Dear John
Soon after Dad became a Christian, his desire was to please God in every area of his life. One of the first things he did was to reach out to Billy Graham and ask him how he managed to have a great relationship with his wife and travel as much as he did.
What Dad learned, and then practiced, changed my life.
Billy Graham had a policy of never being alone with any woman other than his wife or a family member. When you have a large organization and travel a lot, this can be difficult and not very practical.
From that day forward this is how Dad lived his life. Many times clients would offer to pick him up from the airport, and every time Laurie Magers, Dad's executive assistant for 35 years, would let them know that help would be fantastic and appreciated, but the requirement was if a woman was to pick him up, there would need to be at least two people pick him up. At the office Dad never had a closed door meeting with a member of the opposite sex.
I know a lot of people think this "old fashioned." And then I compare growing up in my home to the way so many people grow up. I read the headlines of the #metoo stories and I think, "What if more people were "old fashioned"?
Yes, Billy Graham changed my life, because he taught my dad how to walk out his faith, and I am still reaping the blessings. Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold."
Billy Graham changed innumerable lives, and his legacy will ripple through eternity. I am sure Dad waited in a very long line yesterday to welcome him to Heaven.
You were Born to Win, so go ahead and Live to Win!
Tom
Proud son of Zig Ziglar
