While I’ve now read one of her books, I am still mostly unfamiliar with Ruth Chou Simons and her company/blog GraceLaced. Her artwork has captured the attention and filled the picture frames of many women. Although, it was one of her book titles that originally caught my eye on a completely innocent walk through Hobby Lobby (ok, I did grab a few skeins of yarn). I happened to scan over the books available at the front, though I’m not usually impressed with Hobby Lobby’s choices. Then again, theologically solid and biblically sound books do not typically sell thousands of copies and won’t make a lot of money so their choices aren’t surprising. However, in Ruth’s case, I was surprised by the title which lacked all the usual trappings of modern, shallow Christianity and grabbed the book.
Was it worth the read? Yes! But oh boy, I’ve never been so conflicted in my time as a reviewer.
Grace, not works!
Before I start down my usual rabbit trails and soap boxes, I want to take the time to praise Ruth for her writing. The majority of the narrative and doctrine is praiseworthy. Women struggle to let go of their striving in our day and age of self-improvement, self-betterment, self-love, and self-acceptance. If you read my review for Allie Beth Stuckey’s book, the content is very similar. Ruth’s book is longer and goes into even more details of her personal history and struggles, and is also written to Believers. Allie’s book could be read by any woman and does the work to present the gospel as to those who don’t understand it’s appeal at all. Ruth, however, narrows in on women who have spent their lives in church, at Bible study, and in personal pursuit of holiness.
Ruth’s writing style is entirely disarming. I both appreciate and dislike this style. It’s easy to feel welcomed, almost like you’re at the table together with a cup of tea, when the writing has a conversational, light, sisterly, and heart-to-heart tone. Although it’s a simpler style, it has gained an appreciative audience in recent years. Most modern, female, Christian living writers that I have read write in a similar fashion.
There were a lot of paragraphs, one-liners, and totally quotable moments through the entirety of this book. However, some topics/doctrine could have been explained better, in a way that is easier to understand. Her explanation and development of repentance, for instance, was a little murky. I’m not quite so worried about her stance – she seems biblical in her understanding of repentance – however, her ability to explain it in all it’s theological fullness and doctrinal richness seems to be lacking a bit. I understand the difficulty of explaining repentance even to other Believers. It can be so difficult to explain it in a way that does not come across as legalistic on one extreme or misunderstood and nearly unnecessary on the other. Yet, this is a crucial doctrine! When we write of it, we better be good at explaining it.
Ruth uses quite a bit of Scripture, which I found helpful and (for the most part) contextually accurate. It is critical that a book which claims to deal with our orthopraxy (how we carry out the doctrine/teaching or orthodoxy we believe) be rooted in Scripture. There’s no other way for Believers to make a case for how we should walk and talk and think. Ruth’s chapters are saturated in the gospel, the true gospel, not the gospel of self-acceptance. I was struck by this paragraph at the end of a chapter about running from shame:
. . . herein lies the whole reason we must cease striving through good works: they do not save.
If there is a gospel of self-improvement, it is a damning one. It is a gospel that is not good news at all; it will wall you off, shrivel you up, and destroy your sensitivity to God’s pursuit. This is why it must be utterly destroyed and replaced with the true gospel of life-transforming grace. Only the grace of God is enough to bring us home, make us worthy, and keep us in the love of God.
One confusing aspect scattered throughout that gave me pause was her use of the phrase “being made worthy”, as you can see in the quote above. At another point she said, “. . . the truth is, we simply aren’t enough. . .” I find it hard to reconcile these two phrases when they are taken at face value. If we aren’t enough, then we aren’t worthy either. To consider ourselves “made worthy” might lead to some issues as we share the gospel with others and as we consider sanctification for ourselves. Perhaps re-wording it “declared worthy” might bring some more clarity?
Ruth discusses the difference between positional and practical holiness at one point. I think further development here would have clarified the right way to consider our worthiness before God as Believers. Positionally, we are declared righteous, aka enough, because when God looks at us He sees Christ’s “enough-ness”. Practically, we still live in our mortal flesh which makes us by nature not enough until the day we die. We are not saved by Christ’s death on the cross so we can become enough – He is enough already. We simply get to live in light of His righteousness which will spur us on to love and good deeds. I believe Ruth would agree with everything I just said, but a slightly more careful use of terms and development of definitions would clarify her positions on key doctrine.
Wait, there’s more.
Now, as I’ve been rambling, you’ve probably been wondering (or maybe you haven’t), why do I dislike the disarming and relatable writing style? It is a simple but unfortunate reason. I have encountered too many female authors, speakers, and teachers who write with a similar style – sisterly, warm, inviting, moving – that are false teachers or at the very least not very biblically sound.
