Tent Revival

Who do you think of when you hear the words “tent revival?”  I bet same as me, you immediately think of Billy Graham.  I think every believer in the world cried a little on February 21st & felt a twinge of sadness at the passing of Billy Graham. He was such a force & though he has not been actively speaking or working in recent years, it was always comforting to know he was here, among the human race praying for our world. It’s hard to imagine him as a mortal actually.  There has never been an evangelist quite like him & probably never will be. The crowds of people at his crusades spoke volumes & crowds could not get enough of him. He was always humble & knew he was just the vessel.  God used him to reach people far and wide & though he was just a vessel, God had big plans for Billy! I wonder if there has ever been such a homecoming in Heaven as there was on February 21st.  I am sad that I never got to meet him or hear him speak in person but man I can’t wait to hang out with him in Heaven!
I have memories as many kids my age will of being gathered around the t.v. with my parents & grandparents watching his revivals. He was a passionate dude & so real. He was unlike any other television preacher & He did not preach the prosperity gospel but always shared sound biblical truth & there was a love for Jesus & a love for people that the world had never seen before. His drive & His calling was undeniable.
Talk about a life well lived & an incredible legacy left behind for not only his family but for people all over the world. My favorite thing about it all is that Rev. Graham always preached about going after the 1. Just like a good shepherd will abandon 99 sheep in search for the 1 he lost, Rev. Graham believed we are called to do the same & that Jesus expects us to not abandon the one soul in favor of the 99. It seems fitting that the Lord decided to take Rev. Graham when he was 99 years old.
I will likely always remember the day Rev. Graham died because Feb. 21st happens to be an important date in my own family’s story. I shared in a social media post once that 2/21/13 was the day I thought our story was ending but really it was just beginning. I picture God pushing my hair behind my ears & wiping my tears just as I do for my children when they are upset about something. He was probably saying “oh, sweet girl. Just surrender & trust me. It’s gonna be okay. It’s actually gonna be better than okay – you just watch & see.” Jesus surely had lots of followers by the time 2013 rolled around but I’m so glad he is not content with lots but will forever coming looking for that one lost soul. I believe that is why He has not come back for us yet, He is waiting for more & more people to hear about Him & live for Him. He wants as many of us in Heaven with Him as possible. Our God is gracious & in the spirit of Rev. Billy Graham, if you are reading this & don’t know about the hope that is in Jesus or if you have heard of him but He doesn’t abide in You, I’d love to chat & tell you some things I know for sure.
Think about your footprint on the world – how will you be remembered & what are you doing to make a positive difference in the world?
Go & be the Light & gather as many sheep as you can carry!