In October of 1997, God put a burden on my heart to start ‘something’ for pastor’s wives and ministry wives.  I was inspired by Ruby Moore’s ministry, “Partners in Ministry” which serves pastor’s and ministry wives at Hope Chapel Kaneohe Bay, our sending church.  But God said to “extend my tents” and include ALL the women of Hope Chapel Tokorozawa.  As I prayed for a name and purpose for this ministry, God gave me a dream: In the dream I was at an evening service at Hope Chapel Kaneohe Bay. Pastor Ralph, Ruby’s husband was out of town so the principal of the elementary school where t he services were being held at offered to preach the sermon.  He pulled out a picture storybook and three people stood up from within the congregation and yelled, “We want to hear the book of Ruth!”  So Corey volunteered to preach on the book of Ruth that night.   

　Knowing God had confirmed the name of our group, He led me further to give the name meaning.  As I studied the book of Ruth (her name meaning “friendship”), I saw a beautiful story of a faithful daughter-in-law named Ruth.  She was a Moabite--a foreigner to Israel from the tribe of their enemies?w ho became a widow at a young age.  She breaks away from her past to identify with the people of her mother-in-law in a spiritually dark time in Israel.  She follows her mother-in-law Naomi back to Israel where she meets an unmarried relative (a kinsman-redeemer) named Boaz who helps her and her moth er-in-law by marrying Ruth. Their first son (named Obed) inherits the family name and property, and Obed eventually becomes the father of Jesse and Jesse, the father of King David!  Ruth, the outsider became the great grandmother of the king called “a man after God’s own heart” and so is in the precious human lineage of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  God redeemed us by becoming human, so that from the position of a near kinsman, he might pay the price that redeems mankind from the fatal debt of sin. (see The Revell Bible Dictionary, 1990, pp. 878)

 This year, we continue to celebrate our 10th Anniversary as we glorify the LORD! “I will glorify your name forever.” (Psalm 86:12) How do we glorify the LORD? We glorify God by responding with faith and praise to his self-revelation in Jesus and by living godly lives here and now. Because God is present in us, he is able to reveal his qualities and character through us. May God actively display himself through us in whom His Spirit dwells by our lives and actions!

To Him be the glory!