Ruth is a full-time geek, and wishes you could get paid for that. Amongst the great loves of her life are books, trees, and the ocean - not forgetting tea and pizza! She's a huge fan of Doctor Who, NCIS, and the West Wing, and is shamelessly addicted to the music and videos of her favourite band, The Piano Guys.
Ruth has been writing poetry for nearly four decades, either to explore and process her life experiences or to celebrate the things and people she loves.
She won the poetry category of the 2023 Christian Indie Awards for her first book, Flying Free: Poems for Pilgrim Hearts.
Her work has been published in the poetry journal Time of Singing (under the name of R.M. Fanshaw), and has been featured on the podcast Coffee With Jesus.
Her first two book releases, Flying Free: Poems for Pilgrim Hearts and Gone Before: A Grief Journey in Poems, have both garnered multiple Readers' Favorite five star reviews.
Ruth has been a committed Christian since 1990.
She studied theology at Mattersey Hall Bible College (now Misseo Dei Leadership & Theological College) for three and a half years. She holds a Diploma in Christian Studies, but long-term illness forced her to put her degree course on hold. She still hopes to return and complete it one day.
Ruth has preached in the college chapel and at local churches in Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire.
She believes passionately in the importance of getting to know Jesus and His Father better in our daily lives, through the Holy Spirit, and of seeking an ever-deepening understanding of the Bible.
It is this deeper understanding of God and the Bible that she thinks of as ‘real’ theology, or ‘theology for real people’ - the things that can really change your life!
She loves to communicate what she learns in the most ‘user-friendly’ way she can. She wants to help people to see that theology isn’t something we need to be afraid of, but rather something that can truly enrich our lives and help us to become more like Jesus.
Ruth has a neuro-immune condition called M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), and has also navigated two breakdowns, and many bouts of anxiety and depression. Living with these illnesses has challenged her in her walk with God, yet also helped her to experience His love on a deeper level.
Ruth also writes adventure fiction as R.M. Fanshaw.
Her Christian faith is the bedrock of her life, and informs all her writing.
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Photo credit: Nocternal Artist Photography, Gainsborough.
Hair and make-up: Tiffany Foster.