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Ruth’s Roundup – April 2022

Ruth Clemence

When I get a moment (they are few and far between, but few is still something, right?), I tuck into a book, read an article, come across a thought-provoking message and think, this needs to be shared. Ruth’s Roundup is a post released once a month where I will share with you some content I have been engaging with over that month, or that I have written. You may laugh, cry, get mad, dig deeper, unfollow… who knows. Maybe it will be of use to you or someone you know. Happy browsing!

Articles

Come, Holy Spirit: Seven Ways He Meets Us As We Gather by Bob Kauflin – A helpful article on the Holy Spirit in corporate worship, written by a pastor who writes biblically sound worship songs and directs Sovereign Grace Music. I am thankful for the wisdom written here as I am someone who has always felt slightly uncomfortable with what the writer describes as ‘heightened emotions, unguided-spontaneous experiences, and an intense expectation of God’s nearness’. This article helped to clear some of my misunderstanding on the Holy Spirit, whilst remaining biblical.

Did You Know That Charles Spurgeon Struggled with Depression? by Michael Reeves – This is an older article I found when I was struggling with a cloud of depression. I really love Spurgeon’s preaching and I was familiar with his struggle with depression throughout his life. I gained more insight about it when I read a biography of his wife Susie Spurgeon. This article was helpful to see how the ‘Prince of Preachers’ saw Christ’s comfort and compassion in his own afflictions.

Listen to the Church in China – Tim Challies – This book review of ‘Faith in the Wilderness: Words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church’ looks like a good, helpful and insightful read. Must add it to the long pile of books I need to get through – see my dilemma below!

Books

I have been so busy with settling into a new routine since moving that I have not been reading many books recently! This makes me very sad. If you’ve read a great book that you recommend, please let me know. I have an abundance of books to be getting on mind you… When do you find the best time to read is? How do you manage your time? Drop me a line at: hello@ruthclemence.com or tell me on social media!

Podcasts

Hope With Ruth Podcast – Episode 4 – Hope for the Disappointed – Listen to a recent disappointment that me and my son experienced together and how we faced it.

Hope With Ruth Podcast – Episode 3 – Who put the ‘good’ in Good Friday? – I share a raw, honest experience from this Good Friday and explore the hope that can be found in the death of Jesus Christ some 2000 plus years ago.

Hope With Ruth Podcast – Episode 2 – Can We Know God? – This is the second episode of my podcast. Thanks for tuning in to this new endeavour! I usually record two episodes of original content a month and post on a Friday. I also record some of my previous blog posts as audio content to make them more accessible.

What is a truly successful life? Simply Living for Him Podcast – Always love the wisdom and encouragement from Karen DeBeus. This was a refreshing episode on where true success really is. As always she points us back to the Bible and this one definitely spoke to my weary heart.

Social Media

This is a heartbreaking story of how indigenous children were treated in Canada. Residential schools set up by the Roman Catholic Church were used to ‘forcibly assimilate Indigenous children’ and ‘physical, emotional and sexual abuse was rampant’. This image taken by Amber Bracken shows red dresses hanging on crosses to commemorate the children who died at one of the schools. One of the comments on Instagram noted the irony of remembering the children by a cross for a religion imposed on them. There are no words to express the horrors of what those children experienced. But pictures are worth 1000 words. For me, this picture also shows a rainbow which symbolises God’s promise to His people – ultimately through Jesus Christ at the cross. Jesus takes away sin and gives us His ‘robes’ of righteousness. I am thankful that God is just and that every wicked act will be brought to account eventually. But until that day, I am thankful for the promises of God, supremely met in Jesus Christ. Whilst I cannot comprehend the wickedness of those who profess Christ, yet act such outrageously in contrary to God’s Word, I do remember that my hope is on Christ alone.
I was so excited to have two of my blog posts featured at challies.com this month! Tim Challies is a great blogger and champions bloggers too. He continues to be an encouragement to me and I am honoured that he featured some of my words on his space on the web!
The Mustard Seed Mum: Pressured to be Perfect got a lot of traffic – thanks to Tim Challies! It was an encouragement to me as a writer and blogger.

Videos

My Blog Posts For April

Have You Forgotten About Easter Already? – ‘The Easter egg chocolate has been removed from the shelves. Some of you have devoured your body weight in chocolate I’m sure, and others are carefully still chipping away at it. But that’s that for another year right? No more bunnies and baskets.’

One Year On From A Stem Cell Transplant: Easter Reflection – ‘The 20th April 2022 will mark one year since I had an autologous stem cell transplant. I remember my emotions a year ago. It was the time where I felt most alone and afraid in my entire life so far. Nobody could experience the high dose chemotherapy and the suffering that it caused on my behalf. Nobody could visit me in person to comfort me because of the Covid-19 restrictions. Easter 2021 was filled with a real sense of what I referred to as ‘my personal Gethsemane’.’

My Journey with Jesus: How I Became a Christian – ‘Can I fumble my way through telling you this story of how I came to trust in Jesus?’

The Mustard Seed Mum: Pressured to be perfect? ‘The start of being a good parent is realising that your performance is not being measured against anyone else. It’s not a competition, even if it feels like it. So what if your child’s best friend’s mother bakes brownies better than you? You’re the best mama for your kids. God put you in a position to look after these precious children. You can trust Him to help you do it. You can bring the mess, the hard days, the lonely moments, the chaos, the frustrations, the worries, the joys, the tears, the tantrums – to Him. The only perfect one is God anyway. There is no other in that category!’

Published by Ruth Clemence

Ruth Clemence is a writer, blogger, mentor, wife and mother living in Cardiff, Wales. She loves to write about the good news and hope found in Jesus in the ups and downs of daily life. Through experiencing cancer as a 19-year-old university student and relapsing 10 years later with a young family, she longs to share hope and truth with others.