Shades of Strong® | From “Strong Black Woman” to Supported Black Woman

Shades of Strong® | From “Strong Black Woman” to Supported Black Woman


What Ruth and Boaz Taught Me (That Church Never Did)

August 19, 2025

We love to romanticize Ruth and Boaz like it’s the ultimate love story — but what if it’s really a story about being supported… for once? In this first episode back after my summer break, I’m digging into the part church never talked about: the quiet power of being chosen without earning it, being cared for without proving you deserve it, and receiving without struggle.

This episode isn’t about marriage or fairy tale endings — it’s about softness, legacy, and what happens when you position yourself to be supported… and then pass that support down.

In this episode I share:
• Why support is often missing in the way the church teaches Ruth’s story
•  What Ruth teaches us about positioning ourselves to be supported
• Why Boaz’s role wasn’t savior — it was support
• What it looks like to pass support down through generations 

Resources to Support You:

Shirl is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.