top of page



Selling T-shirts for Orphans: Mike Mitchell, The Global Orphan Project
This is Post 3 of 4 telling the stories of staff members at The Global Orphan Project. You can read the first post, which tells the story...
ruthieburrell
Jan 20, 20154 min read


The Today of the Past
At first glance, one day is a mundane thing. Twenty-four hours seems pretty insignificant when compared to the whole of history. I often...
ruthieburrell
Jan 16, 20152 min read


A Transformed Life: Adrien Lewis, The GO Project
This is Post 2 of 4 telling the stories of staff members at The Global Orphan Project. You can read the first post, which tells the story...
ruthieburrell
Jan 12, 20154 min read


A Conflict of Calling, Part 2
This is Part 2 of a collection of questions and musings regarding the callings I’ve felt during the last three years. You can read Part 1...
ruthieburrell
Jan 9, 20156 min read


Wrecked by Orphans: Mike and Beth Fox, founders of the GO Project
The last thing Mike Fox wanted to do was look like a missionary. He was a successful businessman and entrepreneur with plans to retire...
ruthieburrell
Jan 5, 20154 min read


A Conflict of Calling, Part 1
If you’ve sat in a church service sometime in the last five years, chances are good you’ve heard someone talk about being “called” or...
ruthieburrell
Jan 2, 20155 min read


Top 5 Favorite Childhood Books
This is the first 5th Monday I’ve had since starting my blog, and since I aim for only 4 ministry stories each month, I’m doing something...
ruthieburrell
Dec 29, 20144 min read


Resurrection, a Short Story
He shook the can of spray paint one more time and finished his newest mural with a flourish of red mist that sent a fresh wave of...
ruthieburrell
Dec 26, 20145 min read


A Garment of Praise: Beauty for Ashes Member Testimonies, Part 2
This is part 4 of 4 about Beauty for Ashes, a prison ministry based out of Kansas City. Part 1 tells the story of Gina Hanna, founder of...
ruthieburrell
Dec 22, 20145 min read


Running Just to Catch Myself
“Running Just to Catch Myself” was a song I heard in high school about the craziness of a fast-paced corporate life – speeding on the way...
ruthieburrell
Dec 19, 20143 min read


A Crown of Beauty: Beauty for Ashes Testimonies, Part 1
This is post 3 of 4 about Beauty for Ashes, a prison ministry based out of Kansas City. The first post tells the story of Gina Hanna,...
ruthieburrell
Dec 15, 20145 min read


Peace on Earth: The Christmas Truce of 1914
Ironically, I wrote this post a week before seeing the Sainsbury’s ad telling the same story. I thought about changing it but decided a...
ruthieburrell
Dec 12, 20143 min read


Trading Ashes for Beauty: A Volunteer’s Perspective
This is post 2 of 4 regarding Beauty for Ashes, a prison ministry based out of Kansas City. Today’s post is a bit different than my...
ruthieburrell
Dec 8, 20144 min read


A Light in the Dark
Last year, while I was working at an inner-city ministry, I sent occasional email updates to friends and family members who had requested...
ruthieburrell
Dec 5, 20143 min read


Finding Freedom: Gina Hanna, founder of Beauty for Ashes
When Gina was 23, she was arrested for selling marijuana to an undercover cop. The typical sentence for that offense was two years’...
ruthieburrell
Dec 1, 20144 min read


Doing Well to Do Good: Tracy Taylor, a set apart client
This is Part 4 in a series of stories about set apart, a creative arts discipleship ministry. Part 1 tells how Brent & Kristin Morris...
ruthieburrell
Nov 24, 20144 min read


Beside Galilee: A Lesson in Following
I think everyone has a few “defining moments” in their lives. The following event occurred during a study abroad trip to Israel/Palestine...
ruthieburrell
Nov 21, 20145 min read


Sacred in the Ordinary: Paige DeRuyscher, a set apartist
This is Part 3 of 4 in a series of stories about set apart, a creative arts discipleship ministry. Part 1 tells how Brent & Kristin...
ruthieburrell
Nov 17, 20143 min read


Living a Century, Part 2
Bonus Post! Part 2 of a piece written in honor of my great-grandfather, Charles Maxwell Overholt, November 16, 1912 – March 25, 2013....
ruthieburrell
Nov 16, 20149 min read


Living a Century, Part 1
Part 1 of a piece written in honor of my great-grandfather, Charles Maxwell Overholt, November 16, 1912 – March 25, 2013. Part 2 will be...
ruthieburrell
Nov 14, 20147 min read
bottom of page