s*******w 发帖数: 2257 | 1 By Billy Graham
Life, Faith and Finishing Well | s*******w 发帖数: 2257 | 2 The crack of the bat. The thrill of rounding bases. The satisfaction of
sliding into home on a cloud of dust—Billy Graham loved it all. As a young
man, he dreamed that his passion for baseball would lead him to the major
leagues: “I often pictured myself hitting a big-league grand slam into the
stadium seats and hearing the crowd roar with thunder as I ran the bases,”
he writes in Nearing Home: Life, Faith and Finishing Well.
But God had a different game plan for the teen-aged Graham. After giving his
heart to Jesus Christ, Billy laid down his dreams along with his bat. “As
I look back,” he writes, “I see how God’s hand guided me. I sense His
Spirit with me today, and most comforting is the knowledge that He will not
forsake me during this last stretch as I am nearing home.”
In this context, of course, “nearing home” means approaching death—
something Graham says he does not fear. Growing old? That’s another story.
“All my life, I was taught how to die as a Christian,” he writes. “But no
one ever taught me how I ought to live in the years before I die.” So Mr.
Graham decided he would take the lessons he has learned along the way and
impart that wisdom to others.
Larry Ross, Mr. Graham’s director of media and public relations for the
past 30 years, says the topic of aging has been on Mr. Graham’s heart since
his New York City Crusade in 2005. “The book contains personal
autobiographical reflections from Mr. Graham on how he has come to view old
age, including the realization that the time to prepare for one’s senior
years is now regardless of where you are in life,” says Ross. “He is very
transparent about the realities of later years.”
Nearing Home offers practical answers to questions such as: How can I find
God’s purpose as I age? How can I cope with my fears, struggles and growing
limitations? How do I face the future with hope instead of despair?
“Mr. Graham reinforces time and again that the Bible is a book of hope—
that is where we should be looking,” says Ross. “You hear people speak
about a mythical fountain of youth. Well, Mr. Graham talks about how the
Bible provides an oasis for the soul. The fear of the Lord is the fountain
of life.”
Nearing Home is rich with Scriptural examples of people God has used late in
life with great impact, says Ross. These heroes of the faith demonstrate
that in spite of the limitations and challenges of old age, the later years
can be some of the most rewarding and fulfilling of our lives.
Knowing of Mr. Graham’s own physical limitations, particularly with macular
degeneration, Ross finds it “very touching” that Billy wonders “if God
in His sovereignty allows the eye sight of the aged to cast a dim view of
the here and now so we may focus our spiritual eyes on the ever after.”
Because of his failing eyesight, Mr. Graham dictated the book to a team of
assistants who helped with the writing process.
Growing Old With Purpose
Nearing Home, says Franklin, is full of insight on practical matters like
how to get your house in order “so you don’t leave that for your kids to
do. And my father has done that himself. He’s worked with his lawyers for
years on his estate. And for him, he wants to give as much of it as he can
back to the Lord’s work.”
Another key purpose for older people is training a younger generation, says
Franklin. “My father touches on that; it’s something he talks about. I
think we live in a society where we discount older people—if you’re
retired that means you don’t know much anymore. What we’re doing is we’re
missing a great reservoir, a great wealth of knowledge in our older
generations that we need to be tapping into and listening to.”
Larry Ross agrees: “I was most encouraged that Mr. Graham included in the
book Psalm 71:18—a verse he shared with me during a personal devotional
time years ago. It was back in 1994 when he was beginning his signature
Saturday night youth emphasis during his Crusades. Of course that continues
to be a big part of what BGEA is doing today with Rock the River. The verse
says, ‘When I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, Until I
declare Your strength to this generation‘ (NKJV).
“Mr. Graham affirmed that verse was instrumental in his decision to take
the bold step of reaching his grandchildren’s peers by combining his
authentic Gospel message with great music, and answering their fundamental
questions about life,” says Ross.
“It was encouraging to see that verse was again part of Mr. Graham’s
inspiration for this book, in which he conveys that old age does not exempt
one from fulfilling one’s purpose in life and providing hope to future
generations,” Ross adds. | s*******w 发帖数: 2257 | 3 我很好奇,93岁的GRAHAM 会告诉我一些什么呢?
我看过北京大学的老教授季羡林的老年感言,看过钱锺书的太太杨绛的100岁,103岁的
感言。
GRAHAM给人的感觉:很放心很踏实很喜乐很平静。 |
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