Hey, Siestas! How about this summer Bible study? Is it fabulous or what?? I pray you are getting as much out of Kelly Minter’s “Ruth” as we are. My group of 8 is totally engrossed in it. We can’t get out on time to save our lives but that’s a good problem to have.
It’s time for our third gathering and we will discuss Weeks Three and Four or in the book’s terminology, Sessions Three and Four. As usual, I’m providing you a written version of what I share in the video greeting in case you have trouble playing it. We will have five interactives this time around: two based on Week (or Session) Three, two based on Week (or Session) Four and the final one will tie together both.
Summer Siesta Bible Study – Ruth Session 3 from LPV on Vimeo.
Based on Week (or Session) Three:
1. Turn to p.68 and review the first segment “For Discussion”: Describe a time when you were overcome by a man’s kindness. In keeping with the example of Ruth and Boaz, try to think in terms of an unexpected kindness.
2. Read Ruth 2:19-20 and review the climactic revelation in this Book of the Bible. After you read those two Scriptures, turn to p.85 and review the first couple of sentences of the paragraph in the middle of the page as follows: “It’s interesting that up to this point Naomi knew she had a kinsman-redeemer named Boaz but had no idea Ruth knew him; Ruth knew Boaz but didn’t know he was a kinsman redeemer. Suddenly these two pieces of information collided to potentially change the course of history.” Our divinely ordained collisions may not change the course of human history but they certainly change the course of our own personal history. Can any of you think of a time when God orchestrated an encounter or experience where you (or perhaps both/all parties involved) could say, “Only God could have known”? If so, share it. These would be really cool to hear in your blog comments so consider sharing one of the most meaningful examples.
Based on Week (or Session) Four:
3. Turn to p.95 and, if willing, share your answers to the “Personal Response” section at the very bottom of the page: “Describe a time when you’d done everything you could do and then had to wait for someone else’s response.”
4. Turn to p.108 and review the answer to the question in the middle of the page: “What did Boaz promise to do if the nearer relative chose not to redeem Ruth?” Then, share your responses to the discussion portion just below it where we were challenged to put ourselves in Ruth’s place. What kinds of feelings and thought processes would you have had in her exact situation?
Don’t conclude this portion of the Bible study without one of you reading the final paragraph on p.108 aloud to the rest of the group. (“If Ruth slept at all that night…) Those of you going solo can simply read it again and let it go even deeper.
5. Ask if one person wants to share a brand new insight she’s gained from this study regarding Christ as her Redeemer. (For those of you going solo, consider that I’m asking each of you the question.)
For our next gathering in two weeks, do Weeks (or Sessions) Five and Six. In other words, let’s finish up! And while we’re at it, Sisters, LET’S FINISH STRONG! You will feel such joy in your soul if you’ll see this to the last page. Wouldn’t it be fabulous if just as many women signed in at the end as in the beginning? Let’s make our goal 100%, Sisters!
For those of you joining in on the meals, consider the recipes on pages 88-89. The Grilled Chicken Salad with Strawberries sounds perfect for summer. Lord, have mercy on us, so does the pie!
Lisa, Ontario Canada, going solo
1. Before I answer, just to give you a little history, my parents divorced when I was 4 and it was very bitter. I was estranged from my father for almost 20 years with minimal communication. It was after I married that I decided I wanted to meet him and pursue a relationship. I am happy to say the Lord has really blessed me with the relationship I now have with my father and have had for almost 20 years. Now, to my answer. Ten years ago I decided to go back to school to get my teaching degree. With three small children, this was needless to say going to be expensive. My father unexpectedly surprised me one day and said he wanted to pay my full tuition. He said he wasn’t around to do it the first time I went to university and insisted on doing it this time. I was not only thankful for his generosity, but also for the fact that clearly our relationship had become as important to him as it had to me.
2. There have been many Godincidences in my life. Some would call them coincidences….no way! One in particular was when our oldest son needed braces. It was not something we could put off as the dental work needed to work with his growth or it would be much more involved. My husband was between jobs and a large deposit was required for the braces. We had discussed amongst ourselves how on earth we might pay for this, but with no one else. A couple of days later when I got the mail, my husband had received a large cheque for a tax overpayment we had made! Imagine….the government actually returning money!! Needless to say we knew where that had come from and my son got his braces. Every time I see his beautiful smile it is a wonderful reminder of this Godincidence.
3. I am what some would call an occasional, supply, or substitute teacher. I am in a pool of teacher candidates that are available for permanent positions, should they open. It is extremely competitive so getting in the pool is important. Every two years the board here dumps the pool and everyone must reapply.
It is quite the process and I have known several people who have been in the pool for several years only to not make it back it again. I have had to go through this reapplication process 4 times. Each time I do what is required and wait, not so graciously I am afraid, to find out if I have made it or not. The waiting is hard, but I remind myself that it is already worked out as it should and I need to trust in that. Thankfully I am still swimming in that pool for now because that is where the Lord wants me :)!!
4. I think I would be feeling such elation because Boaz wanted to marry me. I would also be feeling anxiety over having to wait to see if the other might redeem me. I think the anxiety or fear of the unknown might out weigh the elation…for me anyway.
5. What really struck me was in session one, day three where Kelly writes about the Paul weeping, but still moving forward. Knowing that I have a redeemer who accepts my weeping as I move forward. Why would I want to not be under the will of God for my life. God sees my tears and I can move forward!!
I so hope it’s ok to comment with this on this particular post…
Well, here goes..
I am so very behind on this study and my group has fallen apart. I was supposed to do this with my mother in law and sister in law. We were so excited and knew we would start late because our books came late. Anyway, we thought we could go back and catch up and it would be fine. Then crisis after crisis has happened to our family.
First, my sister in law (I’ll say SIL and MIL from now on to make it easier) had an issue with her husband and told him she needed a night away (which I didn’t think she should do but that’s not my call!). When her husband found out he panicked, went looking for her and got in a very bad car accident. He is now ok but it led to some serious family drama which we are NOT accustomed to!
A couple days later the temperature soared here and our family ice cream store’s A/C broke. Long story short…our machinery started malfunctioning because of the heat and then a surprise inspection from the franchise happened and we were shut down. Had to find lots and lots of money that we don’t have to fix everything…getting really close to bankruptcy…my MIL is working like a dog to try and keep things from falling apart.
Then a few days later my husbands brother was attacked by a mob of 6 huge guys. They robbed him and beat him to a pulp resulting in a broken jaw. He waited in hospital for 5 days before finally getting surgery and now is recovering but will have permanent damage. It’s the saddest thing. Also, he now can’t work at our family business which has my sweet old MIL working even harder than she already was.
Ok this is very, very long and I’m so sorry. I just feel the need to reach out. I see this amazing study experience passing me by. I decided to just start and do it myself because at a time like this I NEED to be in the Word. And every single day has spoken directly to me somehow, it has been absolutely incredible! I am not even caught up to do the second video yet but I hope it’s ok if I post for myself once I catch up…??
Good grief, Amanda! I am so sorry!! I pray that God will start bringing to your mind all the Scripture He has embedded in your heart through the years and show you His great faithfulness. My family has had snow-ball seasons like that, too. If not for a strong support system, I don’t know how we’d get through it.
Prayers for you and your family… makes my little “crisis” seem like nothing! God bless!
Beth, My daughter and I had our small group discussion this afternoon and she will post the answers to our time together, but I had a question concerning this week’s study.
As I read Ruth 3:10 where Boaz says to Naomi, “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier,,”, it made me wonder this: Did Ruth follow Naomi to Israel (proclaiming that Naomi’s God would be her God) because she knew she (Ruth) had to be the one to carry on and fulfill the line of David which would produce Jesus the Savior? Was Naomi so bitter towards God because she thought that since she lost her husband and sons there would be no way for the Redeemer to come through her family line? Is that why Boaz thought that this selflessness of Ruth was more kind than her earlier kindness of following Naomi to Israel and taking care of her? I just wondered if Ruth understood all of what was at stake when she followed Naomi and why she humbly did all she did. I also wonder what all Naomi taught Ruth about God while in Moab because Ruth wanted to follow Naomi’s God even after seeing Naomi so bitter towards God. (Maybe I’m reaching too far, but it just came to my mind when I read it.)
1. So many thoughts of my precious earthly Daddy came to mind with this question. He has shown me such kindness over the years. I particularly remember his gracious, loving and kind response to me when I did something really stupid as a young adult. I deserved and expected his anger, disappointment and rejection. He surprised me with understanding and encouragement that I would survive and be the better for it. He didn’t make excuses for me or tolerate my weak attempts to explain away my terrible choice. He just walked with me as I lived through the natural consequences (fine, community service)without making me feel worse.
2. I see God’s hand over my life all the time. The story is too long for a full rendition here but in a nutshell, God brought my husband and I together through the divine intervention of a godly woman. She was my boss at the time and a Sunday School and choir friend of my now husband. She felt strongly that God wanted her to introduce us. We were two broken but trusting souls. Over her husband’s pleading to stay out of the match making business, she set us up on a blind date. She is godmother to our beautiful daughter who we named after her.
3. In June 2009, I completed an incredibly detailed application process for a job. A full year later, June 2010, the job was mine. The 1 year wait seemed like a 100 years. I’d done everything correctly and verified everything got to the right person/office. I was told I’d know something in 6 weeks by the end of July 2009. But…NO!! 51.5 weeks passed. The wait was worth it.
4. Beth, I LOVED this question in the study and was excited to see you ask us to revisit it. Ruth, Ruth, Ruth. Her mind had to be a jumble of emotions, highs and lows. I imagine her thrilled at the thought of Boaz’s love for her and planning their wedding. Then, thoughts shift to the other guy. What if he wants Ruth for himself. Yes, she’d be redeemed but at what cost. I am sure Ruth had no sleep that night on the threshing floor. She must have thought the sun would never rise.
5. Christ as Redeemer is a concept I’ve never spent much time comtemplating. Jesus is my Savior. That is certain. Prior to this study, especially week 4, I haven’t spent time thinking on the redemption aspect of my Savior. I think of Jesus as my friend, my King, my leader. I am awed to think that Jesus loves me and adores me and redeemed me from the life I was living as well as eternal separation from God. I have been touched by Boaz’s love for Ruth and kindness to her. Honestly, it is so romantic and sweet. Christ has that love for me. I feel like we are growing more intimate through this study. I have the warm fuzzies.
You didn’t pray for patience while applying for that job did you?! 😉 As someone that’s waited months to hear about my ‘dream’ job, I can’t imagine having nto wait 12!!
Thanks for sharing Leigh 🙂
Greetings from Panama City (solo)
1. When I first read this question, I didn’t come up with something right away (I was thinking about the unexpected nature of the kindness and that took a little longer, because I guess I expect kindness from my dad and husband–they are both kind men) What came to me was a work colleague of mine who insists on opening doors for me. I used to think “I am perfectly capable of opening the doors, I don’t need someone to do it for me….” but I’ve come to the place where I realize that this man is not opening the door because he thinks I can’t, he’s opening the door out of kindness and respect that was instilled in him by his father, and I’ve come to appreciate his effort to show that respect to me and to others in our work area.
Beth, I really loved your comment about why this was an important question for us to contemplate–you are so right about the potential to forget the kindnesses that men show to us–thank you for that reminder!
