MY HISTORY WITH BILLY GRAHAM
The following is an article that I wrote not long after the world lost the blessing of God whom we called The Reverend Billy Graham.
Please do understand that the article is now a few years old; and I am describing an experience our family enjoyed one year during our FEAST OF TABERNACLES trip. My memories, though a bit dated, are still quite accurate and the place called Montreat has not changed from these descriptions of a few years back.
Hopefully; it never will.
So; with that introduction; please enjoy the article:
Unfortunately; I never met Billy Graham face to face.
However; his influence on the society around me was profound.
I know several people who DID meet him in person; and the experience from that one encounter changed their lives forever.
So many special people in my life have stories to tell about how the sermons of Billy Graham opened their eyes to the truth of salvation and how his gentle wisdom combined with the Word of God led them down a path that introduced them to a life time of following Jesus Christ.
My childhood was spent on a small farm in the south not very far from Birmingham, Alabama. Our family was Baptist through and through. Until I was an adult, I never dreamed that any other denomination even existed.
We listened to the sermons of Billy Graham on television every time they were broadcast. My Dad used to say “If Billy Graham said it; you can take it to the bank.”
Later in life, I was shocked to find out that Billy Graham actually grew up as a Presbyterian living on a dairy farm.
He only came into the Baptist church after he was called to be a preacher.
The other thing that Billy Graham and I had in common was dairy-farming. My grandfather owned one of the biggest dairies in Alabama in his day. I grew up hearing the stories of all the things that happened at the dairy.
Half of my adult life has been spent poking around flea markets just looking for old milk bottles with his trademark and logo which would be all that is left of that part of my family heritage.
My grandfather was a humble man and a very wise man who was a faithful believer; probably a lot like Billy Graham only not nearly as famous.
In our collective opinion ( I’m speaking for all the Baptist people I knew way back when I was growing up in the South); no greater man than Rev. Graham ever walked the earth.
RARELY ARE THINGS UNCHANGABLE
My opinions about denominations have changed over the years, and I am no longer Baptist.
I don’t live on a dairy farm, or ANY farm anymore, and my grandfather has long since passed away.
Now I’ve moved to the suburbs and raised four children and become a grandmother who calls herself a writer.
So many things have changed as the years stacked one on top of another have passed, until we have came to be where and who we are right now. Most things change over time.
Many, many things have changed over the years; but my opinion of Billy Graham has always remained the same. I still believe that he was one of the greatest men that ever walked the face of the earth.
His humility and love and his willingness to be used as a servant of God throughout all of his life were the best examples I have ever encountered from anyone short of Jesus and The Apostle Paul.
Through the years the faithful light of the life led by Billy Graham has continued to shine its reassuring and comforting light on all of us.
SOMETIMES WE ARE BLIND TO THE GREATNESS THAT QUIETLY SURROUNDS US
Many of us; myself included; are quickly going through life with blinders on, not paying attention to the little details of the moment. Often we are prone to missing a lot of the facts along the way.
As a writer; I’ve said a million times that I try to walk with my eyes wide open; but I have to admit I missed something huge last year; and I am still shocked as I look back on my own lack of unawareness.
All I can tell you is there will be times in life when God will give you a sense that you are walking into a place of greatness; even if you don’t understand what is going on at the time.
Sometimes that is the only clue you will have until He finally reveals the complete understanding of a situation, and you realize that either by carelessness or not paying attention; you missed a piece of history.
It happened in just that way to me.
THE FIRST PART OF THE STORY
For the celebration of our 25th Anniversary my husband and I chose to take an eleven day trip.
We wanted to visit a place we had always longed to see; the mountains of the Blue Ridge Parkway, even more specifically, we wanted to explore a little town called Black Mountain.
We made one rule: no schedules.
Each day we would drive toward Black Mountain, but we would decide where to go and where to stop and stay on that day as the mood hit us.
We had been intrigued by what we’d heard of the area around Black Mountain for years.
Time-after-time we skirted through the outskirts; visiting all of the beautiful surrounding places.
We visited the Smokey Mountains, and we went to see Asheville. Over the years we had visited and enjoyed all the quaint little South and North Carolina mountain towns on the way to Black Mountain.
This time we were going to go just a little bit further and actually see and stay in Black Mountain.
That would be our main destination; but we wanted to also re-visit a lot of the old haunts and places that were near and dear to us that had given us 25 years of happy memories all along the journey there and back.
