The book of Ruth is often the topic of sermons and women’s Bible Studies. Most often, the focus is on the concept of the kinsman redeemer role of Boaz, which is a foreshadowing of what Christ did for us. Sometimes, it is showing how a pagan like Ruth chooses faith in the God of the Bible and becomes the Great-great-great Grandmother of King David and eventually Jesus. In women’s ministry, the story of Naomi and Ruth is often used to illustrate the Titus 2 instruction for the older women to mentor the younger women in a local church. I’ve used the book of Ruth to illustrate God’s goodness. We see that God is good all the time: even in the tough times; in different ways to each of us, and in what He allows or doesn’t allow into our lives. We see all those illustrated in the story of Ruth. But, one of the best lessons from the story of Naomi and Ruth is that life should not be lived alone.

Before I got into ministry, I spent many years as a salesperson.  I learned so much about life while I was in sales and I find myself constantly finding similarities between sales and ministry.  I thought for fun I would share some of those with you today: 

#1) You win some – you lose some!

I interviewed my friend Cynthia Fantasia about her new book In the Lingering Light: Courage and Hope for the Alzheimer's Caregiver.

For you caregivers, Cynthia's honestly and vulnerablity about her personal journey is truly a gift. I've already given books to two friends, knowing that it will encourage them and provide wisdom as they care for their husbands. For me, the book was a great help in understanding more of what it means to be a caregiver to those with memory loss. I believe it's a must read for ministers, as well as famly and friends of caregivers. 

One of the things that I loved about In the Lingering Light was that it was both very personal and also extremely informative. Cynthia, please share with us a little background about your caregiver role.

Today I'm happy to have as my guest Destiny Teasley, who was my grad-school writing student at the time of the Las Vegas shootings. Please listen carefully.... 

On October 1, 2017, a mass shooting took place in the center of my city, Las Vegas, Nevada. Fifty-eight people were killed and more than 850 suffered physical injuries. Two years have now passed. And here are five things my community has learned in that time:

This month I take you on a photographic tour of Ephesus. The city of Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia (Asia Minor, modern Turkey). It was an important political, educational, and commercial center as it was the gateway to Asia. It was a strategic military location and the hub for caravan travel. Ephesus was also known for the temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (Acts 19:35).  (To learn more about Artemis, please see the blogs linked below.)

As it was such an important commercial center and located on the coast of the Aegean Sea, it was an affluent city. Its markets would have boasted of dazzling fabrics such as exquisite silk and wool.[1] Ephesus researcher and seminary professor, Dr. Sandra Glahn states that Ephesus would have also had a “healthy trade in sea-jewels,” such as pearls.[2]  

Some years ago we lived on the Chesapeake Bay. We had a dry well on our property which my husband felt would once again produce water. However, even after digging for hours it remained as it was: dry. You could pour water into it but none would return; the water would just sink into the surface of the bottom. When Peter asked how many times he was to forgive, Jesus taught him the principle that forgiveness has no limit or end. It is like a well with that is dry. We must pour our words of forgiveness into it and let them float to the bottom of that trespass or resentment one apology after another with-no-end!

I took my first health care job in a pediatric facility over twenty years ago. The new job came with plenty of stress. They expected the doctors to use heavy sedative doses to get children to cooperate so they could crank out procedures and turn big profits.

In an ever-changing culture that seems anchorless and chaotic with no moral compass, this rootless tree on Highway #290 en route to our town, grabs my attention.

In its rootlessness is a metaphor that speaks of the end result of living without the soul nourishing awareness of God and His Presence. With no anchor or guidance cultural impact is very disconcerting, scary depressing and hopeless, especially if you only focus on the dead tree.

My husband Ray knew something was wrong as soon as he got out of bed.

His lower back, where he'd had back surgery six weeks before, was wet. His t-shirt was wet. The sheet was wet. His fingers glistening with a strange wetness from reaching back to investigate, he asked me to check what was going on. I saw a rivulet of fluid pouring out of the top of his surgical incision. Something was really, really wrong.

The chaos of our house on a summer day distracted me in every way. 

My boys trampled through the rooms like jousting hyenas. The crusted breakfast plates sat in the sink, the dryer signaled for me to fold laundry, and my two-year-old kept crying and whining—over nothing. I wanted to scream (or run away).

So, I picked up my phone and scrolled Instagram.

Oh, the beautiful pictures. The sweet sayings. The pep-talk quotes.  But then, the Spirit of God whispered a gentle question: “What are you looking for?”

“You, Lord,” I replied in my mind.

“I’m right here,” the Spirit responded within.

Oh. Right.

So, I set down the phone and prayed. My heart settled. Peace and clarity returned.

Sometimes distraction starts to dry up our relationship with God. How can we focus?