About

"Laurance McGraw is an up and coming children's book author whose whimsical style of storytelling will leave children clamoring to read his books over and over. His approachable character and sense of humor inundate his books from cover to cover, while his unique ability to blend real life scenarios with easy to understand language makes him a very entertaining author. Children and adults alike will enjoy the stories and morals found within the pages of every book."

Amazon; https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Laurance-Crawford-McGraw-V/e/B00IGVV4D2%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/lcmcgraw5

The Adventures of Lance and Baby Dragon

Lance and Baby Dragon

Lance was the curious

adventurous kind

where trouble and danger

were always in mind

So as he woke up 

imagine our fright

when he told us, his parents,

about the previous night

Dragon was a baby

about the same age as him

with golden-red eyes

tiny wings and green skin

And as Lance lay down

on his pillow to sleep

Dragon crept up 

to his bed for a peek

Lance noticed the dragon

with a flash of bright green

And remembered his parents

saying Dragons were mean.

But he conquered his fear

and looked up at the beast

He said, “My name is Lance,

please don’t make me your feast.”

The Dragon just laughed

and said, “I won’t eat you!

I just love playing games,

and need a friend who does too”

Then Lance started grinning

and he said with delight,

“I love games too!

We should go play tonight!”

He looked to make sure 

that his parents were sleeping

Then jumped out of bed

and towards the door started creeping. 

Once they were out 

they could more freely talk

they played, ran, and sang

then went for a walk.

Finally Lance said, “You’re not scary at all!

I don’t know what mom means!”

Dragon responded, “She wants to protect you

we look scary indeed.

But we’re all the same inside

with feelings and smiles

and all it took for you to like me

was to play for a while.

As the night became lighter

and the sun started showing,

Lance turned to his friend

and said “It’s time to get going.

My parents will wake and

come wake me up too,

and then they’ll be scared 

if they see me with you.”

So Lance climbed back in bed

after a long night outside

Then said softly to Dragon

“I’ll see you next time!”

Order the book here; https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Lance-Baby-Dragon/dp/1536954594/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=lance+and+baby+dragon+laurance+mcgraw&qid=1590346998&sr=8-1

There’s a T-Rex at the Tea Party

There's a T-Rex at the Tea Party

Tea is delightful,  

It's a real special treat

When mommy and I

Sit down just to eat

The biscuits and cookies

That we freshly made.

Then slowly sip tea

And sometimes lemonade

The only sad part 

Is that in our house

We have a baby T-Rex

That runs all around

And from time to time 

He finds us with our tea

Then he stomps all around

And this frustrates me

He's never that careful  

And throws quite a fit

because I'm playing with Mommy

Instead of with him

It's quite a mess to clean up   

With cookies all crumbled,

The tea gets all spilt,

And the dishes all tumble.

But one time it was different, 

Mommy had an idea

Because that time, at noon

We invited T-Rex for tea

Turns out all he wanted 

Was a sip of our tea

And a cookie of course

So he got them from me.

It felt so good to share 

And invite him to eat

So he's come ever since

which has been a real treat.

Order the book here; https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1502984695/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

The Gospel According to the Bible

The Gospel According to the Bible

Jesus our Creator, who freed us from slavery and was appointed the greatest High Priest, became our water in the desert and our manna from Heaven. He is our law keeper and the High Commander who delivers us from injustice. He is our Kinsman-Redeemer, our Prophet and Priest, and our wisest ruler. He is the son of David and the priest proclaiming freedom over His people. He is the one who restores what is broken down and protects His people. He is like a voice in the whirlwind, our song in the morning and in the night, our wisdom, our meaning for life, and our beloved. He became the Suffering Servant and the weeping Messiah so that He could answer our cry for mercy. He is the Son of Man, the one who stands in the fire and the lion’s den with us, the faithful husband, and the one who shows us undeserved compassion. He is the arbitrator of justice to the oppressed and the judge of those who do evil. He is the shade giving vine who casts our sin and failures into the sea of forgetfulness. He is our future world peace, the crusher of injustice, the warrior who saves, the true object of worship, the Messiah who was pierced for us, the son of righteousness, the true king, the servant Messiah, our healer, and the word of God in the flesh. He is the spirit who dwells with His people and the righteousness of God. He is our down payment of what is to come and indeed our very life. He is the spirit that unifies the church to bring joy to the lives of all who believe in Him. He is the Sovereign over all things and our comforter in the last days. He is the savior of the worst of sinners, the foundation of truth, our freedom, our High Priest, our sanctification, our hope in times of suffering, and the source of all truth. He is the one who protects us from stumbling and he is ever present throughout history as the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the alpha and the omega who has been since the beginning and will be through the end.

