The Most Inspiring Person of the Year -- Randy Pausch

Last month Beliefnet began posted the nominees for the Most Inspiring Person of the Year.

Beliefnet's readers then voted, winnowing the field down to three finalists: The Boy Scouts of Blencoe, Iowa, who persevered through a deadly tornado; Stephen Curtis Chapman, the musician who suffered unspeakable tragedy when his teen son ran over his baby daughter; and Randy Pausch, the professor whose "Last Lecture" of life wisdom inspired millions.

Beliefnet has now chosen the winner: Prof. Randy Pausch.

Pausch's lecture was delivered to a small audience at Carnegie Mellon University, yet it became an internet phenomenon that has transformed lives around the globe. His now-famous lecture, along with related videos, has been viewed by almost 20 million people. Even after his passing in July, 2008, his powerful yet simple message continues to inspire us: "We cannot control the cards we're dealt, just how we play the hand."

Click here to watch a video of the Last Lecture . Or click through a gallery of wisdom by Jeff Zaslow, the Wall Street Journal writer who brought Rausch to public attention.