Traditionally, the Old Testament book of Ruth has been viewed as a love story. But in this series of 12 conversations with author Carolyn Custis James, Mart DeHaan and Elisa Morgan discover that this story of Naomi and Ruth and Boaz is not all about romance. It’s about God’s ability to make much of broken lives, and how he calls men and women to serve together to build His kingdom.

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What do we do when life doesn’t follow the Cinderella script? How do we respond when the life we get doesn’t seem to have the happily-ever-after ending that we hoped for?  

Traditionally, the Old Testament book of Ruth has been viewed as a love story. But there’s so much more to the story than meets the eye. As we dig deeper into the stories of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz, we get a picture of God’s ability to make much of broken lives, and how He calls men and women to serve together to build His kingdom.  

How can the story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz encourage you as you face hardships in your life? 

Reflect  

• Based on Ruth 1:1–5, how is Naomi’s story similar to Job’s story of suffering? How was Naomi’s situation perhaps even more dire than Job’s? 
• How does the end of Naomi’s story in Ruth 4:13–17 remind us that God gives us beauty for ashes? 
• How can we relate to Naomi’s laments in Ruth 1:6–13 and Ruth 1:20–21 when we’re going through times of sorrow, grief, or hardship?  
• Based on Ruth 1:14-18, why did Ruth refuse to leave Naomi? Who was she really clinging to? 

Respond 

(Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) 

“Dear God, thank You that You are close to the brokenhearted. Help me turn to You even in the midst of any sorrow or pain I’m experiencing. Help me feel Your comfort and love during any trials I face.”  

Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources 

Mentioned in this episode: 

• The Gospel of Ruth   
• Where Ya From? Podcast - Fighting Battles Together (Carolyn Custis James) 

Listen: 

• The Book of Naomi  
• God Is At Work—The Story of Ruth Part 1—The Worst of Times  

Read: 

• Journeying Through Grief to Find Healing   
• A Season of Suffering – Meeting Jesus in Our Pain  

Watch: 

• Running on Empty - Ruth 1:21  
• Unshakable Moxie