Archive for November, 2011

Do you have a mentor or an elder that has shaped your life in an unforgettable way? Have you watched a loved one age with such grace and dignity that you desire to model your life after theirs? While we may look up to our elders, many of us still tend to shy away from the difficult issues that the older generation face. But we can only ignore the truth for so long. We are all getting older and for some of us, that reality is beginning to rear its ugly head. If you’re like me, getting out of bed in the morning produces a symphony of groans, pops and creaks that aren’t coming from the bedsprings.

For believers, more than failing physical bodies, growing older brings its share of challenging questions: What is God’s purpose for this time in my life? How do I serve God with my growing limitations? How do I remain hopeful when I’m surrounded by pain and loss?

These concerns are addressed honestly in Billy Graham’s Nearing Home: Life, Faith and Finishing Well. Written for more than just the elderly, Graham teaches readers of all ages how to prepare for the challenges of growing old. At ninety-three Billy Graham is no stranger to the difficulties of advanced age, but he doesn’t let it keep him from faithfully ministering to people around the world. His new book shows that old age is “not a time to be despised or a burden to be endured with gritted teeth.” Instead, Graham uses examples form Scripture to show how God continues to work through His people, no matter their age.

No one knows God’s plans for the future, but we can know for sure that whether or not we live to be ninety-three, someday all of us will be called home. It is Graham’s desire and ours here at Olive Tree that we would learn to grow older with grace and, like our mentors before us, find the guidance needed to finish well.