Customer Reviews

The Journey: Living by Faith in an Uncertain World

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Those of us who have followed Billy Graham and his ministry since the 1940's will buy and read this perhaps final book written by him, now age 87. We will buy copies for others. We appreciate everything about this man, his ministry, his wife, and family. We believe he answers our questions honestly as he points us to the Bible, which he truly believes. This book is the perfect companion to his previous autobiography, Just As I Am.

Now, in the year 2006, other generations will take a look at the JOURNEY thru the perspective of Billy Graham, whom God definitely called as an evangelist. The book is divided into 4 sections to be read slowly and thoughtfully. It is for every age group. It gives the plan for living a life of peace in an uncertain world. The plan is outlined in the first section with a welcome to the journey; the great designer of the plan (God) and the great design, what happened as recorded in the book of Genesis, and how we can start over with a new beginning and head in the right direction.

Section Two is entitled Strength for the Journey. The blueprint is found in the Bible and Billy Graham helps us to discover the plan for our life which leads, in the end, to heaven. His message is and has always been the same.Thankfully, the Graham children, especially his son Franklin Graham who is becoming a well known evangelist in his own right, is continuing the same message - God loves us, He created us, He sent His son to die for us (Jesus) - and whosoever believes in Him (Jesus, who rose again and became our personal saviour) shall have everlasting life.

Section Three discusses challenges along the way - when we wander off the path, how to confront enemies within our souls and emotions that defeat us. When others disappoint us (thanks, Billy, you never have) we are given scripture to help us understand. Also discussed is dealing with suffering and loss, things that destroy us, and when life turns against us.

The last section is how to stay the course, (one day at a time). The forks in the road, making an impact, and other thoughts and scripture. Then....our glorious hope - heaven at the end of our journey. Billy Graham, representing the gold standard for a religious leader, evangelist, and encourager to all peoples here on earth, tells us not to waste our life and not to be satisfied with anything less than God's plan for us.

If you want to "know" Billy Graham, two of his books stand out. The first, his autobiography, was written a decade ago. Fittingly entitled, "Just As I Am," it is one of the most enjoyable and inspirational spiritual autobiographies written in the past 100 years.

The second is the current volume: "The Journey: Living by Faith in an Uncertain World." Like his autobiography which highlights God's grace in his own life, "The Journey" emphasizes faith in God's grace, even when life is confusing.

Graham addresses life's most perplexing questions with a profund, unshakable faith in God's goodness. Admitting that this side of heaven he does not have all the answers, Graham honestly wrestles with the questions.

Readers wanting a deep philosophical tome will likely not find their thirst quench here. However, those longing for practical answers gleaned from an experienced, mature believer, need look no further than "The Journey."

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction," "Soul Physicians," "Spiritual Friends," and the forthcoming "Sacred Friendships: Listening to the Voices of Women Soul Care-Givers and Spiritual Directors."

Billy Graham must be one of the most famous Christians today and perhaps that might cause some people to buy this book - to read what the man who has spoken to more people on earth than anyone else has to say. I hope these people DO buy the book, as I'm not sure who else will - I have found it difficult to work out the target market for the book.

The physical book was slightly disappointing as the pages were roughly cut and the font used for emphases was a strange, ungainly-looking italic. The front cover is plain but the rear cover has a photograph of Billy Graham - a very widely-known face that no doubt my fellow train passengers recognised. The occasional name-dropping in the book (John F Kennedy, for example) reminds you that Billy Graham really has met the great and the good, and yet he comes across as a very humble and godly man, aware of his own failures and shortcomings. I was impressed.

This work is Billy Graham's explanation of why you should become a Christian, how to live the Christian life and how to look forward to heaven. It's written with all the experience and wisdom of an 87 year old Christian who has travelled widely and communicated with people from all walks of life - and this comes through very well. The book is peppered with quotes from people who have written to him where they share their lives, thoughts, difficulties, and it's a real strength in the book that he can illustrate all his points not only with the Bible but with `real life'. His family, particularly his wife Ruth, also are mentioned many times in order to reinforce what he is saying, and it lends the book an intimate and friendly feel.

