THE CHIN HAIRS OF LIFE

My sister and I roomed together at a women’s retreat this fall. I spoke for the general sessions and taught one workshop. My sister taught a workshop based on her testimony of living out a “Ragged Hope” experience. One night after lights out, I rumbled around a plastic bag in my purse, trying to keep quiet, but having a terrible …

The Season of Harvest

I had the distinct privilege of appearing via Skype on the Harvest Show at the end of September. The archived show is here:  http://www.harvest-tv.com/video/dsp_playshow.cfm?showid=1590 It warmed my heart to hear this subject introduced right at the beginning of the broadcast! At about the 11 minutes and 30 seconds mark in the show, hostess Valerie introduces Ragged Hope and our discussion, which …

Waiting Takes Forever

Our family gathered in a circle in the yard, holding memories and a memorial service for her. Such a good old gal. So faithful. So beautiful, even in old age. Oh, we loved her. But with disease coursing through her, there was nothing we could do but get out the chain saw and cut her off at the base of …

Hoping and Wishing

“Sometimes we cling to a hope that gets knocked around and trampled on. Do we still call it hope? Is it cross-your-fingers wishing things would change? Or is it something deeper, bigger, more enduring than that?”  p. 195-196, Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices

The Tremble on the Water

I’m facing a daunting deadline this week that makes me feel the need for speed, the press to hurry. But what I hear God saying is, “How can I whisper my answers to you if you don’t sit still?” I can crank out my answers. I’d rather have His. You, too? How is that showing up in Your life this …

A Little Trivia Goes a Long Way

Thursday evening’s Author Chat party for Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices on Facebook was exciting and challenging. During the party, we asked two sets of trivia questions. The winners of the trivia contest have already been announced  http://litfusegroup.com/blog/winners-announced-from-cynthia-ruchtis-ragged-hope-author-chat-party. Here are the correct answers to the questions: 1. The Bible lists hope as one of the Big …

Is Your Life In An Ugly Phase?

If you saw these tiny brown bits on your counter, you might back away and search for a mousetrap or the phone number of the pest control experts. If you dared to look more closely, you’d see they weren’t deposits from a visiting rodent or casings of an unwanted insect. Let me rephrase that. Few insects are considered invited guests. …

My Hope is Broken

  It didn’t cost much. I bought it who knows where, who knows how long ago, because it fit with the tagline under which everything I write and speak about fits: Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark. Rustic…as hope sometimes is…it boasted a small LED light operated by a tiny battery, and a small tag added to the picture with its simple message, “Never give …

Is Hope Wearing Thin?

If asked to rate where on this list you’d place the importance of hope, how would you respond? Air Food Shelter Water Hope Would it show up on your list without coaching? When facing a survival situation, what role does hope play? That’s one of the questions addressed in a new release–Ragged Hope, Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices. …