Thank You, Billy Graham

by Jerushah Armfield

  MY DAY OF SALVATION

  Brother Billy, just a short note to thank you for the one and only time (I believe) that you came to the University of Florida for a one-day crusade. Although I had been raised in the Methodist Church, it was the first time I was challenged by the Holy Spirit to receive Jesus as my Savior. God bless you, and thanks from the bottom of my heart.

  Steve

  THE GOODNESS OF OUR GOD

  Dear Dr. Billy Graham, I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for allowing God to use you over the airwaves for these many years. I remember, as a child, my grandmother listening to you on the radio. What a blessing. Then, a number of years ago, I had the privilege of seeing you at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. I’ll never forget that night. One day, when we all get to the other side, we’ll sit and reflect about the goodness of our God.

  Carol

  THROUGH YOUR WORKERS

  During your Houston crusade (1963?), after the message, my twin sister Barbara and I simultaneously got up from our seats to answer your call to those who wished to come forward to “be saved.” When we reached the arena floor, we were met by one of your workers (prayer team). He looked only at my sister and asked her, “How do you know you are saved?” She answered, “Because God told me so.” I remember looking at her, astonished, and thinking, I didn’t hear anything. I remember that I had the desire, but for some reason I didn’t internalize it. I have always believed that you were certainly served by people in your ministry who were really in tune with God.

  Thankfully, ten years later, watching a program on TBN in our apartment one afternoon, I realized I had never prayed to receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior. That day, I knelt and asked Him into my life, remembering the words my sister had said. In my heart, I heard His words as well!

  When my husband came home that evening, I told him about my experience, and he thought I had gone nuts. He would not listen to me at all, even when I showed him scriptures. He said, “Oh, that’s just a Baptist Bible anyway (which completely hurt me, as I wanted him to receive the assurance and joy that I was experiencing).

  After several tries, I realized I couldn’t save him. God showed me that it was He who would save him; all I had to do was to pray and trust Him. I was able to give my husband over to the Lord, and exactly two days later, he prayed and asked God into his heart, after seeing the change in my life. That Sunday, God blessed us as we were both baptized the same day.

  Due to your crusade worker’s sensitivity to God’s Spirit ten years earlier, in knowing just what to ask or say—and to whom, I was prepared later (and also my husband) to personally receive Him. Another ten or eleven years later, our son also received Him. Thank you, Billy.

  WALKING THE AISLE

  My family plays Gospel music. My sisters wrote a song called “The Road To Calvary” as a result of the many times our dad would sit and watch your crusades. He is blind now, but he recalls the times when he could still see and he would watch as thousands came forward to accept Christ while the choir sang “Just As I Am.”

  Sitting in his recliner one night, he was watching your crusade, and just like many times before, the choir began to sing and Dad said that, in his mind, he watched as people got up from their seats to step forward to make a bold confession of their need for Christ. He said that, even though he was sitting in his chair at home, in his heart and spirit he got up and made his way to that old-fashioned altar. Now his kids do the same thing frequently.

  We’ve served the Lord for many years, and we still make a trip with others, walking the aisle. Jesus walks the aisles of our hearts, and when he beckons for us to come and receive of His grace and mercy, we simply cannot refuse. Your ministry is precious, as is the Christ you serve. One day, we will look upon His wonderful face as He says, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

  ONCE WAS ENOUGH!

  I am an African American female who grew up in a small town in Mississippi. I watched Dr. Graham on our black-and-white TV set. It was hard growing up in the South during the 1960s, but when I saw Dr. Graham on television, I knew in my heart that there is a God and that things could be so much better, if I trusted Him.

  At the end of each sermon, Dr. Graham gave an invitation to accept Christ. No matter how many times I watched him on television, I accepted Christ over and over and over again, each time he gave the invitation. Until one day, listening to him preach, I came to realize that when I accepted what my Lord and Savior had done for me on the cross, and asked for His forgiveness, and believed in my heart that He is the Son of God, I was saved. Once was enough!

  I HAD HELL SCARED RIGHT OUT OF ME

  I’ve been a churchgoer all my life. I like to say I was born on a “Baptist blanket.” More than that, I have loved Jesus as far back as I can remember. Why, I was even baptized at the age of five. I was so mad at Peter for denying Jesus that I wanted to be baptized.

  Then, in December 1969, I was listening to Mr. Graham on the televsion. He was preaching about hell. The Holy Ghost had been dealing with me for about six months that I wasn’t truly a Christian—that my belief and security were resting in those baptismal waters. And then, that is exactly what Billy Graham said—that our faith and security had to be in the person of Jesus Christ. Then he talked about how awful hell would be—that we would be all alone in darkness, forever separated from the God who loves us. Well, that scared hell right out of me! When Mr. Graham called for the invitation, I knelt beside my television and received Jesus Christ as my Savior. I was baptized a second time—this time for the right reason—as a show of what Christ has done for me. Thank you, Billy Graham! I am a life that was changed. I’ll see you in heaven.

  THANKS, BILLY!

