What was it like…?

I am in Dallas and have done a full day of media to promote my new book. I was up at 5:00 AM to be on a local morning show. One question that I am invariably asked is. “What was it like to grow up in the home of Billy Graham?” There are times that frustrates me.

It may seem odd but I am never quite sure what they mean by that or what they may expect the answer to be. My growing up was probably the same as growing up in your home. It was normal for me as yours was for you! Your father may have been a plumber, pastor, business man, doctor…but he was your dad. My father was a preacher who traveled. Because we grew up in a small community populated by retired missionaries and pastors it was not unusual for people to have traveled the globe preaching. So what daddy did seemed fairly normal.

We were very proud of him but my parents did not raise us to think of ourselves as special. We were different, not special. They never expected us to live up to some false expectations or live our lives to reflect well on them. Over and over they told us that we represented the Lord Jesus and to live in a way that would honor Him.

There were times I worked hard to meet other people’s expectations – I wore myself out.  And people still weren’t happy! I felt that so many people were watching and that I was a disappointment because of my failures and sins. I still work at letting that go and living to please Jesus only. I know have an audience of One! It’s taken a while and I am still not there but  I am a work in process. Being Billy Graham’s daughter is part of what I am – not who I am. I am a sinner saved by grace.