If I could live my life over, I'd invest it in young people."
-John R. Mott

Today I was in Lake Charles at Books a Million studying book cover examples for A Good Place. There I saw one of "The African Queens": Evan Adams.

She and photographer Chad Smith ( The Touch Studios) worked with me on ideas for the cover. See more below.

Evan and Hailey Guidry went with DeDe and I to South Africa in 2008. I nicknamed the two girls "The African Queens" after Katherine Hepburn/Humphrey Bogart's classic movie of the same name. (If you haven't seen "The African Queen," order it on NetFlix. You'll enjoy it.)

Evan and Hailey begin their senior year tomorrow at South Beauregard High. They're seriously contemplating taking a "Senior Trip" after graduation to the Zululand orphanage we worked in last year.

That is why I love being around young people. They can teach us so much about life, passion, and ministry. Two young women who, instead of thinking of a Caribbean cruise or Destin's beaches, want to go work in a crowded orphanage full of HIV positive babies and children.

Lord, here is my prayer.
Allow me to stay around young people for the rest of my life. Don't let me ever get old in my heart, and the best way I know to keep a young heart is to be around young people. Keep me close to them Lord, Keep me close to you. Amen.



This wonderful painting by Bill Iles is one of the cover ideas we're considering using for A Good Place.

These six books are similar to the type of look we're looking for in A Good Place.
In the weeks ahead, we'll be asking for your input on cover ideas.