By Christy Barritt

College Students with Involved Fathers More Likely to Graduate 

College students with fathers who are involved in their lives are 98 percent more likely to graduate than students with uninvolved fathers.

This was the finding of W. Bradford Wilcox, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Virginia. He presented the information at the American Enterprise Institute earlier this year. His data came from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which has on four separate occasions interviewed the same nationally representative sample of adolescents.

Some of the questions he asked the students were about how involved their fathers were in their sports activities, helping with homework, and talking about personal problems.

Eighteen percent reported no involvement from their fathers. Of the remaining 82 percent, they were divided into three equal sized groups: less involved, involved, and highly involved. Those with involved fathers were 98 percent more like to graduate college and those with highly involved fathers were 105 percent more likely to graduate.

Bill Withdrawn to Make Bible Louisiana’s State Book 

Proposed legislation to make a historic copy of the Holy Bible the state book for Louisiana has been withdrawn by the bill’s sponsor.

State legislator Thomas Carmody proposed the bill but withdrew it before it was voted on. He explained to his colleagues that the bill, as amended by the committee, could create a “constitutional problem.” He also added that it had “become a distraction” from other issues the legislature should focus on.

Initially Carmody intended to designate a specific historical copy of the Bible for the honor, but lawmakers amended the legislation to make any copy of the Bible the official state book.

Critics said that making the Bible a state book would inappropriately mix religion with government. Others feared it would trivialize the Bible.

Kidnapped Boy Sings Gospel Song Until Released

When a 9-year-old boy from Atlanta, Georgia, was kidnapped, he relied on both God and his love of gospel music, and the unthinkable happened.

Police say that Willie Myrick was taken from his driveway by a kidnapper, put in a car, and driven around for three hours. The stranger who snatched him warned that he didn’t want to hear a word out of Willie.

Willie, however, couldn’t be quiet. He sang a gospel song called “Every Praise.” When his kidnapper yelled at him, told him to shut up, and cursed at him, the boy kept singing.

In fact, Willie kept singing until finally the kidnapper let him go. The boy ran to a nearby home for help.

When Hezekiah Walker, the Grammy Award-winning singer of “Every Praise,” heard Willie’s story, he flew out to Atlanta to meet the boy.

As of press time, the man who kidnapped Willie was still at large.

Faith-Based Films Making Big Impact at Box Office 

In the first four months of 2014, faith-oriented films grossed more than $230 million in the domestic box office. Their popularity is sending a message to Hollywood that there are people hungry—and willing to pay—for clean films that reaffirm their faith.

Son of God, God’s Not Dead, and Heaven Is for Real all made an impact during the earlier part of 2014. Heaven Is for Real was the number one new movie its opening weekend and second overall for the Easter holiday weekend.

The movie industry has taken notice. In October 2014, a new version of the movie Left Behind will release featuring Nicolas Cage. Exodus: Gods and Kings, which stars Christian Bale as Moses, is slated for a Christmas 2014 release. Other movies in development include a Pontius Pilate biopic starring Brad Pitt, a Cain and Abel film involving Will Smith, and a biopic on Mary, the Mother of Christ.

Christy Barritt is an award-winning author, freelance writer, and speaker living in Chesapeake, Virginia. She and her husband Scott have two sons.
www.christybarritt.com