hi and thanks for joining us for today's encouragement from our daily bread our reading was written by an cetus and she titled it love and lean on God
 that was funny smart and well-liked but he's secretly struggled with depression after he committed suicide at age 15 his mom Lori said of him it's just hard to comprehend how someone that had so much going for him would come to that point Zack was not exempt from suicide
 there are moments in the quiet when Lori pours out her sorrow to God she says that the deep sadness after suicide is a whole different level of grief yet she and her family have learned to lean on God and others for strength and now they're using their time to love others who are grappling with depression
 Lori's motto has become love and lean this idea is also seen in the Old Testament story of Ruth Naomi lost her husband and two sons one who is married to Ruth Naomi bitter and depressed urge Ruth to return to her mother's family where she could be cared for Ruth though also grieving clung to her mother-in-law and committed to staying with her and caring for her they return to Bethlehem Naomi's Homeland where Ruth would be a foreigner but they had each other to love and lean on and God provided for them
 during our times of Grace God's Love Remains steady we always have him to lean on as we also lean on and love others and his strength
 today's our daily bread devotional scripture reading is from Ruth chapter 1 verses 11 through 19
 but Naomi said return home my daughter's why would you come with me a my going to have any more sons who could become your husband's return home my daughter's I am too old to have another husband even if I thought there was still hope for me even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to Sons would you wait until they grew up would you remain unmarried for them know my daughter's it is more bitter for me than for you because the Lord's hand has turned against me
 at this they wept aloud again then or if I kissed her mother-in-law goodbye but Ruth clung to her look said they owe me your sister-in-law's going back to her people and her Gods go back with her but Ruth replied don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you where you go I will go and where you stay I will stay your people will be my people and your God my God where you die I will die and there I will be buried may the Lord deal with me being ever so severely if even death separates you and me
 when they only realized that Ruth was determined to go with her she stopped urging her so the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem when they arrived in Bethlehem the whole town was Easter because of them and the women explained can this be Naomi
 let's pray
 father we're grateful for your faithful love and care use us to encourage others to trust you and they are live give them reason to believe they can thank you Lord It's in Jesus name we pray amen
 thanks for listening today my name is Rochelle traube and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries