Siesta Summer BIble Study III Launch
Video greeting from Kelly Minter
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I can’t believe the blog has been around long enough for us to be having our third annual Siesta Summer Bible Study! Wow! We had an amazing time studying Kelly Minter’s No Other Gods in 2008 and Jennifer Rothschild’s Me Myself and Lies in 2009.
It’s finally time to announce the book that we’ll be going through together in the summer of 2010 – Kelly Minter’s Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy! We’re thrilled that Kelly has written another study and can’t wait to dive into it with all the Siestas.
Let me fill you in on some details.
Who: As before, we want you to assemble a group of in-real-life friends, co-workers, family members, acquaintances, church family, Siestas in your town, neighbors, or whatever mix of ladies God puts on your heart.
What: Spend the summer together in the Word! Our workbook (also called a “member book”) is a 6-week Bible study on the Book of Ruth. We will meet every other week to discuss two weeks of our homework.
When: We are partial to Tuesday since that’s our normal night for Bible study at LPM. So we will launch our SSBS3 on Tuesday, June 22, and “meet” every other Tuesday until August 3. Yes, you can meet another day of the week if necessary but you’ll see when the time comes that it’s the most fun when we all do it on the same day.
I’ll give you the basic schedule now so you’ll know what to expect but Beth will have much more to say about it closer to the time of our launch. If we don’t answer your questions now, save them and see if they get answered within the next several weeks.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 (1st Mini-Session/LAUNCH/Group instructions)
(DO WEEKS ONE AND TWO OF HOMEWORK ON YOUR OWN.)
Tuesday, July 6, 2010 (2nd Mini-Session/Group Instructions)
(DO WEEKS THREE AND FOUR OF HOMEWORK ON YOUR OWN.)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 (3rd Mini-Session/Group Instructions)
(DO WEEKS FIVE AND SIX OF HOMEWORK ON YOUR OWN.)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010 (4th Mini-Session/Conclusion)
Where: Wherever you are most comfortable. Kelly’s workbooks are part of the Living Room Series. Her core group of ladies meets in her living room and they always share a meal together. In fact, you’ll find recipes in the workbook if you’d like to use them. We think that’s a really fun part of the experience. The first summer my group met in a different house each week and last summer we met in the same house each week. We’ve had some siesta groups meet in restaurants and coffee shops. Do whatever works for you and your ladies.
Why: A summer lived in Bible study is one lived in victory!
How:
1. Get your workbooks. LifeWay will have plenty of them for us, but you won’t want to wait until the last minute. You can find them online on LifeWay’s web site and on Kelly Minter’s web site.
2. Assemble your small group. You are more than welcome to participate solo or with an online discussion group, but for the sake of richest fellowship and best accountability, try as hard as you can to enlist three or four other women to meet with you every other Tuesday. Let the ladies know that the gatherings will be low on stress and high on much needed fellowship and rich discussion. Keep the emphasis on a relaxed and refreshing atmosphere where you can develop some wonderful relationships in Christ.
3. Sign up on the blog on our official Launch Day- Tuesday, June 22. We’ll ask you a few fun questions about your group.
4. Beth will facilitate the study by posting 15-minute videos on the mornings our meeting days. They will have instructions for discussion questions and activities that will be based on the previous two weeks of study. The videos will be like the ones you’re used to seeing on this blog – very casual and homemade! The idea is to incorporate the videos into the beginning of your meeting times if possible. In case the video aspect of the study doesn’t work for you, you will also find the discussion questions typed out on the blog.
5. After your gathering, you’ll check back in by telling us something about your meeting via a comment on that same post. Don’t worry if your group can’t meet on Tuesdays. You’ll still be able to find the post and comment throughout the week.
What if:
-I want to use the discussion questions in the back of the workbook instead of the ones on Beth’s videos. Go for it!
-I really, really want to do the study but it’s not in the budget. Email me.
–I’ve already committed to doing another Bible study this summer? That’s great! Stick with it.
