Hey, Siestas! I am so blessed to bring you this greeting from Kelly Minter, our Siesta Summer Bible Study teacher. I LOVE HER, I LOVE HER, I LOVE HER, I LOVE HER!!
All comments to this post are meant to be straight to her. Here is your chance to thank her or tell her something very specific you gleaned from the study of Ruth.
I have loved every single minute of this journey. Thank you so much for walking it out with us. I am honored beyond words to seek Christ with you through the pages of His infinitely rich Word! Let’s keep it up, Sisters.
God, come get more and more glory from this community. You are the ONLY thing that makes this work.
Greeting from Kelly Minter from LPV on Vimeo.
Kelly,
Your smile is adorable. Doing my part…praying a Godly man into your life. 🙂
I loved the personal touch in your book. It was like you were sitting across the room talking to me personally. The book of Ruth will forever be in any woman’s mind that completes this study.
Seriously…may the Lord God bless you in all that you do.
Thank you so much for writing the Ruth study. I was so good. What I brought from the study the most was that the tenderness of Boaz is a reflection of Christ’s love and tenderness toward us. Also that we are all leaving a legacy. That makes me more aware of what am I teaching my children and those around me. Again, thank you so much!
May God Bless all that you do.
Hi Kelly….Thank you so much for this study. I flew solo this time thinking it will be a good way to stay in the Word and keep myself accountable. Well, needless to say I was blown away how every single time I open up the book it was EXACTLY what I was going through or had just got done talking about-it was insane! I knew it was for me at this time. Even now, finishing up with legacy…we just got news late last week that my 94 year old grandfather was put under hospice care. What a legacy he has left behind! 4 children, 8 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren!(if I am calculating correctly :))
I absolutely loved the beginning of each new session and your two page stories, I couldn’t get enough. I was hoping it went on longer. It has been a blessing doing this here on the LPM blog and reading comments and watching God’s Word transforming lives! Thank you 🙂
Kelly,
Thank you so much for the Ruth Bible study! You pointed out things I wouldn’t have picked up on and haven’t picked up on from previously reading the book on my own. Like the fact that Elimelech moved his family out of the promised land to seek provision. I really liked session 6 Day 4 when we got to think of someone who has influenced our spiritual lives. I am praying that someone will be able to say that I have been a good spiritual influence on them someday. Thank you again for digging deeper in God’s Word and taking us on the journey with you. May God continue to bless you and your ministry as well! Love, Joan
30 years old- I did this study solo, Chicago, IL
What an absolute blessing this study has been to me Kelly! This is the FRIST bible study that I have ever done on my own and it has really put a fire in me that I want to learn more and more, so I thank you!
I felt so blessed to go on this journal with you, Ruth, Noami and Boaz and I am changed person because of it!
The main thing that I gleaned from this study is that God loves me and wants the best for me. I am in a season of waiting right now and to know that God loves me brings so much comfort.
I also loved that you included recipes- I have tried a few of them and plan on trying all of them eventually!
May God bless you and please write more bible studies!!!!
Kelly,
I really enjoyed this study. I was so encouraged through Ruth and Naomi learning about journey. Right now I’m in the middle of a long long journey and this study was exactly what I needed. I never knew there could be so much richness in just 4 small chapters. And the recipes were phenomenal!
That pie was well it was just heaven. Thanks Kelly we all really appreciate you!
~Amanda
Kelly,
I so appreciate the fact that you have used your single season to God’s glory; I wish I would have given more thought to my own activities during that season in my life and left a legacy that had more eternal impact. I have enjoyed both of your studies immensely and am so grateful for your time and attention to details as you share what you’ve learned and lead us to make our own discoveries, too. This study repeatedly reiterated and reinforced points God has been speaking to me, fueling the fire so I follow through in obedience. It’s been pure joy. God bless, sister!
Tara G.
