Have you ever wished or hoped for something for a long time? Think deeper than some Christmas gift you really wanted. Has there been something you've hoped would happen in your life? What do you think your response would be if it did?

In a lot of ways, the book of Ruth is a book filled with longing. Ruth's story really starts with her mother-in-law, Naomi. Naomi lost her whole family. Shortly after her husband died, her two sons did as well. She tried to change her name to "bitter." Naomi tried to send her daughters-in-laws back to their own families, but Ruth stayed.