What do you think?
Rate this book
It's My Turn
Each page gives rare and frank insights from the wife of Billy Graham about being mother and wife in the home of the world's most famous evangelist. Learn from Ruth as she weaves her unique humor into a warm and loving look into the life of a prominent family.
190 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1982
About the author
Ruth Bell Graham
61 books76 followersRuth Graham was born in China; her parents were American medical missionaries at the Presbyterian Hospital 300 miles north of Shanghai. Ruth was a Christian from an early age. She graduated from Wheaton College, Illinois, where she met her future husband Billy Graham. They were married on August 13, 1943 in Montreat, NC when she was 23. Her husband became a full time evangelist preaching the gospel all over the world. She loved to move behind the scenes, away from the spotlight, and helped him craft and research sermons and even books. She wrote as an emotional release, while her husband was so often on the road. Ruth convinced Billy to move the family to Montreat, near her parents, when their first child was on the way. Her ministry flourished in the mountains of western North Carolina, where she built the family homestead and raised five children. Ruth and Billy were married over 65 years and had 19 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. Ruth Graham died at the age of 87.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Read
December 28, 2008Ruth Bell Graham shares from her personal journal and memories about her life mainly after she married Billy Graham. Thoughts as a newlywed, and sections about raising the kids largely by herself, and struggles in her Christian walk. Pretty encouraging! We all have moments when we feel so inadequate and just slog along ; )
January 7, 2017
This is short, and is in short, two page at most, bites of thought. I really enjoyed it. She is a mother and grandmother and gives good counsel and comfort to mothers. It meant a lot to me to know that she had a son who rebelled and over whom she prayed for years. I am grateful she took the time to write even a little about her life, with five children and a husband who was high energy and gone from home a lot. She told how her parents and in-laws were blessings to her and her children; mine are and have been, also. I want to be like her in faith and knowledge of God's love. I want to have rock-solid faith in Jesus Christ and be steadfast. My children are currently the forces pulling hardest to get me off that base; I didn't expect that as they became adults they would try so hard to wrench me off my foundation. I cannot justify other people's behavior; like Marianne in Sense and Sensibility, I can only compare my behavior to what it ought to have been, and try to do better.
February 11, 2016
I have been looking for this book off and on for months now in the public library, but it's always checked out. We visited the Billy Graham Library on vacation to Charlotte, NC and I picked up the book. Started reading it that night and DEVOURED the whole thing in one day! I loved the "entry" style for each page with selections from her personal journals and special memories and stories from her life. I always wondered what Ruth Bell Graham was like, and it was really neat to get a small glimpse of her life. Sitting down to read this book was like listening to a dear friend share stories, thoughts, joys and fears. Loved it! A great vacation read.
May 5, 2014
An entertaining and inspiring read.
The book is more like an annotated collection of diary entries, but I really enjoyed the insights into this famous family.
Things that stuck out for me are their commitment and dedication to God and to each other, their hard work, and sincere choices.
Great life advice wrapped up in simple humour and truisms.
The book is more like an annotated collection of diary entries, but I really enjoyed the insights into this famous family.
Things that stuck out for me are their commitment and dedication to God and to each other, their hard work, and sincere choices.
Great life advice wrapped up in simple humour and truisms.
March 16, 2014
Loved this memoir written in snapshot glimpses of Mrs. Graham's childhood, marriage to Billy Graham and her role as mother and then grandmother. I laughed several times and teared up a few times too(even read some funny parts to my children who laughed enthusiastically). Encouraging for the Christian wife and mother and full of Biblical truths and insights.
November 1, 2018
Ruth Graham tells of her life as a missionary child and then as the wife of a man who was seldom home. She talks about the problems she faced with her 5 children, and how the Bible was her constant source of nourishment of her soul. Great insights of a woman who admitted her human failings but succeeded in life. Inspiring.
October 14, 2011
What a great little book full of the wisdom of a godly wife and mother. This easy to read book was full of colorful anecdotes and fabulous snippets of wisdom drizzled between some hysterical stories and recollections.
May 16, 2012
This book was O.K. Another mom recommended it to me, and I didn't find it as dazzling as she did. The chapters are 1-2 pages and are just an assortment of Ruth's reflections on life. So reading it straight through was kind of scatterbrained. But it did have some useful and encouraging parts.
October 25, 2010
Great story of how she raised 5 children while Billy traveled! She also grew up in China, her parents were missionaries!
February 1, 2012
This book I go back to again and again...The stories are short and always so encouraging, insightful, funny or comforting...Ruth is a mom to many :)
July 5, 2012
Not as much in the book as I had hoped for. Random thoughts and musings by Ruth Graham. An occasional insightful remark but I wish there was more.
August 29, 2012
funny, humbling, simple..
truly it was a delight to read what it was like to be the wive of Billy Graham , and to raise 5 little Graham.
i was blessed :-)
truly it was a delight to read what it was like to be the wive of Billy Graham , and to raise 5 little Graham.
i was blessed :-)
September 10, 2016
Ruth Graham is always a delight.
September 18, 2014
Delightful!!
November 26, 2016
Fascinating to hear the perspective of Ruth Bell Graham (wife to the famed preacher Billy Graham).
She writes about faith, marriage, and parenting with humility and humor.
She writes about faith, marriage, and parenting with humility and humor.
May 22, 2021
Ruth Bell Graham was the pillar of strength upon which Billy Graham leaned (aside from God, of course). This book contains snippets of her life - stories or quotes - written down over the years and printed here. Hers was a very busy life, but she tried her best to keep it as simple as possible. I have always been interested in her story as the wife of a man admired the world over.
December 22, 2022
i have always admired Ruth Bell Graham, and after reading this book, my esteem rises. She is so totally honest and faithful, real and endearing, and time and again I feel her encouraging me to accept my flaws and leave them in the able hands of the One who created me, and keep doing the best I can.
January 30, 2020
SUCH a wonderful book, and an easy read! I read it a long time ago, and liked it a lot, but it feels even more relevant as a Mom! Very encouraging too! This is alk especially true if you appreciate the ministry of the Grahams.
December 16, 2024
Loved this book! A friend gave me a physical copy that's falling apart so much, she had to put it in a ziplock bag. It's an easy read - like a journal or an anthology with little snippets of Ruth's life.
April 12, 2022
It was useful, funny,, thoughtful
July 24, 2023
One of my most treasured books. RBG is the most talented writer of the Graham family. If there were no Ruth Bell Graham, there would be no Billy Graham.
October 17, 2023
“It’s my turn” made my heart happy at an inside look of Ruth’s life behind the scenes, often while Billy Graham was traveling. It was very encouraging and a touching read.
January 15, 2024
I read this book as a teenager in 1997 and have never recovered from reading it. I wish I had a copy of the book. It's down to earth and intriguingly instructive God-ward
June 24, 2024
So much insight and humor!! Love it!!
February 19, 2012
She is so FUNNY!
Read
July 27, 2017Very humorous and interesting stories. It was comforting to read of R. Bell's struggles as a mom. I loved it.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews