This past weekend my wife and I got away to the beautiful City of Asheville, North Carolina. The trip was planned around touring the Biltmore Estate, and staying at the Inn right on the property (thanks again Melanie and Seth for this gift). The mansion has 250 rooms, not small rooms mind you, huge. There is the 2 story library, an indoor swimming pool and the dinning room and sitting rooms were gigantic. The property is over 10 square miles, and back when the family actually lived in the house, it took 35 people to take care of them/it. The purpose of this home was to house a family. 250 rooms for one family! It's the largest private home in the United States! On our way back home I stopped for gas just a couple exits away, and as we were pulling back out onto I-40, we saw a sign for "The Cove", the Billy Graham Training and Conference Center, we decided to stop and tour. Talk about contrasts. This property is on 1200 acres, just as beautiful and the purpose of this place is to train people to share the gospel. "What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul." Matthew 16:26. George Vanderbilt died suddenly in his early 50's of an appendicitis. Though I do not know if he professed Christ as Savior there is no mention of it anywhere, and now his estate is run by others as a museum. The Cove will be used long after Billy Graham departs this world to be with the Savior. Whatever you are building your life on, hoping for, longing for - if it is not invested in the Kingdom of God it will not last.
