The Journey from Self to Service: Gary Sinise & Dr. Derwin Gray

There comes a point when our faith has grown strong enough that we can turn outward and put it to work serving those who need it most. Gary Sinise comes from a long legacy of supporting the military, from brave family members who served as far back as World War I, to portraying wounded Vietnam vet Lt. Dan Taylor in the iconic movie Forrest Gump. After the events of 9/11, Gary was inspired to find more ways to serve those who sacrificed for our nation, which he details in his book Grateful American. Dr. Derwin Gray created a successful life for himself in the NFL, desperate to escape the dysfunction that surrounded him in childhood. But after achieving his career dreams, Derwin realized he wouldn’t ever be satisfied without a greater purpose. He bravely stepped into God’s calling for his life and founded Transformation Church, a multi-ethnic church seeking to help others live a Jesus-centered life—what Dr. Gray calls in his new book The Good Life. These two men have grown their faith and been encouraged by the people they serve, and they demonstrate the beautiful things that can happen when we use our gifts and talents to bless those around us.

Links, Products and Resources Mentioned:

Sarah Young

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling books

Jesus Calling devotional

Courage to Use Your Voice: Mark & Danielle Herzlich episode 

 

Gary Sinise

Gary Sinise Foundation

Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service book

Vets Night

Disabled American Veterans Organization

Lt. Dan Band

Battle of the Argonne
Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago

Forrest Gump

Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance

Dr. Derwin Gray

Transformation Church

The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches About Finding True Happiness book

 

 

Paige VanZant

 

Interview Quotes:

“September 11th, 2001, our country is attacked and our men and women start raising their hands to deploy in reaction to that terrible event. And I just felt compelled and called in a certain way to serve. And so you go from this singular focus on self to this broader focus on serving others.” - Gary Sinise 

“I am a grateful American. I'm grateful for so many things.” - Gary Sinise

“Having veterans in my family, having been involved with supporting Vietnam veterans, I just knew where I was going to employ my services, and it was going to be to help our men and women get through the next phase of deploying to the war zones and helping them and their families get through that. And that just that lit a fire under me.” - Gary Sinise 

“The more I got active, the more I gave, the more I healed, the more I wanted to do.” - Gary Sinise

“I've seen the needs in all these different places and I want to try to continue to help fill those needs.” - Gary Sinise

“When Jesus called me, when Jesus loved me, when Jesus met me, He literally put things in me and brought gifts out of me that I didn’t even know was possible.” - Dr. Derwin Gray

“By my third year in the NFL at age twenty-five, I said ‘There's got to be more to life than this.’” - Dr. Derwin Gray

“It was like I was chasing my shadow and I finally caught it, but realized it went right through my hands, and I was looking for things that only Jesus can give.” - Dr. Derwin Gray

“He gave me unconditional love. He gave me a new identity: beloved child of God. He gave me a new purpose, and that is to know Him and to make Him known through every facet of my life.” - Dr. Derwin Gray

“Jesus's blood not only forgives our sins, but He gives us a family with different colored skins.” - Dr. Derwin Gray

”So often we are so self-sufficient that we can't be God sufficient. So often we're so centered upon ourselves that we can't be Jesus-centered.” - Dr. Derwin Gray

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