2. My brother has been estranged from my family for about 8 years–last year I sent him a letter after my uncle passed away, expressing my hope that he was well. I am still waiting for a response…. I’ve come to the place with this relationship where I don’t need a response to know that I have done what I needed to do–I am at peace knowing that my prayers that he is well are heard by God. It’s an exercise in trust–even though I don’t know exactly what’s going on with my brother I do know that God will not turn a deaf ear to my prayers. This is different than Ruth’s situation, because she had a positive outcome, but I think that she was probably at peace (for the most part–see the answer to the next question).
#3. There are many instances of “God Things” (the term my best friend and use to describe those things that we KNOW are orchestrated by God). I’ve come to the place where I don’t believe in “coincidence” but instead I believe in “Godinstances”. Recently my aunt was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. She was moved into hospice and passed away within 3 weeks of diagnosis. I had a business trip to Arizona where she lived (I live in Florida) that had been finalized just a couple days before she was diagnosed. My sister (who lives in New Jersey) had a pre-arranged trip to Arizona as well. Both my sister and I were able to be there for my aunt’s funeral, and I KNOW that the timing of all of that was not coincidental.
#4. I imagine that Ruth had a night where she felt some excitement (“he is interested, he didn’t say no”) as well as some anticipation (“what will happen in the morning?”). She probably had some anxiety about the possibility of another coming to redeem her. The final thought that came to me was that if I was Ruth I would feel a bit vulnerable–after all, my future was completely out of my control, there’s nothing I could do that would affect the situation. That feeling of vulnerability in me (Karen) would manifest so differently than it did in Ruth because my reaction to vulnerability is to attempt to control the situation and mitigate the vulnerability. Ruth, on the other hand, laid down to wait for morning, trusting!
#5. As I was reading this session’s homework, I was struck by Jesus’ role as my redeemer–the term “redeemer” seems so powerful because it exposes how I need to be redeemed–on page 86 in the list of the responsiblities of the kinsman redeemer #2 really struck me: “to maintain the freedom of the individuals within the clan by buying back those who have sold themselves into slavery because of poverty”—WOW! Jesus bought me back from the slavery where I sold myself because of my poverty–that brings tears to my eyes and an overwhelming sense of how HUGE a deal Jesus’ sacrifice is!
Thank you for this bible study–I just love it! I wasn’t able to get a group together for the summer, but we will be doing this study again this fall with our women’s ministry!
Oops–I see that I have #2 and #3 out of order–I guess my note taking wasn’t as good as I thought–note to self–review the written version after watching the video!
:o)
Love the term ‘Godinstances’. I’ve come not to believe in coincidences but I’ve never had a phrase to replace them. Now I do! 🙂
And I felt the same way on the responsibilities of a kinsman redeemer! That second one hit me! We were studying living in slavery/bondage to sin and how God adopted us OUT of slavery just last week. That statement brought it back fresh in my mind.
Godinstance! 🙂
Beloved Beauties, Florence SC
1. Now husband, who was a coworker called the repair shop to have her car parked outside so his coworker (now wife) could get her car and not have to wait an extra day.
(The couple above)First date was to church!!
Fathers appology to daughter after family misunderstanding
2. Turned an alcholic boyfriend in to a loving husband.
Opening doors for a move back to home town so she could meet people to land her the job she wanted. placing those contacts in her life.
3. Argument/misunderstanding with friends, appologized and now waiting for the reation to that appology. (waiting over 7 years)
4. Questions we had are:
Are you sure?
Who is this guy?
Can i meet him? Can I facebook him to see what he looks like? (LOL)
What is he wants to marry me, will he take care of me like Boaz has?
where does he live?
what does he do?
will you really keep your promise to marry me if he does not want to marry me?
Just wanted to say how much I am enjoying this study. I am going it solo.I have my book now but am 2 weeks behind. My husband reminded me today that it was about getting into God’s word and not so much about doing the program. This is so true! I am very grateful for your ministry which led me to the study to begin with. I will take it one day at a time and not rush through it to get caught up, so that I can get the most from God’s word.
I’m in Phoenix, AZ – going solo. The questions from this “gathering” were difficult this time. Thanks Beth for the challenge! =)
1. I was a 28 year-old widow with 2 small children, and God sent an army of men who showed me kindness. They packed up and moved everything in my house, and got my house ready to sell. One Saturday they all showed up, built a new fence, painted the outside of the house, and did a bunch of small repairs that made the house move-in ready. And they wanted nothing from me. I can’t even remember who all was there and exactly what they did (I guess that’s a side effect of grief), but I know that God will bless them for their kindness. And I hope that one day in heaven I can tell them just how much their kindness really touched me.
2. I’ve got nothin’ for this question. It’s not that I’ve never experienced an “only God could have known” encounter, but that I’m not good at remembering the many times I KNOW that it’s God. Does this mean I don’t value those times like I should?
3. This question boils down to one word…waiting. I’m not good at it. In times of stress, conflict, or joy I am incredibly challenged to wait for the resolution or outcome. If I had been Naomi and we had cell phones, I know I would have been texting Ruth every few minutes: “How’s it going? Was he there? What did he say?”
4. The night that Ruth spent waiting at the feet of Boaz would have been the longest night ever. I’m sure that it felt surreal to Ruth. If I had been lying there I ‘d have be replaying it over and over in my head–what I said, what he said, could he have interpreted my words differently? What’s he thinking? Who is this other guy – and what if he says yes? Ruth must have been playing it over and over and working out every possible scenario. At least that’s what I do. I torture myself like that.
5. This is not really an epiphany about Christ as my Redeemer… this is more like something that’s challenging me, and I’m trying to work through. It’s that I’m afraid of what I might experience if I let God know my deepest longings. I am afraid that by revealing, or allowing myself to “go there” I will be disappointed, that God will take away what I really want – or don’t want- to happen. I know it’s about obedience and faith and trust and that God will ALWAYS be faithful and just and do what’s best. It’s just hard and I’m praying God will give me the “know-how” to trust that He is my Redeemer and will save me.
Wow – this solo-thing is kinda wearin’ me out!! =)
Shanelle, WE ARE SO ALIKE! Your answer to number four is exactly what I would say! I replay things over and over in my head like doing that will change something but it won’t! And I totally would have done the same thing if I was Naomi and there were cell phones back in the day! Do you struggle with controlling things like I do!? I’m slowly learning that I never had control to begin with and must give it to God.
Praying for some rejuvenation and energy as you continue on the solo tour through God’s Word. He will provide the strength to seek Him, that I know. 🙂
I’m with you Shanelle, I would love to be in a group setting and really talk about how this study is impacting me. I was just thinking yesterday how I miss and long for godly women to sit with, laugh with and cry with. I fret and rewrite and reread my responses b/c am not sure what I want to say is going to be received in the way I want it to be.
Dear Shanelle (what a beautiful name!)
I’m so glad you’re sticking with this even though it is hard. I so relate with your answer to #5. I’ve been there and I AM again there. No matter how many times I come to this place, I seem to repeat. So I hear you, sister!
Can I share something, though? Though repeating the process and recognizing “I’m here AGAIN?!” is somewhat discouraging, I have also come to realize (and this is why I can go at it again and again) I am spending less time being afraid of the outcome and getting slightly quicker in putting my both feet forward than I used to (if you catch my drift). I have found that the very first and definite change happened when I told Him I was “willing” but seemingly “unable” and “clueless” to do what next and needed His help. He graciously took that mite of “willingness/faith” and helped me discover for myself that He is like no-one-else: completely unable to be something else than He is – faithful, true, and everything He says He is.
Praying that He will show you His kindness and reward you for being real 😉
Loved your comment about cell phones… but it made me think, in today’s society, I think waiting is so much harder. We are used to instant gratification… and forget that God’s timing is not ours… but I would have been right next to you texting (although at the time my cell phone screen is busted, so I can’t text “l” and “P”… my texts end up looking like secret code!
Hi Shanelle – I just wanted to pass on a blessing. Amy, whose comments follows yours a bit later, shared a song called Unredeemed by Selah. Maybe you’ve already are familiar with that song, but it so immensely blessed me, I had to mention to you.
Two here from Corpus Christti Texas.
1)Steph-we prayed for a job two weeks ago and the next day she was hired! When she arrived for her first day her boss was very encouraging and helpful before he even saw her work preformance.
2) Sym- I met someone years ago at a creationist conference and four years later I ended up at the graduate school supported by that organization. When I was introduced as a student to the vice-president he looked at me and said “I know you. I have been expecting you.” I got goose-bumps when I realized the CRAZY path I had been down was led by the LORD and confirmed by the expectaion of this wise man.
3) Steph- after applying everywhere, she waited and waited to hear back, with no control over the outcome. She got hired at her first choice!!!
4) Scared, overwhelmed, expectant, fear of humiliation, hopeful, excited, nervous
5) Steph- being a baby beliver only two months old Steph read the story in Matthew for the first time. She was expecting a different ending and truly surprised that Jesus actually created bread while sitting on that hill. The idea of Jesus being her provider, beyond what she could even dream up was a revelation. Jesus not only redeemed her but provided more than she hoped for! He truly did when he provided her dream job. She can PRAY big and God can provide MORE than what she could even imagine!!!!
Beth in NJ and Lori in TX met for the third time via Skype.
1. Beth shared her story about the time shortly after the birth of her first child, she was the matron of honor at a family member’s wedding, and she became ill. A man (not a member of her family) left the party and all the fun to drive to a pharmacy to get her some medication. His act of kindness (with no ulterior motive) has always stayed with her. We are grateful that God places people in our lives at just the right times to extend kindness and mercy.
2. Lori’s personal history changed when as a widow and mother of a young son, God led her to rent just the right apartment. Her future husband moved in next door. He is the only earthly father her son has ever known. Lori and her husband have been married 22 years. Only God knew!!!
5. In the garden, Jesus prayed, “Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Christ our Redeemer was able to redeem us. He was also able to “opt-out”, yet He chose not to. We praise Him for His redemption!
Also– we pondered this thought…Why did Ruth not follow all Naomi’s instructions? Was Ruth in God’s will when she proposed to Boaz? Or was she taking control of the situation? We’d love to hear your thoughts!!
Little Rock, Arkansas.
The six of us were together again and had a delightful time, even without food! We are going to potluck some of the recipes on the last night, so we’re looking forward to that.
1. Unexpected kindness(es) from men? We all had at least one, so that’s a good sign! Three involved either husbands or fathers taking care of their aging mothers-in-law, whether cutting her toenails or something else. When Harriett broke her ankle, she was pleasantly surprised when some of her male friends not only brought dinner to her house, but served her in bed, when she couldn’t get up. Lara talked about buying her first house and needing some repairs. Women at church were giving her names of repair-people to call when one of the husbands overheard and amassed a team of other church men to take care of it. For me, it was a very tender act of a male friend kissing my husband Randy on the forehead while Randy was in inpatient hospice – which touched me so very deeply, especially when he told Randy that he loved him.
2. Things only God could know? So many we couldn’t even discuss them all, much less list them here. Suffice it to say we are more aware than ever how much God has redeemed us through the moments of our lives – not just by giving His Son, but in the “normal” daily tasks of life. When we look back, it’s easy to see that God was there every time.
