Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy

"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future." Proverbs 31:25

I got the privilege to attend the 2011 Chapel Women's Conference this past weekend called "Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy."  The speaker was Kelly Minter who is an acclaimed author, speaker and songwriter from Nashville, TN.  Together we studied the whole book of Ruth and learned about Ruth's struggles with loss, love and legacy.

These three things were the focus of the conference:

Loss: Weeping forward in our times of trial

Love: Experiencing the surprising, never failing love of God

Legacy: Living beyond ourselves by leading lives that matter

The conference was held on Friday night and Saturday morning and consisted of three sessions focusing on each theme.  Each session they had door prizes for everyone and guess what, I won Friday night!  They told everyone to look under their chairs and if there was a piece of chocolate then you had to go up on stage to retrieve your prize.  There were ten winners and before you could pick your prize you had to tell everyone your name and one thing you love.  I said "I love my family and friends."

 My chocolate that was under my seat!

 Rachel took pictures of me on stage :)

 My prize!

I won a month membership to Foxy's with a personal trainer, t-shirt, and a book bag along with a vitamin water and other little goodies.  I was so excited and it made me so happy because I never win anything!!

Back to the message...

Women of the Bible are so inspiring and we can learn a lot from them today.  Ruth did not have an easy life but she trusted in the Lord and He blessed her so much.  I loved going to the conference and do you want to know another really awesome thing?  Tonight at Refuge (the church I attend on LSU's campus) our pastor Josh LaRavia said that for the next four weeks we will be studying the book of Ruth.  I think my jaw literally dropped.  I turned to Olivia and said that I had just studied this whole book.  I enjoyed hearing Josh's translation of it and learned things I didn't from Kelly and vice versa.  I can't wait to hear him speak about the remaining three chapters.  God definitely knew what he was doing when He put the desire in my heart to attend that women's conference and that it took place days before we started looking at it at Refuge.

Loss is inevitable but when you struggle with loss I hope you weep forward with all your heart, soul, strength and mind as Ruth did.

I hope you love all those who God has put in your path for Ruth 2:12 says, "May the Lord repay you for what you have done, May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."

Lastly, I pray you leave a legacy by leading a life that matters.