Kyiv, Ukraine
Kelly – thank you so very much for writing a beautiful, in depth Bible study that touched so many parts of my life. I read the last week while on a mission trip (feeling like quite the foreign woman even though we were only in NY!) and it was a blessing to realize how God can use mere moments in time to begin creating legacy 🙂 What a blessing and joy to have done this study with my siestas – we are planning a FIESTA to make your yummy recipes soon!
Thank you Kelly for your insight to the book of Ruth. I have read the book many times and always saw it as a nice love story, but now I see it so differently…..I did go through some loss while doing the study….but am already seeing how God is so rich in his love for me and his faithfulness. So totally related to Rahab. I saw His redemption for me in a different way then I had seen it before, and i see that I am leaving a legacy to not only my children, but grandchildren as well…..
Kelly-
Hi neighbor.( I’m form the Nash. area too) good to met you. I’ve just started the Bible Study ‘Ruth’ a few weeks ago, I guess I’m mid -way through it. I had some personal issues that I could not start when the rest of us Siestas did. Anyway….I never thought the book of Ruth had soooooo much in it. I never heard it taught or spoken about in the way you have brought it out. Now it is making better sence to me, instead of reading it and thinking ‘ok…why? How? that’s was odd.’
Other than learning that Naomi went out full came back empty, Ruth showed kindness, and then there are the vs read at weddings. Honey that was it for me and my knowledge of the book of Ruth. But now….whoa Baby! I know so much more and these two women are amazing, Ruth has some spunk. Naomi’s bitterness has been turned around.
Today’s lesson was about when Ruth went to Boaz at the threshing floor. That was so new for me, because like I said I haven’t heard it taught on that level.
I’m looking forward to the rest of the study, Thank you for writing it, this is my first study with you, and I’m enjoying it very much.
Dear Kelly,
Because of you, I am in love with Ruth all over again, afresh as Beth says. What an awesome study you, being obedient to God, provided for us. During this study, my family buried my little sister, she was 39 1/2 yrs. old. So, loss is very raw for me and mine. I weep as I think about the timing of this study. God’s hand of providence was all over Ruth then and my family now. I see Him everyday, he loves us sooo much. I AM eternally grateful for God’s extravagant grace, mercy and unending love. WE ARE SO BLESSED!!!
Kelly,
God put the most amazing group of women together for our study this summer. Two single women in their early 30’s, 2 of us in our mid-30’s with young children and 2 women in their late 60’s. We had a blast together and learned so much but one of our 60+ women shared that not only was Ruth her first biblestudy but it was also the first time she opened her bible to read it. I am so proud of her for doing something new! Her husband of more than 38 years has started regularly attending church with her again and has supported her during this study which meant so much to her. Your study was a precious gift for all of us these past 6 weeks. We praise God for how He has used you in our lives! We look forward to more of your studies in the future. Thank you for your hard work.
Love, Melanie
Hi Kelly!
Our group of three still hasn’t met for the final session yet – we had to postpone because one of our members just became a grandmother. Talk about legacy. I want to tell you I am so grateful for you and Beth, and I have so enjoyed this study.
I’ve read and heard sermons on the book of Ruth before, but in this study, you brought out so many new things, and added a richness to the book I had missed before. The thing I found most moving was the restoration of Naomi, from a place of isolation and bitterness to a richness in her life that she didn’t expect. God is so good.
“Legacy” has been on my mind a lot lately, through this study, and also because a dear lady at my church passed away from Lou Gehrig’s disease last week, and she left behind an amazing legacy in her testimony of God’s sufficiency. You’re absolutely right that we all leave a legacy, and it would be wonderful to have it be a godly legacy that blesses!
Heartfelt thanks, and I am looking forward to whatever study God leads you to next.
Adrienne
Hi Kelly,
I have be blessed by both of your studies and hope you plan to write another. May God bless you!
I thank God daily for you Kelly. The Lord just blows me away – his timing is perfect. I am in a season of loss and this study has helped me so much. I am so encouraged that this is only a season, that God is faithful and will take a foreigner and give her a new life. I am challenged to look at my own legacy and the legacy I want to leave my children with. I see things that need to change and am ready for the challenge.