-I don’t want to participate but still want to be a part of the blog. We totally understand and want to see you around Siestaville this summer. Know that the Bible Study will only take up one post every other week.
We look forward to getting started next month!
Love,
Amanda
Louisville, KY: Hi! I am doing this study solo and this is my first one. My season of life can be described as “treading”…..as in treading water. I’m not really moving forward and I’m not really drowning; just trying to keep my head above water! My goal is to use this study to grow in my faith and to develop the discipline I need to stay in the Word. I have read and thought about the verses from Judges and Jeremiah. If everyone did as he saw fit and there was no one to answer to, there would be mayhem. It is clear in Jeremiah that there are consequences to our actions and that we will ,in fact, all answer to God.
My oldest daughter, Leah Kathryn, and I have started the summer bible study. We will meet over the phone as she lives in another town. It’s our first bible study to do together.
So far my experiences with this blog have been extremely challenging.
1. I posted my first comment on Saturday, June 26 where I answered the 4 questions. I’m looking for a group of women in my area, which I stated in my post. I received an email stating that my post would have to be moderated first. So far I’ve heard nothing back. Am I tossing pebbles in the Grand Canyon? Is anyone out there????? I’d like to get connected and start with the Bible study, but it’s been VERY frustrating so far. I feel ignored.
2. The comments are so helpful, but the format is VERY cumbersome. They are posted in reverse chronological order, which means you have to keep loading a new page to get to the newest ones. Could you set the blog up so that the comments are in chronological order? Or put page numbers that would enable you to go directly to the newest ones?
Thank you very much, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Yes, you are heard here, Barbara! So sorry for the frustrations. I’m flying solo on the blog this week because AJ is working VBS and Melissa is out of town. Yes, we have to moderate all our comments because there are people out there that think it’s funny to put profane comments on Christian blogs. That means it might take a few hours or overnight to see your comment appear. We’re working as hard as we can!
We are not in control of the order of comments. It’s part of format for this blog service. Wish we could serve you better! We’re a pretty small staff here.
Thanks for the answers! I couldn’t watch the Vimeos through IE either, and I was starting to feel invisible on this site – LOL! But I can see the Vimeos through Mozilla Foxfire, so I’m glad for that.
I received my study book today, AND I’m now on the blog. Life is good….have a Happy 4th of July weekend!
I am so thankful for your small staff and you Beth.
Austin, TX/Solo and SO glad I heeded the Holy Spirit’s nudge, bought the book and am almost done with Sessions 1&2. LOVE that the study includes FOOD! The one word for this season? “Turbulent” albeit with more and more frequent periods of tranquility and peace, praise God.
Hi, Ann! I am in the Austin area also and sooooo happy to find a fellow study companion. I am almost done with session 2 and love, love, love it so far. I am thankful for this deep, but not too time consuming study over the summer months, as I have to keep my eyes and ears open for this kiddos! Yes, life is turbulent for us also, buy staying focused and fully relying on God makes life a ton more tolerant!!!!
We are meeting a week behind you, from Suffolk, Virginia! So excited! We have 12 ladies, all ages and seasons, high school senior, college, 20s, 30s,40s and 50s! Can’t wait to see what God has for us! Thank you to Beth and Kelly for your faithfulness and encouragement!
Honolulu, Hawaii; 8 of us; Meeting at my home. Our group includes two adult youth leaders and 6 highschool girls. We just started week 1 and the main part of our discussion was about how through our struggles and the pressure of today’s society, we shouldn’t follow our heart and feelings, which is what society wants for us. Rather, we should follow God’s will and plan for our lives which is shown to us through His Word. We are excited to dig in!
OOOh, Hawaii. I’d like to join your group! Praying for blessings on your group. Michelle from Michigan.
Hi Beth and ladies, I am VERY new to this blog thingy and so I have a question to ask. Would love to join the group and study Ruth but how do I purchase the book? I’ve tried different web sites but to no avail. Could you please direct me to where I can purchase Kelly Minter’s study book for the Ruth series. Thanks so much for any help you can give me, I am so sorry that I can’t find the book.
