Naomi

Light a candle and remember the presence of God is with you.

Cut out the pieces to help you tell this story.

There are times and places when women are treated as less important than men.

This is not right. God loves us all. (Pause.)

Yet, my name is still a part of God’s story.

Your name is also a part of God’s story. (Draw a heart with your finger.)

My name is NAOMI.

Place Naomi in front of you.

My story is found in the Book of Ruth, right after the time of the judges and before the time of the kings.

Take time to look at the Bible timeline at the bottom.

Many sad things happened in my life at one time.

My husband died.

My only two sons died.

I was old and living far away from where I grew up.

I decided I needed to go home, but it had been a LONG time since I had been home.

When I got home I still felt very alone. 

I told the people that I was bitter.

I told them God had left me. I even changed my name to Mara, which means bitter.

Even though it was hard, God had not really left me.

I was also not alone.

My daughter-in-law Ruth journeyed with me. She was a gift that God gave me as she helped us find food and new ways to have what we needed to live. She was the
daughter of my heart. She left her home of Moab to be the family I needed in the place I grew up.

God never left me alone, even when life was hard.
God guided Ruth and I into a new chapter of life. (Pause.)

My name is Naomi. I changed it to Mara. I am part of God’s story.