He had succeeded in making a name in Hollywood as private investigator Thoman Magnum in the 80s series P.I Magnum. Luck was on his side, and he had earned a Golden Globe and Emmy Award in the heyday of his career. Despite the fame and accolades, Tom Selleck remained humble and credited his success to the Lord.
“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps…Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time,” as Tom fondly quotes.
The 74-actor did not have a perfect childhood. Living with a disciplinarian father, the young Tom suffered beatings and lived with high standards.
Tom strived to live a good life despite these painful memories and pursued his earlier life aspiration as a basketball player representing the University of Southern California and a newbie actor at Twentieth Century Fox.
In 1967, Tom took a break from his Hollywood career and served as an army for the United States during the Vietnam war. He took another position in the California National Guard in 1973. After this period, Selleck returned to Hollywood, hoping to resume his acting job. He learned that he lost his career while he was away fighting for his country to his utter disbelief.
Tom did not give up. Instead of feeling sad, he started again and rebuilt his career until he had a big break. For all these achievements, he credited the Lord as the force behind them.
The year 1985 was a big year for Tom. His outstanding performance in the eight seasons of Magnum P.I. put him in the spotlight and made him earn the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama.
Meanwhile, Tom’s busy schedule for his career took a toll on his personal life leading to the failure of his first marriage. Thus, in his second marriage with English dancer Jillie Mack, he prioritized his relationships and quit his role in P.I. Magnum to focus on his family.
As Tom matured, he took leadership and philanthropic roles. He imparts his words of wisdom being a national speaker for the non-profit Character Counts! to get closer to their kid clients to have a clearer and more ethical perspective of who they want to become.
“We’re living in an age that celebrates unchecked impulses. I work with exceptional kids, gang kids, deprived kids, enriched kids, and they all have an astounding sense of entitlement. They don’t celebrate earning the privilege of driving at 16. They expect a car. There’s a big difference,” Tom Selleck once said in an interview.
Tom Selleck has continued to inspire people as he matures in his career. He has a huge fan and following who loves him for his strong faith in Jesus.