Max Lucado is a pastor, speaker, and best-selling author who, in his own words, “writes books for people who don’t read books.” He and his wife, Denalyn, serve the people of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, and his message is for the hurting, the guilty, the lonely, and the discouraged: God loves you; let him.

Max’s love for everyday people began during his childhood in the small town of Andrews, Texas. His father was an oilfield mechanic, his mother was a nurse, and Max spent a lot of his time either running from or running after his brother, Dee. Max grew rebellious in his teenage years, and after one specific drunken night, he began to wonder if there was more to life than parties and chasing girls. He now believes that if Jesus hadn’t found him and changed his heart, alcoholism would have been in his future.