Genesis – Our Creator
Exodus – Who freed His people
Leviticus – and was appointed the Greatest High Priest
Numbers – Became our Water in the desert and our manna from heaven.
Deuteronomy – He is our Law-keeper
Joshua – and the High Commander
Judges – who delivers us from injustice.
Ruth – He is our Kinsman-Redeemer,
Samuel – Our Prophet and Priest,
Kings – Our Wisest Ruler.
Chronicles – He is the Son of David
Ezra – and the Priest proclaiming freedom.
Nehemiah – He is the One who restores what is broken down
Esther – and protects his people
Job – He is like a Voice in the Whirlwind,
Psalms – Our song in the morning and in the night.
Proverbs – He is Our wisdom,
Ecclesiastes – Our meaning for life,
Song of Solomon – Our Beloved.
Isaiah – He became the Suffering Servant
Jeremiah – and the weeping Messiah
Lamentations – so that He could answer our cry for mercy.
Ezekiel – He is The Son of Man,
Daniel – The One who stands in the fire with us,
Hosea – The Faithful Husband,
Joel – and He shows us undeserved Compassion.
Amos – He is the arbitrator of justice to the oppressed
Obadiah – and The Judge of those who do evil.
Jonah – He is the shade giving vine
Micah – who casts our sin and failures into the sea of forgetfulness.
Nahum – He is Our future world peace,
Habakkuk – The crusher of injustice,
Zephaniah – The Warrior who saves,
Haggai – The restorer of our worship,
Zechariah – The Messiah pierced for us,
Malachi – The Son of righteousness,
Matthew – The true King,
Mark – The servant Messiah,
Luke – our Healer,
John – and God in the flesh.
Acts – He is The Spirit who dwells in His people
Romans – and the righteousness of God.
Corinthians – He is our down payment of what’s to come
Galatians – and our very life.
Ephesians – He is the Spirit that unifies the Church
Philippians – To bring joy to our lives.
Colossians – He is the Sovereign over all things
Thessalonians – and our comfort in the last days.
Timothy – He is the Savior of the worst sinners,
Titus – The Foundation of truth,
Philemon – Our freedom,
Hebrews – Our High Priest,
James – Our Sanctifier,
Peter – Our hope in times of suffering,
John – and the source of all truth
Jude – He is the one who protects us from stumbling
Revelation – and He is ever present through history as The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, The Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and the End.

Adapted from: https://www.biblestudytools.com/blogs/philip-nation/in-every-book-of-the-bible.html

The Winter Savior

The Winter Savior

I see the snowflakes falling falling

Out the window, through the trees.

I hear the cold wind blowing blowing

Rustling up the fallen leaves

I feel the cold air pressing pressing

‘gainst the door, throughout the hall

I smell the winter coming coming

With expected force and gall.

I taste the crystals melting melting

Landing on my tongue and coat

I sense the darkness rising rising

Creeping up to sap my hope. 

Yet even in the sense filled wonder 

Of this cold and darker season...

I taste and see His goodness goodness

As the crystals melt away. 

I smell His fragrance filling filling

As He calms the blusters sway 

I feel His presence with me, with me

As the darkness closes in

I hear Him whisper gently gently

As He speaks to me within

I see His Spirit coming coming

As He tarry’s not for long

I sense my Savior calling calling

As He draws me home, where I belong. 

The Sheep in the Heap

The Sheep in the Heap

The farmer lost his sheep. 

They were hiding in a heap. 

They were in a haystack in a heap.

So the farmer found his sheep  

In the haystack, in the heap.

And in His arms he'll safely keep.

All the sheep from in the heap.

-Lance McGraw

The Captain of the Sea

I am the captain of my ship
Each board, and plank, and rail.
I turn the ship at my command
And tell the rudders where to sail.

The wind, it blows me where I want
Through skill and luck and wit. 

I tell the crew just what to do,

And the sea, she listens too.

The waves, they roll up past the boat 

Each cap and trough and crest.

I push on through the endless sea

And I declare that I'm the best.

For I'm the captain of the sea,

Each fish and crab and coral.

They swim and jump at my command 

And I feed them from MY hand.

Suddenly a cabin boy, 

From the gunwale of the boat; 

"You go too far you scalawag.

You are no captain, but a goat.

If you're the captain of this ship,

Each board and plank and rail.

