Billy Graham Celebrates 93rd Birthday

, arguably America’s most famous Christian evangelist and preacher, is 93 years old today.

Graham’s birthday comes just after the release of his newest book, Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well.

In his book – which covers subjects such as spirituality, the struggles and pleasures of growing old, as well as advice on financial planning – Rev. Graham writes:

“I never thought I would live to be this old. All my life I was taught how to die as a Christian, but no one ever taught me how I ought to live in the years before I die.”

“I wish they had because I am an old man now, and believe me, it’s not easy.”

Over the course of his nearly six decade walk with the Lord, Graham has preached the gospel across the globe to countless individuals and his staff estimates that more than 3.2 million have responded to Graham’s invitations to “repent and believe.”

“Mr. Graham was the first world evangelist; he traveled to all corners of the world,” Ken Barun, senior vice president of communications at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, told The Christian Post.

Just last week, the BGEA made Graham’s messages (more than 1,600 of them) available online, with the purpose of spreading the “good news” to parts of the world that even their organization couldn’t travel to.

“Now we can put it [Graham’s sermons] on the Internet and make the Gospel available even where we can’t reach.”

Talking to the Associated Press, Graham revealed his desire to preach one last sermon before he dies, adding that while the new book is not quite that, it does possess a similar set of themes.

Whether it’s challenging individuals to think upon Bible passages on aging and death or encouraging believers to make sensible changes in their lives, Graham’s ultimate focus has always been Jesus Christ.

“We were not meant for this world alone,” he writes. “We were meant for Heaven, our final home.”

via Christian Post
Image: Billygraham.org