I live in Pennsylvania, and simply adore the studies I have done thus fare with the Beth Moore study videos. Beth, you are such an awesome and Godly teacher, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all God has inspired you to teach and all God has allowed me to learn. God Bless and again thanks…….
Ok, I hope everyone is done giggling by now. I um did figure out how to get the book and have purchased it. I told you I was new to this blog thing. Sorry again for such a silly question. God does have a way of keeping us humble doesn’t he. Am excited to be starting the study.
We started the summer bible study and are enjoying it so much. We are a group of 5 doing this in some one’s home. We live in Tennessee. We are all seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus. We are sponges soaking in His word. We want to live a life that lines up with the word of God.
A bible study I had planned on doing this summer fell thru, so I am joining you all very late and will be solo…will be getting the book this week and diving in… I’m excited to start the study, share it with you all and get myself back on track..
Hey My name is Beth. The Lord gave me this name and at first I was not too sure abt it. I said, “Lord r u sure u want to name me Beth?” So I look at the meaning of Beth n I click on your website!! So here I am doing The bible studies with u guys. lol
Nway God has gave me 2 beatiful girls inside and out n its amazing how God gave me this anointed fellowship. We all came from a muslim background. Me and Hannah are from Singapore and Diana ( The LOrd asked me to talk to her after church) is from Indonesia.
So actually something amazing happened, Hannah( God recently change her name) the Holy spirit was upon her) She began to shake to prophercies using signs marching, running swimming diving and the Lord showed us n how The Lord is sending millions of army of angels and He is crushing the devils. There’s going to be a revival. God is using Singapore and he is building a lot of churches and then He is gonna make the churches from man centred to God centred. And He’s going to build more churches in Indonesia and everyone will hear the gospel. There were a lot more prophercies so ya really God is gd!!
Nway although the flow of the binle study is diff from wat everyone had wanted but still it was an annointed bible study!!
I’ve ordered the book and wonder where will I find the Vimeo video on Tuesday and what time will it be posted?
You’ll find it right here on the blog if you’re talking about our SSBS greeting, Sweet Thing. It’s usually up by 7:00 AM.
Me, my mom and my friend Amanda are doing the bible study on Thursdays. Last time we cooked the Mexican dinner and are looking forward to this week having pasta! I have really enjoyed the study so far and look forward to what God is going to do in our lives durin this time.
Houston, TX; I’m working through the study on my own for now. It was so rich this session. I loved the concept about weeping forward. We have lived in this community for less than a yr. There have been many tears as we left our family & home church, & even some tears since we arrived. I am thankful for the reminder God can bring a harvest through my tears. I have so much to be thankful for, most of all, that I can feel God’s presence with me during this transition, & that I don’t have to become bitter. God bless you & your team.
Gail, if you are looking for a group in Houston, another young lady and I from West Houston are meeting up this evening. You are welcome to join us! [email protected]
Thank you Allison for your kind offer. Several ladies from our previous newcomers class have made the commitment to do it together. We’ll be mtg. on Thursdays. I’m really enjoying the study so far. I’ll be praying the Lord blesses the 2 of you as you get together every other week.
Rochester Hills, MI. We are a group of 8 ladies and this is our second meeting. We all enjoyed doing our first 2 sessions and had a lot of discussion on obedience to God and learning to listen to His direction for our lives. We think that Ruth’s journey is a great example for us to follow in our daily walk with the Lord. Learning to put aside our wants and believing and trusting in God for our needs. Realizing that whenever we go through the trials of life, it is a test of our faith that will produce endurance. This endurance will produce a mature and complete Christian . We are going to work on leaning to stand and letting God do a complete and perfect work in all of us.
