When Billy Graham passed away in 2019, I only heard about him as a famous evangelist but never heard his messages. Once his classic sermons became available on Sirius XM radio, I listened to them all the time in my car. His sermons burned within my heart as I’d imagine the two followers’ hearts did when Jesus appeared by them on the road to Emmaus, days after he was resurrected. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A13-33&version=NIV

I had to learn more about Billy Graham and so I read his autobiography “Just as I am”.  It was excellent and I also learned a lot about modern American and world history since he lived through so much of it.  However, I was a bit disappointed that he didn’t write much about his five children.  Surely, they must’ve had some struggles and I would love to glean his lessons for myself.  Instead, he wrote that his children will tell their stories in their own time.  At that time, I didn’t do any further research on his children’s lives but wondered what he meant.  Being simpleminded, I assumed that a family like Graham’s with both parents and both grandparents being so devoted, loving and disciplined, that it is impossible to have wayward prodigals or children who make serious mistakes.  Well, I found recently that I was wrong.

During summers, I like to read Christian books. I bought four books by his wife, Ruth Bell Graham. I am enjoying each one of them. Through a friend, I discovered this bookstore called www.thriftbooks.com. I got four gently used books by Ruth Bell Graham for $20! What a bargain! If you ever want to buy older books, please check their website first. They have lots of Billy Graham’s classic books too. Ruth Graham wrote a book called “Prodigals and those who love them” if you want to get it. https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/prodigals-and-those-who-love-them_ruth-bell-graham/285072/?resultid=209df0c4-a6f0-436c-930a-57c1f78e0789#edition=1983304&idiq=645298

As I was reflecting upon how hard it must’ve been for Billy and Ruth Graham to serve God during their children’s wayward years; my level of admiration and respect for them went up even higher. This recent article written by a pastor with a prodigal child, wrote heartwarming advice and thoughts as a dad and pastor. – https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/pastors-child-strays/

Last Wednesday in my Times Square Church women’s online small group, during worship time I was given revelation from the Holy Spirit that my children were not gathered in when they were small and easier to bring to salvation because they would have become prodigals. And my heart would not have handled this situation well alone in my faith in my household. Yes I agree, it would have been too, too hard for me.

I don’t know when my children and many others in my household will be drawn to receive salvation through Jesus Christ. As I pray for them, I also pray for myself to not lose heart and grow weary in doing God’s kingdom work. My heart hurts and is broken but perhaps this is the weakness that God looks for in His servants in order to display His power within us as fragile clay jars. 🙏 ✝️ ❤️‍🩹🏺 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4&version=NLT