Hello dear friends! We are so excited to once again have our friend Stephanie sharing honestly about her experience with her adopted child. We were touched last fall when Stephanie shared her story of "How Foster Care Wrecked My Life" and we know you will be blessed by reading her story of what it's like to love our kids through the good and the hard.  

It has been three years ago this month that we brought our teenaged foster daughter into our home. I wish I could sit down with each of you and share with you the journey we have been on. It has been a journey of pride and humility, desperation and fulfillment, joy and sorrow. It has been a journey of soaring on the wings of optimism and wallowing in the valley of defeat. We had no idea how to parent a teenager with a traumatic past. BUT GOD (don’t you love those words?) knew exactly what HE was doing. 

We adopted our precious girl 11 months after she came to live with us. We poured our love into her as much and as often as we knew how. We knew she had spent 15 years without the love and structure of a Christian home. We were constantly on our knees and before the throne for mercy and help as we sought the best way to love and discipline with grace. We love her just as fiercely as our biological children. In our hearts, there is no difference.

In spite of all of this, we suspected she was planning on leaving as soon as she turned 18. Though she said otherwise and continued to make plans for jobs, schooling, and mission trips, she left 3 days after her 18th birthday. She left at night, without a word. It has been seven weeks.

To say my heart is shattered doesn’t even begin to describe the feelings this momma is having. I am grieving. Grieving because I miss my daughter. Grieving for a life that could have been. Grieving because maybe I didn’t love her hard enough to make up for her past, knowing I never could.

I don’t know if you know a prodigal, but I’m sure my prodigal thinks she is walking her chosen path alone. Ah, but she is not. I will walk with her, day by day, on my knees. I will bring her before the Father every day, asking him to do what only HE can do; change a heart.

As I have been praying that, God is doing some changing in my own heart. I am learning the following things (some of these things, I thought I had already learned!):

  1. Nothing about this journey has surprised God. He saw it all when he called us into foster care, when he called us into loving those who have been traumatized. As a friend once told me, “Has it ever occurred to you that nothing ever occurs to God?” I love that! God still has the same plan for our sweet girl. Nothing has changed. We just didn’t realize everything we were getting into when we promised to love her forever. 
  2. I know God hears my cries; he inclines his ear toward me (Psalm 116:2). I have the ear of the Creator of the universe! 
  3. The Holy Spirit intercedes for me (Romans 8:26). Haven’t you been there, not knowing what to pray or how? 
  4. “I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?” Psalm 56:11. Enough said. 
  5. The prodigal father in Luke 15 watched, prayed, and waited. He was probably a wealthy man but did not chase after his prodigal or try to influence him to come home. My husband and I will do the same. 
  6. The prodigal son “came to his senses” (NASB). I believe that our daughter will too. She has seen and heard much in her three years with us. God has been real to her, scripture and truth has been shared with her. I’m trusting that God will bring remembrance to her mind of those things. 
  7. God is faithful! He is faithful in the scriptures; he has always been faithful in my life. To remind myself of his faithfulness, I have written down those times in my life when I have seen him move, and I trust him to move again. 
  8. The most important thing by far that I am learning is how to lean on Jesus Christ, my rock. This is a moment-by-moment thing. Some moments I’m trusting well; others, well, not so much.

Is any of this easy? I’m afraid not, Friend. I spend a lot of time crying out to God and leaning on him. But I know that is the best place to be.



Stephanie Bruce is a daughter of The King and resides in Hendersonville, TN. She is married to her knight in shining armor, and together they seek to make much of Jesus and what HE has done in their lives. She says, “My life really is a fairy-tale story with a happy ending, complete with dragons, a prisoner set free and my knight who loves me more than he loves himself!”


Are you looking for more resources? Have you checked out our books?
Our newest book, 100 Daily Acts of Friendship for Girls, is written specifically for girls ages 8-12 as they navigate friendships in upper elementary and middle school. With a scripture, short story, reflection questions and 50 fun activities to do with you or friends, it's a wonderful way to encourage your daughter, niece, granddaughter, God daughter and her friends to build healthy friendships from an early age.

