Sometimes in their walk with God, even those in ministry sometimes gets caught up in the daily grind and they forget to communicate with the Lord.
For Reverend Ruby Moultrie of First United Methodist Church, this sort of thing happened in October 2018.
Less than a year later, Moultrie documented conversations with God and has published a book to help those going through a similar toil.
“Knowing God A-Z” talks about Moultrie’s life and struggles and how it relates to public perception.
“Even when we have to look at the world or the world looks at us, they think, ‘She has it all together. She’s a pastor,’” Moultrie said. “She’s in ministry. The worldly facade that I put out there for so many years finally begins to be too much.”
In October 2018, Moultrie wondered why she could pray for anybody, but she couldn’t go to God for herself.
“Then God stopped me and said, ‘I’ve got you,’” Moultrie said. “He spoke love to his daughter. I didn’t have to wear a title other than the daughter of the king.
“He spoke love and said, ‘I’ve got you.’ He gave me the whole alphabet: ‘I am alpha all of the way through zealous for you.’ It was a pretty awesome journey I had to take that morning in my devotional for God.”
Five months later, the Lord asked Moultrie to write it down and talk about God’s love in her first book. Just as many of the historic, biblical figures who were called unexpectedly by God to do great things, Moultrie was hesitant at first.
“Those are personal thoughts that you think at the time,” Moultrie said. “Until God let’s you know that somebody else is going through a similar journey wondering who they are and who God is.
“Part of why I didn’t pursue any of this stuff is you can be judged. When you’re vulnerable, people will look at that side of you and say, ‘How can I use her brokenness to break her more? It’s really kind of hard to admit to the world: here I am.
“But here I am right now, I know I’m the daughter of the King. Whatever I may go through, God is there.”
Moultrie used her two battles with cancer and the support from her church family as a God timing. But even still, Moultrie asks if she is worth enough to do what God asks her to do.
One of Moultrie’s well-documented talents is her angelic voice, but in the time she was writing this book, she had lost her voice and God used her in other ways to do his work.
“I hid behind the gift of music for a long time,” Moultrie said. “Ironically when this book was being published I couldn’t sing. I could talk, but I couldn’t sing. I had a voice for God still, through this book. When I couldn’t sing, God allowed me to be heard.”
After consulting a friend about who to use as a publisher, Moultrie landed on Covenant Books. She finished the book in May 2019 and felt God’s healing during the process.
“People would come into my office and see tears coming down my face at the computer,” Moultrie said. “It got to be a joke, which letter is this and why are you crying?”
Moultrie e-mailed the publisher and received word three days later and received word the book would be published.
“Knowing God” A-Z is $14 the day of the signing, which will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 14. If those interested would like a message in the books or to pre-order the book, Moultrie recommends calling the church at 806-669-7411 and talking to Virginia.
Safe-distancing and refreshments will be at the signing.
“We are going to practice safe-distancing, we hope. They will have a couple of stations in the Gathering Space,” Moultrie said. “They’ll come in the north door and go over to the two ladies selling the books and they’ll come to me. There will be refreshments and a lot of activities going on a 2 p.m. that day.”
