When we are in the midst of a difficult time it is often hard to see and remember that God is in control. It is hard to see the beauty and hope when we feel we are rambling in the dark - but you are not alone. God is with you.

At Amberlea we are working through the book of Ruth. It is a story of heartbreak, redemption and hope. There are no big grand miracles of God, but throughout the pages you see God working in the ordinary. It is a great reminder that God is with us, in all of it — in the everyday.

Ruth is the daughter-in-law of Naomi, both women bound by grief, shared a history of loss. After the death of her husband and both her sons, Naomi decides to return to her homeland of Bethlehem.

Naomi, pleaded with her daughter-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah to seek a new life among their people, the Moabites, where they would be welcomed and accepted but would not worship God. Orpah remained but Ruth embraced her mother-in-law. "'Where you go, I will go,” Ruth said, “Your people will be my people, your God my God. Death alone shall part us.’”

Imagine leaving the comfort of the familiar—the land of your birth, your mother, and the deity you've always known—to embrace your mother-in-law, her homeland, and her faith. It's the journey from the known to the unknown, from the familiar to the foreign. Ruth chose to leave behind the god of her upbringing to embrace the God of Judah, the God we serve today.

Each one of us will face pivotal moments that demand commitment beyond the ordinary. The question is: What principles will guide your decisions? Ruth's journey encourages us to boldly declare our loyalties, not just in words but in the deliberate actions that shape our lives and glorify God.

For you, what would it look like to embrace a life marked by a steadfast commitment to God’s leading?

We all will leave a legacy for those who walk behind us. Will yours, like Ruth, be a testament of loyalty to God?