I’m a solo studier in central Louisiana. At my Evangelical Presbyterian church we have women’s Bible study groups through the school year. I wanted to keep something going through the summer. I forget how I found about the Siesta group but I think it’ll work for me. I’ve never done an on-line study before. I’m a wife, SAHM of 4 adult children in my mid 50’s. I’m really looking forward to this study, even though I’m getting a late start on it.
I am writing on behalf of our group. My friends and I have a Birthday group and have been celebrating birthdays together for over 2o years! We all love Jesus, but have not done a summer Bible study together before. We have done many of Beth’s studies at our church and listen to Cd’s on our walks. We do love Beth’s teaching. We are meeting on Thursday mornings at 8 am and loved our first gathering. We are looking forward to week two. This morning on our walk we all were talking about the study and are all loving Kelly. She is very relatable!
So, we are 7 women between the ages of 40 and 50, with 32 incredible children and one beautiful grandbaby named Beau, and we live in St. Paul Minnesota!!! Thanks for bringing us all together!
Houston, TX: Praise the Lord, several other ladies have commited to work through the study with me this summer. Can we start on the first lesson next week/will the videos remain posted throughout the summer? I have gotten a head start & am truly enjoying the fresh new insights on this story of redemption that I “thought” I already knew. How precious God is to pour out His love, His “hesed” towards us.
Yes, absolutely! The posts stay up with the videos active. So glad to have you, Gail!
Gail, could your group in Houston use one more? =)
Hi Alli, We are in the Katy/Richmond area. Does that work for you? We’ve commited to meeting on Thurs. mornings. Our 1st session is this Thurs. Let me know what you think.
Absolutely! Welcome! Great to have some of you Houston area girls! May God speak.
Hey Gail =) I could definitely do Katy. But I have two kids that may not be, shall we say, as excited about the study as we are! Do any of y’all have children you’ll be bringing along?
Hi Alli, I’m sorry we don’t have child care or anyone bringing little ones @ this time. I’ll be praying that you find a group that does have other families involved. Post the need here on the blog. You never know what circumstances God is orchestrating even now, so that you can do this study with a group for encouragement & accountability. Be sure & post how He answers our prayer.
Hi Siestas!
My group consists of 3..myself, my dog Amazing Gracie ,curled up at my feet,and my hot cup of Starbucks coffee, all wrapped up in my bed every morning ! I look forward to this study , just my Bible and me…starting every day with a fresh word and a thirsty soul!
Janet from Pickerington Ohio
Hi ladies,
I just began this Bible study yesterday. I am going at it alone but after I got into it; I realize that this study is so personal to the season that I am in that solo is best for me. I am glad however to have a community of women who are studying with me, somehow I don’t feel so alone on the journey. The enemy himself have tried so hard for the last two weeks to keep me out of this study but when I read the first week with tears running down my cheeks I knew why. Although I am in a season of great loss. I know that God is going to do something amazing in the next six weeks. Pray much for me siestas and I will pray for you.
Aloha from Kauai! Got my Ruth study book from the Kelly Minter site. Took me a while to get it, but it’s in my hot little hands, and will be studying hard to catch up. Already God is opening doors, and windows, and portholes to my heart!!! Looking forward to hearing what he is doing in the lives of others as well. Is anyone doing the study on the island of Kauai?
I just got home yesterday from the Living Proof Live in Irvine and bought the study book on Ruth at the event . . . so I’m REALLY starting late! I’ve done Beth Moore’s fabulous women’s studies before at a previous church, but the last one was Daniel. I knew before I went to Irvine that I was spiritually weary, but I didn’t know until Saturday morning how totally dry and thirsty I’ve been for Bible teaching and worship. I wept with my face to the floor on Saturday morning during the break — the Holy Spirit has taken hold of me, breaking me (again!) into pieces that only my Creator knows how to knit back together again! Thank you, Beth, for being the messenger of God’s love and holiness to me when I’ve so desperately needed to hear it (and heed it!) and thank you to my friend and siesta Pam for inviting me and making ALL the arrangements and driving as well . . .and thank you to the worship team for leading my heart, soul and mind back to the Living Waters and . . . thank you to the awesome staff of LP ministries and Lifeway for making this such a classy and well-organized event.
