God has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”—Hebrews 13:5, ESV
On Friday afternoon, Ruth Graham—the youngest daughter of Billy and Ruth Graham—held up a cell phone in front of 150 people gathered at the Billy Graham Library.
“We may have a lot of connections,” she said, “but not meaningful connections. God made us to be in community—with others and with Him.”
The crowd filled Billy Kim Hall for the Library’s first event of 2025, Coffee and Conversations with Ruth Graham, who shared from her book, Transforming Loneliness.
The third of four Graham children has had her share of ups and downs, and she knows what it’s like to experience seasons of feeling alone in her struggles.
“Loneliness is an epidemic,” she said.
Madeline knows this all too well after losing her father and husband in the same year. The attendee from nearby Gastonia, North Carolina, shared her journey through deep grief.
“I wanted to come today because I just needed some encouragement,” she said.
Star, 70, was drawn to the Library event for similar reasons. Her husband left her years ago, and she spent the past few years as her son’s sole caregiver before he passed away last year.
“Now I find myself alone,” she tearfully explained.
“Loneliness is an ache, a deep longing to feel connected, validated, seen, known, and valued,” Ruth told the audience. She candidly shared stories from her own life, coupled with Biblical strategies to transform the pain into a deeper walk with God—and others.
“My strategy is to worship. … Open the Psalms,” she said, pointing to Psalm 139. “They sing to my heart.”
Everyone has a choice to grumble—or to express gratitude to God, she said.
“You can have intimacy with God. He loves you and invites you to be a member of His family,” she continued. “Partner with God and He will meet you there. … God wants us to speak to Him. Tell Him, ‘I need your help.’”
Rebecca, a nurse from Belmont, North Carolina, listened closely.
“Many of my patients talk about being lonely,” she said. Rebecca wanted to hear from Ruth Graham in hopes of learning how to meaningfully connect with her patients.
“Everyone longs to tell their story,” Ruth Graham said. For those who find themselves in a season of feeling alone, she added, “I encourage you to reach out to others. Put out your hand and say hello to someone you don’t know.”
The afternoon’s topic wasn’t just for adults, either. Donna came with her 12-year-old daughter, Sharon, who took away a simple plan to love her peers who might feel like they have no one to turn to.
“I’m going to reach out to the lonely ones at school,” she said confidently.
Are you struggling with loneliness? Only God’s love can fill that empty space in our hearts. Read more.