Tuesday, August 22, 2006

before Oprah ... there was Billy ...


oprah's book club seems to be pretty popular ... i must confess to not following her list of "good reads" that closely ... but i know others do ...

before there was oprah's book club ... billy graham had his book "club" ... by club, i mean his monthly offer of a book he recommends ... he's had this gift offer, with no strings attached, for decades now ... and i have greatly benefited from the selections ... he's introduced me to authors i had never heard about before, but who soon became my "favourites" ... at the moment i am reading chuck colson's "the Good Life" ... compliments of the Billy Graham Ministry .... excellent read ...

i do make donations to the ministry, but they never solicit any if someone would just like the monthly offer ...

Radio Bible Class (who puts out the daily devotional leo and i read) also offer books by excellent authors ... they do ask for a donation, but the books have been good ...

what a blessing to live in a time when there is so much uplifting reading out there ...

if you want to check out the 2 websites, you can find them at:
Billy Graham Ministry and Radio Bible Class ...

11 comments:

Unknown said...

what a great idea!!!

Saija said...

mrsd ... sure has blessed my heart over the years! hey - did you see the lightning over EK? sheesh, wild weather!

Anonymous said...

Great ideas...for sure, don't bother with Oprah's! I have regretted the 2 times I got one...not MY KIND of books nor ones that I think Believers ought to read!

Diane Viere said...

Well.....Happy Anniversary...a little late! 32 years! Way to go! Or as my British friends would say....."Brilliant!" My husband and I celebrated our 32 year anniversary on June 7th! Doesn't it go by--fast!

Congratulations....and my dear blogging friend--may you find joy.....once again...soon! I'll be praying for the sadness to lift. Your faith is strong--your heart clearly knows the promise of joy...may you feel it!

Diane

Cindy Swanson said...

Saija, I'm salivating over the library in that picture--what I would give for those built-in bookcases...gorgeous!

Saija said...

elizabeth ... there is so much out there in the way of good reading - and of course the Word of God is my #1 - that is the only book that truly satisfies my heart - almost like it lives & breaths ... blessings!

Diane ... you guys are 32 as well? seems like 1974 was a good year for nuptuals! :o) ...

cindy ... i know! my idea of heaven is a room like this with every book being a winner!

Maggie Ann said...

Good books are treasures aren't they? My fingers are so cold cause I am that I'm making typing errors. I must run turn the thermostat up. I've heard Chuck C. on the radio and enjoyed his messages. We have so many resources at our fingertips...incredible isn't it. What a great age to live in!

Terry said...

Dear Saija..Well I just got home from work..a nineteen hour shift but it was OK.
I was thinking about this picture that you put in here and I like it so much!!
The comfortable chairs seem like they are inviting you into the room to sit on them after you have selected a book that you have chosen from that ample suppy they have just lining that beautiful room.
You are right about Billy Graham's books.
I still have the first one I ever got.
It is called Halley's Bible Handbook, and it is really good! I think I got it when I was 14 and that is over 43 years ago!!....Love Terry

Saija said...

maggie ann ... books are a treasure ... just think, 200 years ago folks would have only a few books and read them over and over again! now we can listen to them as well as read them!

terry ... aww, 19 hour shift? i would be absolutely pooped! and you have 5 more years on me ... hope you get your rest tonight! blessings! too bad you can't really pop into one of those chairs in the picture!

auntibeck said...

Is this photo of the Graham's sitting room? I know in their "Little Piney Cove" home their living room mantle has a Bible verse on it...you are so right about the Billy Graham's books--my twin lost his 26-year old son last year and he was just telling me about "The Good Life" and how it has ministered to him... Have you ever read "A Time for Remembering" by Patricial Cornwell? It is subtitled "the Ruth Bell Graham Story." It's old but I know you can get it on Alibris.com It is absolutely inspiring. The Graham story is amazing. You and some of your friends respect the Graham's so much--I wonder if you've been to any of the crusades over the years? My first was in Los Angeles in 1963. The last was again here in Los Angeles in 2005. Blessings!

Saija said...

auntibeck ... i don't think it is their sitting room, since theirs is rustic log walls that ruth salvaged from old buildings ... and yes, i have read "A Time for Remembering" and have it in my library ... as for crusades, i went forward at a billy graham crusade when i was 12 (in Winnipeg, MB) ... and leo and i have heard franklin preach in AZ - at Grace Community church ... i respect the Graham family and the work they keep doing for the Lord - He in turn blesses the work of their hands ... :o) ... oh, one of my blogging buds, jeanette, sang in the choir at the 2005 LA crusade ... small world, eh?

so sorry to hear of the loss of your nephew ... leo's sister died unexpected and suddenly last july ... earthly goodbyes are difficult, especially if we don't know FOR SURE that we'll see that loved one again ...