3. Times when we had done all we could and then had to wait (i.e. give up control – whew, that’s a hard one!)? Again though we could see God at work so many places in our lives. One of our ladies was ready to move from Oklahoma to Little Rock – she had her LR house and was set to move on Monday, but still hadn’t sold the Oklahoma house. Then, on the Saturday morning before, she had a phone call and a full price offer! Waiting is often the hardest thing we do, but God always seems to take care of us – sometimes in ways we could never have imagined in our wildest dreams.
4. As for how Ruth felt after Boaz agreed to marry her if the nearest male relative did not? We imagined she was both insecure about this potential suitor (he may not even be a nice guy and I might be stuck marrying him), and at the same time a bit relieved to know that “someone” would be there for Naomi and her. Additionally, she was probably thankful that Boaz had protected her reputation and also somewhat hopeful that Boaz would be her “redeemer” as he was such a kind and generous fellow (and not to be too superficial, but we assume he was also a good-looking guy!).
5. Redemption at God’s hand, whether through Boaz, or through a fellow human, or the all-out redemption of salvation we have through Jesus Christ, is such a joyful concept. Knowing someone is coming to rescue us from a bad situation gives us hope for the future and possible even a pay-it-forward mentality – how can we “redeem” someone from a bad situation? Can we all be kinsman-redeemers in our own way? If we go into the world to be disciples for Jesus Christ, are we also participating in the redemption of the world, to a small extent? Of course, no redemption or atonement of any type exists without the master Kinsman-Redeemer, and we are thankful to know Him as Lord!!! And we can’t wait to see how the Ruth-Boaz romance plays out!
Idaho, going solo, hoping my little ones will be asleep soon so i can finish this post….:D
1. Recently a godly man in our church called to ask if we had any prayer resquests he could pray for that week. I found out he calls 4 to 5 families in the church each week to ask for prayer requests and to check on the families to help out the pastors stay connected to the growing Body of Christ and to pray for everyone. it was such a blessing! and a blessing to learn of such an act of service.
2. My TA DA! moment from God hit us when my husband’s insurance covered almost half of our daughter’s 4th surgery. we were so thankful that God provided this job that in turn provided the insurance we wouldn’t have had at this time, except that God knew what was coming. Another TA DA moment that was special was finding kids books for my 3 yr old at a garage sale for 25 cents each! i knew God did that for us!
3. this past year i have found myself kneeling before Him over and over about the same thing, without words many times, knowing all I can do is wait there at His feet for Him to come through for His children.
4. I can picture Ruth breaking into a huge smile, yet, trying to conceal it, telling her heart to wait-not get her hopes up too high, but so wanting to sing, dance, and laugh! did they cross their fingers back then?! 🙂
5. I’ve loved this study. I love the new facts on kinsman redeemer we read in Lev. To know that the Redeemer of my soul brings assures me of my inheritance thru Him, and that He brings about justice as well as my Ancient of Days. It’s also been comforting to know that He’s ok with my weeping and mourning and He can help my weep forward, and eventually trade in my mourning clothes for a new wardrobe and dance again!
1)The summer after my junior year in high school, I had to have surgery on my vocal chords. The surgery was at a hospital in another city about 4 hours away from my hometown. The night before the surgery, my mom and I had to run out to the grocery store to get nail polish remover, so that I could take the polish off my toenails for the surgery. At the store, we just happened to run into my sister’s college roommate’s fiance (I know that’s confusing) and his dad who happened to live in that town. The next day, when I woke up from my surgery, I found out that their family had sent me flowers. He and his dad knew that I was in a town where I didn’t know anyone and probably wouldn’t get any flowers (other than from my parents). I was so touched by their thoughtfulness.
2) Wow! I’m like you Beth, this question chokes me up a little bit as I think about God’s providence over the years. The most profound example I can think of happened when I was in college. My freshman year, I had launched a “round-the-clock” prayer line via web forum. When I first had the idea to start the prayer ministry, I brainstormed about how to go about it with the Campus Minister of the campus ministry I was involved in.
It went great at first, but towards the end of my sophomore year we ran into a lot of roadblocks with the technology. Then, the first semester of my junior year I spent a semester abroad in Paris. Over that time, I prayed about the future of the prayer ministry. I basically told God, “Ok, God, if you want me to keep leading this ministry, you’re going to have to send me some help because I can’t do it all by myself.” Not long after I returned from Christmas break after being abroad, I had lunch with the same campus minister who I had initially brainstormed the idea with. He literally said to me (still gives me chills), “Missy, the craziest thing happened while you were gone. While I was having lunch with one of the new freshman guys, he asked me what I thought about starting up a 24-hour prayer ministry on campus via online forum.” Are you kidding me? That fact that that guy had the same vision AND talked about it with the same campus minister could have only been God! With that guy’s help, we were able to expand the prayer ministry beyond what I was capable of on my own.
3) Given the fact that I take the bar exam a week from today, all I can think about in answer to this question is about the fact that a week from tomorrow, I’m going to have to do exactly this!
4) I think Ruth was thinking, “What in the world did I just do? I signed up for Boaz, and I now I might have to marry some old grouch who doesn’t look at me the way Boaz does, and who isn’t tenderhearted toward me like he is? And, besides, it’s not like I’m never going to see Boaz again. Every time I see him, I’ll have to think about what might’ve been… Oh, but maybe, just maybe, the other guy will pass me up. Ha! I never thought I’d pray for that – for a man not to want to marry me! But, the look in Boaz eyes…it held so much promise–promise of a life with a man of honor! A life of hope… Oh God of Israel, if you are who they say you are, please hear my cry!”
5) The imagery of the threshing floor has been profound to me! I have long been wrestling with God over my calling, and through this study, I have been learning that so often we must go to the threshing floor with our new clothes on – ready for God to do a new thing, even if we are unsure of what the outcome might be. Only there, when we lay down and surrender our lives, our dreams, and our expectations, can our Redeemer do his thing and make glory out of our paltry offerings.
Missy, what you said in #5 is so good! I “get” what you’re saying about the whole calling thing…I agree He is about doing a new thing and part of the threshing floor is working out our desires (what we think we want – surrender) and putting on the new – seeing ourselves and trusting Him to give us the desires He has for us. No doubt it will be glorious…I appreciate your heart reflected here. thanks.
Thanks, Amy! It’s good to know I’m not the only one who understands what that kind of longing feels like! 🙂
Loved, loved, loved your answer to number 4!
Me too!
Lisa – solo – Kansas City, MO
1. Sadly can’t recall an unexpected kindness from a non-relative. I’m certain there have been some, or even many, but I can’t remember any specifically.
2. “only God could have known” again, I’m a bit of a loser, and I can’t think of any group situations like that, but I do know that what I’ve been hearing on Christian radio and even my son’s Praise Kids CD have been speaking to me as they are directly from God and meant for my ears only. And the verses on p.104 in the Ruth study were amazing and spoke specifically to my season of trusting and holding my breath!
3. I’ve applied to seminary and am waiting to find out if I’ve been accepted.
4. Ruth seems to have been such a great combination of practical and passionate. I’m sure throughout the night the practical side and passionate side argued in her head, freaking out and being calm, over and over again. Boaz had promised her a redeemer no matter what, so I’m sure to an extent she was relieved . . . Scripture can be soooo frustratingly non-specific. So wish we had more details about her feelings.
5. New insight about the Redeemer – the redeemer had to come from the family, so JC was only able to redeem me b/c we are family. That is cool.
From Texarkana, AR:
1. Earlier this summer, my husband was at work, and my two little girls (ages 7 and 5) and I were at Sam’s Club. My wonderful husband had given me the task of checking out the cat litter at Sam’s. I found out that the cat litter there was a better deal than what we’d been getting, so I decided to purchase some. I didn’t know I was buying any, so I hadn’t brought a cart back with me. I decided to carry the 50 lb. bag to the front of the store with me because the girls were tired (and a little cranky), and it would’ve been too much to go to the front of the store, to the back again, and back to the front. I picked up the 50 LB. BAG of cat litter and started trying to carry it to the front of the store to a cart. A man I don’t know offered to help me. He left two carts full of his stuff and carried that cat litter all the way to the front of the store, deposited it into a cart for me, and told me to be sure to get someone to help me get it into the car when I checked out! I was overcome by his kindness. I really felt like God was looking out for me!
2. In the fall, money was beyond tight at our house. One morning, I asked God for some kind of encouragement that everything would be all right, that He was going to make sure the bills got paid and groceries were on the table. I waited expectantly for the mail, sure that there would be some unexpected small check or something in it that would give me that little bit of encouragement. The mail came, and there was nothing. I went to the monthly meeting of our homeschool group that night, thanking God for His faithfulness, believing that He wanted me to trust in Him, “encouragement” or not. Before the night was over, a woman came over to me, pressed something into my hand, and said, “I really believe the Lord wants me to give you this.” I thanked her and tucked it into my pocket. I could tell it was money, but I had no idea how much. A dollar would’ve given me the encouragement I’d asked for, so I was already rejoicing in God’s love for me. When I got the girls loaded up and into the car, I pulled the bill out of my pocket. It was $100! I was overcome and started crying. God not only provided the encouragement I had asked for, but He gave much more than I dreamed! (Eph. 3:20)
3. When my ex-husband told me things weren’t okay with our marriage(I’d had no idea!), I offered to go to counseling, etc. He didn’t want to go to counseling. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do about anything, really. I went to my mom’s for a few days to give him time and space to think. Those were very difficult days. I had done everything possible, had offered to do everything possible, to save our marriage, but the choice wasn’t up to me. I had to wait for him to decide what he wanted to do. It was excruciating!
4. If I had been in Ruth’s place, I would have been ecstatic that Boaz had accepted my proposal but almost sick to think I could wind up married to someone else instead!
5. I grew up daydreaming about being the beautiful princess who was saved by the powerful and handsome prince. My husband is a prince of a man, but it has really sunk in during this study how much Jesus loves me, how much He desires me, and that He gave up EVERYTHING to redeem me. He did it willingly, and He would do it again in a heartbeat, if necessary! He is my Prince!
Your story about the lady blessing you with the $100 just made me sit here and cry. God’s faithfulness is unfathomable and it just breaks me to pieces.
And I whole-heartedly agree with you on number 5. While I’m not married and I still dream about the powerful and handsome prince, God has really shown me how much He loves me during this time.
Thanks for sharing Jennifer 🙂
You’re welcome, Rebekah! My #2 answer is just ONE way God has shown Himself faithful. I had a hard time narrowing it down to just one incident to share!
I’m glad you realize that God is the lover of your soul. He never fails us, and His love is amazing!
Blessings,
Jennifer
Your story about the woman giving you money gave me chills. I just quit my job (for many reasons) and have decided to start a daycare in my home. We are in a time of waiting and wondering. Just this morning I once again put it in God’s hands and said, “You know what we need and what others need. Please send those who need a good Christian daycare my way or lead me to them.” Not 15 minutes later I received a phone call from a prospective daycare parent (who heard about me through word of mouth) wanting to bring her child to check out my house this afternoon! He will be starting on August 9! God is so good!
Praise the Lord! I’m so excited for you, Tanya! He is so good.
Jennifer, I loved your story about the $100, too. My mom often reminds me of a similar experience that she had. It had been a rough month, and she didn’t know how all a particular bill would be covered. She began praying that God would provide. When she got home, she opened the mailbox to find some type of refund check for the exact amount TO THE PENNY to cover the bill. God is something else, isn’t He?!
