1:09 p.m. EST, April 5, 2012|By Jeff Kunerth, Orlando Sentinel

Graham, who attended boarding school in Central Florida as a child, told the prayer breakfast crowd of about 1,000 that she has had the same doubts about Christ in her life as anyone else. There are times when she forgets he is there, in the little boat of her life, when she is going through rough times.

"If he's in the little boat with us, he's going to get us to the other side, but he didn't promise that it wouldn't be without difficulty and without storms," she said to the audience at the First Baptist Church of Orlando.

Graham repeated a story about a boy afraid of the dark who, when his mother said not to be afraid because Jesus was in the room with him, replied that he knew that, but wanted a "Jesus with skin on him."

"That is what the community of Christ is about. We are to be Jesus, this skin on him," Graham said. "We are to be his eyes to see the problems in our community and our neighborhoods. We're to be his ears to listen for those problems and those needs."

As the skin of Christ, all Christians have an obligation to help others in their communities, said Graham, an author and inspirational speaker.

"Are you willing to help or are you hiding?" she said. "Are we hiding from our brothers in the community? Are we doing all we can to help our brothers and sisters or are we turning a blind eye to the needs and concerns around us?"

Too often, Graham said, Americans seek solace in the wrong places, the wrong things, the wrong people.

"Whether it's a spiritual problem or an emotional problem or a health or financial problem, he is sufficient," she said. "He is all that we need today. All we need, he is."

jkunerth@tribune.com or 407-420-5392