|PIC1|World renowned evangelist Billy Graham will celebrate his 90th birthday on Friday with an intimate family gathering near his mountainside home in North Carolina.

"I never expected to live this long, and it is hard to believe I have reached the age of 90," Mr Graham said.

"Every day is a gift from God, no matter how old we are. I have discovered that just because we grow weaker physically as we age, it doesn't mean that we must grow weaker spiritually.

"In fact, we ought to be growing stronger spiritually, because our eyes ought to be on eternity and Heaven - on the things that really matter."

Christians all around the world have been submitting their birthday greetings to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the ministry founded by Graham in 1950, and sharing their personal stories of how Graham has touched their life.

Tens of thousands of messages have been sent in so far and will later be presented to the evangelist as part of the birthday celebration.

Billy Graham spent more than six decades preaching the Gospel to thousands-strong crowds at evangelistic crusades in more than 185 countries and territories.

Since his last crusade in New York in 2005, Graham has remained an active spiritual guide particularly in the written word, writing columns for a number of Christian publications and nearing the completion of a book project based on his personal experience with growing older and how to be prepared emotionally and spiritually for what he says can be the most fulfilling years of life.

Graham expressed his hope in seeing his late wife, Ruth Graham, in heaven. His ministry partner of more than 63 years, she passed away on June 14, 2007.

"I look forward even more to the time when I will be reunited with my wife in heaven, and neither of us will ever experience again the physical aches and pains brought about by age and illness," Graham added.

Mr Graham maintains a keen interest in the ongoing ministry of the Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association (BGEA) under the leadership of his son, Franklin. This past year, he joined ministry board meetings and other activities as his health has allowed.

His legacy lives on in his son and grandson, Will, who regularly hold evangelistic festivals and rallies all around the world, including most recently one in Taipei in Taiwan earlier this month.

"I am proud of Franklin's leadership of the BGEA, and the way it is showing the love of Christ to a hurting world and using new technology to share the Gospel message," said Graham said.

Graham has also followed closely the race for the White House at a time of economic instability and an ongoing war on terror.

"President Elect Barack Obama faces many challenges, and I urge everyone to join me in pledging our support and prayers as he begins the difficult task ahead," he said.