Thanks for sharing!
Yes, He really is! I had a hard time choosing which incident to share! There are so many. He is amazingly creative in the ways He meets our needs and shows His love.
God is so good and faithful! Have heard many people speak about their calling to give unexpectedly and it is a blessing on both sides. I would guess even though you feel grateful to the woman who gave you $100, she was equally blessed in the giving.
I love when you said “He is my Prince!” In Revelation it talks about Christ returning on a white horse and charging into battle to save His bride. Makes my heart jump for joy for sure! Thanks for sharing!
Oh, yes! Revelation 19 is well-marked and well-worn in my Bible. One of my favorite passages for sure, Sarah! After you mentioned it, I had to go back and re-read it before I even commented back to you. He is “Faithful and True,” “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”! My Prince!
Great lesson today. While we were studying and looking up “stuff” we found that Rahab was the mother of BOAZ! (Matthew 1) Who knew? God certainly had a plan for Rahab when she saved the Israelites that Joshua had sent to spy!! We were talking about redemption. The kinsman redeemer was supposed to keep the line of the woman’s dead husband alive. But in the lineage, Obed is called the son of Boaz…not the son of Mahlon! Hmmmm….when we were redeemed, we were adopted into God’s family. He is a King who has brought us into His royal family. Rahab was adopted into the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ!! Ruth was brought into the family of her kinsman redeemer…not him into hers. Just thoughts…
Way too KOOL! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I love that part about Rahab’s heritage, too! I can’t help but think that may have been why Boaz had such an open heart towards Ruth, a foreigner.
1) After 2 weeks, I still have no real answer for this.
2) When God provided my current job. I had gone back to work after my last of 4 kids went to school, twin girls, as a school nurse at a wonderful school in a nearby district. After working 3 years, all my kids after-school activities, sports, housework, laundry, etc began weighing on me and I was not enjoying life. I was blessed that I was not having to work to help support our family, I was just working for extra spending money and my own sanity, so with my husband’s blessing, I quit to stay home with my kids again for 3 years. Then we realized that with 4 kids less than 5 years apart in ages, we could very easily have 4 kids in college at the same time. (Which we ultimately did!) So we decided I should try to find another school nurse job. I called the district I had previously worked, but my boss said she had not had any resignations for the upcoming school year and had no openings. So I went elsewhere, was hired for the next school year at a much larger elementary school with a much more medically needy and challenging population, but decided I would give it a try. I had not started working yet, but was scheduled to start the upcoming school year. About 2 weeks after I signed a contract, my previous boss called me, said the nurse at my previous school had suddenly notified her she could not return because of her husband’s job transfer, so I was the first one she called. Needless to say I was floored. I really struggled with the decision for about a week, mainly because I had already committed to the new job. I was doing Believing God on-line at the time, as well as participating in a group Bible study of Ann Graham Lotz Revelation study. I really don’t remember now a specific thing that I read or heard that spoke to my current situation, but one day while praying and agonizing over it I suddenly had this peace, and the Lord telling me, “It’s ok, this is my gift to you.” So, I took my old job back and resigned the new one. It was the best job decision I have ever made! I’ve been back 7 years now, love it, and will never work anywhere else.
3)Without going into too much detail. I was on a very important committee at my church. We had a very important decision to make about church leadership. I had some serious reservations that were completely opposite of the feelings of the majority of the committee members. One member in particular was very adamant about me being wrong and that I had to go along or get gone, basically. I wound up basically abstaining from the vote and the committees presentation to the church. We almost left the church over it, but finally decided to wait it out and see how it turned out. It has been 5 years, the decision has turned out fine. The committee member never really apologized, but now acts like nothing ever happened. I had to make the choice, about a year or two into it, that I had to forgive him, whether he asked me to or not. It was one of the hardest things and experiences I’ve ever been through, but I KNOW I did the right thing at the time, and since then in forgiving him, because I was the only one suffering!
4) Boaz promised to redeem Ruth by marrying her if the nearest relative chose not to. Ruth had to be relieved and excited to not have been rejected by Boaz, but at the same time worried about who this other man was, how he would react, what he was like, and if he chose to redeem her, how he would treat her and Naomi also. I’m sure every possibility went through her head from what if he is cruel or mean, what if he only wants someone to cook, clean, and take care of his children, to what would he look like, on and on…I’m sure she was nervous, and worried, but based on the faith she has shown thus far, I think she did ultimately sleep, knowing God had provided for her thus far, he would continue to do so!
5) This study has just re-inforced the way Christ redeemed my life and my mistakes I made as a young woman who was so unsure of her own worth and made me joyful and assured of my beauty and worth in His eyes.
St Joseph, MO – One of the three is ill and blessed us by not coming and sharing with us.
1. Yes both of us have received unexpected kindness from men, one a male therapist and one a husband who is jewell.
2. A year after dad died, a visit with friends at their vacation stop, a local show allowed a time within the show to remember loved ones who died during the pior year.
A visit to a cousin a week before she died.
3. Bad building contractor who was not a man of integrety. When a spouse applies for disability.
4. Ruth would not have slept as she would be happy and fearful.
5. I am NOT a Ruth. I do not believe I could do what Ruth did. I think I would have been the daughter-in-law that returned home. I am happy to have a heavenly father who is my kindsmen redeemer.
Rachel ~ solo in Fullerton, CA
1) When I was in my Junior year of college, I told my long distance boyfriend that I wasn’t going to be be able to pay rent the next month. He sent me his allowance to take care of it for me. I was shocked! I hadn’t asked him to do something so generous. But even then, he was caring for me. How could I not marry him when he asked?! And he’s still caring for me today.
2) I’m so sad that I can’t think of a specific example for this question. But I’m going to enjoy reading others’!
3) Last fall we tried so hard to sell our home…my husband had to move for his job and I was left to do it, pregnant with 3 kids. It was the hardest thing. But God sustain us with showing after showing with no offers. We did everything we knew to do and still, nothing. But then, this spring, we put it up for sale *empty* and it sold in two weeks to a Believing family who were former missionaries. The wife of the new owner said to my old neighbor “The house is just perfect. When we walked in it fit just like a glove.” This news helped me so much. I truly wanted the new owners to love the home that I brought my babies home to. And I wanted my old neighbors to have a good new neighbor. God was faithful to answer my prayers!!
4)I’m sure I wouldn’t have slept a wink. I think I would have been plain frustrated to know this new news. To think I had taken such a HUGE risk only to have it not turn out the way I hoped but even possibly worse would have made me sick to my stomach! She may have even preferred her current situation of ‘widow working in Boaz’s field’ to getting redeemed by someone else.
5) One new thing I’ve thought about regarding Christ as my redeemer is that He wants to redeem my family line as well. He wants to have my children follow him and be blessed by him. And it reminds me that as much as I love my kids, He loves them that much more.
I am still loving this study! Thank you Siesta Mama! And it looks like it’s Melissa’s birthday!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELISSA!!!
love you all,
rachel
oh! And I forgot to share that Week 4 Day 2 was a HUGE turning point for me in a battle I’d been fighting with the Lord. I received a Divine “that’s enough. let’s move along now.” I’m so thankful! I took that rebuke with joy knowing it was going to bring me closure and peace and open a new path!
Enjoyed reading your answers to Beth’s questions. And I love the way you phrased Divine “that’s enough. let’s move along now.” The same thing happened to me and I’m so thankful He chastens those He loves. 🙂
Bridge City, Texas
We had a sweet group of 11 ladies and shared more this week than the previous 2 sessions.
1. One young mom shared that her dad is the man whose kindness overwhelms her. This mom’s own mother died 4 years ago, never seeing her grandchildren. So, the grandfather helps with the children, goes to the pediatrician with her, babysits, and changes diapers. Another shared that one of the vice principals at the high school where she teaches left campus to go to a hardware store to get a part needed for her physics lab.
2. Two ladies shared changing their plans for the day (years ago for both of them) to see their mothers who were ill. Though the moms were not expected to die, both women lost their moms that very day. A friend of mine who is a minister asked me to partner in prayer for a student pastor starting a new ministry. This was months ago, and I never thought I’d ever meet the man and his family for whom I pray daily. Well, my son and daughter-in-law visited a church in Ft. Worth, where they’d moved, and this minister was actually on staff at that church and preached a farewell message the Sunday I visited. (He has now moved to the area of his new ministry.) God thrilled me w/ His timing!
3. Job situations, choices of adult children, college decisions were all mentioned.
4. Who is this other man? What have I gotten myself into? Please, LORD, let it be Boaz!
5. The willingness of Christ to be our Redeemer was the focus of one of our sweet ladies. Her awe of Him, afresh, in His CHOICE to be our Savior.
solo in Western MD
1. I know this may sound kind of silly but just yesterday I was overcome by the kindness of the Lowe’s appliance Dept. man. Our fridge died, and I was frantic to go buy a new one and have it delivered ASAP. A house of 6 with no fridge really won’t do. Anyway, he went above and beyond and even convinced the not very nice cashier to put us on emergency delivery for today!!
2. We rented our home for two years waiting for it to sell. At the time of sale, we took a pretty significant loss on the house. We really questioned God about why He allowed that to happen as we were trying to be good stewards of our money and this was really going to set up back, etc. Well, fast forward to this year when we filed out taxes. Since we could claim the big loss, we actually got a very nice return…just enough money to finish paying for the adoption of our new daughter. Only God knew that amazing provision and timing!
3. My husband has had a situation at work that we have prayed over, met with others, prayed some more. It has now come down to someone else’s answer and all we can do is wait for the outcome. I truly believe it is God teaching us to depend on Himself, not on our own understanding!!
4. I think Ruth was in a way relieved to know that Boaz was interested in redeeming her. But, if she is anything like me, she wanted the answer to be clear and to be right now. Knowing that she had to now wait to see what the other kinsman was going to do must have made her very apprehensive and anxious. But, then again, maybe she felt God’s peace and was content waiting on what the outcome was going to be. She is Ruth after all!
5. I think the thing that has struck me the most is how absolutely unworthy (in the eyes of society) she was to be receiving all this kindness and ultimately the redemption from Boaz. I mean she was a Moabitess for crying out load. But, it just reminds me how absolutely unworthy I am, a wicked sinner, for my redeemer to die on a cross for me!! AMAZING!!! Thank you, Jesus!!!
“But, if she is anything like me, she wanted the answer to be clear and to be right now.”
You and every other woman!! (Or at least me, my mom and my sisters. Ha!) 🙂
Congratulations on your new daughter!! That’s terribly exciting 🙂
Rebecca
Solo (And yet in the midst of these new friends)
Canada
A very sweet person blessed me today with the study book of Ruth. Now Mama Beth told us to try the Banoffi Pie on page 89. Knowing that I would need lots of energy in order to catch up with you lovely siestas, I thought I would do as Beth suggested and make the pie. I had the bananas, so I read the ingredients for 2 14oz cans sweetened condensed milk. But as I am reading the directions it tells you to immerse the unopened cans of sweetened UNCONDENSED milk in boiling water. First, won’t the can explode once it is heated unopened and second do I use condensed or UNcondesed milk? Has any one tried this yet? Remember my bananas are getting riper and I need to start this study!!