And our adult friendship devotional, The One Year Daily Acts of Friendship is a perfect compliment to our book for tweens. With a daily scripture, story, and friendship prompt, its encouraging and slightly challenging (in a good way!) as you find, keep, and love your friends.   

We've also written two kindness devotionals, The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness and 100 Days of Kindness. They tell the story of how our families embarked on a one-year journey of kindness, and include our successes, failures, and the encouragement you need as a family to incorporate kindness into your own life.

We would love to walk alongside you in encouragement, inspiration, and community. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as The Ruth Experience or sign up for our monthly newsletter (no spam, ever), here.

If you already have one of our books and love them, we'd so appreciate it if you leave a review on Amazon. 

We're in this together,

Kristin, Kendra, and Julie


My neighborhood as seen from my front porch.
It is finally spring in Minnesota, and the neighbors on three sides of me have been busy edging, cutting, and spraying their grass. When I drive by their homes, I see the beginnings of lush carpets of green covering their lots. Their lawns look almost fake, they are so beautiful. Their children are grown, and they have the luxury of hunting down every stray clover, every last crabgrass and waging war against any green thing without the word "fescue" in its name.

My lawn, on the other hand, is what I would call "bio-diverse," and I sometimes wonder if we have more weeds than actual grass. With young children and busy jobs, my husband and I these past eight years have barely had the time and energy to run a mower around the yard on a weekly basis, much less primp and pamper our lawn.
Last night I came across a woman’s story. She was sharing about some struggles she’s currently facing and what she’s doing to find joy, even in the midst of walking through hardships. And for whatever reason, her words were like rain after a long drought I didn’t even know had settled on my heart. I found myself nodding in agreement, affirming my own sometimes insecure thoughts, and immediately I felt a kinship with a woman I’ve met only in passing.

But stories, good stories that matter, aren’t just ones we read online or in books. Some of the best stories are the ones told in coffee shops and around breakfast tables, outside under trees or while sharing desserts after midnight. They’re told late at night driving home in the dark accompanied by tears or early in the morning over tea, when the earth is just beginning to stir.

They’re whispered through sadness and bellowed through laughter. They encourage and give wisdom, offer support and love.

And more than anything? Stories let us know that we are not alone.

They remind us that we are all humans who make mistakes, who have fears and doubts and dreams. And our own stories, once told, let others know it’s okay to be themselves.

Our stories are a gift. God-given. God-breathed. In a way, they are sacred.

It was a classic case of good intentions gone bad.

I was 16, and it was my second year cheerleading. Our coach that year was new, and she had grand visions of a revitalizing a somewhat-neglected, not-always-considered-a-sport activity like cheerleading.

With that in mind, she asked her older cheerleaders to help convey her message to our small community via the local radio station. A handful of us trooped into the station, read a few lines from her script, and that was it. I don't think I even listened to it being broadcast.

It wasn't until after it aired that I realized that it may have been a mistake. The radio blurb, while well-intentioned, specifically targeted groups of people in the community who my cheerleading coach thought could help lead the way in supporting the group of girls. My portion of the script was directed at coaches.

As a mom to three girls, I spend a lot of time thinking about raising girls, what that means and if I'm doing a good job. Our culture is tough on girls, and I want to do everything I can to help them to grow into women who are strong and kind. That's why I love today's guest post from Jenny Hill, who brings such wisdom and insight into her reflections on what it means to be a woman. Here's more from Jenny:

There I was, sitting at my kitchen table in front of my laptop. The sun was streaming in through my sliding glass door, and I’m sure there was a glass of something cold and refreshing sweating on the table beside me. I was listening to Beth Moore preach like I do every summer as I dive into one of her Bible studies on my own. There she was, with her beautiful big hair, impossibly high heels, and charming sense of humor. She was roaming her audience, touching the arms of some of her listeners, talking about the joy of her ministry, when suddenly she exclaimed, “I just love women!”

