The Noticer Project: The Five People Who've Had the Biggest Influence on My Life

In his new book, The Noticer, Andy Andrews pays tribute to a man* who impacted his life. Plus, he invites his readers to "notice" those that have changed their lives. It's my pleasure to introduce you to five of the many people have impacted my life.

William Bert Whitlock
Those who know me are not surprised to see my dad, Bill Whitlock, at the top of the list. My dad was my hero, my teacher, my personal coach, and the best mentor anybody could have. I never questioned his love for me. I could always trust him.

The most powerful lesson I learned from him about fatherhood, was "Let your son tag along behind the scenes of your life." James Dobson is fond of saying that life's lessons are caught and not taught. Dad gave me ample opportunities to catch his life. I'm grateful for all of the private moments that many many others never saw. Like kneeling with his players to say Lord's Prayer before basketball games. My dad never prayed aloud in our family or in meetings. He was shy that way. But I know he was a man of prayer because of many private moments. It didn't surprise me after my mom's successful cancer surgery, that dad bowed in silent prayer with me to give thanks for what the doctors—-and God--did on that day. I invite you to read about my dad by clicking here and here. It's just a son's perspective, but I'll do everything I can not to let his memory die.

I give tribute also to Keith Naylor. Keith was a local pastor at a small church in Clarkston, Georgia. He reached out to high school students in the area. He had played pro basketball but an injury sidelined him. He played with Athletes in Action for a while before getting more education and moving to Clarkston to help start the church. Keith spoke at our Fellowship of Christian Athletes Thanksgiving banquet about “what it is, what it was, and what it shall be.” For the first time in my life, I understood the gospel clearly and plainly. That night, I couldn’t sleep so I slipped out of my bed, knelt in the darkness, and prayed, “Whatever this thing called a Christian is, I want to be one.” Keith was also instrumental in my early Christian growth. I attended a small Bible study with him on Friday mornings at 6:00 a.m. My mom never understood what would get a teenage boy up and out of the house by 5:45 a.m. Keith, and his fellow pastors Bill Jones and Barry St. Clair, were at the right place at the right time. Tragedy struck our school when a track athlete with a rare heart condition died during a workout. Keith was there when our student body hurt and needed answers. God brought many fellow students to Christ during that season.

Donnie Bixler was my best friend in high school. Even though Donnie was two years older than me, we hit it off and connected on many fronts. We went to concerts together and listened to music. We were in Scouts together. More than anything else, Donnie was a voice of encouragement to me as a new Christian. He didn’t let me get away with much. He had the courage to call a spade a spade. He also let me see into his family. I’m an only child so the idea of brothers and sisters was alien to me. I saw the love and care that he had for his siblings and they had for him. When I found out the Donnie had a brain tumor, my heart sank. I couldn’t understand why God would want to take him away in such a painful way. He was such a faithful servant. He loved his wife. He loved his boys. His boys were very young when God took him home. I think of him often. I also pray for his wife and his sons.

Bob Lepine is a Reformation Man. I use that phrase in contrast to a renaissance man. If there are people who are “jacks of all trades but masters of none” then Bob is Aces all around. Elvis impersonator. Theology scholar. Standup comic. Music trivia savant. Mellifluous-throated radio man. Relationship master. Creative Merlin. When I went to work for Bob, I was a young 23-year-old. Bob was generous to let me pick his brain. To be honest, he probably spent way too much time letting me pick his brain, but I'm grateful for the wisdom that I gleaned from those hours together. I'm grateful for his belief in me. I'm grateful for the wisdom I continue to carry with me that I learned from him. Bob quotes Philippians 2:3-4 so often that I memorized it just being around him. “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Bob live lives his life this way I think that's why he has so many friends and is so influential on so many fronts.

Besides my father, the person who has had the biggest influence on my life is my wife, Kaye. She has seen my best and she has seen my worst. No matter what, she loves me and believes in me. Kaye has an uncanny ability to give others the benefit of the doubt. I'll feel cheated, angered, belittled, or wronged, and yet she will be able to give me perspective and ask questions that I haven't. That is a powerful gift. Kaye is a walking example of endurance. She deals with severe joint pain hour by hour. How she accomplishes everything she does every day boggles my mind. She overcomes for the sake of our children and me. I wish others could see all that she does in private to make our family work. Kaye is also responsible for my career success. Early in our marriage, I learned to love reading because of her influence. She's also taught me about what's important to a daughter. Her observations about her own dad and femininity in general have made me a better dad to our three girls. We will celebrate 19 years of wedded bliss on May 5. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her.