Love you all, Rebecca
Just ran and reread it, dear Rebecca. It says, “sweetened condensed.” You know, like Eagle Brand. I’m having our Ruth group over this evening and planning on trying it myself. I’d just made my grocery list before sitting down to enjoy some comments. I’ll be praying that neither of us have any kitchen catastrophies. Imaging trying to explain that to your insurance adjuster. “I was sittin’ there, minding my own business when…”
Banoffi Blessings.
Thank you for your help. I have sweetened condensed in my ingedient list but unsweetened condensed in the instructions.
I see the pie was from England so I asked my mom which one to use. She is English and she laughed and said the English do things different.
Let me know how yours turns out.
Rebecca
Your absolutely right. Sorry about that. I just noticed the difference from the list to the directions. Mine are boiling at present. My husband is hovering nearby. He and I both know that I was absent the day Betty Crocker gave out cooking badges. Keeping our fingers crossed 🙂
I better hurry before the moderator starts blocking my chatty little self this morning. Pie worked, though I lost my nerve and finished the caramelizing by the oven method on Eagle Brand’s website. Thanks for the headsup. Very rich. Two pieces leftover. Cream was my favorite part.
Here’s a link from the Eagle brand site for other methods of heating the milk to make carmel if you’re afraid (as I am!) that the cans will explode: http://www.eaglebrand.com/idea_center/UsageTips.aspx
Hi Ruth Anne,
I have tried sweetened condensed milk in my magic bars. You know the recipe with graham crackers. chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and coconut, but you bake that and I have never boiled the can.
Thanks for the link
Rebecca
For anyone trying this Pie recipe the Eagle brand site says NOT to heat up the can. I just though I would let you know. I’d hate for the fire trucks to come and have to explain that one.
Rebecca
Howdy siestas! There are two of us here in Corpus and we already blogged responces to the questions but I have a question of my own. I am not sure how well I will communicate this…after re-reading my earlier post I noticed it did not make much sence. So, here it goes.
The whole under His wings thing….heard about it, studied it, memorized the verses…don’t really get it…never thought too much about it I guess. Is it something that happens one time, the minute you are saved you are under His wings never to leave? Or is it a continual process of choosing to stay under His wings? Present active participle???? Is it out of obedience I stay there or is it because of who He is that he continues to cover me regardles of my anticks? Obviously It isn’t literal, and Psalm 91 isn’t literal either ( I have struck my foot on a stone or two in my day). Are they wings of salvation? I had thought of them as wings of protection but maybe it is more than that. Does it mean that even when things are bad…crying forward or backward, obeying or not He is still there, and that ultimatly we are under his wings even in death. That I should not fear the ‘terror of night’ because even when ‘bad’ things happen the worst is death, and if I am His then the worst isn’t so bad after all. Can I be out from under His wings for a season so I can use my sword and fight like crazy the battle He has put before me, then run back under his wings for rest and recovery when the battle is through? Just wonder’n what y’all think. Is it once and for always, or for seasons we are under His wings? Can we appreciate the wings if not for the battles?
Hello Wing Siesta! Did you see my post a few pages on? I was thinking about wings too! I was saying, ‘uhuh, uhuh,’ ‘Yup’ ‘Right on!’ to everything you said. It is all that and MORE that I cannot conceive of or imagine. You put it so well. Once and for all AND during certain seasons, Obeying to stay AND Him being there no matter what, Under His wings in death AND coming out the other side safe and sound and GLORIFIED!!!!!!!!!!! (I’m sorry, type doesn’t do the concept justice. Imagine each of the AND’s here being 20 ft tall and the !’s being 100 ft and the GLORIFIED maybe 1000ft) Fighting like crazy with the sword AND under His wing appreciating His supply of ammunition and recovery. Maybe He just doesn’t know the meaning of the little word ‘OR’. Everything’s an AND with Him! Thank you so much, you are a real encouragement to me. I’m going to copy and paste what you wrote into a document so I can always find it. Is that OK?
Howdy Nicola, Sorry I did not read your reply sooner…I have been finishing up my thesis and so I haven’t spent much time on the blog 🙂 I did continue to think about the whole “wing” thing though, and checked back to see if anybody had any thoughts. Thank you for sharing, I am glad the LORD used my confusion to encourage you…BAHAHA! ;0 I had a very sweet woman ask me today if she could come to my home and pray with me. WOW. She shared the things God is teaching her while enduring her own trials. Later my neighbor came over and I was able to encourage her with the same words shared with me only hours earlier. The WORD does not return void. Anyway, we talked about the whole ‘wing’ situation. I still don’t know for sure what tense was used in the scripture b/c I don’t have the tools to look it up, but I think maybe you are right…it is AND, not OR. I thought it had to be OR. Yes, we are under his wings at the time of salvation, but YES I can climb out from under them in my own desire to do things my way…Staying under His wings requires choosing to be there, trusting DAILY in who He is and the plan He has for me…AND sometimes He is protecting me against literal physical or emotional battels without me even being aware…under His wings without even knowing. I am still thinking it over, but also learning to trust, and right now that isn’t easy!(100 ft tall exclamation point) BUT I don’t think we can appreciate the Wings if not for the battles!!! dern. I like what you said about ammunition though…funny and oh so important. Right now my ammuniton is a few key verses on God’s plans and power and his WINGS 🙂 praying them over my family!
Bremen, GA
Group of 6
1. This moved us all: One of our members has heart palpitations usually when sitting or lying but one day in WalMart one suddenly came on and she leaned over the buggy until it could pass. She felt a hand on her shoulder and a man said I’m going to stand here and pray for you. His wife and child were a couple of aisles over and he prayed until the episode passed.
Another one of us was recommended for a great job when she barely knew the man.
And of course some of our husbands were in for special mention as they willingly helped prepare for our session or gladly took the kids and one when they were engaged and after her car accident would come over every day to his mother’s (where she was staying) and clean her incision on her leg – what a fiancee!
My son overwhelmed me when he recently insisted that he was the one who would stay with me in ICU after I had crashed in surgery.
2. JC who had infertility problems and had miscarried on October 9 always grieved on that day. When she was able to carry to full term she went into labor on October 9. God turned a time of grief into a day of joy.
Several of us said that they could see God’s hand working to bring about an event over several years. Such as circumstances bring VV back home to live in her grandmother’s home and she was able to be there and hold her grandmother in her arms as she went to live with Jesus. AH talked about when she went away to college, her dad talked about someone he knew in the area she should get in touch with and then she met a girl who she just clicked with and it turned out that she was the man’s daughter (whom she had been unable to find) and then she met the son who is now her husband.
3. Planning and preparing: One of our member’s has written a book over many years, tweaked it and prepared it, gotten great feedback and is now sending it to publishers and touching base with contacts – waiting for God’s timing. Fertility – planning and preparing and then waiting for God’s timing. Praying for salvation and seeing that they may not be all the way there yet but the signs are there.
4. We all felt that Ruth would feel relief that Boaz would want her but she had to feel some trepidation that God may have chosen someone else for her. We also felt tht the plotting and planning may have been manipulative but talked ourselves out of it based on cultural differences between then and now.
5. God is working in me about committment. I’ve discovered through this study that I really don’t commit to anything with my whole being in any part of my life. There is some fear there that I may be dragged into a relationship I don’t want or that I may be hurt through that total committment. In my head I know that it can open me to total joy but the practicalities seem to get in my way. I’m totally committed to God and my savior and redeemer but what if he calls me out of my comfort zone – will I obey? This led to a discussion of times when members have been and the negative and positive outcomes.
Yeah!!!! We got through all 5 this time instead of the ONE question we answered last meeting.
Overcome by man’s kindness…oh my!
I think the older you get the more stories you have. When my husband lost his church job of 27 years, a Fed Ex man arrived at our door with five money orders totaling $5,000. I just sat and wept. God knew. Never found out who it was. Recently, a brand new friend popped down $3,000 for me to go to the Holy Land with a group this Thanksgiving. Overcome with kindness.
As far as—“only God could have known”—
I think losing our church family after 27 years was one of the best things that could have happened to me. Only God could’ve ordained it. Desperation really is a gift, isn’t it? I found God in ways I never imagined. I found rest for my weary soul. And I am alive in ways I never was before. St. John of the Cross wrote: “You have been graced with a disaster that your soul requires to find its way back home.” We’re all like either the prodigal son or the compliant son at home. I’m really home now and alive and it’s good.
As far as insight about Christ being our Redeemer…
Kelly wrote: “When God has ordained the humbling, you can be wholly (holy) certain that His Love is the catalyst.” Nothing can touch us unless it is out of His Love. I’ve been redeemed with a Love I will never ever lose! Love it that beautiful Boaz (I know we’re supposed to say handsome but I like alliterations) “was impressed with Ruth beyond beauty, heritage, culture, status, wealth.” KM We live in such a celebrity society. Repentant tears over here for wanting my life to look good and improve my children more than I want holiness. Do I want present comfort in my relational pain and relief from my physical pain OR do I want eternal joy?
“You have been graced with a disaster…” That’s profound. And it is true, isn’t it?! Thank you, Bev.
What an awesome two weeks of Bible study!
1. This winter we had some serious snow here in Ohio! I was sitting on the couch wondering how on earth I was going to shovel the latest foot to drop on my driveway when a neighbor with a tractor plowed it for me without saying a word!
2. A few years ago I was visiting friends during a church’s annual conference. I went to the ordination ceremony at that conference and realized after I got there that my late mother’s former pastor was being ordained – wearing the robe she purchased for him when he was a student! It’s not an encounter that changed my personal circumstances, but it helps me have faith that God can orchestrate a “chance” meeting that will be life-changing for me and I need to keep believing God.
3. I think every time I’ve had to look for a new job this has happened. You do what you can, then you have no choice but to wait and leave the outcome in God’s hands.
4. I think the prospect that I could be “redeemed” by this other man who I hadn’t met and knew nothing about would be terrifying. Ruth knew Boaz to be a good and kind man. Knowing nothing about this other man would be a frightening prospect. And knowing myself like I do, having patience in the waiting time, even as short as a day, would have driven me crazy!
5. This week I received new assurance that while I don’t feel deserving of being redeemed from my current circumstances, Jesus does not see me the way I see myself! I can look at someone else’s life and truly believe God is a God of second chances and will redeem and restore her life – now it’s time to make that promise my own and rest in it!
Jennifer and Courtney in Charleston, SC say:
1. We’ve both been overcome by a man’s kindness not in really big ways but in the small things – like an older brother taking the time for a much younger sister or a friend at work who goes out of their way to help. I guess it happens when a guy notices we need something, even something really small, and they actually do that thing.
2. We have an “only God would have known” experience that goes with this Bible study. We had invited a friend from work to join us. She had never done a Bible study like this before so we really wanted her to see how great it is. The invited girl said, “Email me to tomorrow and remind me to get the book.” I am totally flighty and don’t always remember something if it isn’t on my To-Do list. So, I said, “Lord, don’t let me forget.” Next day (I’d already forgotten) I’m surfing the internet when my cursor hovers too long over a bar at the top of my screen. Up pops the Word of the Day. I didn’t even know that was there. The cool thing is that the Word of the Day was “ruth”. I about fell on the floor. What a reminder! I don’t even remember what it meant, except that it wasn’t a name. But only God could have done that!