Kelly, I love your sense of humor and your style of writing.I love the way you challenge me to look at my life and experiences and share them. I have studied Ruth before but not this way – it has been so so so good.
Keep on writing! You and Beth are my favs.
Marcia/Portland, OR
Thanks so much Kelly. I enjoyed No Other Gods as well. You do have a way of making me feel like you are in my prayer room (sun room) and talking one on one to me. Rahab being Boaz’s Mom just blew me away. I will never again skip over all of the geneology stuff! That fact has caused me to stop and think before I start to judge people including myself. I also decided to tell God everyday that I’m willing to be willing!
Can’t wait for you next one.
Twila-Fayetteville, Ga.
Kelly,
Thank-you so much for your study of Ruth. I found more of myself in Naomi’s situation than anything. I love the way God restored Naomi’s life even after her and her husband went to a land where they were told not to go. So if Naomi just follow her husband or if it bug him into something he knew better than to do, (which I have done)she experienced great loss. And yet God in all his mercy restored her life!
Kelly I was blown away this summer by this wonderful study of Ruth! As a single myself, I always thought that I would be more atuned to Ruth, but at the end of the study I find that I am drawn to Naomi. I have known loss in my life, and love.. but since I have no children myself I have never thought about where my legacy will be? But it is through the children that I teach in GAs at church, my 2 nieces and 1 nephew that I love so dearly, and my friends and co-workers!
Thanks for showing me how relevant this book is to me in my life daily – I thought I knew everything I needed to know about Ruth, but oh, there was so much more that the Lord taught me this summer!
Can’t wait to see what study the Lord leads you to write next!
Solo, Alberta, Canada
Thanks for this study Kelly. I am still working through it and have found it good to just go at my own pace. You are being used of God and that is an awesome place to be. I look forward to more of your studies in the future. God Bless You.
ok. hopped on the blog to see where ms. beth and keith are in their adventure! and whoa .. there you were kelly! ok, so i didn’t do the summer study but …… i am going to pick up the book at lifeway this week and start it! i did, however, do the “no other gods” study ……
amazing! so i am looking forward to this one. all that to say, thank you for your faithfulness to our God, your obedience to stay in his word and put pen to paper at his leading so that we might be blessed thru you.
Kelly,
I thanked God many times during this study that you were given the gift of teaching. Loved, Loved, this study from the book of Ruth. The parrallels between Boaz and Christ as kinsmen-redeemers just stood out to me. The fact that even a Moabite woman could find herself in the linege of Christ is amazing to me and such and encouragment.
thank you Kelly, for using your gifts to help me grow spiritually. Great feasting on the word through you!!
God Bless you richly!!
Kelly,
the timing of Beth Moore doing this study was none other than God’s perfect timing. At the beginning of the summer, I was Naomi- sad, upset, confused, and bitter about the circumstances I was in. But through your study, and most of all His word, God showed me that He has a plan for my life, and a plan for RIGHT NOW, and I’m so glad that His plan for my summer included your study. It will be one I will look back to in the coming semesters at school when times are hard and I feel like giving up again.
Thank you for what you’re doing.
Kelly – I LOVED the study. You made me laugh out loud at parts (which I love to do) but also really got me/us thinking (I did the study with my Mom and 2 sisters). You have an amazing gift – thanks for sharing it with us. AND, also thanks for the tomato, basil pasta recipe. It has been a hit at our house this summer!
God Bless, Megan
Kelly! I LOVED this study as I loved NOG (and sister, that was a tough one to top). The moving forward through grief and hardship — what an incredible picture of God’s provision.
Thank you for being so real and writing this study. Thank you for giving so much of yourself. May God bless you richly.
I loved this study on Ruth so much. I was so taken by the whole concept of hesed throughout this study. That God would extend that to us for no reason other than He wants to is just so amazing to me! I’m crying just thinking of it now!