I also keep a list of unofficial mentors. There are authors I’ll never meet and regular folks you’ll never meet. Like every award winner, making a list is always dangerous. There will be dozens left off, I'm sure.

• Dennis Rainey
• Paul McCusker
• Gary Blunier
• Tim Downs
• Kurt Bruner
• Dave Samuel
• Greg Stutts
• Jim Davis
• Scott Rosenthal
• Todd Murray
• Robert Louis
• Jerry Wunder
• Allan Mesko
• Bill Spurling
• Mike Schatz
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• Ray Blackston
• Jonathan Clements
• Scotty Smith
• Tony Wood
• Wayne Kinde
• Mike Hyatt

I “notice” them as well and am grateful for their influence in my life. I challenge you to notice five people today. Link back to this blog or facebook page. Don’t forget to notice them at http://thenoticerproject.com.

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

A Review
The Noticer
Andy Andrews
Thomas Nelson Publishers
Releasing Tuesday, April 28, 2009, A.D.
Four lions out of five

In the Disney movie, The Lion King, Rafiki, the medicine monkey confronts the prince of the jungle, Simba. Simba has been living in the past and blaming himself for his father's death and his uncle's rise to corruption. They argue for a while then have this classic exchange:

Adult Simba: I know what I have to do. But going back will mean facing my past. I've been running from it for so long.
[Rafiki hits Simba on the head with his stick]
Adult Simba: Ow! Jeez, what was that for?
Rafiki: It doesn't matter. It's in the past.
[laughs]
Adult Simba: Yeah, but it still hurts.
Rafiki: Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it.
[swings his stick at Simba again who ducks out of the way]

Rafiki gave Simba a lesson in ... perspective

Andy Andrews' new modern fable, The Noticer, is all about perspective.

Andy Andrews loves people. You can tell that in the way he blogs, in the way he greets audiences after live engagements, and in the way he describes people in his books. In The Traveler's Gift, Andrews describes famous characters from history with care and aplomb. While a fictional tale, we see Abraham Lincoln, Joshua Chamberlain, and Christopher Columbus in ways that cinema and history don't often show us. He brings that same care and love for people to his neighbors and friends on the Gulf Coast of Alabama.

As I read through The Noticer, I kept Google handy. Every time he introduced a new guest or a new place along Orange Beach, I Googled it. All of the places he mentions in the book are genuine. The proprietors of those places are living breathing humans. What a tribute to the place that has nurtured your soul. What a tribute to the people that you've woven your life together with.

As you read The Noticer, you've got to remember that it's a fable. You've got to remember that change does not happen instantaneously.

The Noticer begins with a painful glance into Andy's life. We meet Andy underneath the dock. He's in tears mourning the loss of his parents. That's when Jones shows up. Andrews credits Jones with introducing him to great biographies——and changing his perspective. The rest of the book travels with Jones as he helps others all over the Gulf Coast change their perspectives.

The cynic in me didn't like the rehash of Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages material. While I love the content and research behind the five love languages, I did not like Andrews recitation of it. I'm probably over-thinking this since there are thousands of people who will be exposed to this book that would never be exposed to Chapman's work. So, I will appreciate the homage.

Like most modern fables (like The One-Minute Manager), everything seems to happen too quickly and too perfectly. His characters don't resist change as much as those of us with flesh on.

Intrigue built as I continued to read. Jones is a curious man and I wanted to know more about him. Who is he going to talk to next? How is he going to confront them? As you read the book, don't speed read. Read as you would if you were enjoying an early summer day along the Gulf Coast. Don't miss yourself along the streets and sand.

I almost missed myself. But Jones showed up in my bedroom when I read chapter seven. He delivered a Rafiki-sized whack upside my head. Once I was "noticed", I was hooked.



As the book builds to the climax, I felt a part of the community. When everyone gathers at the diner, if you've been "noticed", you'll be there, too, wondering what is in Jones' suitcase.

Even the most causal readers will care about the end of the book and most readers, like me, will want to change perspective in their lives.

