I stood behind the closed French doors, the sweet notes of amazing grace telling me it was almost time. The wedding planner fluffed my satin dress & veil one more time.  Breath, I told myself. The  doors opened and I knew the guests stood, the harp and violin grew louder, and the hot June breeze [...]

As featured on the Good Women Project. She is 42. She has 6 children. She is recently divorced. “What happened?” I asked. Because seriously, how do you go from “Let’s have ½ a dozen kids together” to “I hate your guts and want out”? “Well…” she paused, “I married him under the classic assumption that [...]

On the afternoon of August 5, 2010 something significant happened. 33 men went to work as usual, but didn’t go home for 69 days. The media deemed the men “The 33″ as they were trapped 700 meters (2,300ft) underground in the San José copper–gold mine. The Chilean mining accident gained the attention of the world, as the mixed [...]

We drove onto the farm and horses came trotting over to the fence to welcome us–bringing Nostalgia with them. I had visited the Morris’ farm dozens of times since I was in middle school. The crunching sound from the gravel road under the tires brought long-awaited sigh of relief. I could relax. We had made it. I couldn’t [...]

If you’re visiting from the Good Women Project–welcome to RuthieDean.com. I’m honored {truly} you’re here. My tagline–a dose of truth. a choice for joy. life abundant.–summarizes the experience and community I wish to create through my writing. If you like what you find here, please subscribe by entering your email on the right.  For all my usual [...]

I have a confession to make. I struggle with entitlement. Entitlement? The definition might as well be “Americans”. It’s the attitude of deserving–I deserve to live in an $$$ house, go to a private college, make $70,000 right out of school, send my food back at a restaurant if I don’t “like” it, sue someone [...]

Name the first thing that comes to mind. GO… “Write” is my answer.  Do you know how many years it took me to start this blog? How many excuses I made for why I wasn’t equipped or the right person to blog and write a book [one day]? Far too often thoughts of “what the [...]

The last command of Jesus was to “Go”. To take His message to the ends of the earth–that all may know the Savior of the World and the One True God. The Great Commission. When I was living in China as a missionary, I often wondered why God chooses us–sinful, screwed up people–to do His work [...]

“Can you please tell me how hard I’ve been working?” Michael said, with a smile on his face. “Of course you’ve been working hard. I tell you I love you every day when you come home…and cook for you” I replied, a little confused why my words weren’t translating as love. Then I remembered. Before [...]

Michael and I have been married 4 months! Since June 4, we have attended four weddings (three in Atlanta). It’s been fun to be on the other side and remember the nervousness of ‘right before I walked down the isle” to the exhilaration of being introduced the first time as “Mr. and Mrs.” to the [...]