Who made the boards? Who made the planks?

And who fills up the sails?

The wind, it blows you where He wants,

Despite your mighty skill.

It storms and gales and pushes you

At the High Commanders will.

The waves still roll up past the boat,

But each crest can not be stopped 

Try telling one "be calm and still",

Then try walking 'cross the top.

Sure you're the captain of this ship

But the seas belong to Him. 

He made the wood, He blows the wind, 

And by His will the creatures swim.

Without The Captain of the sea 

There's ne're that you can do. 

So thank Him for the breath He gives
And the grace He shows to you.

Truly Sensible

I hear an echo on the breeze

that bounces off the rocks and trees.

It reminds me of a voice I’ve heard

within my soul, a silent bird.

Yet echoes ‘round with quiet thunder

and strikes my heart with rev’rent wonder.

I see a shadow on the hill

And reflections on the window sill

It’s hard to see, but can’t be missed

As if the sunlight could be kissed.

Yet all the same, that dangerous light

It awes my heart, a dazzling sight.

I smell a fragrance in the air

A soothing scent that’s lovely and rare.

It fills my lungs with breathless pleasure

As if I’ve smelled a priceless treasure.

And all the air around seems bent

By this exhilarating scent.

Yet all for naught these senses be

If they don’t bring me back to Thee.

The One who formed me from the Earth

My ears, my eyes, my nose, my worth.

Laurance McGraw V

Stand Your Ground

"In the life of every believer there are moments that shape your walk with Jesus Christ.
There comes a time in your life that if you give the devil permission, whether you do it knowingly or not he will come in and take everything that is near and dear to you. A preacher once said; “give the devil an inch and he will take a mile.”

The fact of the matter is that you were born in the middle of a cosmic war, and what you need to know is that Satan tried to dethrone God and failed, and failed miserably. He knows that he can’t compete with God, therefore he was left with a conundrum, how can you face an opponent with no flaw or weakness?

That’s where we come in.

Whether you know it or not you are the object of God’s affection. Although we are made in his image, we are not perfect and the human mind and the human body can be influenced by either the power of God from above, or the power of evil from beneath.

The fact that you are the object of God’s affection puts you on the devils hit list. Understand this; the devil is out to get you. He may pretend he is there to help you but he is the master of disguise and he will masquerade as something good or enticing to get you on his side then once he has his hands on you he will seek to destroy you.

Why you may ask; because he knows God cares for you. See the devil is fully aware that he cannot win against God and the only thing that will bring him some sense of satisfaction is to take you down. I am here simply to encourage you.

Don’t let him take you down.

DON’T let him take you down.

The only way the devil can vent his hostility toward God is through you. Refuse to be a part of the devils plans. His goal is to frustrate God’s plan in your life, to block and to hinder your road to salvation, to prevent God’s fulfillment in your life, and to separate and alienate you from God and His kingdom.

Let me be straight with you, this is a war for your life, for your family’s life, for your soul. The destiny of your soul is at stake.

Now, the enemy will use every strategy that he can to enter your life, to weaken you, to frustrate you, to tempt you, to lure you, and to break you down. He does not tire, he does not stop, and he is consistently after you 24 / 7. His goal is not only to destroy you, his goal is not only to destroy your body, but his goal is to destroy your soul, rob you of your health, rob you of your wealth, everything you love he is after it.

John 10:10, “the thief comes only to steal.”

Knowing what you know now are you seriously just going to sit there and let the enemy run riot in your life?

Honestly?!?

Are you really just going to sit there and let the enemy steal your family, steal your wife, steal your husband, steal your children? Are you really just going to lie down and not put up a fight, no resistance, nothing?

Are you really just going to hand it over to him? Hand over your business? Hand over your health? Hand over your education? After everything you’ve been through are you really just going to hand it over without a fight? Are you really going to let the devil slap you around? Let him hang things over you?

How long are you going to go accepting things from him? Just thinking things just happen.

Well today’s the day you’re going to say; “I’VE HAD IT! I’m not taking this anymore. Everything that the devil has stolen from me, I’m taking it back.”

Fighting the enemy is no easy feat and most people haven’t developed the backbone required to go eyeball to eyeball with the enemy.

A preacher once said, “It’s difficult to fight an enemy that you just got through sleeping with.”

But the wonderful thing about Jesus Christ is that He came to the Earth as a man and when He faced the enemy, He demonstrated what we should do as men and women of God. Jesus said, when dealing with the enemy, “It is written.” The one thing that can get the enemy to run out of your life, out of your family, out of your business, is the word of God. There is a reason why that in Ephesians 6 the word of God is described as the sword. Take your sword out; you need to know what is written, and not just to know what is written for you need to SEEK what is written and speak the word.