It's a very easy read - the sentences are short, no complex subclauses, each page has several mini-headings so you can keep track of his arguments - and yet it is packed full of real meaty stuff. In some ways it reads as if designed for speaking, as a sermon, and this is one of its strengths as he lays out his argument clearly and precisely. The "prayer of commitment" occurs on page 52 of this 312 page book and the remainder of the book is about our lives as Christians - how we can be sure of our conversion, remain faithful, live godly lives and accept our responsibilities as believers. Billy Graham steers clear of all controversial topics, speaking in generalities about Christian ethics and behaviours, which made the book a less frustrating read than some which hold firmly to a particular viewpoint to which many Christians may not adhere.

The underlying message of this book is that prayer and Bible study are the foundation for the Christian life and the way in which we will grow, mature and learn to know God better. His advice is always to pray more, to read the Bible, and this cannot be faulted.

For me, it was a real pleasure to read a book that reminded me once again why I became a Christian - and also recalled to memory the many ways in which we all fail as Christians along the road in terms of our behaviour to others, to ourselves and to God, and offered advice in avoiding some of these pitfalls. I liked the fact that Billy Graham said there were many things which he did not know and understand about God, about the world, about suffering - he made the journey towards understanding worthwhile. This is no American self-help book with ten magic bullet points to becoming a proper Christian - it's a book which doesn't downplay the difficulties, frustrations and questions that Christians may have, but also gives hope for the future and the confidence that it is all worth it.

How can you go wrong with Billy Graham? You can't! If more people in the world would live half the life he has lived, it would dramatically increase the good around here! So, I find myself reluctant to say anything negative about the book, because, after all, it is Billy Graham.

Here is what I enjoyed. This book deals with Mr. Graham's perspective of the journey of life. He covers nearly all of life's moments, milestones, and potential struggles. He offers in each of those his prescription (Biblically based) for a well-lived journey.

It is a long book that attempts to cover a multitude of situations, problems, and strategies for a journey with God. My concern is (and really this is more of a preference) some issues that are addressed cannot be handled adequately in a few pages (i.e. temptation). It began to feel like the evening news - where the many (and there are many) aspects of the journey are dealt with in sound bites...and sometimes run the risk of sounding a bit trite. Was that his intention - I am convinced that it was not! What I was really hoping for was more personal stories with struggles and conversations of his journey - and instead it was his commentary on how to live.

I can HIGHLY recommend this book to people who would like to get a broad picture of what a journey well-lived with Christ should and could be! However, for me personally, I just can't give it the five-star rating that I was hoping to.

I WAS VERY MOVED BY DR GRAHAMS LATEST BOOK "THE JOURNEY". IT REALLY TOUCHED ME CAUSE IT ADDRESS`S THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF MY FAITH AND THIS WONDERFUL PUBLICATION SHOWS YOU HOW TO WALK WITH CHRIST AND GIVE YOU HOPE AND I WAS PLEASED TO SEE SO MUCH SCRIPTURE ADDRESSING SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS OF MY LIFE THAT I FEEL THIS BOOK WILL TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE AND IAM GOING TO RECAMEND IT TO MY CHURCH BIBLE STUDY GROUP. THIS WOULD MAKE A GREAT GIFT FOR A FRIEND, FAMILY MEMBER, A MINISTER,(WONDERFUL SERMON IDEAS) , SOLDIER SERVING OVER SEAS.

This was my first book on religion and it opened my eyes on faith, that its just not for sunday but its way to live your life, Mr Graham writes in such a fluid style that is so easy to read. Wonderful, superb book.

Here's Mr. Graham's magnum opus - his final word. He seeks to answer those big questions every person has asked at some point. Questions like: Why am I here? Where did I come from? Where am I going? How should I live?