Kelly, I have loved both your studies and I am eagerly awaiting the release of your next one – you are right up there with Beth as one of my faves! Thank you so much for sharing what God has given you with us. ♥
Thank you, Kelly, for the fresh insight into our God through the book of Ruth! Our group treasured your study, and we have many favorites. But the number one favorite take-away is that we are all dearly loved by Jesus and He has a big heart for women…no matter where we are or where we are from or what we have done. We look forward to doing another study with you! Thank you!
Kelly,
I have been overwhelmed time and again through this study at the way the Lord has used it to speak EXACTLY to where I am! Sorry in advance for being long-winded but I’ve been hoping for this opportunity!! (plus my husband is out of town so I haven’t had much adult conversation today!)
A couple specifics- I loved the part about “weeping in different directions” as we are at a crossroads right now in our lives- looking at moving to a different overseas city because of my husband’s new leadership position in our company (we are currently in Beirut, Lebanon) and it is hurting my heart so much to think of leaving these precious people I have grown to love.
Another thing I loved was the way you brought out God’s heart for the “foreigners and aliens” in the land and how they (we as Gentiles) are now so grafted into His eternal redemptive plan. As a team over here, we frequently find ourselves praying for those we live among who would definitely be considered foreigners- I think of the verses in Ephesians 2 about all “fellow citizens” being before the throne of grace.
Finally, I’ve shared on this blog before about our struggles with infertility and the journey the Lord has had us on over the past years with that. Literally today I went to my doctor (who is a Muslim that I”ve been able to share with through this whole process so please pray for her!) as we’re in the midst of our 4th natural in-vitro cycle. I came home from my appointment and did the lesson from week 5 (I’m a little behind)where you talked about the women throughout Scripture whose wombs God opened in His perfect timing. Wow! Incidentally, our third daughter (also an IVF baby after my husband’s cancer) is named Naomi.
Thank you for the way you shine and allow the Lord to use you exactly where you are. Thank you for allowing your life to speak into ours. God bless you today!
Kelly,
Thank you so much for writing Ruth. I loved this bible study so very much. I love the insights that you brought to it. You really made it come alive. You have a gift. It seemed like you took each and every verse, and made it applicaple to my very own life! I am so thankful that Beth chose your study and kept me in the word this summer. I’m running out to get No Other Gods! If it is as good as this one, I’m going to have a great fall! 🙂
Rachel
P.S. We had a group of 11 women and I know each and every one of them was touched by this study. One is a widow, one just lost a baby a few months ago, one is a missionary on home service, one is my 79 year old grandmother, one is a new mom, one is my own mom. To a woman, they all expressed how thankful they were for this study and how much it impacted them this summer. So THANK YOU!!!
Thank you, Kelly! This was my first time doing one of your studies and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I appreciate so much how God made the book of Ruth new to me once again and taught me even more from it then I imagined. He spoke so tenderly all summer to me about His role as my Redeemer–it came up everywhere. 🙂 It’s what I’ve so needed to hear.. to hear that, like Boaz for Ruth, Christ eagerly redeems me, all of me, and announces me as His own bride. Its a story too good to be true–the Gospel! Thanks for your faithfulness and I do look forward to more studies with you in the future.
Keep running your race and encouraging us to do the same. 🙂
Martha
Brevard, NC
Kelly you are such an amazing word weaver! I love how you traced all the genealogy back to other stories in the bible or of all the key people in the book of Ruth. Showing Tamar, Rahab etc made the study even more meaningful. You consistently would weave back to the big picture of God at work in such astounding ways. Thanks for being an inspiration to us single gals. I’m in a season of unemployment and no Boaz, but I loved how Ruth in her humble Sacrifice was noticed by God and used so greatly. I hope one day to meet you and the “NOGS”, eat some amazing food and study God together. Now Hurry up and write another. May God Bless and keep you as a strong leader!
Kelly,
Thank you for writing the Bible study on the book of Ruth. I thoroughly enjoyed studying with you, as I felt I was right there in your group with you. I also have the accompanying CD, which I love.
Thank you for your insight! I look forward to more studies from you.
Kelly,
I have never recommended a Bible study as much as I have “No Other Gods” and now I’m thrilled to get to recommend “Ruth” to everyone as well. Your writing style is deep, yet conversational. I love it!