When the enemy comes into your life like a flood, stand your ground and take your sword out in Luke 10 and go eyeball to eyeball with him and tell him “I have been given the authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm me.”

STAND YOUR GROUND

When he tries to use one of his main tactics, which is fear, tell him “For God has not given me a spirit of fear; but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

STAND YOUR GROUND

When he thinks you are down tell him, I’m not down Satan, “the Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1)

STAND YOUR GROUND

When he tells you you’re a loser tell him “I am the head and not the tail.” (Deuteronomy 28:13)

STAND YOUR GROUND

When the enemy comes after you tell him Isaiah 54 “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17)

STAND YOUR GROUND

When he whispers in your ear and tells you that you can’t do this, throw Philippians 4:13 to him “I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

STAND YOUR GROUND

When the devil tries to question your purpose tell him; "I am a part of a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, and it is my mission to declare the praises of Him who called me out of darkness and into His wonderful light."

STAND YOUR GROUND

When he comes with a spirit of condemnation and questions your salvation and says you are not saved, you did this, you did that, tell him “I have confessed with my mouth and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead” I am saved.

STAND YOUR GROUND

Recognize that you’re in a fight, pick up your sword, and let the Lord use you to advance His kingdom."

-Edris Hera

Where is your brother?

“Where is Abel your brother?”

Cain: “Am I my brothers keeper?”

Me: “Yes! Absolutely yes! And of all people, YOU, his only recorded brother so far, should know where he is. In fact, you DO know where he is, you’re just a heartless monster and THAT’S why Abel’s offering was accepted and yours wasn’t.”

You see, if you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it!

We all know how the story went though. You killed your brother. 

I know it.

You know it.

Your Creator knows it. 

Cain: “Then why even ask me?”

Me: “Because your Creator is merciful to you and He is giving you a chance to grieve over your sin, admit it to Him, and turn from your evil ways with a new heart, just like He did with your Dad Adam.”

It’s too late now though because you chose to respond to your Creator with a snarky attitude and a prideful heart, as if He couldn’t and wouldn’t discipline you for your disobedience. 

Yet even in that He was merciful to you but you’re too stubborn hearted to realize it and you think that your punishment was too severe. 

REALLY?!?

Your brother is dead because of you and YOUR punishment is too severe?!?!?

You’re the one who sinned, you’re the one who picked up the stone. You’re the one who hammered your brothers skull with it until the blood poured out and yet you’re the one complaining that the trials you now have to face in this life are too severe?

...le sigh. “Oh, Adam’s sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!” (Aslan)

Since intellectual acumen has all but disappeared in today’s age I’m sure I need to explain what this question has to do with us today because rest assured that the questions that our Creator Himself asks in the Bible must be relevant to us today or else they wouldn’t have needed to be written. 

With that being said; Where is your brother?

Men today: “Larry, I’ve never killed my brother with a rock.”

Me: “Well that may be true but our problem goes deeper than that. Have you ever hated your brother in your heart? Remember brother in our context is any other human being because we are all related through Adam.”

Men: “Maybe but surely that isn’t morally equivalent to ACTUALLY murdering someone.”

Jesus: “Actually, it is because I care more about your heart than I do about your outward actions and I’ve seen all of your hearts. There isn’t one of them that’s righteous I assure you.”

Me: “And you (men) know this to be true because we’ve all had thoughts that made us go “eek” or we’ve made moral judgements about the words others speak.”

Men: “So I’m just stuck with this brain that has morally bad thoughts? Why even give me a “bad heart”? How unjust of you Jesus... Checkmate.”

Me: “le sigh...Well it’s too late now because you chose to respond to your Savior with a snarky attitude and a prideful heart, as if He couldn’t and wouldn’t discipline you for your disobedience.

Yet even in that He is merciful to you but you’re too stubborn hearted to realize it and you think that your punishment of a hard life is too severe. 

REALLY?!?

Jesus died and rose again because of you and YOUR punishment is too severe?!?!?

You’re the one who sinned, you’re the one who picked up the nail. You’re the one who hammered your Saviors hands with them until the blood poured out and yet you’re the one complaining that the trials you now have to face in this life are too severe?

That’s what your morally bad thoughts cost. That’s the cost He paid so that even though your thoughts and desires are as sinful as Cain’s, your Creator can be both just and merciful. 

