Happy Birthday Billy!

He is to mark this milestone with a private family dinner near his mountainside home outside Asheville, N.C. His son, evangelist Franklin Graham, appeared on NBC’s “Today” show and said the dinner was to include barbeque, a treat his father was especially looking forward to.

For the past month, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has been encouraging individuals to bless the evangelist by sending a birthday greeting or story to him.  You can read some of those messages and stories  on the association Web site at www.billygraham.org.

Meanwhile Graham was recently  interviewed for a news release sent out by the association.

Here is  what he had to say:

“I never expected to live this long, and it is hard to believe I have reached the age of 90. Every day is a gift from God, no matter how old we are. I have discovered that just because we grow weaker physically as we age, it doesn’t mean that we must grow weaker spiritually. In fact, we ought to be growing stronger spiritually, because our eyes ought to be on eternity and Heaven — on the things that really matter.”

People familiar with the renowned preacher’s dedication to spreading the Gospel will not be too surprised to learn that he is working to complete a new book project based on his personal experience with growing older and how to be prepared emotionally and spiritually for what he says can be the most fulfilling years of life.

“I look forward to the time when I will be reunited with my wife in heaven, and neither of us will ever experience again the physical aches and pains brought about by age and illness,” he said in the association’s prepared statement.

Meanwhile, at 90 Graham continues to stay informed about the evangelistic association’s ministry under the leadership of Franklin Graham. In the past year he participated in ministry board meetings and other activities as his health allowed.