“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith,” said Billy Graham. The world awakened this morning to news of his passing at his home in North Carolina. Few people realize the enormity of the legacy he leaves behind. He has had an impact on every U.S. president since Dwight Eisenhower. His impact has been felt directly by tens of millions of people worldwide. He has reached the lives of statesmen like Winston Churchill and been with people like Mother Teresa and mobsters. His message of faith has never wavered; faith through Christ alone will save us and nothing else. An avid sportsman, a practical joker, full of the same fears we all have, Graham followed the call on his life and embraced it with abandon. Though Whalin says he had his own questions and struggles with faith, Graham learned to trust God and His providence move forward in confidence, and lived a life sold out to Christ. He did this while encouraging others to embrace the Good News that changed his own life. Graham was no stranger to heartache and challenges. His own son, Franklin, was a prodigal. He had physical challenges (kidney stones), doubts, sleepless nights, near-constant travel, long stretches away from his family, and a crash landing in a snowstorm. What Graham is most known for is his unashamed commitment to the simple message of faith in Jesus Christ through faith in Him. And Graham lived this simple faith, showing us that faith can transform us from what we were to what God can make us.
