Facing Death and the Life After

"Facing Death and the Life After" by Billy Graham is an excellent inspirational book on the self-described topic, full of intelligent and insightful Christian messages of hope to be prepared for the next life. As I write this, I feel glad that I do not have to restrain my beliefs to satisfy an unbeliever, simply because I can relate to every topic and subtopic within these pages. Written in 1987 with twelve chapters covering 275 pages and larger-than-average print, even the simply black-and-gold cover is attractive enough to keep this book worthy of my library collection. The beauty of "Facing Death" (not meant to be a morbid contradiction) is that the reader need not be a Christian to understand that more is in store for each of us when we die--after we physically we leave our body. There is no "nothingness" or pure neutrality. Dr. Graham makes little attempt at conversion, furthermore, but more at mere recognition of death itself. For some, there is little reckoning; that's why this book will help you with your reconciliation. Chapter by chapter, starting at "The Last Enemy" and "Death: No More Taboos," Billy whittles away at the extraordinary fear surrounding the very topic of death. If an honest reading is given to Dr. Graham's excellent and sound treatment, it would be a wonder, indeed, if the reader wasn't moved to be better prepared for the inevitable, inescapable next life. Real-life accounts with other people are testified in this book with Dr. Graham, where he has a believable answer to almost every cognizant question. It doesn't matter what you believe, as the author lays between the lines, when you die the end of the world has come for you alone. What a terrifying thought it is to be unprepared, hints Dr. Graham, through Chapter 7, "Life and Death Choices," and Chapter 8, "Groping Through Grief"! I found chapter 10 to be the most interesting, "Where Do I Go When I Die?" where it is discussed if we do the actually deciding whether or not to go to hell or to heaven. But NOWHERE is it mentioned that there is a middle ground, a safe area from which any of us are exempt from God's watchful eye or one of only two final destinations. "Facing Death..." should be a part of every Christian's library, or even the would-be believer. It is inspiring, thoughtful, thoroughly engrossing and highly intelligent. Nowhere are other religions or beliefs downgraded or disrespected. Every time you skim over the text, the passages come to light in a new way to renew your faith and to be prepared to meet Jesus Christ face to face. Even preparation of a will is discussed. It is well-founded in the Bible, with perfectly placed Scripture passages throughout--but not saturated or overdone. Dr. Graham weaves a fabric of belief with the Holy Bible and his profound, not-to-be missed message of preparation, and defeat of negative, unbelieving attitudes. I was saddened to see that it is out of print. Dr. Billy Graham has a distinct honesty among Christian teachers tha

Here is one of the few perfect books on a subject that affects all of us. Dr. Graham's insights and explanations about the inevitable time that each person faces offers emotional and spiritual reassurance that death isn't to be dreaded, or welcomed over life, but accepted as a PART of life.But more importantly, the main point that Dr. Graham weaves throughout each of the detailed and informative chapters is that there is an AFTERLIFE. Death is but a transition, and the manner in which Billy explains this fact is neither judgmental nor insulting. Dr. Graham has met many, many (sometimes famous) people in his God-appointed ministry, and his revelations about those relationships are written so well that you almost feel that they are your neighbors.Dr. Graham is a master of expressing the portion of God's knowledge that has been allowed for us to know into black and white terms, using clear and uncomplicated English. The thoughts about death in each of the twelve chapters leave no room for doubt, and the book of itself does an excellent job of reaching the hard-hearted person who does not want to believe in anything spiritual. If I had no faith at all or hated Christians, then this book would lead me to have a complete change of heart.If you find this book anywhere, don't think about it. Just get it!