Ruth Bell Graham

I have long been a fan of Billy Graham and his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, and their daughter, Anne Graham Lotz. Ruth died yesterday, and her life is being examined now -- by us, and by Him. I love the reflections I see in various places, but I most like the one posted by Anne on her ministry website. She says:

"But two things stand out above all the rest. My Mother was in love with Jesus…and that love was contagious. She wasn’t caught up in religion or tradition or rituals-- she was caught up in a personal relationship with Jesus. And she developed that relationship through hours spent reading and studying her Bible, hours spent on her knees in prayer."

I also love this quote from It's My Turn by Ruth Bell Graham:

"Someone has said, 'A Christian is one who makes it easy to believe in Jesus.'"

Everything I can see of Ruth and of the results of her life make it easy for me to believe in Jesus, and I am grateful for that!

Ruth was a very accomplished woman in her own right. She wrote or contributed to dozens of books. She contributed to a discussion in her generation of what following Jesus each day looked like for the women around her. And she raised a woman who is one of the most powerful preachers of our day, as well as raising her other children and contributing to the upbringing of her many grandchildren. She followed Jesus herself, whether that put her behind the scenes supporting others or whether it put her out front.

But our children know us better than anyone, don't they? We can fool the world, but not them!

And this is the "final day" verdict on Ruth from her daughter Anne's perspective:

"If I could have seen the other side of the Pearly Gates when she entered, I believe I would have seen millions of angels standing to applaud Jesus…giving Him all the glory and praise for the life of Ruth Bell Graham. "

Wow!

I want to add to that. Praise you Jesus for a life lived out in our generation that showed us Your power and Your joy!