Naomi is Back Not Just to Bethlehem-Judah, Back to her Real Self

In seven chapters the author discusses the central movements of Naomi's experiences involved in returning to her homeland with the assistance of Ruth, God's gift to Naomi. Naomi's return home is necessitated because of three significant family losses--deaths of her husband, Elimelech, and both her children, Chilion and Mahlon. More than just her physical return, insight is given into Naomi's psychological transition from states of pleasantness to states of bitterness as well as the move from bitterness back to pleasantness. Further, Naomi's bitterness is presented as an expression of her self-perception which was affected by her perception of God. In the concluding chapter, the author presents that normal life events and experiences affect most people at some time but that depending on the person's response these events and experiences will lead to adaptive or maladaptive behavioral and mental paths.

The Author
Dr. R. D. Carrington, Sr., is the author. He sees the opportunity to write about the characters and content of the Scripture as his humble privilege. It is his desire that any attention focus on these projects' potential to help others, not him. However, the following indicates some degree of his credibility in Biblical knowledge and spiritual experience, as well as his knowledge of psychology and practical life experiences:
Carrington was licensed at age ten and ordained at age eighteen as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and has pastored three churches in forty-seven years, serving for the last 38 years at the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Jesus Christ which he organized.

He holds a PhD. in Psychology and an M. S. in Psychology; he has completed core psychology coursework for B.S. in Psychology and has completed B.A. with double majors in Bible and English.

In addition to pastoring, Carrington served as an Adjunct Psychology Lecturer for ten years, and as a business and certified church consultant. Additionally, his education research projects primarily focus on factors that potentially influence student academic achievement, especially school boards.

In his personal life, R. D. has been married to Sharon for more than three decades, and is a father to five children—Rae'Nea, Rodney, Jr., Roland, Ross, and Raphael, and has four grandchildren—Rylan, Raigan, Rhyland, and Terrance II.