“Many reporters ask me who is the greatest Christian I have ever known. I always answer, Ruth.
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Ruth Bell Graham’s life (June 10, 1920–June 14, 2007) rises up as an inspiring journey of faith and love. Ruth modeled growth in Christ in an extraordinary way, and as a writer, poet, wife, and mother, she represented a powerful presence in the life of her husband, Billy Graham.
Born in China, Ruth Bell entered the world as the daughter of medical missionaries, where her father, Dr. Nelson Bell, served as a surgeon. One of four children, Ruth was nurtured in the Christian faith that would shape her life. She stated, “Not only did Mother and Daddy teach the faith in the home, they lived it. And as a consequence, it was easy as a child to give my heart to the Lord Jesus.”
Ruth Bell journeyed to the United States to attend Wheaton College in suburban Chicago. Traveling aboard the USS McKinley, contemplating her avowed spinster existence, she penned these now prophetic words:
“If I marry, he must be so tall when he is on his knees, as one has said, he reaches all the way to heaven. His lips must be strong enough to smile, firm enough to say no, and tender enough to kiss. ”
“If I marry, he must be so tall when he is on his knees, as one has said, he reaches all the way to heaven. His shoulders must be broad enough to bear the burden of a family. His lips must be strong enough to smile, firm enough to say no, and tender enough to kiss. His love must be so deep that it takes its stand in Christ and so wide that it takes in the whole world. He must be big enough to be gentle and great enough to be thoughtful. His arms must be strong enough to carry a little child.”
When she met her future husband, he quickly made an indelible impression. “I heard him praying and I thought, ‘There is a man who knows to whom he is speaking.’ I remember getting on my knees that night and just saying, ‘Lord, if You will let me spend the rest of my life serving You with him, I will consider it the greatest privilege.’ I didn’t know at the time what that would imply.”
Ruth and Billy were married in 1943 in the North Carolina mountains. The young couple soon returned to Illinois, where Billy became pastor of a small church in the Chicago area. He later served as a traveling evangelist with a new organization called Youth for Christ. In 1949, he began a ministry that would eventually reach millions. Ruth had a profound influence on his message and was an indispensable partner as the Graham ministry grew.
By the late 1950s, the Grahams had five children and a permanent home on a mountaintop near the North Carolina village of Montreat. Ruth’s responsibility as a mother was demanding. Often with Billy away at crusades, she was on her own to raise three daughters and two sons while her husband traveled around the world with his message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Saying goodbye, often for months at a time, never became easy. Ruth’s faith helped her face these trying times.
“Looking back on my life, I thank God for especially the tough times. That’s when the Bible comes to life for you. That’s when the Lord Jesus becomes the most real to you.”
“Looking back on my life, I thank God for especially the tough times. That’s when the Bible comes to life for you. That’s when the Lord Jesus becomes the most real to you.”
After their children were grown, Ruth often joined her husband on the road, where she frequently shared her faith with others. Ruth’s ministry as a writer began to flourish in the 1980s. She would author several books of spiritual insight and poetry.
In 1996, Ruth and Billy Graham became only the third couple in U.S. history to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. With nineteen grandchildren, dozens of great-grandchildren, and friends and admirers around the world, Ruth Graham’s life overflowed with blessings. Her warm heart and her gracious spirit embody the hallmarks of a ministry that will endure.
“In her later years, Ruth said, “I’ve enjoyed growing old.””
In her later years, Ruth said, “I’ve enjoyed growing old. There is so much to look forward to after this life. And so much to look back on. And the thing that stands out in my life, above everything else, is the promises of God that you have seen come true.”
Living With Eternal Intentionality®
“He has also set eternity in the heart of men” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
What intrigues you most about the life of Ruth Graham?
How do you relate to her attitude on growing old?
The contents of this cameo are lifted from The Leader’s Wife: Living With Eternal Intentionality®