As we sought to re-visit and remember good times of the past, we were also hoping to discover a bunch of new adventures.
Both wishes were granted on that trip.
It was an incredible time in every way.
A LITTLE OBSCURE AREA OF TOWN
I will save most of my wonderful memories of the little town called Black Mountain for another article.
The thing I wish to share with you today is how I was drawn to a very obscure little area right outside of town in the Black Mountain area called Montreat.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a small road sign that said Montreat.
If I had blinked; I would have missed it.
As we crossed the outskirts of Black Mountain we drove past the Montreat sign while following some windy little roads full of residential homes. Those roads took us past a pleasant little park next to a golf course.
As we drove along I felt as if I belonged there; as if I already knew the place and was returning.
I had never been there in my life though.
We knew nothing of the fame of the place; nor all the wonderful things that God had already done there with the lives of so many amazing people; I simply knew it felt like I was going home.
Discovering Montreat was love at first sight for me.
When you enter the little community you go inside by driving under an arched gateway made of stones. The name of the community is written into the arches. This quaint old-fashioned arch was an unexpected piece of architecture that appeared out of the middle of nowhere against the perfect backdrop of a lovely little park/walking trail that meandered beside a winding little stream.
My first glimpse of the outskirts of Montreat was in the springtime. We took our anniversary trip in May; though our anniversary was not actually happening until July.
As we approached the grassy little parkway, I could see the beautiful dogwoods in bloom. Each blossom welcomed us with the sign of the cross. The white against the green was so pretty.
The flowers and shrubs being so bright and alive nearly took my breath away.
I asked my husband to pull over so we could take a stroll on the walking path to see what we would discover there.
Actually; I don’t think he was as intrigued as I was with the place. It wasn’t love at first sight for him; Montreat had to grow on him a bit; I’m not so sure why because it was the most charming and lovely place I had ever laid eyes on.
Maybe it was because my husband was raised more in the city and I was raised more in the country; but we both have this unquenchable love for the mountains and Montreat was definitely right in the middle of the North Carolina mountain country.
I think my husband was really more concerned that we might be trespassing on private property.
It was hard to tell what was private and what was public. There were not a lot of people around that day; and we just pulled over next to the yard of an old Victorian looking house and stepped out onto the pretty little walking trail. It was paved and not very long; perhaps less than half a mile.
About halfway through the pleasant surroundings we came upon a yard of a house and down beneath it was a huge rock with a sword stuck into a stone with an American flag flying above it.
My curiosity was running wild.
I immediately thought of the legendary King Arthur and “the sword in the stone” quest; and I wanted to know what this huge stone was all about.
To my great satisfaction, I could see there was a plaque. I could not wait to walk closer to see what profound words were written upon it.
The plaque said “On this site in 1897 nothing happened.”
My husband laughed and laughed when I read the words out loud.
Later, we both came to understand why those words were profound. This place seems so peaceful; so restful, and as if it is lost from somewhere outside of time. It was a place that the world may have totally forgotten about; but once you stepped inside, you were instantly transported to a place of serenity, peace and tranquility.
That was my first taste and experience of Montreat, N.C.
We saw some signs that were pointing to Lake Susan and I begged my husband to drive out there; but he said “No; I don’t think this is a public place and we have a busy schedule to keep.”
So we left the tranquility and peace of Montreat that day. We didn’t even get to see the lovely waters of Lake Susan.
I desperately wanted to stay and never leave again; but I was committed to other things back in Black Mountain and they were great things too; so on this trip I only got just a very small taste of all I would come to know of the spell that Montreat would cast over my heart.
For all I knew then, it was just another interesting, lovely place that I would probably never get to see again.
LIFE GOES ON
Our 25th Anniversary trip was an awesome adventure and a great success. We went home floating on a cloud.
We got to visit many wonderful places that had been special to us in our first 25 years of marriage, and we also got to discover more of the North Carolina mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway that we love so much.
We stayed in Black Mountain longer than we had planned simply because it was our kind of awesome little mountain town.
Every time we passed the Montreat sign it tugged at my heartstrings.
I knew I was destined to return; but that was up to God’s good timing and not mine.
That timing happened sooner than I anticipated!
SHARING THE BLESSING WITH THE FAMILY
Every year we take a week-long trip with our children in the Fall. It is a type of reunion for our immediate family.
