The Faithful Legacy of Billy Graham

This week our world lost a faithful man of God.  Billy Graham has touched so many of our lives in one way or another.  One thing I appreciate so much is that he left a legacy of faithfulness.  He was faithful to preaching the cross of Jesus and repentance and he was faithful to his wife.  That is a beautiful legacy! 

  Just about this time last year my husband and I were privileged to visit the Billy Graham library in Charlotte, North Carolina.  The house in the picture below is his childhood home.  This was the discipleship center where his father gathered Billy and his siblings each day to teach them from the Word of God.  I'm sure that at the time Billy's father had no idea how the Lord would one day use his son to advance the kingdom.  Eventually Billy's childhood home was moved from the dairy farm to the location of the Billy Graham library.  

When you visit the Billy Graham Library it is very evident that he dearly loved his wife Ruth.  When she went to heaven her body was buried in the prayer garden outside the library.  Billy Graham's earthly body will soon be buried beside Ruth's grave.  

  

 Here is a picture of me, Ruth Adams, standing beside the wedding dress of Ruth Graham. 

Billy Graham taught the simple message of the cross and repentance decade after decade.  Few men have had the opportunities he had to travel around the world sharing the good news of Jesus with millions of people.  Also, few men have had opportunity to speak into the lives of so many US presidents.  

  When you look at the overall trajectory of Graham's life, he believed in the simple message of the cross and shared Christ and the need for repentance to huge masses of people over his lifetime.  He also stayed faithful to his wife refusing to ever be in any situation with another woman alone.  

Billy Graham lived a life of faithfulness and believed in the Old Rugged Cross.  He traveled the world preaching the same message of faith and repentance for many decades until he was too old to do so any longer.  

  When we visited the library we were told that Billy Graham was ready to go home and see his bride Ruth.  Just one year later Billy Graham has ended his earthly pilgrimage and is in the presence of His Lord.  It truly is bittersweet.  I am sad to see our world lose such a steadfast proclaimer of the gospel, but I rejoice that He is with his dear bride again.  

   

  If you ever have opportunity to visit the Billy Graham library I would highly recommend it.  My husband and I were touched with Graham's legacy and how he stayed focused on boldly proclaiming the cross, faith, and repentance.  

Just the other morning I was praying with my children asking the Lord to raise up future leaders who will carry on the legacy of faith in the days ahead.  This world is broken, and we need men of God who will be faithful and share the truth of the gospel unapologetically.  I am thankful for the life and the legacy of Billy Graham.