In my day to day life, I am tasked with writing persuasive copy. I realize that my job is about changing someone's perspective. I feel more equipped to do so after reading The Noticer. But the bigger benefit to my daily career has been the fact that I understand someone else's perspective a little better. Or at least I ask the question, "What is their perspective?"

The Noticer is a very quick read. I know that this book will sell very well. I believe that the social network strategy that Nelson has employed will be like kerosene onto an already well-built fire complete with kindling and well-seasoned fuel.

Have You Ever Heard this Story?

Blogger's Note: I am researching for a new project. I can't find a source for one of the best stories to open the work. I don't even know "the rest of the story." Have you heard a story like the one below? I cannot remember if this artist was a sculptor, a painter, a Renaissance man, or a composer. If so, could you leave a comment about WHO you think the artist was? If you know a source, would you please link me to it or give me a title and author? Thanks so much.


He was dead.

The odor emanating from his apartment alerted his neighbors. The man was a hermit and aloof, but he was also famous. Everyone in the city knew who he was. They knew his work. And they wanted to see more of it.

He was an artist who thrilled his audiences with every completed work. When they pried open the door to his home and found his body, they also found hundreds of unfinished pieces. Those who knew him and do his work, commented that there were many masterpieces awaiting his touch. But alas, he would never touch them again.

The Future of Radio

Blogger's Note: I love radio. I wanted to be a songwriter, but majored in journalism with a concentration in radio for a bunch of reasons. It didn't take long for me to fall in love. I discovered "Adventures in Odyssey" and "A Prairie Home Companion." I met Himam Brown, the man who coined the phrase, "The theatre of the mind".


Jeff Brown with WAY-FM posted a great blog post today. I invite you to respond on his site. He asked four questions about the future of radio. I put my responses on his blog and here.

As long as we drive our own cars, we will love radio. As soon as cars ride on rails like in I Robot, radio may fade.


How do you prefer to interact with radio? Phone? Text? Twitter? Not at all/Passive listener?
Radio needs to get ahead of the curve. With all the studies on distracted drivers and laws being passed, the NAB and NRB need to join together to create a new radio dashboard interface. More stations need to push song data to the screen of the radio. I'm not opposed to advertiser information there as well.

There should be a series of buttons on the radio interface (and maybe the steering wheel) that allow a listener to respond directly to the station. This would allow the station to take immediate polls or contests. Furthermore, if you heard an ad you liked and wanted more information for, push the "ad" button and an email will come to you. In a new technologies class in 1988, we discussed a car thermal printer that would print radio coupons. I think you could create the same thing with an email generated (or a text).

Does the idea of live, streaming video as it relates to radio intrigue you at all?

If I have a relationship with the on air talent, it might be fun to watch them. But businesses are placing bandwidth restrictions on office computers, etc.

Do you like the idea of being able to take your favorite radio show with you wherever you go to listen to whenever you want? Minus the music?
I subscribe to many podcasts of Christian talk ("FamilyLife Today", "In the Studio with Michael Card", and "Insight for Living"). I can't hear them when they air, so I listen on my schedule.

I believe this will grow as education increases.

Would you welcome the opportunity to interact with other like-minded listeners live and in real time while listening to your favorite show?

Isn't this already happening on Twitter for TV? Radio may never be in that space because of the role of the vehicle.

What I would really love to see is a renaissance of radio. We've got music and talk. In the Christian space, we have teaching. But what if somebody embraced "drama" again?

What if Brian Singer brought "Captain America" to radio instead of TV or the big screen? We might have a phenomenon on our hands and a return to radio.

What if we had a live stream on radio from an imbedded reporter in Iraq. The mic was always on (Truman Show), but he didn't always talk. We heard the shots fired, the grunts, the distant explosions, etc. I think we would be riveted.

What if an author serialized the reading of his new book BEFORE it was available in stores? John Grisham or Stephen King on air for 30 minutes every morning or during afternoon drive. They would read the first 1/3 of the book or so before release date. Book sales would skyrocket (and audio book sales would, too.)

What if "Nashville Star" gave up on trying to be American Idol Country and went to radio instead. It could become the new Grand Ole Opry with a live audience and lots of internet interactivity, but the performances were only available on radio (Citadel radio presents...)