Episode 12 - Julie and Savannah Stinnett

Hello Oak Ridge family. This is David here with

Julie and Savannah from Acord and Acres and they're

gonna read some scripture to us today. But before

they do, I'd like to have them tell us a little

bit about what helps them to look forward to

Christ in this season. So my favorite family

tradition is to make sugar cookies every year.

My mom did it with us when we were little. And

we also do them for Valentine's Day and different

little holidays. And I have now continued on

making them with my children and then hopefully

one day grandchildren. I'd say every year I like

to make Christmas cards for everyone and really

tell everyone how I appreciate them and how they

show up in my life throughout the year. I'm going

to be reading from Ruth, chapter one, six through

18. Naomi received news from Judas that the Lord

had helped his people. There was now enough food

in Judah again. So Naomi decided to leave Moab

and return to Judah with Ruth and Orphah. Naomi

and her son's wives left their home in Moab.

They began to travel together on the way back

to Judah. On the way, Naomi said to Ruth and

Orphah, listen, you should return to your mother's

homes in Moab and stay there. Your husbands are

dead now. You have been kind to them and to me.

I pray that the Lord will be as kind to you.

I also pray that God will give to each of you

another husband and a new home. Naomi kissed

them goodbye. Ruth and Orpha began to weep loudly.

They said to Naomi, no, we will go with you to

live with your people. But Naomi said, my daughters,

you should return to your own country. You should

not choose to come back to Judah with me. I will

not give birth to any more sons for you to marry

them. Return to your own country, my daughters.

I am too old to marry another husband. Even if

I did marry a man immediately, when might I give

birth to sons? I am sure that you do not want

to wait until they're old enough for you to marry

them. Would you wait for all this time and not

marry anyone else? So my daughters, you must

not return to Judah with me. You should not have

to share my pain. The Lord has turned against

me." Ruth and Orphah wept loudly again. Orphah

kissed Naomi and said goodbye, but Ruth would

not leave Naomi. She held on to her. Naomi said

to Ruth, look, Orphah has returned to her family.

She has returned to serve the gods of Moab. Go

back home with her. Ruth said to say that I must

leave you. I will go with you wherever you will

go. I will live wherever you will live. You belong

to Israel's people. I will belong to them too.

Your God will be my God. I will die in the same

place that you die. That is where people will

bury me. I will stay behind you until death makes

us separate. If I ever leave you, the Lord should

punish me. then Naomi understood that Ruth would

not agree to return to her own country. So she

stopped saying that Ruth should leave her. I'm

going to be reading 2 Peter chapter 3 verses

2 Peter 3:1–10

1 through 10 in the NIV version. Dear friends,

now this is my second letter to you. I have written

both of them as reminders to stimulate you to

the wholesome thinking. I want you to recall

the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets

and the commands given to you by our Lord and

Savior through the apostles. Above all, you must

understand that this is the last days scoffers

will come scoffing and following their own evil

desires. They will say, where is this coming?

He has promised. Even since our ancestors died,

everything goes as it is since the beginning

of creation. But they deliberately forget that

long ago by God's word, the heavens came into

beginning and the earth was formed out of water

and by water. by these waters also the world

was of time and was destroyed by the same word

the present heavens and earth reserved for fire

being kept for the day of judgment and destruction

of the ungodly but do not forget this one thing

dear friends with the lord a day is like a thousand

years and a thousand years are like a day the

lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some

understand slowness instead he is patient with

you not wanting anyone to perish but everyone

to come to repentance but the day of the Lord

will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear

with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by

fire, and the earth and everything done in it

will be laid bare.