I held this Bible in my hands on Saturday as I meditated on the events of August 31, 1957, sixty-seven years ago.

Here’s how the story unfolds in my book:

“…one Saturday morning I was at the bus stop in front of my grandparents’ house. Dan Plitt drove up in his 1952 Ford convertible with the top down. “Hey, we’re going to see Billy Graham again tonight. Want to go with us?” I said, “sure,” and that was that. It was August 31, 1957, the very last night Mr. Graham would preach in the Garden.~ I do not remember one word that Mr. Graham spoke, but I do recall the large banner above the platform that proclaimed, “Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life.” At the end, when the invitation was given and with the choir softly singing “Just as I Am, Without One Plea,” I looked at my friends indicating that I wanted to go. They smiled gently and nodded as I turned to make the long trek from high up in the arena to the front of the platform. There were tears in my eyes as I confessed my sin and received God’s gift of salvation in Christ Jesus. I prayed a prayer of confession and was given some Bible study and scripture memory cards. Mr. Graham encouraged us to get to a church on Sunday to begin our journey as newborn Christians.

When I returned home late that night, Mom was still awake. “I’ve been born again!” I said and told her everything that had happened. She told me years later that my face was shining that night. I had been in the presence of the Living God, convicted by the Holy Spirit and saved by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus. This was and is the biggest save that God ever worked in my life. Nothing would ever be the same after that night.”

Frohlich, Robert. Aimless Life, Awesome God . Kindle Edition. 

A year later, my friend, Lou Jones, was working another Crusade in San Francisco I believe, and he brought along a new Bible to be signed by Billy Graham and all the members of the crusade team. Then, Lou gifted it to me to commemorate that awesome day.

I read that sacred book from cover to cover, and carried it with me from New York to Iowa to France and to Wisconsin. You can see how I marked it up by highlighting certain key passages.

There are a couple of verses on this page that I did not highlight, but these words encouraged me on Saturday this week:

John 14:1-3 (KJV) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

This is my future, guaranteed in blood by my Lord and Savior, Jesus. I was a clueless fourteen year old when God reached down and made me His own. That promise has sustained me every day since! SDG