My favorite thing from Ruth: don’t mourn what was obviously not from God.
Thanks for sharing your heart. Keep writing!
Love,
Nikki
Kelly, what a blessing this study has been. Having heard the story and read it and heard it preached on numerous times, none compare to going verse by verse and digging out the blessings of God’s truths.
Hi Kelly,
Thanks so much for the study. God used your study and the Book of Ruth in a new way to encourage me in his work. I live and serve in another country and understand loss of leaving family and friends behind but also the ongoing legacy of what our lives are doing here.
I love the way your book was presented. The recipes were a great idea!
Blessings on ALL that you do
Kelly,
I can’t begin to tell you how much this study has touched me at this particular time in my life. I have become a grandmother for the first time, just three weeks ago. What a monumental moment! It is just the greatest blessing.
However, the circumstances surrounding it were not what we had hoped for. God has just been shining a light in dark places that we did not know existed. My son, age 22, had come forward to say that he is not saved and told us that he was about to be a father. We did not even know he was dating anyone. Although there is no marriage in sight, I have told this young woman that she is forever tied to me like a daughter.
I have prayed for the Lord to flood my heart with love for her. I have been so touched with this study and the picture of love, faithfulness and strength shown through Ruth and Naomi. What a perfect picture of God’s love and devotion to us. At times I have mourned as Naomi did, but I know that he is calling me to be a “Ruth”, to be faithful, loving and strong for my new “daughter”. I believe with all my heart that God will sow seed through the birth of my grandson. I pray everyday for the salvation of my son, grandson and “daughter”. I just need to be patient and wait on HIM.
As much as I have learned from this study I still have so many unanswered questions. I think God loves that we have unanswered questions, because he knows we will keep searching!
I believe Naomi must have been a wonderful servant of God throughout the 10 years that Ruth was married to her son. I keep thinking why else would it have been important for Ruth to state that “your people will be my people, and your God will be my God”. She knew how important Naomi’s GOD was to her. This is my wish, my legacy that I hope to leave. That my children and children’s children will know how much Christ means to me and that they will continue this love for our Savior!
I thank God for you and your faithfulness to HIS WORD!
Your Sister in Christ, Lori
What a wonderful and insightful study. For years Ruth has been my favorite person in the Bible because of her steadfast loyalty. However, thanks to your insights, I have new reasons to love her even more. Plus, I also gained a better understanding of Naomi. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi Kelly!
I was so nice to see your smiling face! Thank you so much for this Bible study. It is actually the first one I have done from start to finish without getting distracted in the middle by the rest of life. I ordered “No Other Gods” for my Fall Bible study because I remember you mentioning it in this study and it sounded fantastic!!
Kelly,
Thank you for writting this study on Ruth! It will be even more memorable as it was my first in Siestaville. I’ve gotten to thinking about the Legacy part and how great God is that even when I’m struggling he keeps me from gettin so far out the my life and legacy would be of no use to him. May God continue to bless you!
Hi Kelly!
Great job writing the study. Thank you for teaching us this summer.
May God continue to bless your ministry.
Michele M
Liverpool, NY
Thank you. God has blessed me through you! 2Corinthians 9:10 to 15! There are too many reasons why I have praised Him because of you. There 2 that are foremost for me: the concept of “hesed” throughout the book of Ruth, and that Naomi and Boaz both prayed over her then fulfilled their own prayers for Ruth. WOW. Thank you!
Hi Kelly – I just came across this blog entry – I am going to have to find your study! I wish I knew about it earlier in the summer!! My brother would play bass for you sometimes when you were back in the DC area and you and Karen England did a concert for the church we were at then – it’s been a while! I am looking forward to the study!
Kelly, I have been so blesed by studying Ruth with you! I struggle with having a desire to be in the Word but this study fanned the flame and I truly looked forward to the time I could spend in Ruth! It has motivated me to continue studing Ruth and other scripture in the Bible as well. May God continue to bless your ministry!