I know this comment is too long, but I needed to say it to describe how I left Moab and am on my way back to the Promised Land, weeping forward all the way. I’m doing this study solo, and trying to fit it into the exhuasted life of an old nurse working long hours. I’m just asking Abba for the strength to persevere.
Welcome home, Johanna. He’s been with you all along.
Jennifer
Solo
Otisville, Michigan
I ordered my book the week the Siesta started, so I’m slowly catching up and responding to questions 1 & 2 from week one.
1) Things that Satan would like to curse me with – Family addictions (alcohol & drug). Showing unconditional love to those addicted and giving it over to the Lord for him to heal rather than relying on ourselves (it seemed the harder we pushed for it to stop, the worst it got, when we stepped back and waited on The Lord, it happened). We received a miracle from Him when the family member was able to break the addiction. This has taught us we can’t control others but we can have an influence on them.
2) Weeping forward – For me, infertility. I was stuck whining/complacent/false expectations. The anger took a hold of me one day. I climbed into the attic to find something, I wasn’t patient for my husband to find it, and fell through 12 feet, only one foot away from landing on a concrete floor. I sprained my back, but no broken bones. I felt I was spared other physical damages and decided I still had my life to live with my husband and to move on. I’ve been in 10 bible studies and only in the last year have I been able to share my infertility stories with strangers who are going through it or who are affected by it through a friend, and without breaking down.
College Station, Texas Solo. As I typed Solo I thought no I’m not I have so many siestas in this study of Ruth, as well as the Holy Spirit each and every day I open the Word and Ruth handbook. I have been lifted up, encouraged, touched, cried, laughed, rejoiced, Praised Him because of the siestahood of believers and seekers. So I am no longer going solo and want to change my study group number to “joined in His Spirit with many”. Rather than answering the quesitons from week two, I want to give God the glory for the women who in their lives weep forward and touch so many of us with their faith, their encuragement and love for others even though they may be experiencing trials in their lives. I thank you. Each and everyone one of my siestas, God knows you by name and whispers them now. The study of Ruth has opened my eyes to the suffering of Godly women who wait upon the Lord around me. It is so very good to live in His Light, once my eyes were open and I can see.
Thank you Yanna for your thoughtful insight & encouraging words. It truly blessed me to read those precious reminders. Enjoy your time in the study.
Well hello! We are in beautiful North Idaho and we just got started on the Ruth study this evening. We had a great turn out of 18 wonderful and faithful women and facilitated by our sista Jeani!
We started our series with tonight being the introduction and we had great food (excellent recipe for this week by the way!), and then went through some of the questions. We have a diverse background of ladies in all seasons of their relationship with the Lord. Some are single, some married. I think all of them have children… some with grands too! Interesting answers for the one-word to characterize our season of life… Busy, evolving, crazy, trusting, hard, uncertain, faith-filled,… and menopausal!
Our most interesting conversation was what our quiet time looks like right now. A very common response was inconsistent. Other responses were easily distracted, interrupted, unfocused, rushed, brief & shallow, regular & shallow. One siesta is having more consistent quality time, another has daily time in the morning, and another one “jealously guards her time with God”.
This promises to be a very exciting study for each of us! We are eager to see how God will be speaking to each of us and drawing us closer to Him through these six weeks!
Blessings,
Lisa
Hello everyone and greetings from Olathe, KS.
I’m doing his one solo. I moved here from Houston, TX. the day after x-mas ‘2009. I miss you so much Beth!! You know where I was every Tuesday night?!! Front and center to listen to a word from you!! I just listened to your lesson 1 and bawled through the entire thing!! I just miss your word from the word so much!! So much, in fact, that I traveled to my first Lifeway event in Denver last month. Wow oh wow!! It will not be my last. What a blessing and to have Kelly there knowing I would be begining her study in a few weeks was powerful!! She’s a gem!! Awesome and talented young lady!! 🙂
I have managed to begin a weekly neighborhood bible study and we have 8-10 ladies consistenty each week. We’ve done Beth’s: Living Beyond Yourself and women’s Heart so far. We plan to begin Jesus the One and Only in Sept. Please keep us in your prayers!! Many had never experience a BM study until Living Beyond and they are completely hooked!! You are doing a great work Mrs. Moore! We love you so!!!