Am I calling Ruth Chou Simons a false teacher? No, I have no grounds to at this point. However, I am going to explain why I think you should consider approaching her books (even a helpful didactic book such as this one) with caution.
When I first purchased the book, I was already wary. The title and blurb sounded good, but with one glace at the back I was disturbed by some of the endorsements. Lysa Terkeurst and Jennie Allen both applauded this book (rightfully so); however, any theologically solid woman would need to think very hard about including these ladies’ names on their cover.
I had to do some digging, after all, endorsements don’t always mean agreement or association. Unfortunately, in Ruth’s case, there is absolutely association if not agreement. Regarding Jennie Allen, Ruth quoted one line from her book Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts. Beyond that, Ruth has taken part in Jennie’s conference IF:Gathering several years in a row (I saw her name associated with IF for several years running when I searched it, and she appears to be booked there this year for the 2024 IF:Gathering). Participating in IF doesn’t necessarily condemn you, though it should give pause since IF once brought Jen Hatmaker in as a speaker (though she has apparently not been brought back since her fall to the dark side, aka LGBT theology) and regularly allows fluffy speakers if not outright false teachers on the stage. Other names such as Ann Voskamp (who writes about experiencing God in a sexual way), Jamie Ivey, Matt and Lauren Chandler, and Christine Caine (who has preached at Hillsong) appear in their previous and current speaking rosters. Jennie Allen may be well-meaning, but her own lack of solid biblical teaching and interpretation in her Bible studies as well as her close association/friendship/mentorship with Joyce Meyers (prosperity gospel) and admiration of Beth Moore (word-of-faith or “name it and claim it” theology) calls much of her ministry into question.
Lysa Terkeurst encourages “contemplative prayer” (a mystical, empty-minded practice of working to feel God’s presence), attends Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church, and does not handle Scripture accurately. Oh and she teaches to mixed audiences at churches (I don’t know if she uses the word preach, but the wording hardly matters when we can see that she is teaching men in church). This is blatant, overt, and direct disobedience to the word of God when He says through Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:33b-35 “As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.” And we also have 1 Timothy 2:12 “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” I don’t care if I were to write the world’s greatest Christian book, Lysa’s good words would not be found on the cover.
Take a deep breath . . . let it out. I realize that was a lot to take in. I’m not even giving you all the details that I could due to lack of time and space. However, there are far more mature and godly women out there who have taken the time to deep dive into these women and others. I am linking some of what I read below for you to take a look at if you are interested.
Please hear my heart here: we women can be lead astray so easily. I’m here blogging about books I read because I was misled by the writing of another “Christian” single woman who was definitely NOT looking to Lord in her season of being unmarried and (unfortunately) decided to write about it. I did not write this post to bash these ladies or tell you never to read Ruth Chou Simons. In fact, I actually gained much insight from this book and appreciated her use of Scripture throughout. I personally prefer lighter amounts of experiential commentary because it’s easier to remain biblically accurate when more time is spent sharing and explaining Scripture than talking about how we used to be such an unconfident Christian. But Ruth has a fairly decent balance of the two.
To read or not to read.
This is a book you could enjoy and learn from. God’s grace is amazing! Romans 8 is incredible! But sometimes our finite female hearts get caught up in what we think grace and striving means. Ruth gently calls us out of our ceaseless striving and reminds us that our rest is found in Christ’s work alone.
If you want to read her book, and I think you should absolutely consider it, keep this in mind: Ruth is evidencing a concerning lack of discernment in whom she shares a stage with and whom she allows to endorse her material. Though she will be on stage with many musicians and teachers that I love at Sing! 2024, she is also going to be on stage at the TGCW Conference 2024 (The Gospel Coalition’s women’s conference) with several of the ladies I mentioned earlier. It is a dangerous work to walk the line between camps that present the gospel differently. It is especially dangerous when one of those camps has women preaching in church and teachers who meddle with (if not fully accept) word-of-faith and prosperity doctrines.
Be wise, my reading friends. If you decide to read Ruth’s book and learn from her insight, do not wander from the narrow way! Use your Bible and be wary of looking into the writings of Ruth’s friends. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion, but our God is greater and so is His grace!
Until next time, go read a good book!
Resources I used:
https://www.shelfreflection.com/blog/when-strivings-cease
Sadie Robertson-Huff Message Review (IF:Gathering Series pt.3- Teaching cont.)