Kelly-
This summer has been unforgettable for me and you were a part of that. After the first week of study we traveled to Korea to bring home our daughter. I took you with me and learned so much from Ruth. I felt like every part was written just in time for me and our adoption journey. I related so much to bringing a foreigner home- a foreigner who had just lost everything.
God spoke to me late into the nights as I rocked a grieving child and I just prayed that He would restore her heart and that she would find shelter under his wings. Amazingly, I am seeing Him do just that daily.
I also loved the other nogs story about being called by name during communion. I could hear God whisper my own name. I have three little ones to leave a legacy, I’m excited for that responsibility as I draw closer to God.
Thank you for you faithfulness in writing Bible study for all of us to learn from.
Kelly, I have really enjoyed this study, especially how you looked at every verse individually. I have never done a study that looked at each verse so carefully. I also loved your stories. The verses and teaching on loss and legacy have especially encouraged me at this time. Thank you. Thank you also for using your single years so fruitfully. What a wonderful example to other singles. I wish I had been as fruitful.
Kelly-
I loved the Bible study on Ruth. I so enjoyed the indepth look at this book of the Bible. I love so many things about Ruth-her faithfulness, committedness, humility, obedience, selflessness etc. etc.
Thank-you for an awesome study! Blessings to you! Oh, and I will add how much I liked the concept of speaking blessings over people!
Dear Kelly,
I enjoyed every word of your teaching, the recipes and also your cd! I iniitiated our group of 8 women meeting together, but then had to miss the last to gatherings, because of youth camp, and then a new job all of a sudden! I have had loss, and am in a season of Love, and Legacy has always been an important part of my life. Like I said, I loved every word, but my very favorite part was being reminded that “we can trust God with our future and that He knows our full name” and writing that statement and “Keep going, knowing that God will give the increse”, and then writing “He has something for me to do==a new job in the future” all on the bottom of page 136, and then getting a new job right after that!
I am going to the store to get No Other Gods, and I believe God may be directing me to lead a group of college girls in that study.
Thank you again, Kelly!
I will be keeping you in my prayers.
The Lord had blessed you greatly with the talents of writing, teaching and singing. I pray that He will continue to bless you greatly!
I do know how to spell. . .was just excited to get to thank you that I made those typos!
Thank you so much Kelly! I am local to Nashville and have been blessed through your awesome talents of writing and witnessing to the power of scripture and its great ability to apply through all the ages until the coming of our Savior!
Kelly, I love you too! Your Bible studies are wonderful & I look forward to the next one. I have also love the CD & recently purchased another one that is brand new. I was surprised to see another new one but am enjoying it.
Thank you for your insight on Ruth. I was able to glean some things I never thought of on my own. I also loved learning about your grandfather. He seemed like a very interesting and loving man. Thanks for all you do.
Lawan
Hi Kelly, Ruth has always been a favorite book for me but under your tutuledge I saw things I had never noticed before. It brought back memories of my own mother-in-law, whom I dearly loved. Wish she and I could have shared this study. One thing that struck me was the similarity between Ruth and Esther. Both women stepped up for their destiny. Such powerful women as an example for our girls to esteem. Thanks Kelly, looking forward to your next study.
Kay, solo, Midland GA
Kelly,
Thank you for listening and being obedient to our Lord. I did Ruth on my own during the holidays of 2009 and then co-facilitated it earlier this Spring with a group of ladies in our Connect group. It was SO powerful and we saw God do so many things. For me, weeping forward was a huge mile marker in this study. Can not even begin to express what those two words did in my heart.
We are thrilled that you are coming to our church in the spring and look forward to telling you in person “THANK YOU!”.
Blessings,
stephanie
Thank you Kelly. It was a great bible study – I will always remember the new insights. Boaz being a foreshadowing of Jesus as our Kinsmen Redeemer is so awesome. I had never thought of crying forward – but I have times in my past where I have done that and trusted God with the future. He has been so faithful to me. Thank you & may God bless you richly. I look forward to doing your next bible study. Any idea of what it will be?