Hey ladies,
It’s week 1! Here we go!
We are so excited to be jumping into God’s Word together this week. Like we mentioned in the welcome email (if you signed up this week and didn’t get it, send me an email and I’ll send it to you as well!), we are doing this study a bit differently this round. This is more of a guided Bible study – you get to decide how much you dig in.
I know there are some of you who are so overwhelmed with what’s going on in the world that the idea of starting something else seems next to impossible. I want to specifically speak to you first. Welcome. I’m glad you’re here, broken and weary. We invite you to do what you can, but please do not feel pressured to do anything other than get in God’s Word. We’re so glad you’re here.
To those who have a surplus of downtime on your hands and are eager to dig in and learn, welcome to you too as well! I’m so glad you’re here and I’m excited to see how you put all those Bible study skills we’ve learned over the last few months to good work. Dive in, dig deep, and we are praying that this is a fruitful resource to you over the next four weeks.
Some staff at The Well (shout out to Kelsie!!) created this blogpost that has all of the essentials for both the men and the women studies of Ruth. However, you can expect a weekly email from me touching base and giving you the following:
Scripture for the Week: Ruth 1 (to listen to audio version, click on the sound button see image below)
Video Resource: David Platt on Ruth 1: The Mystery of Mercy
Instead of one of us ladies teaching you, we’re going to be listening to David Platt preach through the book of Ruth. I love Platt’s teaching and hope and pray that it will minister to you these next few weeks. Also, underneath the video on the bottom right hand corner there is a button labeled “Downloads.” There is a copy of the transcript of the sermon that you can access and read along or mark up if you’d like.
Additional Online Resources: Like we mentioned in the first email, for your independent study we recommend this commentary and this study journal, although neither are necessary in order for you to participate.
Another great online resource is the Bible Project’s overview of the book of Ruth. This is a helpful introduction and an overview of the book as a whole.
Zoom Meeting to Discuss Ruth 1: Listen, I know this is all new for everyone – so we’re going to try this out to see if this works! Thursday night at 8pm we’re going to have our first Zoom Bible Study to discuss Ruth 1. We’ll be switching up our times and days, so if you can’t hop online this time, tune in next week.
Meeting Link:
https://zoom.us/j/230745419?pwd=UHBKK3R6THAxYUlwRUxNaEpKendIdz09
Meeting ID: 230 745 419
Password: 322105
Questions: Each week we’ll be sending out questions you can think through at home. Again, our main goal is to provide structure and encouragement to get into the Word. God’s Word is our primary source, the rest of this is just secondary. But if you have time, these will help guide your reading and application of the text to your life.
- What big ideas stand out to you in this chapter? Are there any repeated words or phrases?
- How do our beliefs about God impact the way we view Him in the middle of suffering?
- From Platt’s sermon, what is the significance of the author’s literary devices? (If you didn’t listen – don’t worry, just skip this one!).
- Notice the meaning of the names mentioned in Ruth 1. What are they and what are their meaning? Do you think those names are important? Why or why not?
- Look at verses 20-21. What name does she call God? What does this tell us about Ruth’s view of God in suffering?
- Are there any other verses in Scripture that point us to how God cares for us in the midst of suffering?
Prayer: Sometimes, when I’m not sure what or how to pray, I’ll pick Psalm and pray through it. These last few weeks, I have found myself without words and so I pick up God’s Word to guide my words. Each week I’ll be sharing a Psalm that I want to encourage you to pray through. When praying Scripture, simply read the passage and pray it back to the Lord. Sometimes I’ll rephrase verses so they fit my current circumstances, or will say something like, “God you said that, ‘___________.’ Lord let it be so here in this circumstance and help my heart to believe it.”
This week let me encourage you to pray through Psalm 31.
Alright y’all! With this, week 1 has started. More than anything, I am praying that God’s Word comes alive to you, that it serves as a balm for those of you who are weary, and that is sustenance for us all.
Dear sisters, you are loved. If there is anything you need prayer for, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our women leaders.
Blessings,
Brittany Salmon