Nearing Home by Billy Graham

“All my life I was taught how to die as a Christian, but no one ever taught me how 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,” so starts Billy Graham in his new book, Nearing Home. Lily Tomlin says, “If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.” In some ways, Billy would agree and even more shows us how.
With his authentic transparency about the impact of aging and grief, with a solid Biblical foundation, and the integrity to not only run the race well, but finish well, Billy Graham provides a tremendous gift for all adults, young and old alike in Nearing Home.

Graham lays out a path for the young to follow in navigating the challenges of aging and provides continued purpose and hope for those in advance years and wondering why I am still here? He’s forthright with his pains from physical limitations to processing the grief of the death of his wife Ruth 4 years ago.
By opening the Scriptures up with a commitment to Christ and the perspective of living 93 years, Billy provides great wisdom to navigate life’s changes. Throughout he keeps his focus on heaven, but provides direction for daily life.
He challenges the elderly to not retire from life, but to find new ways to use their gifts. He writes of the impact a “retired” CEO could have had on providing leadership in local non-profits, but instead lamented the pain of being of no use. For Graham’s greatest gift in this book is providing honest hope for dealing with the progression of aging in one’s life.
Such honesty is reflected in understanding how physical strength can fade, mental capabilities be distorted, but the roots of a solid faith in Christ and pursuing the will God has for one’s life runs until God calls one home.
Billy Graham throughout the book, says that he never expected to live this long. He thought he would precede Ruth in death. Yet in his book, he practices what he writes — he contributes, he shares, he builds lives of all ages.
I highly recommend Nearing Home by Billy Graham. Not only was it uplifting to read, he taught me how to live in the years before I die and how to share that message with others.
What have you learned from watching others finish well as they were “nearing home”?