Thanks for sharing your life w/us!!!
I am trying to find the 2nd session, but can only find this and the Launch Session, which I’ve already seen. I’m a week behind, but I thought the were all supposed to be availble once they were posted. Can someone please tell me how to access session 2 and subsequent postings?
Hi Pearl, You will find the 2nd session posted on July 6th. Blessings!
Thx so much for making this possible I am doing the Biblestudy by myself in Chesapeake, Virgina. I am definitely weeping forward. I love the coming together of you Beth and Kelly and the recipes and suggestions to “eat together” I am a single mom and needed a boost to start “entertaining” again. We seemed to be left out of “dinner invites”. So I decided to invite my grown children and their friends! Thanks for the inspiration!
Seriousl Beth we need a middle initial. BM just ruins it for me.
This is a wonderful way to deliver a virtual Bible study to those of us who work or just can’t get to a physical building. I am eager to get the book and join in the fun, learning, and growing that will occur during our Siesta!
Confession time. I am a Type A personality, the one “talent/gift” I have is I love to clean house. As I’ve gotten older, not so much my own, but I do clean a home for someone else. Anyway, I’ve always felt a bit annoyed at Christ reprimanding Martha. He was a man, and they don’t help in the kitchen who was he to fuss at her. I also saw it as not really her fault she was probably a type A personality that liked to clean and felt like taking care of the guest and working in the kitchen was something she could “do” and her one and only true talent/gift. Well, I get it now. I am pausing from washing dishes/doing laundry/picking up the house to type this. I am sighing and wishing I didn’t have housework duties I want to study God’s Word,Ruth, my Bible reading, Beth Moore study anything with Him. It dawned on me while I was loading the dishwasher, if Jesus were sitting over there my house would be a shambles. It’s almost to that point, because even though Jesus/God are not physically in my home He is in my mind. I don’t want to do anything else. So Mary may have been a type A person too who normally would be working her bones off in the kitchen, but she was obssessed with Him, with hearing Him, listening to Him. Like women that quilt who look up at the end of the day and their mother/wife/homemaker duties are virtually left undone for days/weeks. I feel that way! I understand what Jesus was saying to Martha, but she wasn’t “there” yet. Oh happy day. My guilt is washed away. Thank You Lord.
Katy, TX: There are 5 beautiful ladies who have commited to the study this summer. We are known as the Sister Chicks. Our ages range from mid 20’s – mid 50’s. Each of us arrived in Katy because of our husband’s job transfers. We long to stay in the Word consistantly through the summer when the routine is often interrupted; focusing on Christ who is in control of our circumstances.
We met through a newcomers class (all have moved here in the last yr. or so) We have come to depend on the Lord & our sisters in the Lord during this transition. We are able to relate to Ruth as she approaches her new community. We know what it’s like to wonder how we’ll “fit” as the new gal in town. We are very thankful for this study. Kelly has given us great insights. We have summed up our current season in the word “Change”. We will hold fast to His promise that they are changes for our good. Thanks for praying for us LPM team.
We are a small, intimate group of four ladies who meet during lunch for this Bible study just outside of the Vera Bradley store in Bellevue, WA where we all work. And let me just say we have the cutest lunch bags :). We all shared one word to describe our life currently. It was amazing that we all used nearly the same word! How sweet Jesus is! Though we all have different stories, joys, and hardships (some very difficult), we could all identify in some way with one other. We started our summer Bible study with open hearts, anticipating God to strenghten our friendships and speak to us through His life-changing Word, revealing more of Himself and His heart to us. “Speak, Lord, we are listening.”
