earth but also our hearts and souls.