3. About waiting . . . we are both waiting on situations in our lives to change, thus our title from last time “Are We There Yet?” I have a 19 year old daughter who has chosen a really wayward lifestyle. It has about killed me to watch her doing these things. Beth, do you remember in the Esther series when you said “What if the worst happens? What would you do?” Well, about two days after I watched that video, the worst happened. I knew it was coming and it finally arrived. You cannot even imagine how that study helped me through those days. I have learned so much about waiting and hope and perseverance. But the biggest thing I’ve learned is that you have to wait on the LORD. (Thank you Beth for pointing that out to me.) I cannot wait on my daughter because I will feel defeated every time I think about her. I am waiting on the LORD. Like Ruth, I have come to the place where I cannot do anymore and I have put it all out there for Jesus to handle. He is the only one who can redeem her. I know she will turn to Him one day and it will happen. I feel that to my very core. In the meantime, ” but those who hope (wait) on the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) Isn’t it amazing how our LORD can take something like this and teach us things we never would have learned otherwise? It has been a tough road but I would not exchange what I’ve learned about my sweet Savior for an easier road. He is comepletely amazing! And like Ruth walking away from Boaz’s feet with grain to take back, I have had many opportunities to share what I’ve learned with others who needed a word of encouragement. Grain from my Lord, even while I wait! Too cool!
4. We both agreed that Ruth probably had all of those insecurities that we discussed last summer in M,M & L Bible study. Like a teenager unsure of herself or like a young woman without Jesus, never quite feeling she fits in.
5. This whole kinsman redeemer thing has gotten to me. I am very encouraged by the background – that it was originally established to keep a family together. (I want my family to be together.) Courtney pointed out that it only came into play when the family had fallen apart – that’s when you needed a redeemer. Like a safety net when you fall, God’s got it covered! But just knowing it was important to the LORD for families to stay together is so encouraging to me. I had never thought of it that way before. Knowing this should really change the way we handle family situations.
Note: Beth, we loved your lipstick today! It looked summery and glossy. Very nice!
Courtney, I love your insight about the kinsman redeemer & broken families!
I just have to share, my heart is overwhelmed with what God has done for me and I want everyone to know !
I just finished day 3 of session four, so I am alittle behind.
I am trying to make a very long story short.
7 years ago I was in a bad truck/train accident with three of my children. One of my son’s did not make it (Eli 8 yrs old)For the past 6 years I have been either pregant or nursing a baby. The first two children (Lyndsey and Anna) we had were out of our own disire to fill the ache and loss of Eli’s death. The last child God has given us was out of obedience to Him (our son Silas Eli). We felt such a stong leading of God that He wanted us to trust him with another child. I was soooo tired…. having had two babies already and working through a death of a child.
So all that to say this….. “I have journeyed so far, Iam getting tired of being strong, Iam losing heart, I’m ready to live where I belong, Oh where could I go, But to the heart that calls me home.
You see this year is our 7th year since Eli’s death as of June 16, and I am not pregnant or nursing a baby! It’s my Seista year! June 16 has two special meanings to me. It’s the day I was able to hold my son, while he slipped away into the arms of his Heavenly Father, and used the birthday of Beth Moore to minister to my heart ever since. Beth Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, for allowing God to use you. You have know idea how much God has used you in my life. It has been your Bible studies God has used to bring me through this long journey. This year I broke away and did one by some else, but still with my best friend Beth.
Thank you Lord for bringing me to a place of rest and bringing me through a rough journey, refined and beautiful for you ! Thank you for allowing our son Eli to be used for your honor and glory ! I love, love love you !!!!
Woodstock, VT
solo
1. Over the course of my life, especially when I was young and single, I have been shown incredible kindness from men when I have needed help with my car. It’s easy to look back and think oh was it really that big of a deal, but at the times long ago when I needed the help…there were no cell phones…none! I was vulnerable and slightly scared and feeling a tad dumb for perhaps not knowing what to do or for not having the right equipment. The people who helped were never from men I new, just total strangers at the right place and time, well except for my manager once who helped me when I hadn’t checked the oil in my car and my car was smoking. He put some oil in and then asked a co-worker the next day to give my engine a looing over to make sure it was OK. The other times to have my flat tire changed or battery jumped, or ‘stop leak’ poured in my radiator so I could at least get home.
I have never forgotten any of these acts of kindness. None of them wanted a thing from me. Just being kind.
2. Oh to try and pick out a single event…God has and is everywhere orchestrating…Thank You for this question. It has made me stop and think over so many events both large and small and praise and thank Him for so much!
To answer though ‘Only God could have known’…there was for a very short time when I had got into fasting on Mondays. I had only participated for three weeks and then the one Monday I got up felt as clear as day…”You need to eat. You are pregnant.” I went and got a test and sure enough it was positive…mind you I could have not been barely a week along. Barely. I love to tell my daughter that story of how God preferred for her to eat than for me not to for Him.
3. the relationship with my mother.
4. I know I would not have slept a wink…bursting with excitement and anticipation. And then peace of just relishing the moment, as crazy as it was. In away I can picture no other words being said all night long…just listening to each person breath, wondering if they are sleeping and what the other one is thinking.
5. fresh insight. I just love love on the paragraph on the bottom of page 110. That ‘God has called me to be the deliverer of His gifts, not the creator of them.’
Jesus alone is my source. Apart from Him I have nothing to offer myself or others. Nothing.
He is my Redeemer and everything I have comes from Him!
Oh that He loves me this much.
The other lesson in this session that I loved was on page 103 when it talks about both Naomi and Boaz speaking prayers over Ruth that they end up fulfilling. So awesome! Especailly Boaz’s prayer found in 2:12. I just love this little treasure of a book of Scripture.
I really liked the “God has called me to be the deliverer of His gifts, not the creator of them.” too. So much so that I made it my Facebook status. You said it better than what I thought in my head, apart from Him we have nothing to offer…ourselves OR those around us. I think as women we like to help out and provide and give give give until we’re empty empty empty but it’s tough to chew that apart from God we’d have nothign to give to begin with!
Thanks for sharing!!
just checking in. my daughter got married a little over 2 weeks ago and with lots of company, then vbs last week, i’m a bit behind. but i’m really loving the study and all that God is showing me through it!
Calgary, AB Canada
Going Solo
1 & 2. These 2 answers are part of the same story so I will combine them into 1 answer.
It was 9 years ago and my dad had just passed away from a short battle with cancer. The night before the funeral we had some relatives from out of town over and my mom mentioned that the renters at one of the rental properties my parents owned hadn’t paid the rent the last couple of months but my mom had been too preoccupied with my dad to do anything about it. One of our relatives decided to drive by the house and check it out. We found out later that night that the house was a grow-op and had been abandoned quickly – we could tell because tire treads had destroyed the lawn and a tree had been knocked down in the evacuation process. Needless to say the house was a complete write off. We were devasted and wondered at the timing – I mean didn’t we have enough to deal with? God being perfect in His ways and timing knew that we couldn’t deal with it alone. As a bit of background my dad was a carpenter and was well known amongst the trades in town. At his funeral the next day word somehow got out (through God I know) about the grow-op house. The following day we went to the house to check it out. About 50 people from our church and from the trades around town who worked with my dad were there. There were electricians, plumbers, landscapers, drywallers, painters and through hours of volunteering their time they completely restored the house. Isn’t God good? His timing is perfect even though we may not always see it initially.
4. If I were in Ruth’s shoes I would have been a mess of emotions. The nervousness and (for me anyways) the nautiousness of approaching Boaz not knowing what to expect would have turned to utter excitement and there’s no way I would have been able to wip the smile off my face for hours. Boaz wanted her. I can feel the knots in my stomach already.
The excitement would have been shadowed however by the news of this other kinsman-redeemer. Nervousness about what he would think of her, what he would be like would take over and I think I would be secretly hoping that he would say no so I could be with Boaz and live “happily ever after”.
What a night. It exhausts me to think about what she would have gone through emotionally.
5. I’m loving this study and what has stood out most to me is the parallel between this story and the redemption story of Jesus. I never caught that before and I love this insight.
I’ll share one quick line from the study that I love and has really resonated with me. Its from page 104 and says, “What He can do with a willing life surrendered at His feet is more than we can comprehend.”
Amen!
Thanks for sharing that story! It is so NEAT to hear all the stories of “Godinstances.”
Calgary? Did you say Calgary? Me too! I am in the deep south. You? Any interest in a Siesta Calgary meeting?
Happy Wednesday from Blue Ridge, Georgia.
1) I’ve had many kindnesses shown to me over the years, but the one that jumps to the forefront of my brain happened when I was a single parent. I had just moved into my late grandmother’s house in the deep South, and it did not have air conditioning. An old high school friend came into my life again around that time, and when he learned we did not have air conditioning, he told me to make arrangements for it to be installed. He paid for all of it – so my children would not get hot.
2) I love all the “God-incidences” that happen in our lives. The one that has influenced my life more than any other is when I met my husband. He’s from a small town, I’ve lived all over. He had lived in the same house his entire life – living with his parents until their deaths. Our career paths were totally different, so we both know that only God could have brought us together the way He did, and we give Him all the thanks, praise, honor, and glory because of it. I love my man and he loves me, and our life is awesome.
3) Lots of instances come to mind, but as a writer, well, that’s what writers do all the time. We plan, write, struggle over our manuscripts, then edit, rewrite, and polish. When we think we’ve done all we can do, we finally hit send, and then the waiting begins. (It’s during this time that we realize something else that we could have added/deleted to make it better, but…) But we’ve done all we can do, and wait for a response.
4)In Ruth’s place, I would have been filled with one “what if” question – “What if the other guy wasn’t as nice/good/honorable as Boaz?”
5) God’s redemption is for everyone. This study reminds me that we experience only a brief snapshot of a few years of life, while God orchestrates a full-length “feature film” covering milleniums.
Group of 3
Key Largo, Florida
1. One shared how she remembered how her grandfather showed her great kindness all her life and it wasn’t until before his death that she was moved by it. Another shared how her husband had shown great love after she had broke her marriage vows.
2. The group discussed this and came up with God alreaady working and perhaps coordinating encounters for her autistc son and his future career.
3. One shared about acting then waiting when you apology to someone you have hurt an you have to wait for their response and leave it to God.
4. We had one of our young ladies shared how she thought maybe Ruth when she went to sleep that night was feeling even more loved by God because He provided 2 possible kinsman redeemers for her.
5. One of our women shared how the term kinsman redeemer and it definition on page 85 “The custom of redemption was designed to maintain the wholeness and health of family relationships, even after the person has died”. She shared how Christ being her greatest redeemer has restored family relationships that had been fractured due to her running from God.
Yolanda
Group of Three
Kansas
1. After a really hard season in a marriage, her husband came to her office with a dozen roses. 11 red,and a yellow rose in the center of the bouquet. He gave them to her and said, “Look for something different”. Inside the yellow rose was an additional band for her wedding set, and this was also their 10th anniversary. GOD IS SO GOOD! When a man could have turned from his wife, he embraced her and gave her hope.
2. Working as a manager in a McDonald’s chain in a larger city, this man/husband began tinkering with computers. Mind you, he had no formal education, just a desire God placed in his heart. Then in God’s timing, He moved this family to our area giving him a major computer job. GOD IS GOOD!