How cool it was to hear Beth Moore’s voice resounding through the mall!
I’m solo and just found the study! In Sugar Land, TX. Coincidentally, was just reading Joan Chittister’s book, “Ruth” and thought: THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. I’m supposed to study Ruth this summer. Downloaded the first chapter and waiting for my book from Kelly’s website. So far have found Kelly’s comments and focus to be excellent! I love the way she pulls in other Biblical references.
This is like a long lost road trip to hear Beth’s voice again. I was fortunate enough to be in her exercise classes at First Baptist in another life! ha I remember when Amanda and Melissa were pre-school and elementary. One of them had a rotavirus so severe she ended up in the hospital. (if my memory is right!)
Then Beth generously allowed me to tape her classes and I took them out to the country to my church ladies and WE exercised together. Oh, yes, another life.
But here we are, in Ruth together. Praise God for life, history, and new days ahead.
Lynn
Greetings from Birmingham, Alabama. I am also solo in Bible Study. It seems that alot of people down south take the summer off — at the beach, but that is my time of really getting into deep bible study.
We studied the book of Ruth just recently at The Church at Brook Hills and I thought that I knew all about Ruth. I am gleaning a new insight, and as Lynn said that it is not a coincidence.
I have been praying about whether I should return to work and never thought of work as “The Blessing”.
Always Gleaning,
Grace
In response to the question on paige 68 in my workbook. Describe a time when you were overcome by a man’s kindness.My mother passed away in 2009 and it was prior to her death when my sisters and I were taking care of her in her home. My sister had a very special friend and he showed us so much kindness during this time. He would visit her, bring us food, or anything else we needed. It seemed that he was always there for us, even though he was not a blood relative. He passed away just four weeks ago, not long after being diagnosed with cancer. I will never forget all the kind deeds he did for everyone he knew. He showed us by his lifestyle what walking in love really meant.
Beaverdam, Virginia. Our Ladies Group met for our third time to discuss lessons 3 and 4 of the Ruth Study. It is unanimous that we are being blessed through Kelly’s insights and this beautiful story of God’s love. One of our ladies shared a beautiful, beautiful story about when she and her husband received news of a newborn son they could adopt after having just said their final good-byes to foster children they thought they were going to keep. This was all in the midst of their own infertility and, on, top of the adoption news, they learned she was pregnant. Now that was a divinely ordained collision that changed their personal history and was a moment “Only God could have known.”!
I think we were all a little taken aback by Naomi sending Ruth to the threshing floor and what that insinuated; however, Boaz was such a “knight in shining armor”. The book of Ruth is illustrative of our true kinsman-redeemer-Jesus Christ, and how He is there for us in every situation.
We started two weeks late but we DID it! Our group is in Sarasota, FL. It includes 10 women from a mixture of stages of life: new college graduate, single women, newly-weds, young-mothers, mothers of teen agers, single mothers, and empty nesters. What a mixed group – done purposely to glean from each woman their diverse insight.
Very excited about our group. We meet on Thursday nights.
Circleville, OH 5 of us, although we had only 3 at the third meeting. We enjoyed yet another wonderful evening of a delicious meal and fellowship!
1. L’s husband saying he wanted to be like his earthly Father and trying to live his life like his Father.
2. A shared how a first meeting with a new person felt so strongly that he was a kindred spirit. She felt God in that first encounter and she and her husband continue to share things with him and pray about things with and for him and know that he will always be there for them.
3. Waiting for a response from someone else
T- waiting to see what would happen with a relationship
L – waiting for her grandmother to pass away
A – waiting to see if the council would give money to her church’s cause
The conversations we had were excellent and the sharing has been wonderful. We are truly blessed with this study and the friendships that have been made. Thank you again for doing this!!!
Hello, loved the Ruth study!! Question though, 1st in line kinsman-redeemer gets a bad name for not wanting to take an extra wife…. didn’t God say one wife only? I know i have to be missing something but that was a little befuttling. Poor guy seems to want to protect his family from polygamy and is forever scorned. Thanks for any help you can give me!