This trip is a very conscious effort for us to take a physical time-out to spend just with each other and God – but it is also the celebration of The Feast of Tabernacles which we believe God commanded in Leviticus 23:33-36 as well as other passages in the bible.
We always have the most amazing time on this trip. It is the highlight of the year for me. This one little week is the only time I get uninterrupted time with my husband, grown children and grand kids; as well as focused worship with the whole family.
What more could anyone ever ask?
Maybe that it take place in Montreat?
That was how God brought me back.
GOING BACK TO A HEAVENLY PLACE
There are several nice vacation houses for rent in the Montreat community because people used to come up to Montreat in the summer for camps and conferences and vacations.
Many people have built vacation homes in the area which they also rent out during the times when they are not using them.
We searched for one house large enough to hold our whole family and found the perfect place.
Our house was called Shenandoah.
The word “Shenandoah” in English means “spruce river, “ which was a very appropriate name. We could walk outside to the deck of the house that hung over an embankment and see spruce trees everywhere. In the very near vicinity we could hear the sound of a river flowing. It was a beautiful, peaceful, mesmerizing sound and we loved being there.
The Native American meaning of Shenandoah is “clear daughter of the stars.”
Seems to fit!
At night the stars from our balcony at Shenandoah were more beautiful than any I had ever seen. I was raised in the country on a farm far from the city and I have seen some beautiful starry nights; but none so beautiful as those we encountered at Montreat.
There were also other stars hiding in Montreat; those of the human type and I had no earthly idea that they were there.
We went blissfully on with our discovery of these grounds which had begun to feel sacred to me.
By day we rested and played; and enjoyed hiking the many, many trails that surrounded us.
The magnificent forest trails were everywhere. They were clearly mapped and marked. There were waterfalls and picnic areas and historical sites all over the place.
We even discovered that there were apple orchards nearby for picking fresh apples and baking tasty pies.
In the afternoons we worshiped and thanked God for bringing us to such a lovely place to be with Him and to rest in the time that He had set aside for us.
We basked in the joy of having our grandchildren with us for a whole week and our youngest demolished his first birthday cake with us on this trip.
We took our nine-year old grandson out to see the sword in the stone.
Of course, I found the book of King Authur and read it out loud to him. He began to get interested in these tales of knights and kings and those who became loyal to worthy causes enough to defend them at any cost.
I had no idea how the simplicity of the time there would turn out to be so wonderful and freeing from all of the commercial world that we were accustomed to battling day in and day out at home. We all were refreshed and restored in that week of staying at the beloved place that someone had correctly named Shenandoah.
About the middle of the week we discovered a good place to eat in nearby Black Mountain called The Veranda.
We could sit outside and watch the people passing by as we enjoyed some really delicious food. They had a turkey and cranberry sandwich that I loved; and for dessert I could not pass up their Key Lime pie. So good!
On one trip to the Veranda my husband casually asked our waiter if this was the town that Rev. Billy Graham lived in. My ears perked up; not realizing that could be the case.
The waiter just smiled and nodded his head. “They are further out than here. I don’t know exactly where their house is located, but your wife has picked their favorite food choices today.” He pointed to my sandwich which turns out to be one of Ruth Graham’s favorites; and The Rev. Billy Graham was very fond of their key lime pie. I smiled at this little coincidence and remarked that “all great minds think alike.”
Much later (months after we had visited Montreat) I read that all of the locals were very protective of Rev. Graham’s privacy and they never gave out the directions to his mountain vacation home in that area, even though they all knew the location, and most of them were close friends and had visited him there.
I laughed at this fact. It just goes to show that even Christians sometimes tell little white lies. I’ve always suspected such.
So; we finished out our perfect week at Shenandoah in Montreat with no idea that as we were lifting up prayer and praise in our rented home; so was The Rev. Billy Graham who was probably only walking distance away from where we were staying in his mountain retreat home.
GOD WAS ALL OVER MONTREAT
You could feel God’s Presence the minute you stepped inside the gate, and it never left.
One could sense the strong prayers of the people who lived there.
There was a peace permeating the atmosphere that was beyond reason.
On our last day of the trip most of our children had to leave early in the morning to meet a deadline they had scheduled ahead. Our oldest daughter and her husband and her two boys stayed one more day with us though.
