Week 1 - Introduction

I am so thrilled that you have decided to be a part of the wonderful Ladies Bible Study.  I that if you give God the opportunity, He is going to show you some amazing things about Himself, about you and about His plan for your life.  Yes,  all that can happen through the 4 very small chapters of Ruth.

So how will this work exactly?  I hope that you have your book right beside you!  If you do... I would like to "introduce you to your book."  (don't you just love new books and the promise that they bring!)

This book/study has 6 sessions.  Within each session, there are 5 assignments, which are separated out into "days."  Please feel free to work through these daily assignments at your leisure - whatever best fits your schedule.  Of course I would recommend that you fit the assignments into one week.  Not only because that is how we are going through the study here locally - but you will more than likely stick with this study and get the most out of it if you put yourself on a disciplined schedule.

Here, online, we will address some of the discussion questions that are found throughout the book.  Please feel free to truly "voice" your thoughts and the things that God tells you and shows you within the pages of this book!  Make this book PERSONAL!  I do this often and am constantly amazed at what I learn, when my pen begins to write!

Now turn to page 31.  Kelly Minter has written an entire album to go along with this study!  You can find the music at iTunes or you can purchase a CD at the same place you found the book.  I would highly encourage you to get this!  Your spirit is going to truly be touched when you hear the music that matches Ruth's journey.

Now turn to page 32-33 - RECIPES!!!  Yummy!  If you're doing this study with a group (in your location) you might consider making these meals together!  Cooking and eating together brings a whole new level to bonding and relating.  I wish we could do this in our local group - but space, location, and schedule are not allowing us to do so.  However... all in one book we get Jesus and recipes - you can't get much better than that!!!

So with ALL that said.... now let me introduce you to Ruth.

I'm curious, before we reference the book... how much you know about this girl?  Yes, she was a real person in the Bible!  Her story is truly amazing.  I hope you have your Bible right beside your computer!  If so, please turn to the book of Ruth.

Find it?  Don't worry if you had to use the Table of Contents!  It's a great story - but a small one.  She's tucked away in between Judges and 1 Samuel.  If you're not really looking for it - you'll probably miss it and skip right over it as you're turning the pages of your Bible.

I want to share with you a little commentary I found in my own Bible about her story.

(yes, this was originally recorded via video - but at the time we're having some technical difficulties... I promise to have those resolved for the next session)

Listen to Introduction to Ruth


Okay... we're almost done for today...
I want you to read pages 6 & 7 of your book.  I want you to know go back to the first paragraph on page 7 and circle every description of Ruth that relates in some way to your life.

Have you...
longed to be loved?
                been devastated by loss?
                                      struggled as a stranger?
                                                         lived with bitterness?

You see ladies, once we can connect on a personal level with the people in the Bible, we can come to an understanding that our Bibles are more than just history books - but that it is a book about ourselves and how and Almighty God loves us very much!

I hope you've been encouraged by Ruth's history so far!  I want you to know from the beginning... her story ends well  and yours can too when we walk with God!

In our local group, we concluded our time together in prayer and asked that God would show us something special in this study.  We then watched the following video of Kelly.



I'll see ya next week!