As the music blared throughout the filled-to-capacity A.E. Wood Coliseum on Sunday, kids and young adults rushed the floor to get close to the stage to sing along and dance as Canton Jones and Matthew West performed their popular songs.
But despite the fun and excitement happening on the floor, Greg Hall sat in the stands with some pretty heavy burdens.
By the end of Will Graham’s message during the closing event of the Central Mississippi Celebration, he decided he didn’t want to face those burdens without Jesus.
He and his wife Katherine choked up as they talked about some challenges they face with their grown children. He brought his young grandson to Saturday night’s Celebration event, and seeing the joy on his face prompted him to come back Sunday.
Little did he know, God had already given Will Graham a message just for him.
Will’s message came from 1 Samuel as he talked about God’s faithfulness to Hannah in overcoming her difficult circumstance of being barren. Hannah’s barrenness put a heavy burden on her heart.
During the message, Will asked a question that got Greg’s attention: “What burdens or circumstances are weighing you down tonight?”
“When he said that, I knew I needed to give my problems to the Lord,” Greg said.
Katherine, who has been a Christian for quite some time, knows what it is to have difficult circumstances, and Will’s message resonated with her. She grew up in a dysfunctional family and made some choices that eventually led her to spending some time in a juvenile detention center in 1975 as a teenager.
In fact, the last thing she did before her mother took her to the detention center was attend Billy Graham’s Crusade in Jackson, Miss.
“In the years after that, the message that he gave meant so much to me. There were times I would just pray in my room and I could feel God. He has covered me and protected me in ways I’ll probably never know.”
So, it seemed only fitting that nearly 40 years later her husband would come forward and talk with a counselor about a new life in Christ at a BGEA event.
Now, they can face their family burdens together as they both walk with Christ.
