Pastor, Military Retiree Team up to Inspire Others
By Carla Hinton Religion Editor chinton@oklahoman.com – July 4, 2015
The Rev. Stan Toler said he always wanted to write a book to inspire members of the military but he lacked a certain inside knowledge of the armed forces. Toler, 64, said he attended a Southern Nazarene University alumni event a few years ago and learned that one of his fellow alums would be a perfect partner for such a book project.
That’s how Toler, founder and executive director of SNU’s Center for Pastoral Leadership, teamed up with retired Brig. Gen. Robert Redwine to write “Minute Motivators for The Military: Quick Inspiration for the Time of Your Life” (Beacon Hill Press, $6.99). “I felt like it was a God thing that we connected at SNU,” Toler said. “I felt like his input was critical for the book to be a success.” The book is part of Toler’s best-selling motivational and inspirational “Minute Motivators” series.
Redwine, 53, spent nearly 28 years in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve in intelligence missile operations and now has a law practice in Bethany. He said he is a proud graduate of Yukon High School, in the same class as country music recording artist and superstar Garth Brooks. He said he had been familiar with Toler’s “Minute Motivators” series and other books on leadership and often saw copies of them on the bookshelves of other military leaders.
The book for the military offers quotes from military leaders throughout history, including George Washington, Dwight Eisenhower, Gen. George S. Patten and Napoleon, plus some leaders of more recent years, such as Colin Powell and Maj. Gen. Richard P. Mills. Like all of Toler’s “Minute Motivators” books, this one “compiles a great deal of information in a short read,” Redwine said. “The hope is that they will read the book and apply it to their lives,” he said. “I wish that such a book had been available during my career.”
Encouraging words
Redwine said he envisions the book as a resource not just for active-duty military and the National Guard but also for military families and veterans, particularly those who suffer from battle injuries and post-traumatic stress syndrome. He said the book is designed to encourage military members and promote leadership in their various stages of service. “Sometimes, there’s a tendency for the military to focus on rank, but this helps an individual understand they can be a leader at whatever point they are,” Redwine said.
Toler and Redwine have sent the book to several nonprofit organizations that deal regularly with military members. Toler said a Baptist church in Texas purchased about 1,000 of the books to be placed in care baskets for the military. “It’s a way to say thanks and a way of speaking encouragement into the lives of those who are every day rolling up their sleeves and fighting for our country,” Toler said.
Retired Brig. Gen. Robert Redwine & Rev. Dr. Stan Toler
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