Sarah from Canada wrote: "I graduated from my masters of Theology in April 2019. I went into it for personal development of my faith, came out with a desire to be in ministry. I both hate the church, and love it. I see the harm it does, but also the beauty when it's doing what it's originally intended to do. In one of my classes, we needed to do a key word study from a word found in either Ruth or Jonah. I chose Ruth 1:18 -- after Ruth has done her passionate speech about your people will be my people, and "When [Naomi] saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her."

"Steadfastly minded" (or stubborn minded, as I once saw it) is only used one as translation! אָמֵץ means strength! It was when Naomi saw how strong Ruth was being, she had no words, because there was nothing else to say! Ruth was ready! Women are strong too. I can't put into words the whirlwind of emotion that this brought discovering it -- freedom, happiness, affirmation -- but also frustration, shock, disgust -- that this is the lens that I saw, and I know many others may see, women within this context. That Joshua is strong and courageous, Ruth was "stubborn minded". And so I've claimed the word since. It's my reminder to be strong and courageous, but also that the world around me might use the context of my religion to try and limit my capabilities as a woman, or that a woman can't be feminine and strong at the same time -- but that's not the message of the scriptures. That I am loved and cherished, just as I am."