By Cynthia Ruchti
When I purchased Ragged Hope, I assumed that I’d be reading
stories that might help me as I am challenged by the pitfalls from the poor
choices of the people around me. I’ve been there. Most likely, we all have. Instead, I learned how to better serve others
who are in emotional, physical, and spiritual pain from the consequences of
other people’s choices. The part of the book that I appreciated the most and
prayed about even more, is the section after each story where she says, “If you
know…”, where the author shares tips on ministering to those who need hope. I’ve
never read a book like this that offers such good ideas on how to reach out to
the hurting. Because her words brought the realities to life, I found myself
praying for the people in the chapters.
Cynthia shares stories of tragedy, pain, and rebellion. More
than that she reaches into the heart and examines how the person survived. I
love how she reckoned hope to a baby’s blanket, where the satin edges were worn
and tattered, yet the blanket brought comfort and hope. Some stories brought tears while others called
up empathy. But most of the testimonies sounded familiar. In fifty-six years, I’ve
seen many of the same struggles and lived the same desperate cry for Jesus’
hope.
This is a must read for anyone who ministers to others and
wants to offer the hope of Jesus to a hurting world. Every church and public
library should have this book on the shelf.
