HANNAH The short story of Hannah thrills our soul as we consider a beloved yet barren woman who was finally blessed with a baby boy. This son would play a pivotal role in the nation of Israel, not only as a prophetic voice to the descendants of Abraham, but also anointing its first two kings, Saul and David. Tracing the brief history of this godly woman, we will find there are very challenging lessons for us in our day. Although there were some very frustrating years in her marriage, we see that she never lost her faith in God nor her fervency in prayer. RUTH The book of Ruth comes as a most refreshing and pleasing story, coming right on the heels of Judges. We find this short biblical account of just a few souls to be a breath of fresh air and a beacon of light. As we move through the story we will be impressed, too, with the way that God was pleased to work in His grace in the lives of some ordinary people living ordinary lives in an ordinary place. Most of us would likely fit into those same categories, so the fact that God shows a deep and sincere interest in these people should be an encouragement to us as well. What an amazing truth