3. Dealing with sibling and parents distance and rejection. This is in more than just one of our group members. Also, with a turn of events in a career and waiting for that to come to pass.
4. Honored that this man noticed her, fearful of death once again or even rejection of Boaz. Fearful also of perhaps even the other men noticing her at the threshing floor and taking advantage of that. Boaz must be older than her but would this be a father figure or possibly would there be “more” to our (meaning Boaz and Ruth) relationship. We talked long about this, and we thought about how Boaz is a “dreamy” kind of guy. That he is so respected and so he must be a “catch”.
5. He is our Redeemer regardless of our past, and that no matter what our race or family lines show….God can Redeem. *Ruth was a Moabite, and they were told to not associate, and yet God uses Ruth mightily, He had a plan for her!!* God is our protector and He causes us to be worthy, He sees worth and value in us.
We were so tickled when we finished the homework and read the suggestion for a meal for the next gathering. We were dining on Chicken Salad sandwiches and strawberries with chocolate dipping sauce. Now is that FUN God moment, or what?
Solo – me, myself and I AM (aren’t you glad we are never really alone)
Okay, so #1. I know there are other kindnesses, but the first one that popped into my mind, and has remained, is one involving my dad about 8 years ago. My parents had divorced a few years prior and so I was still working through A LOT of emotions. He was visiting us from out of town and had just taken my husband, & I and small kids out to eat. I did not eat much that evening because I was beginning to not feel well. By the time we got home…(sorry for the gory details)…I barely made it out of the car before loosing what little I had eaten. For some reason, my dad had followed me to the backyard and held my hair back from my face for me while I threw up. Afterwards, he gave me his handkerchief and helped me inside the house. It’s amazing how a kindness can go right to the heart. I still have the handkerchief. I’ve reached in my jewlery box several times since to return it, but just don’t want to part with it…and I know Dad won’t mind.
2. In my life I am a friend to many people, whom I love, but you know how you need a friend who just gets you, makes you laugh, challenges you spiritually and refreshes you by being with them (it’s so tricky…)…well, this is something I’ve waited for from the Lord for years. Like I said, no one who knew me would think I lacked anything, but in my heart…I’ve LONGED for a FRIEND. Well…this summer I’ve become reacquainted with a lady whom I met through a mutual friend. With kids and busy schedules it’s not always as easy to get together as often as we like. After putting off one coffee date (b/c of busy schedules), we planned a pool date that all of our kids would enjoy and we could finally catch up! Well, a neighbor ended up sitting w/ us at the pool and visiting. This was fun, but there was so much I wanted to hear and talk about from my other friend…I was sooo disappointed. Typically I would have brushed my feelings aside and just let it go, but this time I felt a nudge to share how I felt with my friend. Anyhow, I shot an email to her expressing how I had so hoped for time just with her, but that it was great to see her anyways. After not hearing from her I began to worry that she took my email the wrong way or thought (goodness forbid!) I was too needy. After prayer and a good cry, I went to bed. The next morning I gave her a call just to clear the air. Well, as the Lord would have it, she is going through a very difficult season and she confided in me. I was brought to tears as I saw His hand in it all. The night before I had laid my desire for a friend I admire at His feet, had shared my heart with her as I felt led and in His timing He richly answered my heart’s prayer like only He can.
3. Maybe it’s just me, but is this not what marriage mostly consists of!? I love my man, but it feels like this is something I’ve HAD to learn in order to be a happy wife! 🙂
4. I’m afraid sleep would have escaped me for most of the night…laying at the feet of the one who had shown such kindness, taken such good care of me, a man admired by all who knew him and knowing he wanted to redeem me. This would have been tragically satisfying, but the question of will I have my heart’s desire would have really ached as I lay at his feet.
5. I love that Jesus is my Redeemer…He is THE Redeemer! Whew! In my life over the last 17 years, there has been an event that I just could not reconcile in my mind. The hurt was so deep that I pushed it way down…didn’t go there. Well, the last couple of years I started to see and believe God’s hand was even in “that” and that He had my very best in mind. Beth, your Believing God study (pitifully done on my part…yet God still used it!) gave me the hope that He was doing new things and not to recall the former things. Also, one of my favorite groups “Selah” did a song called “Unredeemed” which really worked hope in me. I knew Jesus had redeemed my body, soul and spirit, but could He really redeem and give me my heart’s desire in something that was probably due to my own failings? Over the last year, He has begun and is redeeming this situation, and like the scripture in our study, Matt 15:31, I am marveling at His work! Through this and in His timing I feel like now I am REALLY beginning to BELIEVE that I can confidently trust Him with ALL of my Heart…He can work anything out and make it absolutely beautiful and full of glory. He is WONDER “full”. Ps.62:8
I know this entry is longer, but it is my only one for the study so far 🙂 I am really enjoying it…Thanks Kelly & Beth!
I don’t think it is just you, Amy! I can Amen that, too, for sure 😉
I’m marveling at how wonderful the Lord is… He truly cares about our hearts, doesn’t he. I’m so glad you shared where you are with your #5 response. I’m in a similar place, so I’m going to look up Selah’s song you mentioned.
I just DID, and oh thank you, thank you, thank you! What an amazing song! Thank you, Amy, again for sharing!! ((hugs))
You are so welcome!! Sing it Girl!!! 🙂
I think I AM really going to sing this for my church – I’m SO excited 😉
Our group will be meeting tonight to start this study. I am so excited. Reading all of the comments excites me to see what God has for our little group.
Solo, Maynardville TN
1. When I was in college I was working a late shift at Wal-Mart after having been in class all day. The guy I was talking to and trying to get to know, cooked supper and brought it to me after I got off so I wouldn’t have to come home and fix something myself. Coming from a farm family who was used to coming in no matter the time and having to help my Mom fix the whole family something to eat, it touched me that someone else would care enough to provide for me.
2. In June of 08 I quit my job and had the privilege of taking care of of my Papaw the last 2 weeks of his life and God provided for all my needs. In Nov of 08 when I needed to find a job God provided 2 jobs. When I had my interview at the hospital the lady in charge of hiring for her department called the next day and offered me a job. When I went in to do the paperwork the fist thing she said to me was that they had prayed over the position before interviewing and had prayed for me and were 100% positive that God had sent me to them. What a responsibilty but so encouraging to know that my boss was a praying lady and exactly what and where I needed to be at that season of my life.
3. Trying to get a postion with state parks. I have done my job to the best of my ability. Now I am waiting…waiting to see if they choose to keep me I’ve done all I can.
4. I would have felt relief knowing that Boaz wanted to care for me. But scared not knowing who the other person was. I would have lain awake all night wondering if I did the right thing or if I had messed a good thing up. Did I misread the signal misunderstand the directions. Hoping that this other realative wouldn’t want me so that I wouldn’t have to leave what I had come to know and love. Could I go through all these emotions again? Loss, moving, trusting, loving…again?? Forgetting that God was in control and knew what he was doing, I would totally freak out.
5. During the fist week of this study I was given the new that I may have to move to West TN for my job for 2 years if they hire me. I have never lived that far away from where I grew up and was not excited about the thought. Then I started this study..wow. The first two weeks I just laughed about how God was using this study to show me how he was preparing me for whatever it takes. Redeemer always there for me protecting when I don’t see it, loving when I don’t think it possible, preparing when I don’t think I can do it, taking something broken and battered and fixing it for your service and glory.
7 met in Collierville, TN
We had a wonderful discussion about waiting for the Lord and also about the verses in Revelations when we are “given” the garments to wear to the table.
Our group has decided to change things up a bit. Two had to miss the last session and two others missed last night (there are only six of us) but we are loving this study so much we don’t want anyone to miss anything! So for the two who missed last time, we reviewed last session and next time we are going to do this week’s questions. Then we are adding a fifth session to finish up. We’ll be behind the rest of you, but our heart is for all of us to get to go over the study together — besides, who wants to pass up a chance for another “siesta fellowship!”
Sherry, oh to be counted as your friend. I took paper and pen and copied much of what you said to keep in my Bible and in my heart. Lovely words. I teared up as I penned your #5 response. Thank you. If we never meet in this life, I’m looking for you in heaven. I thought your answer to #4 funny, just how old was the other guy. ha ha
Sherry, may the Lord bless you and keep you may the Lord make His face shine up “Onya”.
Sawyer, Ks Solo
1. Every year in the summer we get these little black bugs in our very old farmhouse. They sort of half fly and they seem to come out at night, so they will flutter around in our bedroom and they make me very jumpy and annoyed! I was stressing about them recently and my husband very kindly laughed and said “I love you and all your little quirks.” It meant so much to me because as I told him, he could’ve said “Don’t be so annoying. Get over it. They aren’t going to hurt you.” instead of just loving me throught the little things!
2.Only God could’ve known the friends I need in my life right now.
3.Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart; wait I say on the Lord.
Waiting on God as He works in a friends situation, waiting for Him to show us His will in job and housing situations in our life.
4.Boaz promised Ruth “I will redeem you.”
I would have had feelings of excitement, relief, hope, anxiousness, fear, anticipation, concern, trust…faith in God who had already provided so much!
5.Christ has everything to offer. I have nothing. I am dependent on Him. He is my source like Boaz was for Ruth. It just blows me away to think about Boaz promising Ruth that he would redeem her and that is what Jesus has already done for me!!!
LOVE Psalm 27:14…discovered that verse when I was looking up a verse on BibleGateway.com for a friend that was going through a tough time. I looked down at the verse of the day (that I never look at) and it was that verse. This was a Wednesday in which Sunday I had heard a sermon on patience. Sunday night discovered the song ‘Everlasting God’ (Strength will rise as we WAIT upon the Lord, wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord. It was the original song-writers acoustic version and hadn’t been played on Christian radio much) and the Saturday night before that I had prayed for patience. I know…silly me. But, all that being said, that verse has come to mean a lot to me 🙂
Blessings to you on this journey! 🙂
I know! There are so many verses to love! 🙂 Blessings to you, also!
1. Time for the ugly cry as I recall a Sermon… the Pastor was calling out some hard life situations when his eyes met mine in the midst of 500+and said, “God knows you’re scared your son won’t come home from Iraq…”. This is a man I hardly know as we are not members of this congregation and it is large, however, he had just found out that our oldest son had been deployed to Mosul, Iraq. For whatever reason… I cannot think of this moment without a box of tissue. Our son came home 15 months later. Praise to God. I prayed Psalm 91 over him everyday, I memorized it, so when this study talks about taking refuge under wings… where’s the tissue?
2. There have been so many times when a song on the Christian radio station has played something with a message I needed to hear. Every Bible study I have done in the last 5 years have held moments where it was as though God was touching my shoulder saying,” I’m talking to you, I know your heart”. I had witnesses during the Esther study, our small group met before the video and I had a melt down over the ‘ice breaker’, if you can believe it,(I’m very emotional), and after a box of tissue and some hugs we went to the video and Beth literally starts out with what we had just ended on… we all nearly broke our necks looking to one another in disbelief as we embraced the message we needed to hear from our teacher.
3. I Am Waiting! Going on 7 years… I Am Waiting. God has me in the University of Waiting and He’s not wasting what I can gain from it.. I’m pretty sure I’ve NOT done everything I can. This could be due to my insecure nature thinking I still must have some control here… I need to check my So Long Insecurity notes.
4. We are so far removed from what it must have been like to be a woman at that time. I just get a pit in my stomach for her… wanting Boaz, and then being possibly handed off. But, maybe she just felt relief in that someone was going to care for her…I doubt it.
5. I Love this study! I got hooked on Bible study when I did my first study, The Patriarchs. I was scared to do a study by another author, I was afraid I wouldn’t do well without a video and then doing it alone is a first. But, God presented this one to me a few times and I saw that He wanted me to do it and I am so blessed by it. With every study Christ is revealed anew… He takes the world off my shoulders… I try and take it back and then the Word says, No… Jesus has it… let go
I love your answers. Love them. Can we be emotional sisters? When people think I’m emotional or that I cry too much (when in reality, I don’t) I just like to tell them I’m sorry that I feel things deeply for myself and on behalf of other people. 🙂
Praise God for your son’s safe arrival home and all the other wonderful things He’s done in your life! Even if you are permanently enrolled at the University of Waiting! 🙂 I think we all are!! 🙂
Blessings Jody!
Hi Siestas–I just want you all to know right now I’m feeling a little “boxed in” as I sit here watching the last little bit of my home being placed in moving boxes. Good thing Naomi and Ruth didn’t have to move with all this stuff–they’d have never made it!
There isn’t a whole lot of work I can do here, as the government is paying to relocate and have contracted movers for us. Soooo, that leaves me with a lot of time sitting and pondering, which leaves a little room for anxiety about our impending move to creep in. However, reading through all these blogs is comforting for my soul. So thank you for sharing on here!
I pray that each of you is blessed beyond measure today and always! In His Agape Love…Donna B.
Anna
DFW, Texas
25 – going solo!
1. I have to admit that I’m horrible when it comes to a “recall a time..” question. I may have some wonderful, Godly examples, but I swear, the moment the question is asked, my mind goes blank, and I’m left with “Um…” =P But the one that came quickest to mind when I was doing this in the homework was about our new friend, Bill. Let me preface by saying that I have a horrible relationship with my father, and experience pain every day because of how things are between us. My parents have recently become friends with a new couple at church, and I was able to meet them a couple of weeks ago. The husband, Bill, is kind, compassionate, and extremely respectful. He cares about women and is a true gentleman. All night long I was dumbfounded as he went above and beyond to show me kindness and respect. I had incorrectly assumed he would be more like my father, so I was happily surprised at how wrong I was!
Based on Week (or Session) Four:
4. Boaz promised to do all that Ruth asked!! She must have been thrilled and relieved (and, I would think, anxious!) at the knowledge that Boaz would want her and take her so willingly as his bride. But she must have been so nervous and scared of the unknown with this new kinsmen coming out of the woodwork.
Greetings from Anaheim, California!
Our little group has been moved and encouraged through this entire study. For one gal, this is the first time she has ever read the Book of Ruth and her heart has been blown away.
1. One gal said that one time she was experiencing extreme pain and called into work so she could rest. Her female shift manager told her to come in and suck it up. (I’m giving you the nice version). When she arrived to her work, her male manager looked at her and asked her what was wrong. She told him, and he told her to go home and rest. He showed her kindness by being concerned for her health and it was very unexpected for her. And plus you would think the female would be more sympathetic since it was a FEMALE issue! LOL!
2. Another gal shared her story of her boyfriend (now husband) and how they broke up because he didn’t want to have children. She desiring to be a mom, that was a deal breaker for her. Two months after they parted, she really felt as if the Lord was telling her to email her ex and apologize for some things in their relationship. At first she didn’t want to do it, but she did. They met for coffee and it was revealed that her ex had been praying about her because he loved her and God had changed His heart about children by reminding him that children are a blessing from God! She was so glad she obeyed to God’s prompting!!
3. This was a hard one for all of us. For me, I lead a Life Group with a few gals in our ministry. These gals are young in their faith and I find myself often giving them the resources and help they need….and just waiting for them to respond to God. I find myself frustrated a lot of the time because after they hear a message, they swear it has changed their life and views…..but the next week and the week after nothing changes. So I pray with them, for them, counsel them, give them scripture and resources….. and wait. It is hard!
4. If I were in Ruth’s position….holy cow I would have been delirious with excitement that he wanted me….but absolutely a nervous wreck about the rest of the details! Ha!
5. All of us in the group was just blown away by this single word: WANT. God wanted us. He Wanted to redeem us and He loves us that much to give His only Son in the manner that He did. He didn’t need us…He WANTED us. If only everyone on this earth could see how much God truly loves them.
I can’t wait for the next session!
Your answer to number three really spoke to me. I, like you, work with the youth at our church and ‘counsel’ some younger girls. It hurts so much to see them hear me, agree with the words I’ve spoken/with Scripture and then not act on it. It’s those times that I remember I was once just like them. Still am sometimes. So I should probably cut them a break. 🙂
Thanks for sharing Tiffany!
1. In college I was hosting a yard sale to help fund a youth group trip to DC. A local man came by and found out what I was trying to do and gave me a $100 to go to my trip. He certainly didn’t have to, but he invested in my life.
2. I can’t think of a time when this has happend in my own life but I can recall stories of folks who think they are involved in meetings of “chance” and later realize that only divine orchestration could be at work.
3. Waiting on the response of others is my daily existance at work! I can’t tell the number of projects I’ve worked on that require I wait. You’d think I’d be more patient!
4. I think I would have felt relief that I had some answer for my future but I also would feel great aprehension at the thought of binding myself to someone I didn’t know, especially when I had someone as kind as Boaz waiting in the wings.
5. I can just about retell the whole story of Ruth inserting myself as our heroine and Christ in the role of Boaz. He has no reason to extend his grace and salvation to me yet he chooses to provide them none the less. All he asks of me is that I lay down at his feet and provide surrender.
Solo in Boulder, Colorado
In regards to Beth’s 5th question, I was just so amazed and blessed to learn more about the kinsman-redeemer through Kelly’s study. I had never read the passages from Galatians 3 and 4 with so much understanding until doing this study. It was amazing to read that God provided a way for people in slavery to be set free in the original Law in Leviticus. Then in Galatians, we see that Jesus became the fulfillment of kinsman-redeemer by freely and lovingly purchasing all of us out of slavery (to this world). Just as in Leviticus, we all have sold ourselves out into slavery to the world, because of our poverty of Spirit. Jesus didn’t just set us free alone, though. He has restored us by adopting us as His very own beloved daughters and sons. And He continues to restore us, by healing us from the effects of our time as slaves and strengthening us to walk freely in His love.
Good morning! Our group met last night even though we are a week behind everyone we laughed and cryed and shared our hearts with each other…
I made small key chains with a name on the back and each one of picked one with God’s word on one side and the person we are to build up, pray for and encourage one another, and so we parted untill we meet again next week. some deep feeling were shared praise God and to Him be the Glory.
Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see. ~Corrie ten Boom
Julie Hodges
Chicago, IL
There were six out of eight of us last night. One woman is so close to her due date that we had an emergency plan in place, just in case!
We all remarked upon the information embedded in this power-packed tiny book. Kelly is so skillful at putting a microscope to the smallest details that are easily overlooked that we are all getting a bigger picture of this story, the historical background and customs, and the people involved.
The examples shared regarding the unexpected kndness from a man were generally about men in the family or friends. One example was work related.
The summary question was quite aptly addressed by the yougest and quitest in the group when she stated that Ruth’s submission to Boaz and the Israelite customs/laws were similar to us, as Christians, submitting to Christ and His kingdom.
We are having a wonderful time doing this Bible study. Being in His glorious Word and in the fellowship of beautiful sisters in Christ is a fulfilling and relaxing way to spend your summer nights.
May God bless this cyber gathering of sisters in Christ. I am moved and so very grateful to be a part of this fellowship!
Shorewood, IL going solo on this study
1. Our pastor showed up great kindness this spring. We have gone through quite an ordeal the past couple of years, financially and otherwise. Because of issues I won’t go into here, we hadn’t been attending church on a regular basis, and this spring my husband was out of work due to surgery for 2 months. As it was we were barely making ends meet, and without his salary for two months, let’s just say things weren’t looking so good. One day, out of the blue, our pastor came over and spent some time with us, then as he was leaving, he gave us a check for a rather large sum of money. He truly showed us the meaning of Christ’s unconditional love and grace that day. The action touched us deeply.
2. My husband was starting his own business and I sat in on a meeting with the CPA because I was going to be doing the bookkeeping for the company. The CPA said he thought I was sharp and I should think about starting my own bookkeeping business. A few months later he called and asked if I had any extra time to do a special accounting project for one of his clients. A few months later I was already working a 32 hours a week job, and doing special projects on the side for him when he called with another one. This one would require me to go to a clients office once a week. I said yes, but then after I hung up had no idea how I was going to do that. Taking a leap of faith, I rearranged my “real job” schedule and took on this new client. Now, five years later, I work for this last client 4 days a week, but get paid more than I ever have before. But more than that, this man is a Christian and a very humble, godly man. It was the best move I ever made, and God orchestrated the whole thing!
3. This question, about waiting for someone else’s response, made me think of raising teenagers. I have two, 16 and 19. Both boys. We have tried to teach them values, how to be God-centered, dependable, trustworthy, and do what’s right. Our 19 year old returned home, permenantly, from college in January. He is struggling a bit to find his way. As much as we try to help, it only seems to frustrate him. I know we have laid the groundwork, now he must step up to the plate and act on what we’ve taught him. It’s hard to wait. It’s heartbreaking to see him struggle. So many times I blame myself for not being a good enough parent. But here we are, now we wait….and PRAY!
4. This question was a bit hard for me. If I were Ruth and had just asked Boaz to marry me and he said “no, but I know a guy”….I would have felt rejected. I know that’s not exactly what he said, but that’s what I would have heard. Digging into the history and traditions of the people helped me understand a bit more, but I still feel like I would have felt slightly rejected. I think this probably stems from my romantic notion of true, unstoppable love. But honestly girls, don’t we all want to be treasured? I’m with Kelly though, I definitely would not have been able to sleep at all that whole night.(a side note, I did find it incredibly romantic that Boaz went to such effort to handle everything for Ruth so she wouldn’t have to face the rejection of the closer relative herself) 🙂
5. I absolutely love this study. The constant reminders that we are never alone, that Christ sees our suffering, our hardwork and hardships that we may feel go unnoticed, have all been very comforting to me. I also love the sowing seeds as we are weeping forward concept and loved seeing that so many people concurred, that sowing seeds as we weep forward is sometimes just leaning deeper into Christ and allowing him to comfort us and hold us up. Sometimes that all we can do. But our strength comes from the Lord, not ourselves. This study is just what I needed for this time in my life. Amazing how God works those things out!
Be blessed girls!
The story of your pastor brings tears to my eyes. What a Godly example of kindness! Thank you for sharing your story here.
Prayers for you and your journey with teenage sons. I’m right there with you, except mine are all girls.
Thanks Donna. I could go on and on in detail about my pastor. He has a huge heart for God and is a wonderful man. Trying to keep the story short, I’m afraid I didn’t do him justice. But, yes, I cried like a baby myself that day!
Mercy, I always say God gave me boys because he knew I couldn’t handle girls! My prayers are with you friend. It’s a good thing we have a BIG GOD who loves those kids even more than we do, isn’t it?