Giant Step For Ruth

More in Ruth...

“One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Naomi is actually saying Ruth to find “rest” in the home of a husband. 

“May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1:9‬a NIV‬‬

We need to understand what Ruth is being asked to do. She has left the Moabites and their customs that she is used to. She is going to have faith in the advice that Naomi is giving her. She will throw herself at the feet of this man. 

“When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.””

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭3:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Two points here...Naomi is leading Ruth to take a step. Naomi loved Ruth so much that she is willing to share the way to be redeemed by their nearest relative. Do I love my friends and family so much that I want to share the way to redemption? If we know that way to salvation, why don’t we share? 

Next point, Ruth is humbling herself big time! Would you follow the advice of someone that has not grown up with the same customs and belief system as you? She is giving up every single thing she has ever known that is safe and secure. She takes a giant step of faith in what Naomi is suggesting that she do. She throws herself at the feet of this man. 

““Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.””

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What a gospel moment! Jesus is telling us to cover ourselves with his garments. He promises to redeem us. The rewards are too great to describe. Many of those promises will be discovered long after our life is over. 

The rewards were unspeakable for Ruth. She receives much rewards for the rest of her life. But in eternity, she will find out that she became a part of the lineage of the Savior.

 When we receive the protection and security and salvation of Christ, we won’t see all the promises this side of heaven. There will be struggles and heartache and pain this side of heaven. But we can trust that we chose the best. We chose wisely when we throw ourselves at the feet of Jesus.

How to Maintain a Consistent Quiet Time

In John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. "

We read promises like this and we ask ourselves, "why do some people seem to enjoy a full life and I am plagued with doubts and setbacks?"  

This is similar to asking ourselves the question, "why am I overweight and out of shape?"  How are you fueling your body? What foods are going into your mouth on a consistent basis?  What exercises are you performing on a daily basis?  You know before asking those questions that the way you feed your body is the secret to your health issues. 

How do you feed your spiritual life?  Do you hunger and thirst for God's word?  Just like in the area of food, you can be so full of junk that you are not hungry for the healthier choices that your body needs. If you never eat fruits and vegetables, you do not have a taste for fruits and vegetables.  

Let's establish that many Christians really want to have a consistent quiet time spent with the Lord.  However, they just can't seem to be able to develop this habit in their own life. I want to humbly offer some ideas for beginning and maintaining a quiet time. 


Football is like life - it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.

You are probably wondering why I am using a Vince Lombardi quote about football right here.  Why is it that no one questions that success in the sports arena require perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority? But in the spiritual realm, we expect the abundant life without the same commitments. 

Okay, let's say that you are convinced that a change is needed. Let's agree that it is the most important thing that you can do. How do you begin? You need three W's.  When, Where and What.

When:  If someone walked up to you and asked you when is your quiet time, can you immediately answer? What Mark and I decided many years ago is a simple way to accomplish this. It is the first thing we do before___.  Fill in the blank.  We do this before we go to work.  I do not have a choice about going to work.  But before I go to work, I will spend at least 30 minutes studying the Bible and praying. On Saturdays, I will spend time feeding my soul before I exercise, eat breakfast, go shopping, etc.  Typically, on a work day, we will set our alarm based on how long would it take to get ready AND have a quiet time before we leave for work. Just add thirty minutes to the time it takes you to get ready.  You may already be thinking "I would have to go to bed earlier if I am going to wake up earlier." Yep, that has to be part of the plan. 

Where:  When I look at my love seat that faces my backyard, I equate that place as my place where I meet with God every morning.  When you know the location of your Bible study/prayer time, you will have everything you need nearby.  You will not have to search for your Bible, pen, paper, etc. In addition, you immediately settle in to the routine because your mind associates this as a special place. Notice that the place does not have to be fancy.  It is your spot!

What:  You can have a consistent time and place and still falter.  The "what" is a key component.  You need to decide what you will be doing during your time of study. Just like in the physical world, you could waste a lot of time trying to decide what exercises you will do in the gym. Or you could just "pre-decide." I am absolutely not suggesting that you take out the leading of the Holy Spirit in what scripture to study.  But to ensure your success in the beginning stages, I would decide ahead of time that you will be studying the book of John or The New Testament or the study of marriage. I spent the first 40 years, reading through the entire Bible each year.  Talk about stick-in-the-mud issues:).  When something works for Mark and I, we stick with it!

Take what you like from this blog.  Don't be legalistic.  You are not doing this to check a box or to earn God's favor. You are doing this to be connected to the living vine. Your health depends on it. Your life depends on it. 

What kind of old person do you want to be?

(I wrote this blog 7 years ago! I never finished the series. It's time!)

This topic has been marinating in my mind for awhile. I am about to turn 57 years old in a couple of months. I don't feel old at all!  But I want to determine what kind of person I want to become "one day" when I turn old:) I believe it is imperative to live in such a way now to safeguard the life I want to live when I am older.

 I decided to make some observations of older people that I admire. What qualities do they possess?
True confession...it was easier to think about what qualities I have observed that I do not want in my life and reverse that thinking.

Counter the idea that old age needs be a time of uselessness/retirement/atrophy. I personally hate the idea of spending your whole life serving others in a job so that you can float around on a boat and do nothing when you retire. Or walk along the beach and try new seafood recipes every night. It reeks of selfishness. No matter  how good it sounds on paper, selfishness disappoints every time. Many people have told Mark and I to have a plan for working or volunteering if we stop teaching. It is tempting to dream about "when I retire." Examine your reasons for longing for retirement.  Is it so you can be lazy or simply move into Plan B?

Along that line, many people allow their bodies to atrophy. I can't count how many older people say that they use to walk or they use to work out.  But they see old age as an excuse to "relax" more. This is a death sentence for them. At what age is it okay to wind down? If you are keeping up with my blogs, you will see that I am adding in new exercises rather than slowing down.  I made a choice(I will always struggle) to be as fit as I can be. My knee does not hurt anymore when I do Body Pump. I actually thought your knees were supposed to hurt when you got older:) I have followed a strict diet for about two weeks and lost 8 pounds. I am going to stop saying that I can't lose weight because my metabolism is slowing down. Best example I know is my husband. He is about to turn 58 this September. He is like Superman. Best shape he has ever been in his life. He refuses to get old! Check out his link at the side of my blog.


Last thing to mention on this topic.  I do not, do not, do not think we are useless just because we are older.  On the contrary, I did not start writing a blog until I was older and had a little wisdom under my belt. Mark and I are starting a new adventure next Sunday with our career class. I feel like I have so much to offer a younger teacher at my school. My favorite blog to read is from my college pastor, 40 years ago. I do not know how old he is now but he is literally reeking of wisdom! I want to be more useful with every passing year. As a matter of fact, what did I even offer to others in my twenties?  I was a taker, more than a giver.

I hate long blogs so I will pick up this topic in the next few days. Maybe you young folks need to imagine what kind of "older"person you want to be. It will take a lot of planning and goal setting to become that person one day.  It will not happen on its own.