August 2026 Of Dolly, John Wesley, and doing good as long as ever you can

The above instruction is one I learned about only a little over a year ago. I had heard snippets of it, but never the whole thing, and never knew its origin. And I didn’t know it had a name, or an author. Maybe you already know it. But it’s called “John Wesley’s Rule.”

This practical description and application of how a Christian should serve others was written by John Wesley, the man who founded the Methodist Church in both England and the United States in the 1700s. While students, John and his brother Charles started a club for students at Oxford University that emphasized living a holy life. It grew from there.

Wesley’s Rule stuck with me and the sheer power and simplicity of the sentiment of doing good for other people with great commitment and passion as a wonderful way of sharing God’s love with others.

I thought it was a topic worth revisiting here and planned to do so sometime in coming weeks.

Then this week happened. And suddenly his dictum to do all the good you can while you can suddenly resonated in a special way.                                                                                                                                                                           
As accolades and stories have poured in about Dolly Parton, a lot has been said about her giving and the intentionality she had to improve the lives of other people, especially the economy of the beautiful but traditionally impoverished eastern Tennessee county that was her home.

I’m a transplant to Tennessee, and among the many things I had learned in recent years is more about Dolly.  I came to greatly admire her accomplishments and business savvy, once I got beyond my initial reaction to her appearance.

It was her Imagination Library that caught my attention. You probably know all about it.

To grow up in a house with books is a great blessing. One I know I took for granted.

We still lived in Ohio when our grandkids began arriving in Tennessee and each month books were arriving from the Imagination Library. As I learned about the program, and its founder and dedication to her dad, I was impressed.

Then I learned it wasn’t just in Tennessee, when the Imagination Library came to Ohio at the behest of the then-governor Mike DeWine’s wife, Fran, the mother of a large family and person known for her commitment and support for families.

According to one USA Today article I read, the program has distributed 330 million books since its inception to children in the United States, Canada, Ireland, UK and Australia.

If you’ve been paying attention, you likely have heard this or about other generous philanthropic gestures Dolly made.

Among the stories, I read these quotes from her, again from USA Today.

“I just give from my heart. I just see a need and if I can fill it then I will. I think it’s important for everyone to do their share to help their fellow man.”

And beyond the philanthropy is the $1.8 billion economic impact the Dollywood businesses have in Sevier County, Tennessee, where they provide 23,000 jobs and are the largest employer. And still expanding.

There have been so many stories about her, and there will be more to come. Maybe not all as full of praise.

I don’t know what John Wesley would have thought of Dolly. But I’m writing about her here today because I think he would have approved of her do-gooding heart.

Looking ahead, we will get back to talking about Christian retail and bookstores in September, as there’s more to share with you about that. We originally intended to return to that today.

But first we’ll be taking a break for the Labor Day holiday.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend and go do some good for someone else while you can.