I have never personally met Ruth Graham. I have watched and cared about her life from a distance for decades. Ruth was born in China a daughter of medical missionaries, sensed a personal call to missions/ministry as a young girl, and attended Wheaton College as a young adult and married the “Preacher” as Billy Graham was nicknamed.
Ruth was raised among disease and despair and the chaos of civil war and was convinced to the core of her being of the need of each human being to have a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Only a Billy Graham could match her passion for seeing those outside of Christ come near to Him to be saved and transformed.
For a brief period Ruth lived the life of a pastor’s wife (an unusual experience I promise you) until Billy went into evangelism full time. While Billy traveled the world and met with presidents and world leaders and spoke before millions in stadiums and on television, Ruth parented their five children, all of whom follow Christ and serve in some form of ministry today. The state of the Graham children is as significant as the results of Billy’s global ministry in my opinion. Though some of them went through their “wild” years Ruth’s steady and firm love and guidance was the key factor in each becoming remarkable adults.
Ruth authored or coauthored 14 books. In 1996 she was honored with a Congressional Medal of Honor (along with Billy) for “outstanding and lasting contribution to morality, racial equality, family, philanthropy, and religion.” Novelist Patricia Cornwell, who wrote Ruth’s biography, concluded that Ruth Graham “was the loveliest, kindest person ever born.”
I loved Ruth Graham because of the way she walked through life with Billy; because of the way that she parented her children; because of the way that she inspired and influenced millions of women; and because of the way she loved and followed our Savior.
Ruth went home to be with our Heavenly Father, Thursday, June 14 at the age of 87. In her moment of “crossing over” what a delight it must have been for her to see the face of the Christ and to hear, “well done, good and faithful servant.”
Ruth was raised among disease and despair and the chaos of civil war and was convinced to the core of her being of the need of each human being to have a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Only a Billy Graham could match her passion for seeing those outside of Christ come near to Him to be saved and transformed.
For a brief period Ruth lived the life of a pastor’s wife (an unusual experience I promise you) until Billy went into evangelism full time. While Billy traveled the world and met with presidents and world leaders and spoke before millions in stadiums and on television, Ruth parented their five children, all of whom follow Christ and serve in some form of ministry today. The state of the Graham children is as significant as the results of Billy’s global ministry in my opinion. Though some of them went through their “wild” years Ruth’s steady and firm love and guidance was the key factor in each becoming remarkable adults.
Ruth authored or coauthored 14 books. In 1996 she was honored with a Congressional Medal of Honor (along with Billy) for “outstanding and lasting contribution to morality, racial equality, family, philanthropy, and religion.” Novelist Patricia Cornwell, who wrote Ruth’s biography, concluded that Ruth Graham “was the loveliest, kindest person ever born.”
I loved Ruth Graham because of the way she walked through life with Billy; because of the way that she parented her children; because of the way that she inspired and influenced millions of women; and because of the way she loved and followed our Savior.
Ruth went home to be with our Heavenly Father, Thursday, June 14 at the age of 87. In her moment of “crossing over” what a delight it must have been for her to see the face of the Christ and to hear, “well done, good and faithful servant.”
UPDATE:
For a wonderful personal perspective on Ruth check out the comments of Ruth's editor Stephen Griffith.
1 comment:
She will be one of those saints who's life will continue to shine, we were blessed to have her during our lifetime. She was a true example of a "christian", a follower of Christ.
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