I remember that moment, as if the thought just ran across my brain yesterday. I sat back in my chair, paused, and thought, Do I even know what it means to be a woman? I’m 32 and I’ve never been on a second date. My days don’t revolve around homemaking, meal planning, soccer practice, and homework. My wardrobe does have a fair amount of pink and purple, I love accessories, and I’m enamored with shoes, but I also have mild cerebral palsy. It impacts how I move, how I’m perceived, and it definitely means no high heels. I think all of this begs the question: What does it mean to be a woman when you are single, childless, and flat-footed? I’ve been pondering this question for a while; most intently over the past month. Here’s what I see:

No heels? Then find a signature accessory! 

In heaven, I hope I’m going to have a closet of heels. I want to stare at my beautiful feet for ages, run around in them with abandon, and stand up and lead worship before God, pouring out all of my soul before the throne. But until then, I wear headbands. It started with a feather attached to a headband, and has expanded to include flowers, and gems, more feathers, and sequins. They disguise bad hair days and have been the topic of intriguing conversations more than once. I think we all have a certain unique style that just needs to be discovered and expressed.

Single? Know you are loved! 

Honestly, I find singleness very challenging. I recognize that I may have more flexibility with my time than my married and parenting friends, but I’m lonelier than I’d like to be. Online dating works for some, but it is no magic pill, no sure solution. There are days where singleness seems unresolvable, bleak, and very long. It’s in these times I’ve needed to realize that married or single, I AM LOVED. We all need to realize this. God loves us like a playful child, joyfully chasing us in a game of tag. He pursues us with boundless energy and delight. God also loves us like a good friend. On our hardest days, when companionship seems so far out of reach, God takes us by the hand, lovingly looks into our eyes and says, I’m going to walk with you every step of the way.

No children of your own? Open yourself up to nurturing. 

My strongest love language is touch, and while my little nephew doesn’t always want hugs and kisses, he’s never said no to a foot rub. Sometimes I run the wheels of his Lightning McQueen over and over his soles, other times I take his socks off and rub his sweet little toesies between my fingers. He usually quiets and his eyes stare off, filled with contentment. There is a wealth of love inside each one of us that we can give to others; the invitation is simply in finding the right place to invest it.

Jenny Hill (@Bibliophile84) has been recognized on WCCO TV for her work as an elementary school library media specialist. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education from Bethel University, St. Paul, Minn. Jenny lives in central Minnesota. Her first book, Walking with Tension, is currently available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions. Read more from Jenny on her blog or contact her at walkingwithtension@gmail.com.






Are you looking for more resources? Have you checked out our books?
Our newest book, 100 Daily Acts of Friendship for Girls, is written specifically for girls ages 8-12 as they navigate friendships in upper elementary and middle school. With a scripture, short story, reflection questions and 50 fun activities to do with you or friends, it's a wonderful way to encourage your daughter, niece, granddaughter, God daughter and her friends to build healthy friendships from an early age.

And our adult friendship devotional, The One Year Daily Acts of Friendship is a perfect compliment to our book for tweens. With a daily scripture, story, and friendship prompt, its encouraging and slightly challenging (in a good way!) as you find, keep, and love your friends.   

We've also written two kindness devotionals, The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness and 100 Days of Kindness. They tell the story of how our families embarked on a one-year journey of kindness, and include our successes, failures, and the encouragement you need as a family to incorporate kindness into your own life.

We would love to walk alongside you in encouragement, inspiration, and community. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as The Ruth Experience or sign up for our monthly newsletter (no spam, ever), here.

If you already have one of our books and love them, we'd so appreciate it if you leave a review on Amazon. 

We're in this together,

Julie, Kendra, and Kristin




Today we are once again linking up with Holley Gerth and Jennifer Dukes Lee.