Lady in Waiting Becoming God’s Best While Waiting for Mr. Right Jackie kendall and debby Jones lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 5 2/7/12 2:52 PM © Copyright 2012–Jackie Kendall and Debby Jones All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. Unless oth- erwise identified, Scripture quotations are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1 995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, specifically the 1984 edition. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by per- mission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked PNT are taken from The New Testament in Modern English, J. B. Phillips, trans., Copyright © New York: The Macmillan Company, 1960. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ICB are taken from the International Children’s Bible®. Copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by per- mission. All rights reserved. All emphasis within Scripture quotations is the author’s own. Please note that Destiny Image’s publishing style capitalizes certain pronouns in Scripture that refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may differ from some publishers’ styles. Take note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. We choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules. DESTINY IMAGE® PUBLISHERS, INC. P.O. Box 310, Shippensburg, PA 17257-0310 “Promoting Inspired Lives.” Previously published as Lady in Waiting by Destiny Image Previous ISBN: 0768423104 Previously published as Say Goodbye to Shame by Treasure House Previous ISBN: 0768421616 This book and all other Destiny Image, Revival Press, MercyPlace, Fresh Bread, Destiny Image Fiction, and Treasure House books are available at Christian book- stores and distributors worldwide. For a U.S. bookstore nearest you, call 1-800-722-6774. For more information on foreign distributors, call 717-532-3040. Reach us on the Internet: www.destinyimage.com. ISBN 13 TP: 978-0-7684-4106-2 ISBN 13 Ebook: 978-0-7684-8860-9 For Worldwide Distribution, Printed in the U.S.A. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 / 16 15 14 13 12 lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 6 2/7/12 2:52 PM N 7 n DeDication W e dedicate this book to all the Ladies in Waiting, especially our daughters Jessica, Christen, and Lauren, who are seeking to become women of God. lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 7 2/7/12 2:52 PM lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 8 2/7/12 2:52 PM N 9 n contents Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Part I Lady In WaItIng Chapter 1 Lady of Reckless Abandonment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Chapter 2 Lady of Diligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Chapter 3 Lady of Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Chapter 4 Lady of Virtue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Chapter 5 Lady of Devotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Chapter 6 Lady of Purity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Chapter 7 Lady of Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Chapter 8 Lady of Contentment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Chapter 9 Lady of Conviction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 Chapter 10 Lady of Patience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Part II Study guIde Chapter 1 Ruth’s Reckless Abandonment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Chapter 2 Ruth’s Diligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Chapter 3 Ruth’s Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Chapter 4 Ruth’s Virtue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Chapter 5 Ruth’s Devotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Chapter 6 Ruth’s Purity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Chapter 7 Ruth’s Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Chapter 8 Ruth’s Contentment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 9 2/7/12 2:52 PM Chapter 9 Ruth’s Convictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199 Chapter 10 Ruth’s Patience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205 Part III devotIonaL A Word From the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211 Helpful Tips for the Lady in Waiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Day 1 My True Community—Mother Teresa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Day 2 A Life Worthy of Eternity—Susanna Wesley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Day 3 First Love, Divided Love—Basilea Schlink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Day 4 Do We Really Love God?—Hannah More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 Day 5 Waiting for Our Love—Basilea Schlink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224 Day 6 Revelations of Divine Love—Julian of Norwich . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226 Day 7 The Effectual Touch in the Will—Madame Guyon . . . . . . . . .228 Day 8 You Must Move In—Hannah Whitall Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230 Day 9 A Lesson in the Interior Life—Hannah Whitall Smith . . . . . .232 Day 10 The Prayer of the Heart—Madame Guyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233 Day 11 Meditative Reading—Madame Guyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234 Day 12 Distractions in Prayer—Amy Carmichael . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236 Day 13 Prayer Divinely Explained—Madame Guyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238 Day 14 Loved of God—Julian of Norwich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239 Day 15 The Presence of God—Jessie Penn-Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241 Day 16 Religion of the Heart—Hannah More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243 Day 17 The Lord Our Dwelling Place—Hannah Whitall Smith . . . .245 Part Iv a LunatIc on a LImb WIth JeSuS Acknowlegements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 Story 1 Crime—Keeping Good News to Oneself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Story 2 The Pro and I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253 Story 3 A Pearl in a Pile of Manure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 Story 4 Cautious in Friendship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Story 5 The Spiritually Elite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259 lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 10 2/7/12 2:52 PM Story 6 A Scholarship on a Silver Tray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261 Story 7 God’s New Creature Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263 Story 8 May I Borrow Your Body? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265 Story 9 The Message at the Red Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267 Story 10 Overcharged by Worry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269 Story 11 A Human Sparkler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Story 12 I Believed a Lie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273 Story 13 Are You Guilty of Achan’s Sin? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275 Story 14 Holding Hands After All These Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277 Story 15 The Ultimate Seduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279 Story 16 Heavenly Potpourri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281 Story 17 Divine Prayer Encounter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283 Story 18 Motor-Mouth’s Heavenly Diary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285 Story 19 The Galatian Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287 Story 20 Beloved Doodles and I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 Story 21 Everyone Needs Friends Like Daniel’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291 Story 22 Bread That Always Rises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293 Story 23 Joy for a Mother’s Innermost Being . