f the Baptist and Reflector, the state Baptist paper of Tennessee, for 26 years. He served as associate editor of the paper for ten years before becoming editor in 1998. He recently announced that he will retire as editor, effective Dec. 31, 2024.

This book is a collection of columns he has written over the decades. Some were written under the heading, "An Occasional Word" while he was associate editor. The others were written as "Reflections" once he became editor.

Wilkey is a native of Marietta, South Carolina, and attended Slater-Marietta High School until the school closed. He graduated from Travelers Rest High School in 1976. He also graduated from North Greenville College (now University) in 1978 and the University of South Carolina in 1980 with a bachelor of arts in journalism degree.

He has worked at North Greenville, Baptist College at Charleston (now Charleston Southern University) and the former Southern Baptist Education Commission.