Hugoton resident pens series of novels

By W.K. Bartel

Southwest Kansas native Ruth Bartel, currently living in Hugoton, has penned a series of novels, telling the story of two sisters, both past the half-century mark, who find that neither romance nor personal value is limited to the young. Her characters follow paths of discovery of the wonders of God’s plans which know no age or disability.

“Desert Fountains”

Changing jobs two years before retirement isn’t Abigail’s idea of the best way to spend her final years in the workforce, but she's happy to get away from a boss who is anything but friendly. Walking into her new job interview splashed from head to toe with snow-melt wasn’t in her agenda, however. But when God sends you on a mission, even if it is into traffic to save a child, surely He has a plan. Four lives are changed over Christmas in ways none of them had ever imagined possible. But if God could do all this, what else could He do with those who were willing to be used – no matter what people think someone of middle-age can do.

“Desert Roses”

When God moves so fast in your life that you begin to fear the down-hill plunge that is almost certainly to come, how do you catch your breath and live what others would call a normal life? RJ and Beth have to find answers to this question as their business and their ministry to wounded warriors begins shaping faster than they had anticipated. Where will they find the people they need to help them? Can God really grow someone’s faith this rapidly? They must redefine what it means for their lives to say, “With God all things are possible.” Both RJ and Beth would learn how blood makes roses more beautiful.

“Desert Song”

God had promised Dave his body would be healed when he learned to forgive. But what would it take for him to forgive? How much would he have to forgive? Dave and Abi face family issues as the truth of Dave’s family history begins to raise ugly truths. It’s more than just forgiving himself for what he was part of when he first met Abigail. Can he and his children overcome truths more terrible than Dave ever dreamed? Can Abi and Dave bring healing to more than just their children’s families? Even though each person’s song of faith may be different from that of everyone else, God makes the song into a symphony of harmony that reaches the heavens. No one is too old or too young to join in.

Ruth sometimes laughingly says she began attending church nine months before she was born, and grew up on a farm near Meade, KS, hearing Bible stories from infancy. She was seven when she knew she needed Jesus in her life to be able to go to heaven when she died—as she knew her parents and grandparents all would—and made her decision during Vacation Bible School.

Reading was a favorite pastime growing up—by the time she was in the fourth grade she had read every book in her country-school library. That’s about the time she began writing stories of her own. Samples of stories from the age of nine are still in her “treasure box.” By her teens she was writing poetry, enjoying the art of word-smithing to express ideas she was far too shy to say out loud. High school drama became a favorite venue to bring make-believe characters to life.

She has always loved learning, especially when this meant she was learning about God. Though she attended Bible School just after graduating High School, she didn’t earn her Bachelor’s Degree until 20 years later—at which time she earned 36 credit hours of college courses by writing term papers to demonstrate what she’d learned outside of classrooms. She holds degrees in Management of Human Resources, Bible and Music ministry, Theology, and Christian Education.

Music provided another passion for her life, though she laughs at how music teachers didn’t really appreciate her ability to play a piece by ear far more readily than she could play it by note. It wasn’t until much later, however, that the poetry and music combined into writing songs—mostly for church seasonal choir programs.

She says, “When much of my shyness had been overcome by God’s Spirit, my love for story-telling surfaced. My first book became a monstrosity before it was done—about 1300 pages, type-written, single-spaced.”

She tells how she knew God wanted her to write the story of David. She always felt different from other people as a child; sometimes life didn’t seem to make much sense. It was when she read the definition of a poet that she began to understand. And it isn’t about the act of writing poems; it is about how you perceive things around you.

It was soon after this realization she realized God wanted her to write the story of King David. There were a few “discussions” with God about this task, such as the question of writing the story from David’s point of view. She said to God, “I can’t see from a man’s point of view; and I’m not even married.” She felt God’s response: “We’ll work it out.”

So began her research into the life of David, which included a trip to Israel in 1993 with a Christian tour group.

She was struggling with how to portray the intense friendship between David and Jonathan without the homosexual undertones modern society had suggested. Christian men from Western culture seem to be reluctant to speak of close friendships with each other, so she prayed for God to send her someone from the Middle East to provide insight. She felt Satan’s attacks immediately, when he threw doubts into her path. How could she, a single female, approach a Middle Eastern male to ask such questions.

But God took care of those doubts. He had given her a promise and she trusted Him. She flew into New York City alone and when boarding the flight to Israel, found herself seated with two young men who were speaking another language. When the evening meal came, they asked if she minded if they gave thanks for their food. She said “no” and joined them in prayer. Then they said they were so sorry because they had asked God to send them someone to witness to on the flight. And the Holy Spirit told her to ask these two men.

They were pastors of native churches in New York City who had grown up together in a village in Greece, and had been best friends all of their lives. They willingly answered her questions and provided the perspective she needed to flesh out the relationship between David and Jonathan.

She still hopes to turn David’s story into a series one day. Until then, there are many other stories to tell of people who, just like you and me, are not perfect, but are still greatly loved by Jesus Christ—and He wants to use such imperfect people to tell other imperfect people how they can become overcomers through His new life He offers to each of us. From that was born the Desert Springs trilogy.

Much of her writing at this time is in creating Bible Studies for a Christian ministry with which she is affiliated. She is also currently working on a novel about Salmon and Rahab.

Ruth’s first three novels, The Desert Springs trilogy, published by Salt and Light Books, are now available on Kindle from Amazon.com and through www.saltandlightbooks.com.

Ruth is available to speak to church or women’s groups.  You can contact Ruth through the email address – wkbartel@saltandlightbooks.com. Ruth hopes to publish the novels in paperback format in the spring.