  Dear Billy, I’ve read your columns in our newspaper every day for the last twenty years. Your columns have been instrumental in developing my relationship with Jesus Christ. Thank you for all you have done over the years, for me and for countless millions around the world, pointing us to the Lord Jesus Christ and His truth. God bless you and your family. Keep it going!

  GOD IS LOVE

  I was raised to believe in God and Jesus, so I had the basics. But we were not encouraged to read the Bible. God was always someone I was afraid of. I learned about Jesus, but I didn’t think of him as my Brother, or how prayer can change lives, until the first time many years ago when I tuned in to Billy Graham on television. Through his preaching, Billy Graham unlocked the door for me to have a personal relationship with Jesus. I began to see that I didn’t have to earn salvation, that it was a gift. All the good works were good to do, but they were not how I was going to get to heaven. Billy Graham opened my eyes and my heart to the truth that God loves me and that salvation is a gift for the asking. I consider Billy Graham as my first step on my walk with the Lord. I began to read the Bible, to really pray and spend time with the Lord each day. I went to a crusade that he gave in Philadelphia some time ago, and I remember looking at the thousands of people who were listening to Billy Graham that day and feeling the strong presence of the Lord there as well. Billy Graham has been a strong influence in my life, and words could never convey how much he has helped me and opened my eyes to the love of my Savior Jesus.

  A BLESSED TIME TO REMEMBER

  Our United Methodist youth group in a little town in Iowa (population 400) raised money all spring long so that we could rent a bus with a group from Ames to go to the Explo ’72 crusade in Dallas, Texas. We did many things, including a spaghetti dinner, and also sold our strong arms (doing work for people) to raise money. It was my first time to be so far away from home without my parents. We had a great time during the days we were there. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior during this crusade. The stadium was so full and crowded the night that I accepted Jesus that we did not walk to the front as you normally would have people do. Instead, we stood up where we were on the stadium field and prayed the prayer as you guided us. I was seventeen years old.

  Today, I am fifty-three years old, and
I still remember that time with great love and thankfulness. Our group came back to Iowa with the fire of the Holy Spirit in us, and we spoke in many churches about our time at the crusade. We took another group the very next year to St. Paul, Minnesota, to Key ’73. Our church was blessed because of those crusades. While at the St. Paul crusade, I volunteered to sing in the choir. I enjoyed that very much. When I hear the familiar songs of the crusades, even now, my heart is warmed and I sing along with them.

  My life has brought me many trials and hardships, but my faith has always carried me through. I’m so thankful for Billy Graham’s crusades, for helping me build a strong relationship with my Lord Jesus. I can truthfully say I have felt God’s love and guidance my whole life since then. Praise the Lord!

  YOUTH CRUSADE ON TELEVISION, CIRCA 1962

  My younger brother and sister were asleep, and my mother had gone out for the evening. I was fifteen years old and was sitting on the couch watching TV. My parents were divorced. I wasn’t doing well in school, and I liked to run around with the other teens who were drinking and smoking. I was depressed all the time, and I had been molested by my mother’s ex-boyfriend. I went to the Catholic church when I was younger but had stopped going. I talked to God once in a while but didn’t know if He really heard me or not.

  As I turned the channels, I came across something that looked interesting. On the screen was a man in a stadium somewhere, talking to the youth. He said things that really touched my heart. I remember because I started crying. He held my interest, and when he had finished speaking, he said, “If you’re watching this on TV, come and kneel in front of the television and give your life to Jesus.” I knelt in front of the TV and prayed with Billy Graham, and I now know that Jesus did come into my heart and life.

  I didn’t call or write to Billy afterward. Not realizing exactly what I had done, I kept on with the way I was living. Many years later, I finally gained the understanding I needed and have been serving the Lord ever since. My mother used to tell me that I must have the best guardian angels watching over me, because I lived in spite of my behavior.

  Now, forty-five years later, I am still alive and serving the Lord. Thank you, Billy Graham, for your love, faithfulness, and obedience to God. You pointed me in the right direction, and Jesus came into my heart at the most difficult time of my life. Even though I didn’t change right away, God was with me, and I wouldn’t have made it without Him. I’ve told many people about you over the years and told them how much I love and respect you. God bless you forever.

  Lynn

  BORN AGAIN

  I want to share my story of how God used the faithful preaching of Billy Graham to introduce me to a relationship with Jesus Christ. I was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, on April 10, 1940, the youngest of five children. There was a ten-year difference between my nearest sibling and me. My mother always said I was a mistake. My father was an alcoholic, but I considered him a good man. He taught me how to cook, helped me with my homework, and was always there for me in my life. He wasn’t a violent man, he just kept to himself until he died. He and my mother never got along.

  When I was four, we moved to Washington, DC, where I attended Catholic school. My dad was a Catholic and my mother was a Protestant. We lived very near the DC Armory, which held many different attractions. So many people attended these shows that they would park their automobiles all along our street and walk to the armory. One particular day, I asked my mother, “Who are these people going to see at the armory today?” She replied, “Some preacher called Billy Graham.” I never forgot that name!

