March 16, 1975 – December 29, 2018

In the words of his beloved wife, Sara, Jonathan Sandys was “never still. Perpetual motion personified; always thrumming and humming with a vibrancy that illuminated the space he was in with joy and often threw off sparks and sometimes started fires, depending on which way the wind was blowing. “

Jonathan was best known for his total commitment to the memory and legacy of his great-grandfather, British statesman and prime minister Winston Churchill. He was devoted to what he believed was his life’s mission: the Churchill brand of leadership across every spectrum of society. His Twitter page (@ChurchillQuote) is a library of Churchill photos, quotes, and anecdotes of the statesman’s leadership philosophy. “We all have the capacity to Lead Like Churchill, with courage, faith and integrity,” he says. “We just need to understand Foundational Leadership, and the skills to draw the path to success.”

Our first connection –

I first met Jonathan after seeing his photo on the front cover of a local magazine in December 2010. I was already deeply involved as founder/CEO of the National Space & Technology Association (NSTA) in Houston. We were moving toward hosting global technology conferences in “Space City, USA!”

Under this momentum, we suddenly see this report of a fellow from England who has an idea for an interactive public museum in Houston dedicated to the history of the space program, portrayed through virtual technology. Crazy … but cool! I just had to meet this guy.

We connected on the phone. He invited Pam and me to a dinner at the Johnson Space Center where he was already engaged in pushing his idea of a virtual museum. From that point forward, we became close … very close!

As Godparents —

Prior to the birth of his first-born son in 2014, Jonathan surprised Pam and me with a special request, asking if we would be the godparents of Jesse! This was a shock to us! Asked why he would make that request, his simple answer was: “Because if anything ever happened to Sara and me, I would want my son to be raised in a godly household, and I know he would get that with you and Pam!” WOW! What an honor that we cherish to this day.

Thank you!

Thank you, Jonathan Sandys, for being a part of our lives!

We thank the Lord for bringing you to us.

Say “hello” to Sir Winston for us, if you will. You made him very real to us all!

(L-R) Wallace Henley, Pam & Wally Wood, Jonathan Sandys
Public book signing 2015

As a further tribute to Jonathan and his life’s work concerning his great-grandfather, may we highly recommend his book, “God & Churchill” (2015, Tyndale), available online at Amazon.com.

Joanne King Herring writes:

“Having witnessed firsthand how God moves to influence major events in the world for the good of His people, I cannot imagine anyone better suited to tell the story of God’s work in the life and times of Churchill than Churchill’s own flesh and blood. Jonathan Sandys brings an unparalleled vibrancy and perspective on the great man and his times. He and Wallace Henley have artfully woven together the best-known and most obscure pieces of history to present the beautiful and compelling tapestry that is ‘God & Churchill.’ An absolute must-read!”

Former Secretary-of-State James A. Baker III writes in the Foreword of the book:

“History, as we know, has a way of repeating itself. As I write this foreword in 2015, we are again on the precipice of crisis as international terror threatens civilization. As Jonathan Sandys and Wallace Henley detail in these pages, we have much to learn from Churchill’s leadership in his chaotic times. I hope God & Churchill will inspire such a perspective and urgency in all who read it.”

Conservative columnist and commentator Cal Thomas writes in the Preface:

“God & Churchill is intensely relevant to our own times. Beliefs, worldviews, religion, and spirituality are at the heart of contemporary conflicts. To ignore this is to misunderstand the nature of our times. Worse, it is to be ill-equipped for the battles blazing across the globe. Such was Churchill’s world. Nonetheless, the similarities between Churchill’s day and ours are remarkable!

“The most intriguing issue Sandys and Henley explore — one that most Churchill authors dodge — is the role of God in the making of Winston Churchill … and it’s not merely the making of Winston Churchill that is in focus here, but more so the burning issues of civilization’s survival and the quality of leadership needed in our times for that struggle.”

Order your copy today!

This book, published in 1974 by the Southwest Radio Church in Oklahoma City, was Wally’s first book. Only 39 pages long, the book proved to be the outline for understanding how a world without money would be established in the future.

The Internet did not exist in 1974, yet Wally spoke of an eventual “central computer system” that would one day oversee every financial transaction we make — private individuals, companies, government … everybody. He called it Cencom. This system would eventually be attached to every gas pump, soda machine, and retail outlet everywhere. Without Cencom’s approval, no purchases would be allowed.

A plastic card with an electronic stripe on the back would replace the cash in our pocket. Cencom would know our identity by the use of that card.

For a detailed history of mag stripe technology —

• Wikipedia – “Magnetic Stripe Card”
• Quora – “When was the first credit card with a magnetic stripe issued?”

This book is no longer in print, but used copies may still be available at Amazon.com.

• • Mario Murillo Ministries –
    • From 1968 when he started “Resurrection City” on the campus of the University of California at Berkley, Mario has delivered the message of Christ with power, healings and deliverance around the world.
  • Richie & Catherine Ford – “Heaven’s Storehouse” 
    • “Reveal our Father’s transforming love to the communities of Nicaragua.”
  • Butch & Janet Berner – “Light of Africa Ministries”
    • “To equip local Christian leaders in Zambia to more effectively do the work of ministry.”
  • John & Adela Passler – “Casa De Esperanza Christian Youth Ministries”
    • “Bring Hope to the youth of West Central Honduras through Christian discipleship.”
  • Michael Evans – “Jerusalem Prayer Team”
    • “Build Friends of Zion to guard, defend and protect the Jewish people and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

The “Rest of the Story” behind the poem presented here —

It was just a few days before my 12th birthday in December 1962. A Sunday afternoon. We were home from church, had finished lunch, and the family was napping. I was cleaning the lunch dishes when my thoughts went to the Centurion at the cross. After a few moments imagining the scene, I “suddenly” sensed this poem rising up within me. I went to the den, got a tablet and pencil, sat down and began writing. I still, to this day, have the original tablet page with the penciled poem. Amazing!

The poem has been picked up and published in newspapers and magazines everywhere. It’s been dormant for many years … but, one Saturday night in 2015, in my sleep, I kept having visions of the black storyboard for this poem. It’s as if the Lord wanted this poem “resurrected” from the shadows in commemoration of “Resurrection Day” celebrations going forward.

So, here it is, in a renewed restoration of its own. Enjoy and be blessed.
~ Wally

the-cry-of-a-man_storyboard

Early Morning Victory Prayer

(c) Wally Wood – 2012

For printer-friendly .pdf version — Victory Prayer