energy and joy, and that means a rhythm of hard work, yes, but
also the laughter of friends and the recharging from solitude, and,
most of all, the empowering of consistently being true to our
deepest values and commitments.
Such empowerment was Billy Graham’s greatest source of
recovery from the need to always be “Billy Graham.” He would
refresh himself in his hotel room with his Bible, and he would
interact with colleagues who would strengthen, deepen, and
encourage him. But he would also don a baseball cap and sun-
glasses and mix with the crowds, not as Billy Graham but as an
interested observer, taking the pulse in youth settings or city
events. He also knew how to relax, spending vacations with his
wife, Ruth, and close friends like Johnny and June Carter Cash.
The pressures on him aggravated many physical problems, so he
often visited Mayo Clinic and tried to keep in shape by jogging.
So, during his many decades of struggling with the weight of
his fame, he kept working at what people today call self-manage-
ment. And he kept sowing seeds consistently, on vacation or off,
in settings both formal and casual, taking action and speaking to
others in ways resonant with his convictions. The apostle Paul said
that he was prepared “in season and out of season.” So was Billy.
One day during a break at a CTI board meeting, Billy and
some other trustees stepped into a hotel hallway. A long ways
down the dim corridor was a cleaning lady who looked toward
them and smiled. Then she motioned with her hand in a timid
hello.
Billy broke from the other trustees and walked down the hall
to talk to her. She had watched him on television; she had been
to a crusade; she appreciated his ministry.
Billy graciously talked with her for several minutes before
rejoining the group, but both the woman and the trustees had
been affected by his simple action of breaking from the press of
issues and reaching out in simple, gracious friendship.
Sowing good seeds all the time results in serendipities—the
surprises that may astound the sower. Seeds take root and grow
into unexpected new realities.
The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham