On Thursday morning, a long line of brightly colored umbrellas followed the path to the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina.

More than 650 people came from near and far for a book signing with Dr. Ben Carson. Many waited patiently outside the Library doors in the bleak Thursday weather.

The neurosurgeon and former U.S. Cabinet member recently released a new book, The Perilous Fight, about recognizing and combatting our culture’s push against faith and family.

“The best way to break a country down is to erode its foundation—and the foundation of any community is the family,” Carson emphasized at the event.

Despite the rain, Will Graham—Billy Graham’s grandson and Franklin Graham’s son—gave the special guests a warm welcome.

“We are very thankful for his Christian beliefs—how he stands up for faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” Will Graham said as he introduced Carson to the enthusiastic crowd.

Kelly—who came with her mother, Mary Ann—stood eagerly at the front of the line to meet Carson and get her book signed. It’s how she chose to spend her 30^th birthday.

“I really respect Dr. Carson and admire what he stands for,” she said.

Kelly and Mary Ann bought his latest book several weeks ago and are nearly finished reading it.

Two other friends, Rosetta Woods and Pam Sharp, also waited patiently in the crowd.

“Family has taken a second seat—or maybe it’s a third seat,” Pam said about today’s shifting culture.

“The breakdown of the family is heartbreaking,” Rosetta added. “People need to wake up—without family, we cannot have a nation.”

In the face of these tumultuous times, there is real hope for the future through a relationship with God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

“We have an ‘ace in the hole,’ and that is God,” Carson said as he concluded his remarks and prepared to meet guests.

“We have to return to our faith in God,” he urged. “We have to be vocal about what we believe.”

>>See what else is coming up at the Billy Graham Library.