He writes, "God has given us a blueprint for living - but we must know what it is and then put it into action,". That statement almost makes it sound like Mr. Graham's interpretation of Christianity is a moralistic one - follow these principles and all will be OK. However, that's not essentially what the minister is saying. His writing makes it clear that no matter how good a person is every person falls short of God's standard. As a result, every person needs forgiveness. And that's Mr. Grahams message - forgiveness. It's the one he's been preaching for decade after decade. God loves you. God wants a relationship with you. God's forgiveness is offered through His Son Jesus.

Why does God allow bad things to happen? Mr. Graham says he's not sure, but He is confident that God is good and allows things for a reason. He says there is purpose we may never know in this lifetime. He says, "But at the end of it, it's going to be the coming of Christ, and that's the hope that we really have ..."

Graham boldly declares that there's no other answer to the problems of humanity than the good news of Jesus, the Messiah, the peacemaker, the sacrifice, and the King.

These are the writings of a humble 87 year old man. One who claims he has regretted not spending more time in prayer, and reading his Bible.

Billy Graham is 89 years old and is in the advanced stages of Parkinson's disease. So, in reading his new book, The Journey: How to Live by Faith in an Uncertain World, we need to assume that this book has the endorsement, spirit, and theology of Dr. Graham, even if it is doubtful he had much to do with the actual writing of the book. The book gives credit to Dr. John Akers as the book's researcher and editor, and to Dr. David Bruce for doing preparation of the manuscript. Enough said on that.

As with previous Graham books, everything presented here is biblically based, with plenty of specific references to Bible verses, stories, and lessons. The book speaks to the fact that in the 21st century, there is a sense of dread in the world due to terrorism, rampant inflation, new diseases that are resistant to modern drugs (bird flu, AIDS, mad cow), the breakdown of the family, and plummeting moral standards. But the book insists that the Bible continues to have answers and solutions to help overcome fears and worries now so prevalent.

Many times, people bring on the worst of their calamities. So, one section of this book is dedicated to helping people face, resist, and overcome the temptations that lead to sins. When Dr. Graham was speaking once in Australia, the book recounts, protestors charged into a meeting he was having with university students. The protestors carried signs saying, "I am the devil. I've come to destroy you." Dr. Graham only chuckled and said that Satan was far too cunning to be that confrontational. Instead, he likes to find a person's weak spots and to attack from behind, hitting a person unawares. To that end, it is important to admit one's own temptations and to strategize how to resist them.

My favorite chapter of this book is Chapter 12, which goes deeply into the power of prayer. It begins by telling the story of Ruth Graham Bell's father, a missionary surgeon to China and later editor of two Christian magazines. Even if he had to rise at 4:30 a.m., this doctor would insist on starting his day by reading his well-worn Bible and praying earnest prayers to God. The chapter goes on to remind us that Jesus was faithful in prayer. Prayer is "talking with God," gaining new strength from Him, sharing our needs with Him, offering praise and thanksgiving to Him, and confessing our sins to Him.

Any person who watches the news today knows that we are living in troublesome times. That is why this new Graham book is oil on troubled waters. It assures us that God is, indeed, still in control of His world, and that we, as His redeemed children, are under His watchful care. It shows us how to use prayer, service, witnessing, Bible study, and Christian living as ways to dispel anxiety and fear. We can make The Journey together with the Lord. - Dr. Dennis E. Hensley, Christian Book Previews.com

This is definitely one of the most profound and unbelievably life applicable books ever written. There is no doubt that its contents came straight from the heart of God. Billy Graham not only enlightens you on the fact that you are on a journey, but He gives you insight as to who God is and what His overall purpose is for our very existence. If you've ever desired a relationship with your Creator and longed for fulfillment in your life, then you will not want to miss out on experiencing "The Journey" by a true friend of God, Billy Graham.

This is the first work of Billy Graham I have read. I enjoyed the book, it was easy to ready and it made you think as you read his words. A very nice book and enjoyable. I recommend it.