41–60 results of 69
MY ANSWER
I've been thinking about leaving my estranged family out of my will and giving everything to charity. Would that be wrong?
Billy Graham writes, "Over the years, I've come to believe that we ought to seek God's will about the way our money will be used after our deaths, just as much as we do while we're living."
MY ANSWER
The husband of a friend of mine is going to divorce her because she has Alzheimer's disease, and he says she doesn't even know him now. What's your opinion?
Billy Graham writes, "God gave marriage to us, and He doesn't ask us to love our spouse only when it's convenient or easy—not at all. Marriage in God's eyes means not just enjoying each other's company, but helping each other when life turns hard."
MY ANSWER
My husband and I feel so guilty, because we put his mother in a nursing home. Is God trying to tell us to bring her back?
Billy Graham writes, "I know this wasn't an easy decision to make, and it's natural to worry about decisions like this after we've made them. But unless God clearly directs you to bring her back into your home, you should assume you have taken the right path."
MY ANSWER
I'm a widow who wants to get married to a widower, but he just wants me to move in with him because he says he'll lose some tax benefits if we get married. What would you advise?
Billy Graham writes, "Which is better in God's eyes: to do what is right (and lose a few dollars), or to do what is wrong (and save a few dollars)? I think you know the answer."
MY ANSWER
I'm very tempted to try and communicate with my deceased husband.
Billy Graham writes, "Your loneliness and your desire to re-establish a relationship with your late husband are understandable, but I strongly urge you not to give in to this temptation."
MY ANSWER
What are the signs of Alzheimer's? A relative of mine seems to be getting very forgetful.
I am not a medical doctor, of course - but I strongly urge you to share your concern with your aunt's doctor and arrange for her to be tested. Although Alzheimer's disease cannot be cured at present, I understand its development often can be slowed wit
MY ANSWER
My husband and I are elderly. Are we wrong not to make the effort to keep going to our church?
Billy Graham writes, "
MY ANSWER
I'm in my 80s and crippled from arthritis and other problems. Why is God keeping me here? I'd rather be in heaven.
Billy Graham writes, "It's not wrong for us to yearn for heaven, particularly when the burdens of this life begin to press down upon us. ... But in the meantime, God has His reasons for keeping us here."
MY ANSWER
After I retired, we moved to a different part of the country, but we haven't been very happy here. Did we make a mistake?
Billy Graham writes, "I don't know whether or not you made a mistake by moving to a different part of the country after you retired, but six months may not be enough time to get adjusted to a new situation."
MY ANSWER
Is there anything I can do to make up for all my lost years? I wish I hadn't lived the way I did. It wasn't worth it.
Billy Graham writes, "The past can't be changed, much as you might wish it could. But listen: The past can be forgiven, and God can give you hope for the future!"
MY ANSWER
Our son wants us to have a health care document about our treatment if we become incapacitated. Do you see any moral or religious objection to doing this?
Billy Graham writes, "Documents like this are a recent innovation, so the Bible doesn't say anything directly about them. However, I don't find any reason in the Bible to oppose them, as long as they uphold the dignity of human life."
MY ANSWER
My sister is retired, and says she no longer goes to church because of her health. But I think the real reason is because she just doesn't want to go to all that trouble. She does watch a service on TV, but how can I convince her she needs to get back in church?
Be cautious about jumping to conclusions about your sister's motives; after all, elsewhere in your letter you mention that you and your sister live in different parts of the country and seldom see each other.
MY ANSWER
I went to the funeral of a friend the other day, and to my surprise it was a very inspiring and joyful service. Later, her daughter told me that her mother had planned the whole service several years ago. Have you ever heard of anyone doing this?
Yes, I've had several friends who have done this (sometimes with the help of their pastor).
MY ANSWER
Our mother (in her mid-80s) really shouldn't be driving now, but we don't know what to do. We know we ought to take her keys away but she's always been a very independent person, and we don't want to upset her. How should we handle this?
If it truly is dangerous for your mother to drive now, you need to act. If you don't, her life could be in danger, and so could others.
MY ANSWER
Our church is starting a group that will visit nursing homes and places like that on a regular basis, and they want me to be part of it. But privately I wonder if it's really worth all the time and energy. After all, most of these people have their own families, don't they?
Some of the loneliest people I've ever met have been in nursing homes, and I've almost never visited a nursing home without having some of the staff urge me to see some residents who never have a visitor.
MY ANSWER
My husband seems to be having a midlife crisis, and I'm so confused I don't know what to do. He's taken up with a woman almost half his age, and now he's announced he's leaving us and intends to marry her. What does God want me to do?
What your husband is doing is wrong, not just in the eyes of other people, but also in God's eyes.
MY ANSWER
Watching my wife lose her memory as she gets older is the hardest thing I've ever had to go through. Sometimes I'm not even sure she knows who I am. How does God want me to deal with this? I pray and pray for her, but God doesn't seem to be answering my prayers.
God is with you and your wife today just as much as He has ever been.
PRIVACY
