Monday, November 7, 2011

Happy Birthday to a true world hero!

Happy 93rd birthday to Reverend Billy Graham!

Over six decades of on the job training with no desire to dock the origin of his purpose.

His written thoughts have inspired, influenced, offered options while taking all that’s crowded in the separate worlds we keep and lined billions of shelves with a committed understanding that’s better explained as being an item called unconditional love.

In an age of constant change and quicker avenues to locate answers or assumed solutions, through choice Mr. Graham has served Presidents, decision makers from other nations while never locating reasons to stop placing a writing instrument between his index fingertip and thumb; for what he’s set free for newspapers, book and blogs readers to pick up is what champions words like loyalty, dedication, determination and integrity.

I’ve not met too many that don’t have a personal Billy Graham story; be it waking up early on a chilly fall

Sunday morning expecting to watch Bullwinkle only to stop channel surfing on a face you knew, so for that moment you called him friend. ..or putting everything in life on hold to pull the legs that brought you to the dance into a giant arena where Billy spoke and the message shared never came across as a dare but rather an invitation that through choice fed the rivers of too many questions with a reason to believe in yourself a little more than yesterday.

A friend told me she reads Billy’s human friendly questions and answers printed locally every day; through devotion a set of eyes he’ll never meet changes.

I love the title of his new book: Nearing Home!

Millions know of the home he speaks of while others might hold a different landscape that of a barn shaped museum with a tiny log cabin behind its strong stature.

The Billy Graham Library is barely a mile from where I’m currently sitting; I pass it every morning knowing the repercussions of what happens when choice becomes your guide. Billy symbolizes choice. He chose to listen. He chose to react. He chose to believe. He chose to help heal. You don’t have to have an ounce of religion in your spirit to know that having a choice is one two gifts handed to you at birth. It became his choice to share it.

The other…is trust…

In 1994 I stood high atop a mountain in Montana staring in the soul of six glaciers, one hundred foot free flowing waterfalls diving in a lake over a mile deep and on that day I came to the conclusion that no matter how creative I am there’s nothing I can do to masterfully design something so incredibly breathtaking.

Then I read Billy Graham’s autobiography…

This should be a national day of celebration!

arroecollins@clearchannel.com

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