I Am Ruth, Part 2

As I continue my study of the book of Ruth, I continue to be impressed with what a humble, faithful woman Ruth was. In chapter two, I see more attributes of this godly sister that I want to emulate.

• She humbled herself before Boaz - She bowed down in respect of Boaz showing both the respect she had for him and the humility she had in her life. Do I show the respect and humility in my life?
• She sought favor in his eyes - She wanted her actions and even her mere presence to be pleasing to Boaz. I want those in my life to be pleased with me. Am I being intentional about my life being pleasing to those around me?
• She affirmed Boaz for the good he had done to her - She wanted him to know that the good he had done for her did not go unnoticed. I've been very intentional lately with telling those around me of the good I see in them and the good I've seen them do. I want to be a blessing to those who have blessed me!

This precious sister has been a great encouragement to me. My prayer is that I can be a virtuous woman like her!

Linking up with other precious sisters:

• Worth Beyond Rubies
• Holley Gerth
• Wise Woman Linkup

I Am Ruth, Part 1

I've been reading and studying Ruth lately and it has been wonderful (and I've just finished chapter 1). It is an amazing tale of redemption even in the first chapter! God is so good.

As I've been reading, I've been trying to place myself in Ruth's shoes, and I have seen things in the text that I may have glossed over before. Here's some of what I've been encouraged by so far:

• Elimelech and his family set out from Bethlehem to find food - not to be missionaries.
  God's plans were bigger than Elimelech and Naomi's plans. Why should that be a surprise to me? How many times have I set out to do something and God did so much more than I had even imagined?
• Ruth was separated from God
  Ruth was a Moabitess and the God of Israel was not her God. She wasn't seeking after God - but God was seeking after her! Before I came to know Christ, I may have gone to church every Sunday, but I wasn't seeking Christ. Just like Ruth, he sought me out. How glad am I that he did!
• It was through relationship that Ruth came to know of God's love
  Through the witness of her mother-in-law Naomi, Ruth came to know of God's love. God may have also revealed himself to Ruth through her ten years of marriage. There are many people who demonstrated God's love to me including Jackie, my youth pastor's wife. Yes, she told me of God's love but much more importantly she showed my God's love in how she lived her life.
• Ruth's life was radically changed because of her encounter with the living God
  After the death of her husband, she was given the option to go back to her old way of life and press the "reset" button. Because her life had been so radically changed, she refused (don't you make me do this!) to go back but instead chose to follow Naomi to a land she never know, to be around a people that weren't hers, but... to serve a God that she had come to know and love! My life in Christ is so much more than my life without Him could ever be. Go back to the way it was before I knew Christ? May it never be. I will choose Christ!

How wonderful it is to be able to relate to this precious sister of mine - Ruth! I am thankful for the message of love and redemption seen in her life and I am so blessed that I too know God's redeeming love!

Linking up with Holley Gerth!

Joining the Wise Woman Linkup!

Happy New Year

It's been so long since I blogged, but it's a new year and I am excited to see what this year will bring. I've got so many desires for the coming year: to eat better, to exercise more, to see relationships restored, but mostly to be a woman who loves God wholeheartedly and is used by Him!

I hope that I can take time regularly to write about what God is doing in my life this year. Come back soon and see what good the Lord has done.

God bless you and have a wonderful year!

To Have A Head Start

In a race, it is sometimes advantageous to have a head start. If the distance is lessened, it becomes easier for you to finish the race. The older women are to give such an advantage to the younger women. Paul is encouraging the older women to train the younger women - even the young girls - to not make the same mistakes they may have made. Nip it in the bud. Don't even let them go ther in the first place. Shape the young girls so that there is no room for slander and drunkenness in their lives. Then the loving of their husbands and the loving of their children will flow naturally. Older women, are you willing to be this kind of influence on the young? Young women, are you willing to follow?