I wondered the same thing! This was particularly distressing for me b/c of some things I’ve dealt with in my marriage, so I started doing some research, and thus far, have found no convincing evidence that God did not support polygamy. One encouraging thing I’m hanging on to though is that His original plan was ONE man and ONE woman. It wasn’t Adam and three Eves in the garden.
I plan to continue researching and talking to my pastor about this subject, so I’ll let you know what I come up with!
I love the sound of the Beth Moore blog on Ruth, as I was planning to study Ruth with my group in the fall. Is there any way to buy DVD.’s of the blogs? I’m not very techie minded so if this is not viable I understand.
Thanks and God bless
Ruth brown
Hi Ruth, You are welcome to visit the Blog video posts anytime you’d like. Look for Siesta Summer Bible Study III under LINKS, or in Archives. Enjoy your study of Ruth!
I bought this book about Ruth hoping to do to summer bible study with you but my daughter had an emergency and ended up in the hospital for a month. Four surgeries later, she’s home but not well by any means. I read this book and did this bible study in my very spare time and it helped me immensely keeping my mind off of her medical issues and brought me closer to God at a time I needed it most. Thank you for the recommendation of this Kelly Minter book. Now I want more. I have done quite a few of your bible studies Beth and read several of your books.I am thankful to God that he put you in my path.Pls. pray for my daughter Jennifer and God bless you and your family.
Hello Sisters in Christ.I just wanted to let you know that my bible study group here in Wahpeton ND this fall is doing the Ruth study by Kelly Minter. For now we have 7 in our group from all age generations and faith backgrounds. We all have something special to bring to this group thats gathering. We are looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us as individuals and as women within the body of Christ.
“no convincing evidence that God did not support polygamy”
You know what Jesus teaches, right? Well, the god of the Old Testament and the god of the New Testament are clearly one and the same God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of Simon Peter. How can we be sure that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are one and the same. Consider the story of Elijah from first and second Kings. There, Elijah announces a drought in punishment for the sins of the pagans in the land. Many long months later, Elijah declares a competition — between those who would pray to the God of Elijah and those who would pray to the gods of Jezebel (the pagans) in either case pleading for the end of the disastrous drought. During this “competition” between gods, the God of Elijah is vindicated, but a blaze of fire consumes the altar of the pagans. Elijah flees the accomplices of Jezebel and Ahab into a cave, where he is exposed to ravenous winds (but God was not in the winds), terrible fires (but God was not in the fires), horrible earthquakes (but God was not in the earthquakes). Only upon emerging from the cave does Elijah find God in the gentlest, softest whisper. What do we learn from these events? That the one true God would much prefer to reveal His wisdom to His children through the softest and gentlest of whispers, rather than blast harshly upon them. It is only when His children stuff up their ears so as not to hear His wisdom must his measures turn brash and fiercely blaze against them. Thus, the God of gentles whispers (the God of the New Testament) IS the same God as the God of brash justice (the God of the Old Testament. I urge you to check out a NEW MOTION PICTURE depicting these events in the life of the Prophet Elijah. They can be found in the feature motion picture “Blast and Whisper.” Check it out on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrJ0-4UN7uQ
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/BLAST-AND-WHISPER/322296232152
News release at:
http://www.wdcmedia.com/newsArticle.php?ID=4174
Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive read anything like this before. So nice to search out somebody with some original ideas on this subject. realy thanks for beginning this up. this web site is one thing that is needed on the web, somebody with a bit of originality. useful job for bringing one thing new to the internet!
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
Isaiah 64:4 NIV
Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Daniel 1:12 NKJV
This is in preparation for my Daniel Fast.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 NIV
Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.
Proverb 25:25 NIV
Sorry I am late posting my email service was down.
Beth from Ostrander Ohio
Psalm 44:26 KJV
Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake.
But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength” (2 Timothy 4:17 NIV).