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generosity

Redeemed Day 10 Steps Of Faith

July 3, 2020 by Penny Noyes Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ruth 3:1-5
Proverbs 27:9
Exodus 33:12-23

Redeemed, Day 10

“I’m home.” Flinging open the door to our small house, I called out to my mother-in-law. She looked up with joy in her twinkling brown eyes. I knew she loved me every time she looked at me.

“Ruth!” she exclaimed, looking up from her mending. “You’re home early!”

“The barley harvest is over,” I explained.  I’d been gathering grain in the barley fields of Naomi’s relative Boaz for the past month. He was so kind to me and everyone who worked for him. I had spent the morning picking up the final grains and cleaning up alongside the other working girls.   While eating lunch, I recalled that first day when I began working in Boaz’s fields. Naomi and I had just moved back from Moab, my homeland. We were destitute. Boaz, in his generosity, had shared his wine and toasted grain with me. Naomi was so excited when I showed her the barley I’d collected from his fields.  It was the happiest I had seen her in years!

Now, as she took the final bag of barley and placed it into the storage bin, she turned to me with a familiar intensity in her eye. It was the same look I’d seen when she decided to return here to Bethlehem after my husband, Kilion and his brother had died.

Naomi had a plan.

She reached for my hands, gripping them with tender love as she spoke,
“My daughter, I must seek rest for you and find a home for you,
where you will be well provided for.”

Naomi’s passionate gesture brought back an instant visual of when my sister-in-law, Orpah, and I last held Naomi’s hands. Naomi had decided to leave Moab and return to her homeland, Bethlehem. Through tears, she’d encouraged Orpah and me to stop following her to Bethlehem and instead return to Moab. She blessed us, saying, “May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”

Orpah pulled her hands from Naomi’s grip and wrapped her arms around us. She would return to her parent’s home, but I couldn’t leave Naomi. I knew this decision was more significant than where I lived; it was an opportunity to leave the gods of Moab and follow Yahweh. Naomi had taught me of Yahweh and His goodness. Though she had suffered the loss of her two boys and her husband, she still believed Yahweh was kind. Though our life was hard and bitter, she taught me to see Lord’s kindness in our friendship, safety on our journey to her hometown, and provision in Boaz’s fields.  Even though I was now a foreigner and an outsider, she knew the Lord could answer her prayer for a home with security and a husband and kids. It wasn’t too much for the Lord.

She paused and looked me up and down, but her hold on my hands intensified with a fire of love in her eyes. My hair was straggly with husks stuck to my clothes, and I smelled like sweat and barley. It wasn’t a pretty picture, but that didn’t stop her.

“Tonight, our relative, Boaz, will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.” (Ruth 3:3-4)

My mouth dropped open. I couldn’t believe Naomi’s plan. Sneak onto the threshing floor while Boaz was asleep, uncover his feet, and lie down!

Only men went to the threshing floor.  What if someone saw me?

I was shocked. I did not expect Naomi to come up with a plan like this!

Since moving to Bethlehem, Naomi had spent much time teaching me the Law. There were rules about food, keeping the Sabbath, our clothing, and appropriate relationships. Since Boaz was our relative, she had explained the role of the kinsman-redeemer. Meaning, Boaz had a special responsibility to protect the family and the land.  She also explained why such a kind and faithful man was still single.  Though Boaz’s father was Naomi’s relative, his mother was a former Canaanite prostitute. No parent in Bethlehem would allow their daughter to marry Boaz. To do so would risk Yahweh’s anger burning against them according to Deuteronomy 7:3-4, “Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.”

As Naomi shared her plan, she noted how she had heard of Boaz’s kind character through conversation with the women of Bethlehem at the town well. The women’s testimony of his character and my stories of working with him had convinced her Boaz was a good man, who reflected Yahweh’s kindness. She believed God had saved him for me and brought me back from Moab for him.

Wow!  What a surprise.  I never imagined remarrying after Kilion died, but here was a gift of redemption. Naomi was giving me a life-changing choice just like she had with the choice to return home or move to Bethlehem.  She would love me regardless of my decision. She was more than my mother-in-law, she was my friend. We cooked together, laughed together, and learned Scripture together. Long before my husband died, she held me and cried with me every month I wasn’t pregnant. I trusted Naomi’s wisdom and perspective.  I trusted her heart and advice more than I trusted my own.

It was time to get cleaned up and put on my perfume.
It was time for me to take one more step of faith.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Posted in: Character, Faith, Joy, Love, Provider, Redeemed, Safe, Significance Tagged: friendship, generosity, kindness, Naomi, Ruth, Steps, Yahweh

Open Day 13 Radical Offering

August 14, 2019 by Kendra Moberly 2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Kings 4:8-17
Matthew 6:1-4
Matthew 25:42-46

Open, Day 13

Twelve years ago, I met a woman we’ll call “Marcy”.
Marcy’s children and I went to the same school and attended the same church. I knew Marcy’s children better than I knew Marcy, but over the years, we served together in different ministries at church and grew closer.