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295 Story 24 God’s Love Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297 Story 25 The Perfect Father’s Day Gift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299 Story 26 The Longest Short Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301 Story 27 A Heavenly Hug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Story 28 How Boldly Can We Pray? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305 Story 29 A No-Excuse Woman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307 Story 30 A Missionary to Beverly Hills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .309 Story 31 A Priceless Belt in a Trash Can . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 Story 32 How Do You Say Goodbye to Shame? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313 Story 33 Surrender Your Junior God Badge at the Door, Please . . . . . 315 Story 34 Liberating the Control Freak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317 Story 35 Fruitful in Suffering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319 Story 36 A Broken Dream in the Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 11 2/7/12 2:52 PM Story 37 Speechless in the Presence of Pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 Story 38 Ginger’s Song of Victory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .325 Story 39 A Miracle Worker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 Story 40 Gift for the Grieving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .329 Story 41 A Man Touched Deeply by My Pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 Story 42 Regina’s Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333 Story 43 Blossoms After the Storm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335 Story 44 The Governor on My Gas Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337 Story 45 She Had It All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .339 Story 46 A Man’s Trip Through the Birth Canal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 Story 47 From the School Bus Into the Arms of Jesus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .343 Story 48 A Snare in My Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .345 Story 49 He Can Give a Song in Hell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347 Story 50 I Do Not Want to Be Buried With Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .350 Story 51 Get Behind Me, God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351 Story 52 Everything Said Was Wise and Helpful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353 Story 53 Ailing Heart, Angry Mouth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .356 Story 54 If God Is for Me, Who Can Be Against Me? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358 Story 55 Are You Fighting Someone Else’s Battle? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360 Story 56 A Worshiper Seduced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .362 Story 57 Relying on a Piercing Splinter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .364 Story 58 The Abundantly Blessed Wrestler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366 Story 59 No Accelerated Growth Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .368 Story 60 Sinning in the Face of God’s Goodness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .370 Story 61 Mining for Concealed Jewels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .372 Story 62 “Good” Bad Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374 Story 63 The Prosperity of the Wicked—a Mirage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376 Story 64 Security for Our Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .378 Story 65 Toothpicks in Eyeballs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .380 Story 66 Get Your Own Marching Orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .382 Story 67 The Best Meal You’ve Ever Missed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .384 lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 12 2/7/12 2:52 PM Story 68 Outwitted Through Unforgiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .386 Story 69 The Bride Belongs to the Bridegroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .388 Story 70 Be Careful What You Pray for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .390 Story 71 The Secret of the Alabaster Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .392 Story 72 A Busybody and a Murderer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .394 Story 73 Are You a Pair of Cleats or a Paraclete?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .396 Story 74 One of the Divine Secrets of Yadah Yadah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .398 Story 75 A Holy Wink for Mom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .401 Story 76 Audacious Prayer Requests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .403 Story 77 God Stoops Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .405 lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 13 2/7/12 2:52 PM lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 14 2/7/12 2:52 PM N 15 n Preface I s this just another book for singles? No! We believe this book is unique because its emphasis is not on a woman’s status (single, married, divorced, or widowed), but on the state of her heart. We want to direct a woman’s attention toward the One who really understands the longing of her heart. Too many women grow up believing that the inconsolable ache in her heart is for “a man.” To love a man, get married, and then have children is thought to be the only script that will satisfy her heart’s deepest longing. But no man, woman, or child can appease this longing; it can only be satisfied by the ultimate Bridegroom, Christ Jesus. This book nudges a woman closer to God, while acknowledging any longing she may have to be loved and cherished by a man. Lady in Waiting is not about finding the right man, but being the right woman. Thus it focuses on ten qualities of a godly woman that are found in the Book of Ruth. These qualities will not only enhance your love relationship with your heavenly Bridegroom, but also guide you as a single woman, guard you while you date, support you in marriage, and comfort you if you are ever widowed or divorced. As you read you will see these characteristics beautifully displayed in the life of Ruth. She recklessly abandons herself to the Lordship of Christ, diligently uses her single days, trusts God with unwavering faith, demonstrates virtue in daily life, loves God with undistracted devotion, stands for physical and emotional purity, lives in security, responds to life with contentment, makes choices based on her convictions, and waits patiently for God to meet her needs. What are you waiting for? Is it for that perfect job, the ideal relation- ship, a home, a career, a child? What if you get what you are waiting for? lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 15 2/7/12 2:52 PM Will it truly bring the fullness of joy you long for? Anything other than a love relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, regardless of how good that thing may be, will bring you discouragement and disillusionment. So come and explore the life of Ruth and learn what it really means to be a godly woman, “a lady in waiting.” lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 16 2/7/12 2:52 PM Part I Lady in Waiting lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 17 2/7/12 2:52 PM lady_in_waiting_TEXT.indd 18 2/7/12 2:52 PM