During a recent Sunday morning church service, laughter could be heard rising and falling throughout the congregation. Now, on occasion that may not sound so unusual, but this Sunday morning laughter peppered the entire sermon at Franklin Baptist Church. This could be attributed to theguest speaker, Lee McBride. Lee travels the country as a comedian, storyteller, evangelist and preacher. He has a way of telling real life stories and teaching important truths while using humor to truly connect with people. His incredible and hilarious stories come from many of his own interesting lifeís experiences.
As I listened to Lee McBride, I couldnít help but think how much he reminded me of Jerry Clower. Many of you probably are familiar with Jerry and know that he, too, is a Christian speaker. I heard Jerry Clower one morning during chapel, while I was a student at Gardner-Webb University. I never have forgotten how much he touched my heart through the funny stories he told about life. The scriptures refer to laughter as medicine for the soul, and I believe this is true.
Lee began with a little background information about himself. He was quick to share that he was born in Columbus, Ga., but now lives in Alabaster, Ala. He is very proud of the fact he thinks of himself as a redneck and a hunter. One of the highlights of his career was when he actually got to preach in a Bass Pro Shop in Mississippi. Then, in his next line he says, ěIf you love Jesus and like to hunt, it doesnít get any better than that.î Everyone in the congregation couldnít help but laugh.
One of the main points in his sermon dealt with the definition of beauty. He used various illustrations to show how beauty is different things to different people. To women, beauty often occurs at 10 in the morning, at the mall, when the key is being turned in the lock and the gates open up. Women patiently wait, with coffee in one hand and a pocketbook full of coupons in the other, ready to buy and conquer. Lee, on the other hand, enjoys hunting and finds beauty in the woods. One night when he was getting ready to go on a hunt, his little daughter came to him and told him she didnít want him to go. She almost became hysterical. Finally, he figured out that she thought he was going off to hunt for Bambi. He assured her he was not, and because he wanted to explain to her what it was like to go hunting, he felt compelled to sit down and write her a poem.
Out of this experience came a beautiful poem titled ěWhen the Woods Wake Up.î In the poem, Lee describes the early morning and how each creature awakens to the new day. Through the poem, he explains to his daughter that because he is up and quiet he, too, gets to share in the moment. Lee recited the poem during the worship service, and as I listened, I felt like I was in the bottoms with him, listening to the sound of the birds and other creatures going about their morning routine. I could see the black bear as it ambled by and Lee happy that he was sitting in the tree unnoticed. This poem has gotten national recognition from various groups. One of the highlights for Lee was when he was able to recite it during a speaking engagement where Oliver North was also on stage.
The morning service ended with a quiet hush as Lee reminded everyone that we all have gifts to use. So many times we think we are worthless because of our past, but Jesus loves us in spite of it, and He is able to turn our ashes into something beautiful. Lee also spoke in the evening service, and because it was casual, he was able to share more personal stories. Many in the congregation were laughing so hard, tears were flowing down their cheeks.
Lee speaks more than 100 times a year at outdoor events, wild game suppers, corporate events, youth camps, conventions, parties, fundraisers, banquets, and churches. He has recorded two CDs and a DVD titled ěItís a Beautiful Thing.î He can be contacted at Nashville Speakers Bureau or his website, LeeMcBride.com.

Dicy McCullough is the author of a childrenís book, ěTired of my Bath,î available at the Literary Book Post and online at www. dicymcculloughsbook.com.