Loving In The Light And The Dark
Redeeming Ruth by Meadow Rue Merrill is the true story of a fight to adopt Ugandan baby Ruth who has cerebral palsy. It is both a beautiful and heartbreaking read. It will inspire you. It will fill you with hope. Tears will fall. And it will leave you overwhelmed by the love, courage, faith and dedication of the Merrill family.
Meadow Rue Merrill is an ordinary American housewife with an extraordinary story. As a girl she thought her life was all mapped out. “From childhood I’d planned out my life.” God however had other plans, far greater than Meadow could have imagined.
The Merrills made themselves available to be used by God. “If not us, who?” They realised they could not change the whole world but they could change the whole world for a baby called Ruth.
The book documents their struggles to adopt Ruth. Man kept erecting roadblocks which God demolished. God proved that what is impossible with man, is possible with God. As we reach the end of ourselves, that’s when God steps in.
There is a huge amount of faith in the novel. As Meadow Rue Merrill travelled to Uganda, she saw both poverty and riches but the riches were in the form of faith. “These abandoned and destitute children possessed a faith for which I grasped… that God would take care of them no matter what.” Meadow had her faith boosted by those around her. “The faith of those I met…challenged me to believe more than ever that God was in control… Not just sometimes… But all the time.” Did Meadow ever doubt? Of course, but God sent people alongside her to help draw her back to Him. At times the way seemed unclear but “We… had to feel our way with faith… trusting God to guide us.”
It is far easier to trust God in the good times than the bad. “For months I had been begging God to remove our difficulties. Instead He blessed us right there in the middle of them.” God’s ways are not our ways but His hand is always on our lives. We have to trust Him even when we cannot see Him. “Unseen is not the same as absent.”
Baby Ruth impacted the lives of all who saw her. Her sunny nature drew others to her. Her disabilities did not hold her back. Her love of learning shone throughout.
The book is bathed in love. The love of a family. The love of friends. The love of God. We are all called to love above all else. Perfect love casts out all fear. We all have a basic need to be loved.
Meadow Rue Merrill was a busy wife and mother. God does not call the equipped, He equips the called. Meadow Rue Merrill was called by God to open her heart and her home to Ruth. Her twenty four hour days became busier. At times she felt like crumbling but God provided all she needed.
Redeeming Ruth is a powerful read about an ordinary family who loved. The Merrills are united in their love not only for each other and for God, but for the lost, the hurting and the needy. Their love has no boundaries.
Redeeming Ruth spoke to my heart. Redeeming Ruth made me cry. Redeeming Ruth is a story that needs to be read. Redeeming Ruth shows the wonderful riches of faith to be found if you just let go of self and grasp on to God.
Thank you Meadow Rue Merrill for your honesty. For your love. And for your faith. May your family be richly blessed. May you fly high Ruth.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
JULIA WILSON