Marcy and her family live in a beautiful home, her husband has a solid job, and from the outside looking in, it appears that Marcy has everything she needs and even wants. That’s all pretty surface-y, but I’m guessing we can all imagine someone with Marcy’s lifestyle.

However, I know something else about Marcy….
I know she and her husband live out selfless generosity.
All without saying anything to anyone.

The only way I could possibly know this is if I were a benefactor of their open-handed generosity… which I am.
Marcy has opened her home over and over as a welcome place for discipleship, worship, blessing, celebrating, and feeding others. Including me.
I’ve watched Marcy open her arms to people of all walks of life… sometimes she doesn’t remember their names, but she never forgets a face! That Marcy would literally give the shoes off of her feet to someone… and she has.

My mom once told Marcy the shoes she was wearing were adorable and that I would love them. Finding out we wore the same size, she literally took her shoes off of her feet, handed them to my mom, and told her to give them to me.

Marcy’s husband has used his profession to assist my parents on the mission field at no cost to them. Together they bought my entire cart full of Christmas gifts when we ran into one another at Target, where they were purchasing food to serve to parents with sick kiddos.  This couple have poured themselves out to love others in countless ways as they have discipled, mentored, and given away what they had for others. Marcy told me once that nothing they own is actually theirs, it all belongs to God. 

The reason we’re even calling her “Marcy”, is because many of the times she has given to me, she has sworn me to secrecy. She and her husband live out Matthew 6:1-4 with extravagance! While I could go on about this couple and their generosity, they would humbly remind me that living with open hands and hearts is simply the means by which they are called to further the Kingdom.

Marcy reminds me of a woman in the Bible whose name also isn’t mentioned… perhaps because her heart was so similar to Marcy’s. She wasn’t concerned about being remembered only about living generously.

This nameless woman is known as the “Shunammite Woman”.
Like our friend, Gaius, she isn’t well known, but from Scripture, we do know she was wealthy, married, and perhaps most importantly:
she used hospitality to love others well.

The benefactor of her gifts was a prophet named Elisha.
Elisha and this woman somehow met when he visited her town. She insisted on feeding him. (Which I can only laugh at because I literally try to force-feed my brother every time he visits. “Are you hungry? No? Are you sure? Here, I made spaghetti last night, let me just reheat some for you. I also have salad and brownies and coffee and the lesser-known sparkling water, Bubly!”)

The Shunammite Woman must’ve been a pretty decent cook, because after their first encounter, Elisha stopped by her house to eat every single time he visited. I can’t imagine the conversations that occurred, but there is no doubt that Elisha shared about the One True God, Yahweh, with this woman and her husband. Before long, the Shunammite Woman referred to Elisha as a ‘holy man of God’ and had a room built just for him on the roof of their house. They fully furnished the room and welcomed Elisha and his servant readily.

Many of us have guest rooms and happily welcome visitors throughout the year, but to actually construct an entire room specifically for a guest-turned friend is radical.
Elisha wasn’t family.
This wasn’t a neat Airbnb designed for income off of Elisha.
This was love and hospitality and generosity.

After becoming aware of the work the One True God was doing through Elisha, they used what they had – a rooftop – to support God’s Kingdom work in their community.
Expecting nothing in return.

I’ve been writing this Journey study while sitting in my church’s building watching the hustle and bustle of daily church activities occur. Just a moment ago, friends of mine who are empty-nesters, came over to chat and I asked why they were here on a Thursday morning. “Oh, we have four camp counselors staying at our house and we told them we’d come see them at camp today!”
Open handed generosity.

This same couple has opened up their home again and again for Kingdom work.
After becoming aware of the work the One True God is doing, this couple used what they had – a home with empty rooms – to support God’s work in our community.

Sisters, it doesn’t take much for us to demonstrate incredible hospitality like Marcy, the Shunammite woman, or my empty-nester friends.
Each are using what they have – their homes, their love for people, and their love for the Father – to further the work God is doing.

We don’t need a secure job with a steady income, just an open heart.
Maybe all we have is a pull-out couch, bottomless coffee, or cold water on a hot day.

God takes our willingness,
our open hands,
and open hearts,
and He builds His Kingdom!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Open Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Open!

Posted in: Community, gentle, Giving, God, Open Tagged: acts of love, compassionate, expected nothing, generosity, hospitality, kind, open-handed, Shunammite Woman

The GT Weekend! ~ Open Week 2

August 10, 2019 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1)  How willing are we to up-end our home, our plans, and our comfortable places for the sake of loving others? It’s easy to say, “of course” to that, isn’t it? We want to love well. But when we are holding onto our last thread, when the dishes are high in the sink, and we feel run down, we aren’t very likely to hold open the door are we? And most of the time, the opportunity to ‘open the door’ doesn’t coincide with our times of “being spent”, but suppose the next time we are challenged like this, we say yes instead of later? Jesus’ yes, despite His weariness and just wanting to be home, brought opportunity for souls to be rescued for eternity. What might God do with your “yes”, even in spite of your exhaustion?!

2)  Every person who has said yes to Jesus, yes to breaking free from sin and shame, has been freed to love with a generosity like Christ has shown us. Jesus brings healing, hope, and freedom to our dark, broken places, transforming hurt and loss into a platform to speak of His glorious goodness to others. So, here’s the challenge, who have you shared your story with? Take time this weekend to one, write your story with pen to paper or fingers to keys and two, pray for God to bring you someone who needs to hear your story. Then follow through in obedience, and share what God has done for you!

3)  Unknown, unremarkable, forgotten. Sounds horrible and cringe-worthy doesn’t it? But this is the reality for countless believers through the ages who have surrendered all for Christ and given their everything for the sake of loving others and sharing the gospel. Jesus didn’t promise our name in lights or sprawled across the cover of a book, He promised suffering and persecution for following Him. But He also promised it would be worth it. What specific ways do you shy away from serving others with love because it just doesn’t seem important enough or make a big enough impact? Sisters, that’s not how God counts value! What matters is our obedience to His call to love others well just like Gaius. (Gaius Who?!) Stop everything right now and spend time talking with the Savior about how He wants you to love others specifically this weekend!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 3 John 1:3-4 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Prayer Journal
This walking in truth You have called us to stretches me more than I realize. Far from being a checkmark of boxes to accomplish day to day, You call me to sink my feet deeply into Your truth, continually calling me to take in more of You. And then live it out with the same fullness of love You show me. I confess that I often feel ruled by my schedule and list of ‘must-dos’ more than I do a law of love. Spirit, remind me of the truth of Who you are and what You have called me into. Remind me how You are not bound by my endless lists. Remind me that the greatest work You want to accomplish in and through me is open handed, open hearted, generous, genuine love. Keep making me new in this area, Father, and begin changing the world around me, beginning with my own heart!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

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Posted in: Broken, Freedom, God, GT Weekend, Healing, Hope, Jesus, Open, Truth Tagged: Christ, generosity, genuine, graciousness, love, open the door, Say Yes, serving others, Well

The GT Weekend ~ Anchored Week One

February 23, 2019 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) When you think of the local church, do you see yourself as having a role in helping her grow healthy and strong? Why or why not? Don’t give quick answers. Consider what you say you believe and what your actions prove. Consider your words and how you view leadership in the church. Are you generally encouraging and looking for ways to strengthen the Body? Take time this weekend to write a note or two to a church leader the Spirit is leading you to encourage! Love the church well this week!

2) What feelings do you sense as you consider words like “community” “church” “transparency” “connection” “prayer” and “worship”? Exuberance? Warm feelings? Gratitude? Fear or pulling back? How we view God and our role in His Body, the Church, greatly impacts how we view those words and what we choose to associate with them. As you think through these, look for ways you can grow deeper in your understanding of God’s perspective, plan, and purpose for the Church to live together.

3) Tawnya tackled some big topics in yesterday’s Journey Study as she helped us unpack core truths of the Almighty God of the Bible. Right thinking about God and His character will lead to right living and a true gospel shining out in our lives from the mundane to the big-moment-highlights. Make a list of the top 10 things you know for sure about the God of the Bible. Don’t think too hard, just the first 10 that come to mind. Next make a list of things you also know about God that seem to contradict the first list. For example, how can God be both loving and jealous? Or how can he hold Justice and Grace perfectly? Don’t let your questions scare you away! The Lord isn’t afraid of them, He wants you to ask and explore Him in greater ways!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Colossians 1:5-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

You have already heard about this hope in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you heard it and came to truly appreciate God’s grace.

Prayer Journal
Yes, Abba. Ah, gracious Lord God! How sweet and pleasing it is to gaze at this “Word of Truth”, Your gospel, Your hope given generously to humanity. Precious, Lord, it is precious! Remind me, again and again, every single day, hour by hour, of this life-giving gospel by which I am surrounded by abundant, unending grace. Remind me that the work is finished, my job is to submit to Your tender leading as Your Spirit whispers through Your Word.

Bear much fruit here, Father. See my relationships? My children? These ministries You’ve given me to steward well? Grow gospel fruit here, Lord. Teach me to surrender more and more of myself to You that Your Spirit may be free to grow and prune and multiply Kingdom growth here in the soil of my life. I praise you, Lord God, ruler of all, Creator of all!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

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Posted in: Anchored, church, Colossians, Community, God, GT Weekend Tagged: Almighty God, generosity, Gospel Fruit, hope, kingdom, leadership, Together

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    Paul knew, and had experienced in his own life, that Jesus was always the Better, which is why, when writing to confront the Corinthians of their sin, he turned their focus onto the Sacrificial Lamb. (verse 7) Only when we keep Christ, His love, and His sacrifice that we could never repay in focus, do […]
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