  After I graduated from high school, I worked at Catholic University as a secretary. When I was twenty years old, I met my husband-to-be. He was a musician. We married, both twenty-one, and traveled a bit. When I became pregnant, we settled in New Jersey for about three years. During that time, I was watching TV one night when I heard a gentleman introduce a man called Billy Graham. I finally got to see this person I had always wondered about. I didn’t know that I had to be “born again” in order to get to heaven. When I finished listening to him speak, I cried and gave my heart to the Lord. My husband was working at the time. I told him later about my experience, but it didn’t seem to faze him. Nevertheless, years later, before he died, he gave his heart to the Lord as well.

  Thank you, Mr. Graham, for never giving up on the world. Your teachings have changed my life forever, and millions of others. God bless you and your family.

  Judy

  THE COVE

  The ministry of The Cove covered me for about five years. I was able to see it as a home, and it was the place where I could walk in the woods and just talk to God. The Spirit-filled rooms and seminars, the fireplaces and hot chocolate, all the good conversations with like-minded people—all blessed me immensely. The Cove was part of Billy Graham’s vision, and through it I came closer to God. Thank you, Billy and Ruth Graham, for all that you have given me. Your ministry and your willingness to follow the Lord’s leading changed me in ways you could never know until eternity.

  A LIFE WORTH SAVING

  I first was introduced to the Rev. Billy Graham at the age of seventeen, while channel surfing one night. At this time of my life, I was very depressed and I thought of suicide. I saw Rev. Graham and listened to his service and was deeply moved to tears. I had gone to church all my life, but I hadn’t given my life to God until that night. I called in, someone prayed with me, and I surrendered my life to God.

  I later received reading and lesson materials to enhance my commitment, which I enjoyed very much. That day, I took my life a step further and joined a church, and in that church my love and closeness for the Lord grew. Seeing Rev. Graham’s service that night was the foundation I needed to be rooted in the Lord. Despite all the trials and tribulations that may come my way, I now know that the Lord is with me and He loves me, and I have leaned on him ever since. It all started with that night of watching Rev. Graham’s moving service. Thank you, Rev. Graham, for saving my life.

  Theresa

  ONE OF THE MILLIONS

  Dear Billy: I would presume to call you by your first name, not for lack of the deepest regard and gratitude, but because you are, to me, a friend. I am a brother who is counting on walking and talking with you someday. Your life has blessed and shaped mine since I was a child growing up in rural Oklahoma. I am one of the millions of lives you have touched who will probably never get to tell you on this earth—thank you! My eyes filled with tears and yearning to have you know how deeply grateful I am for your unashamed love of Jesus.

  John

  JOINED A FRIEND

  Billy had spoken and made the altar call, and my friend felt she was called to go forward. So as not to lose each other in the crowd, the rest of us went with her. When we got to the floor, I burst into tears. A helper came to me, and I ended up rededicating my life to Christ and have never looked back. My husband and I went on to Bible school and continue to follow after Christ to this day. Thank God my friend (whom I have now lost track of) was called to the altar of Christ, for my life was turned around, and I serve Christ to this day. Thank you, Billy Graham and your family, for the giving of your lives so others are saved.

  A LONG OVERDUE THANK-YOU

  Many times over the years, the Lord spoke to my heart to write to Billy Graham with thanks and gratitude for my life-changing experience. Finally, I replied to the Lord, “How will I do this?” I did not expect the answer to come from turning on the television.

  A few days later, I was amazed to hear about the Thank You, Billy Graham website that allows people to not only send their thanks and gratitude but also to share their stories. No way was this a coincidence.

  My life-changing experience began when I was a young teenager. Although I was a Christian, I had not yet experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. I was invited to attend a Billy Graham crusade with a friend. I had no idea what this was but thought it sounded like a good way to get out of the house. We rode on the church bus to the
crusade, which was a very quiet ride. At the end of the service, I attended the altar call. I was anointed with a glorious experience, but I was not sure what was happening. We returned home on the bus, singing and praising the Lord—a very different experience from the bus ride going to the crusade. This was the night that changed my life forever.

  For the next thirty years, my life continued with marriage, children, self-employed business, college, and other events. During the years, my family and I journeyed through many of life’s challenges. No matter how difficult the situation was, we always overcame by the power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ.

  Thank you, Billy Graham, for being part of my supernatural experience with the Holy Spirit. I cannot express enough what a life-changing experience this was. Daily, I seek to serve and love the Lord. Each day, I continue to seek the Holy Spirit with a love that keeps growing more and more each day. What an awesome God we serve. Most important, the power of God impressed upon my heart to send this thank-you. Thank you, Billy Graham! I will continue to pray for you and your ministry.

  MY POEM FOR YOU

  I have listened to your crusades for years via televison. I write spiritual poems and children’s stories. Several years ago, I wrote a poem titled “Just As I Am,” which I dedicated to you. I never sent it to you because I could never figure out the correct address—and I still don’t know. I trust that you will finally have a chance to read it here and be encouraged. Thanks again for your wonderful commitment to serving the Lord all of these years. God bless you.