Kathie Lee Gifford has long been one of the only openly devout Christians in the entertainment world. In a new interview, Gifford is speaking out to reveal why she’s not afraid of death.
Gifford Isn’t Afraid Of Death
Gifford, 72, explained that she’s developed a relationship with God that has nothing to do with “religion.”
“I’m fascinated by these epic stories in the Bible,” Gifford told Yahoo News. “I’m a huge history buff, I’m the least religious person you’ve talked to. I don’t like religion. It puts us in chains. Relationship with the living God releases the chains to be who we truly, authentically are in him.”
This strong conviction has helped Gifford get through some tough moments in life. Indeed, one such moment was the 2015 death of her husband, the NFL legend Frank Gifford. Though she misses him dearly, Gifford is still not afraid of death.
“When I found my husband dead on the floor, I could cry tears of absolute joy because I knew where he went and who he was with,” she explained. “[I] don’t fear death. The greatest day in my life will be the day that I go home to Jesus. The best day — and I’ve had some great ones.”
Gifford Gives Away Possessions
As she’s gotten older, Gifford says she’s gotten clarity as to what really matters. Over the past few years, she’s been slowly letting go of her possessions while also investing in things that she believes in.
“I’ve made tons of money in my career, which I never dreamed I’d be able to have,” she stated. “I’ve given away, I would say, more than half of it, and been grateful to do it.”
Gifford went on to recall with a laugh that when her husband was alive, he would get frustrated with how much she gave away.
“He stopped doing that when he realized that once I gave something, I got it back a hundredfold,” she recounted. “I said, ‘God loves a generous soul.’ You can never out‑give God. I’d rather die giving something away than holding it unto myself and not being able to take it with me anyway.”
“Some people love their misery,” she continued. “I’m not one of them. I want the joy. I want the zoe.”
Gifford Supports Savannah Guthrie
Meanwhile, over the past few weeks, Gifford has been focused on praying for her former TODAY show colleague Savannah Guthrie. Sadly, her mother Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped from her home in Tucson, Arizona in the early hours of February 1. She has not been seen since.
“I probably heard the news a lot sooner than most people, and I immediately started praying for Savannah,” Gifford revealed. “[Later], I just started texting her: ‘Love you. Praying for you.’ Just that message over and over again.”
“She said, ‘Love you, friend,’” Gifford added. “I was just happy to hear her respond. I didn’t need it, but it said something to me about how she is, maybe, in her healing.
It’s rare to find a celebrity who is as open about their strong Christian faith as Gifford is. We applaud her for continuing to use her platform to spread the word of the Lord.
God bless you, Kathie Lee Gifford!