In celebration of Women’s History Month, today’s devotional is a guest post that shares on a powerful woman in the Bible, Ruth by Nicole Evans Gyimah. I invite you to read and be encouraged by this writing. It is important for me to highlight other powerful female writers who are encouraging others with the hope of Jesus Christ! Have a wonderful week!
RUTH: Relentlessly Use the Heart By: Nicole Evans Gyimah
“…Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.“ (Ruth 1:16-17 NIV)
Can you believe it’s March already? The weather gets a little warmer. Flowers bloom, nature wakes up and we lose an hour! The Easter season is arriving with a revived hope and life. It’s also Women’s History month! As we move forward in 2021, this third month of the year invites the opportunity to celebrate all women in modern and former society. Female trailblazers and heroines have been changing our world continuously, inspiring and influencing us to live on purpose with boldness unapologetically. A biblical champion showing her relentless use of the heart, Ruth, is an excellent victor to highlight. Her story represents commitment in relationship, friendship, and love with an available heart of service to people and God.
The book of Ruth tells how God brings Naomi comfort as she experiences her greatest hurt, following the death of her husband and sons. Through Ruth’s love and kindness for her widowed mother-in-law and the remarkable friendship between the two of them, their adversities and sorrows lead them to a favorable future. She chooses Naomi and a godly Hebrew family. Ruth “…abandoned her lifelong home and her pagan gods. She became a Jew by choice.”
Ruth, meaning companion or friend in Hebrew, took care of her mother-in-law as if she was her own mother. She exhibited selfless behavior and valued relationships, specifically with Naomi and definitely with God. Ultimately, Naomi guided Ruth into a relationship with a distant relative, Boaz. He married Ruth keeping her from a desolate widow’s life in ancient times. Their union and offspring positioned Ruth in Jesus’ ancestry. God rewarded Ruth bringing her a husband’s protective care, security, motherhood and a place in Christ’s royal genealogy.
Ruth, an obedient servant, committed to Naomi’s welfare found her destiny in this role and through her pivotal decision. Her trust in Naomi, God, faithfulness and focus on others as she put her own desires aside honored the Lord. She was blessed because of her extraordinary character-including humility, loyalty, devotion and an available heart clearly directed toward benefiting her mother-in-law and God. How about you? Are you loyal? Do you relentlessly use the heart? Are you constantly trying to find opportunities to serve others?
I invite you to figure out an area, organization, cause or person needing assistance. This may be at work, next door, or in your home. Wherever the opportunity, start there. Live your story. Relentlessly use the heart and become the great woman (present and in history) God itended.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Nicole Gyimah works for IEEE (Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineers) Publishing. She received her B.S. in Telecommunication from Morgan State University in 1995 and her M.A. in Business Communication from Jones International University in 2007. Prior to moving from NJ to MD, Nicole was also an adjunct professor at the College of Communication and the Arts- Seton Hall University. Nicole loves serving at her church, through the local schools and is a Girl Scouts Troop Leader. She does advocacy work, serving various organizations in a volunteer capacity including the BUILD Health Challenge, Children’s National Hospital, Children’s Law Center in Washington DC, and at work-where she mentors youth in the TryEngineering Together eMentoring program. She is a soccer mom; enjoys reading, writing, connecting and creating. She currently resides in Waldorf, MD with her husband, son and daughters.
She can be reached in the following ways:
E-Mail: nicolegyimah@gmail.com
IG @nicolegyimah
FB @Nicole (Evans) Gyimah
Twitter @negyimah
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