Redeeming Ruth: A Book Review

Some may think doing hard things isn’t worth it. Some may think one little Ugandan baby with developmental problems is too big a risk for a normal family from Maine. But Meadow Rue Merrill and her family felt differently. The subtitle for this beautifully written book is “Everything Life Takes, Love Restores.” All across the pages, this truth comes through.

What I loved about this powerful story was Meadow’s honesty throughout. She had doubts about adopting this special-needs baby. She didn’t want to trust God with this opportunity. She questioned what seemed plain to her husband, Dana. Honesty about her faith struggles, honesty about her marriage struggles, honesty about her parenting struggles. Everything is there for everyone to read. No holds barred.

But what shines so clearly through as well is the non-stop love and care and advocacy Meadow and her family heaped upon this little girl, and the heart that they bring to the issue of special-needs kids in the poorest of countries in the world. If their family could help, so can yours.

The story comes to life through Meadow’s recounting of her trip back to Uganda with Ruth to complete the adoption process. My palms sweated and my heart raced as they encountered trial, after trial, after trial, but saw God’s provision in every instance. Tears flowed when hearts were prompted to raise money that was needed in just a couple of days. Emotional and heart breaking and heart warming all at the same time, Redeeming Ruth shows us the heart of God through the hands of His people.

Losing a child is an unspeakable tragedy, yet Meadow speaks of the place this tragedy had in her life, in her faith, in her family. Raw emotion, unconditional love, shaken faith. And redemption. God brought that to this little family in Maine through a deaf, disabled baby from Uganda. And He can bring it to you, if you will open your hearts.

You can find Redeeming Ruth starting May 1 at Amazon.com, and Christianbook.com and watch the book trailer here.

The Ancient Hill: A Good Friday Contemplation

What is that there on yonder hill

Awash with red so deep?

What does it have that draws me near?

What secrets does it keep?

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My heart is caught, my eyes are set

Up to that hill I tred

There’s something there, I know not what

But oh, that deep, deep red

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I hear the story, I know it’s true

but I do not know the why

A man, they say, but more than a man

went to that hill to die

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For me? I ask, but why for me?

What did I e’re do wrong?

And then I heard a still, small voice

Sing out an ancient song

 

There was no answer I could give

upon that old, old hill

I saw the red, I heard the cries

I know I always will

 

For me, for me, I hear the song

I weep because it’s true

He came, He loved, He gave his life

For me, and friend, for you.

 

Upon that hill, that ancient hill

I always want to stay

For there I know my Savior bled

and set me free that day

 

image from: images.fineartamerica.com

Beauty From Ashes

Some people can look on a blank canvas and picture the beauty that could be there, or a fixer-upper house and see the potential, or a dilapidated piece of furniture and see a treasure. I’m not so good at that. That’s why I wasn’t a very good editor. I wasn’t so good at seeing what wasn’t there. My pastor likes to pray, “Lord, help me see what I’m not seeing.”

My friend Lyndee is an amazingly creative crafter, seamstress, writer and more. She once tried to teach me how to sew. I was successful at making a couple of things, but soon learned that I just didn’t have the interest or the knack. She did, however, successfully teach me how to cross stitch, and I have enjoyed that, though not in a long while.

Recently, she posted something on Facebook that was so truthfilled, I asked her if I could share it here. She graciously agreed.

“I love envisioning the beauty in all manner of tired, thrifted items, but the amount of time required to coax the beauty out for others to see often feels ridiculously wasteful. Mid-project, I realize that I must seem like a nut to normal people. But when I succeed, then comes joy! Not so much a look-what-I-made-cuz-I’m-super-awesome joy, as much as a look-at-the-awesomeness-I-found-hiding-in-there-how-cool-is-that?! Maybe that’s how God is with us. Our buried beauty is obvious to Him. He spends a painstaking amount of time coaxing that beauty out for others to see. Not a look-how-perfect-she-is-now, but a look-what-a-mess-she-was-when-I-found-her-and-how-lovely-and-unique-I-can-transform-her-to-be.”

Beauty from ashes, rags to riches, treasure from trash. There’s a big word for the work of God in each of our lives. It’s called “redemption.”

Praise be to God for His indescribable gift!

Thanks for the reminder, Lyndee!

 

image courtesy campclem.com