Fill the Stage

Daniel Dignan

Fill The Stage

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About Josh Grover

Josh is married to the love of his life, Laurabeth, and they share four children: Charlotte, Elizabeth, Bennett, and Olivia. He grew up in Ohio and then moved to Florida, where he completed a Bachelor’s of Finance at Pensacola Christian College and a Master’s of Biblical Exposition from Pensacola Theological Seminary. In the same summer they were married, Josh and Laurabeth moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where Josh completed his Master’s of Divinity at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. After gaining more ministerial experience in Kentucky and Ohio, Josh moved the family back to Pensacola, where he currently manages a college department, is pursuing his PhD online at Liberty University, and contributes to WORLD opinions.

Leadership Gold

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“Leadership is influence,” says John Maxwell. Many people think leadership begins only after you graduate, get a good job, and earn a title like “manager.” But that’s not true. Leadership can start right now. If you are influencing someone, you are already leading.

This kind of leadership is possible in middle school and high school. When I was a high schooler, I grew as a leader through roles like class president, team captain in soccer and basketball, performer in school plays, and competitor in academic and talent events. But leadership wasn’t just about titles or awards. It also showed up in everyday life—how I acted in class, in the hallways, at home, and with friends. The way I treated and influenced others mattered just as much, if not more.

So how can a high school student grow as a leader with the help of a coach or mentor? One helpful resource is John Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold. This book shares 26 simple and practical principles about leadership, including:

  • Leading by serving
  • Growing intentionally
  • Working well with others

You don’t have to wait until you’re older to start learning these lessons. I wish I had known them sooner, and I hope your student-leader can start using them today to reach their full potential. 

The Scarlet Pimpernel

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Daring adventures, sword-fighting encounters, dangerous villains, virtuous heroes, and stirring romance – all memorably packaged in the twists and turns of each page composing The Scarlet Pimpernel. With its thrilling plot, succinct chapters, and substantive character arcs, this short novel could spark a love of reading in any high schooler and deepen the passion for books in those seeking their next engaging story.

Nestled within the context of the French Revolution, the storyline follows an English hero who bravely saves French aristocrats from the ravenous guillotine. Yet, the plot adds complexity when this hero must weave in and out of evil men seeking to capture him, a family that misperceives his true identity, and a yearning to protect those closest to him, even as he feels betrayed by them. In addition, each chapter averages about nine pages (in my copy, at least), making this an excellent work to focus on, a chapter per sitting. So, if you’re looking for a thrilling plot that is a manageable amount of reading for a novel, The Scarlet Pimpernel will be a phenomenal purchase for your student’s library.

Confronting the Presidents

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Looking for highlights of each U.S. president’s time in office? This is the book for you. O’Reilly and Dugard excel at providing important information about each president in an upbeat, succinct style. Starting with Washington and ending with Biden, who was president when this book was published, the authors provide pros, cons, and historical context for each commander-in-chief. You may be surprised at the various and unsuspecting issues as well as victories these men experienced as they held the nation’s highest office.

On the other hand, if you want an in-depth analysis and biographical sketch for each president, I encourage you to look elsewhere. But it is reasonable that they don’t provide an exhaustive survey, since they have to discuss all the presidents; giving a lot of information on each would turn into a marathon reading project. Also, O’Reilly and Dugard do not rank all the presidents from worst to best based on their views, though they do provide some of their favorite and least favorite presidents throughout the book.

Consequently, this is a great book that offers a “30,000-foot” view of each president’s time in office without boring you with too many trivial details. Indeed, a good read for those wanting a helpful introduction to those who have held the most powerful office in the world.