Ruth 1:14b-18 “At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where ...  Read More

Ruth 1:11-14a Some of the greatest stories of fiction have this moment when all hope is lost. There is no way out, circumstances are beyond the control of the person, and the story seems to have ended here at this tragic point. I’m thinking of a classic like “Where’s Waldo?” (well maybe not a classic? but my kids loved them). You search through those pictures desperate to find this dude with glass...  Read More

Ruth 1:6-10 Anytime I hear or see the word “pivot”, my mind instantly goes to the episode of friends when they are moving the couch on the stairs. While pivoting often comes at a stressful or crucial time in our lives, the same was true for Ruth. We see this play out in today's passage as difficult choices were made by Naomi. We see in just this short passage multiple pivots being made.“When Naomi...  Read More

Ruth 1:1-5   I still remember it like it was yesterday. We had arrived in West Branch at my parent’s cabin for a week of swimming, ice cream, late-night movies, games, and a ton of fun…that is until my parents received the fateful call. I was sitting in the living room across from the kitchen as that phone call came. One of my parent’s pastors was trying to get a hold of my aunt and uncle (who wer...  Read More

Week 1Main Point and Overview:    Can you imagine going through “that kind” of pain! You lose your husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law all within a short period of time. In the culture of that day, women did not have the financial and physical opportunities that they have today. All of a sudden, comfort and contentment was “out the window” for these three ladies. They were now faced with th...  Read More

Titus 2:6-8 & Proverbs 20:7 “Do as I say and not as I do.” This statement frustrated me to no end when I was a child. You may not consider it, but children develop a sense of morality and fairness much earlier than you might think. I remember thinking to myself things like, “why is this thing okay for them but not for me?” Or “why should I have to do this when you never do?” Now that I have kids o...  Read More