It had rained for a while that morning, and the whole time we had been content just to play games and tell stories and do all the thousands of things that were provided for our entertainment inside this great guest house; but when the sun came out we decided to take a little hike.
You know my first thought – I desperately needed to see Lake Susan! So my husband agreed this time and we rode over to Lake Susan.
EXPERIENCING LAKE SUSAN AND MONTREAT COLLEGE
Wow!
My eyes were not prepared for the beauty they were about to behold.
The lake itself would take your breath away. We were there in the fall season; so it was breathtakingly beautiful because of the changing leaves reflecting off the smooth glassy waters of the lake’s surface.
The lake would have been enough; but we discovered that these were the grounds of a lovely old college.
Within the college was a beautiful chapel that was named Graham Chapel.
I was still oblivious to the obvious facts and I did not learn until after the announcement of Rev. Graham’s death that he and his wife Ruth had been very instrumental in the founding and growth of this quaint and amazing four-year liberal arts college called Montreat College.
The Chapel there was named after The Grahams.
I also found out later that Ruth Graham’s parents had lived in Montreat even before Ruth and Billy had built their own cabin there. Her parents were among the founders of Montreat and the college too.
Ruth and Billy had been married right there in the chapel located in Montreat College.
I had no idea while we were there that any of this had taken place.
All I can tell you is I KNEW in my spirit that it was a very special place.
You could feel the love of God everywhere you went. 
That day we followed the sunshine around the perimeter of the lake. The boys were fascinated with the paddle boats that were docked.
There were signs all around the different areas noting the founders of the several special spots around the college; but my heart was only captured by the beauty of the lake and the changing of the leaves.
We came to a place where we saw some interesting buildings that turned out to be the home of two gift shops and a coffee shop.
TWO UNIQUE GIFT SHOPS AND A COFFEE SHOP WITH A VIEW
The coffee shop was called the Huckleberry Cafe.
You could walk through to the coffee shop and sit on a balcony overlooking the dam and watch the water run off from the lake like a very active waterfall.
It was lovely!
The first gift shop was called 10,000 Villages.
I had been to some other branches of this gift-shop ministry before, and I knew that the items they sold were made by locals around the world mostly from third-world countries who were trying to make a living to support their families in places where it was virtually impossible to make a living.
The workmanship in this particular shop was amazing!
So many beautiful hand-made items stood out. They were each unique. I caught myself checking off my Christmas Shopping list very early and being thankful that the money we spent would go to help others.
I found a cookbook that was full of amazing recipes for every way on earth to use a vegetable at your table. It had quotes and tips and scriptures too. That turned out to be my gift to myself that day. Now I love cooking those recipes that remind me of that beautiful day on the shoreline of Lake Susan.
The gift store that was downstairs housed more local items and it was there that I found a puzzle with the photo of the entrance to Montreat. I could not resist getting it and giving it to my daughter and her husband as a token of our special time spent there. Montreat memories lingered on with us all through the year, from new dinner recipes, to puzzle times together, to gifts shared under our Christmas Tree.
One gift was for my husband. It was a book of beautiful poems I had picked up while we were in Black Mountain on our Anniversary Trip long before I understood the charm and spell that Montreat would cast over us. I simply loved the poems. They were about couples and different phases and stages of a marriage. It seemed perfect for an anniversary memory. Later as I wrapped it I realized while looking through the pages again that it was written by a resident of Montreat who lived close and loved Lake Susan. Funny; how God brings things together and makes them so special without our help.
Now we are all back home and enjoying our daily lives with thankful hearts. We feel so very blessed that for seven days we had the opportunity of a lifetime to live in that wonderful place.
Home is where we have returned; but I’m not so sure that pieces of our hearts aren’t still living up there in those beautiful mountains of North Carolina.
We will only give a temporary goodbye to Montreat; until we meet again.
The same farewell goes out to one of the greatest evangelistic leaders America has ever known, as Rev. Billy Graham goes on to an even better place.
Can you imagine that Heaven is a better place than Montreat?
It is beyond what my limited imagination can think; but I am thankful to God for all that we have learned from that place, and for all the good and great people that have lived there; especially Ruth and Billy Graham; whose God and home and personal life has touched so many thousands and thousands of people. Yes; Rev. Graham; go on to what you deserve; joy unspeakable!
As we were driving out of the mountains our last glimpse was of this cross peaking over the tops of the trees.
It felt totally appropriate.
