How are things going for you? Maybe you’re facing some real challenges that have left you with lots of questions. I’ve been there.

Several years ago, my husband’s position at work was eliminated. He was offered another job within the company, but it didn’t line up with his qualifications. He chose to look for a different job.

If you’ve ever lost a job, you’ve experienced the stress of financial pressures and lack of medical insurance. It’s not fun. It was nine long months before my husband, Steve, found another job. During that time, the pastor of our church passed away. And not many months later, my dad died.

The doubts and questions were relentless. Why was it taking so long for Steve to find a job in his field? What would happen to our church without a pastor? How could I deal with the death of my dad on top of everything else?

God’s Word is filled with countless examples of people who chose to trust Him during really hard circumstances. I could choose to trust the Lord, too.

Ruth is one of my heroes. She went through some really tough times, suffering the death of both her father-in-law and husband. What challenges me most is the choice she made when faced with a life-changing decision.

Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi, was heading back to her home town, Bethlehem-Judah. She had lived in Moab for ten years and her husband and two sons had died. It was time to go home. Naomi’s advice to her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, was to go back to their people. Orpah found it hard to leave, but could see the logic in Naomi’s counsel and chose to follow it.

Ruth was different. She saw something in Naomi that caused her to leave all she had ever known – family, friends, her home town, and culture – and trust God with her future.

Incredible. This former pagan, was willing to risk it all, and follow the God of Naomi. I love the way author Holley Gerth talks about this matter of trusting God with our stories:

Times were different then. Widows were not well-taken care of. Naomi didn’t know what she would face when she returned to Judah. Ruth was a foreigner and wouldn’t necessarily be accepted. I can imagine all the questions and fears these women faced.

Ruth’s story is beautiful – with God’s hand clearly directing both women’s lives. If you’ve never read the account, this is my spoiler alert. Ruth ends up marrying the most eligible bachelor in town, Boaz, who just happens to be Naomi’s relative.