Justice was paid by Jesus so that mercy could be shown to men. 

Your Creator is merciful to you and He is giving you a chance to grieve over your sin, admit it to Him, and turn from your evil ways with a new heart, just like He did with your Dad Adam and your brother Cain.

The reality is that Jesus is our brother and so I’ll ask you one more time; 

Where is your brother? His blood is crying out to you from the cross and you can be released from the sinful curse of Cain by answering that call. 

(Part 2 of my “Questions from the Creator” series)

Where are you Adam?

Where are you Adam?

“But the LORD God called to the MAN and said to him, “Where are you?””

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭NET‬‬

Men, we need to talk. 

As I read through yet another mass shooting I can’t help but ask the same question that God did as He was billowing through the Garden of Eden looking for Adam;

Where are you Adam?

As I see yet another marriage fail due to alcohol and drugs...

Where are you Adam?

When I go to Iraq and see children playing in, bathing in, and eating in filth...

Where are you Adam?

When racism rears it’s ugly draconian head...

Where are you Adam? 

When the devil tempts your children through things they watch, things they see, and people they hang out with...

Where are you Adam?

When your wife is slaving away at home with the kids and she’s getting burnt out because her husband isn’t helping...

Where are you Adam?

When your babies are aborted because the mothers don’t feel they have the support they need to raise a child...

Where ARE you Adam?

The list goes on and on as “Adam” sits silent watching the world go by him while God CRIES OUT to him to stand and deliver. 

You see God didn’t call out to Eve in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day after they ate the forbidden fruit. No He told Adam to come stand before Him and explain himself to his Creator. 

YOU HAD ONE JOB!

Now I have thousands of them.

YOU HAD A LIFE OF EASE!

Now I deal with sin everyday in every way imaginable. 

YOU HAD A TREE OF LIFE!

Now I must die at some point...

Those are just MY points as a Man descended from Him but imagine you’re Adam for a minute and God says “Where are you?”

Where were you when your wife was tempted?

Where were you when she was taking a bite from the fruit?

Where were you when YOU took a bite?!?

Oh that’s right, you were with her in the Garden. 

So you sat by and watched as all of humanity became bent and broken because of your indifference, your passivity, and your choices.

Listen to Adams response to God’s question;

“Here I am, and yes that’s all true BUT Lord it wouldn’t have happened if YOU hadn’t given me this WOMAN.”

What a pitiful response. 

So again I ask, where are you Adam? Even I know that’s not how a Man should respond to ANYTHING, let alone his creator. The one who formed him with His breath. The one that crafted a partner for him from his very bones and breathed into her the breath of life. 

Pitiful!

...just like me. 

You see I’ve heard God calling to me for a long time saying “where are you Man?” and I have tried to run as far from that call as possible. 

I have stood by and watched as the devil has tried to take everything from me while I was hiding because I was too scared to face the call of my Creator. 

I have stood by and watched evil things happen and shrugged my shoulders as if there was nothing I could do about it all because it was easier to ignore than to face my Creator.

Where are you Larry?

“Here I am and yes Lord, its all true but if YOU hadn’t made me this way I would be just fine.”

What a pitiful response I used to give him...

Thank God there is another Adam that I haven’t talked about yet because otherwise the original Adam and I didn’t and don’t have a good enough answer for our Creator. 

Thank God there is another Adam that I can look to and say “THAT’S how it should have been done thousands of years ago in the Garden.”

When this Adam came, He didn’t need to hide, He had no shame, He talked with God openly, freely, and frequently. Just like original Adam should have done. 

He spoke up for the oppressed, defended women, and rebuked the serpent. Just like original Adam should have done. 

He didn’t eat ANY forbidden fruit. Just like original Adam should have done. 

It goes even further than that though because this Adam not only did all the right things, He also made sure original Adams debt was paid. 

He said “I will take original Adams place. I will not be silent and let him go to the grave.”

He said “Father God the cup that You have given me, I will drink.”

Then He said “Father forgive them.”

Just like Adam and I should have done and deserved.

Jesus is that second Adam, the one who fulfilled original Adams mission to be the image bearer of God and the true Ad’am (Hebrew word for man) as an example to us. 

When we look at original Adam we see blame, shame, and rejection. 

When we look at the true Ad’am we see love, life, and resurrection. 

Thank you God for showing us what true Men are like and I pray that all of the men reading this would study the life of Jesus the true Adam, and step up to His plate to live their life the way He lived His. 

-Laurance McGraw