Women of the Way Series

 

I often wonder what genre of books people like to read? Most often, people have a very specific type of book that stirs delight in them. I love a variety of books but fiction holds a special place in my heart as a way to escape into another realm, meet new people and experience things I might not otherwise.

When it comes to fiction, there are many sub-genres to choose from; fantasy, suspense, historical, mystery, thriller, dystopian, western, speculative, contemporary…the list is long so sometimes it can be hard to simply pick a book that everyone will enjoy.  Although I like them all, some more than others, I often feel drawn to biblical history. When reading authors such as Tessa Affshar, Connilyn Cossette or Angela Hunt you often get a feel for how it may have been living in biblical times but there is a new author on the scene who does a spectacular job of transporting you back in time.  Heather Kaufman is a former editor turned writer; she worked eight years in the publishing industry while earning her master’s degree. I looked into her bio and found that “when she fell in love with studying the Bible through a cultural lens, the words of Scripture came springing to life, and Jesus became even more astoundingly beautiful. Now she crafts stories that imaginatively enter the lives of biblical characters and compel readers deeper into the Bible.” There is no better way of describing the obvious love she puts into her books and how she is able to make you feel a part of the story.

When her first book Up from Dust: Martha’s Story arrived, I loved the cover but simply did not have the time to read it however her newest book Before the King: Joanna’s Story arrived I was totally drawn to the beautiful cover and felt captivated by the woman staring back at me when I picked it up. I did not even read the back, simply decided that it would be on my TBR pile. I could not have known in that moment how much this book would affect me. From the beginning, Joanna’s story snagged me in a profound way, bit like a black hole was sucked into her world and joined her story.

The time period 22AD during the reign of King Herod the Second.  Joanna’s father Itamar is a Sadducee's priest on his way to an appointment at Sanhedrin when her sister, Dalia begins to suffer seizures. As they continue to get worse her father begins to hear the words ‘demon’ and ‘possessed’ spoken in the marketplace so it is decided that she must be sent away to live with a distant relative in order to protect the family. This decision causes the sisters lives to become very different, one living in opulence in Sepphoris and one in obscurity hidden away at the seaside.  An accident days before Joanna’s wedding changes everything as she deals with incredible loss and finds herself permanently crippled due to the unfortunate event. The pain and limp she’s left with changes the course of her life …that is until one day she by chance meets Jesus. It gives me chills because isn’t that the case for each of us, Jesus changes everything.

As I read this story of healing, conviction and the power of the gospel I myself was stuck on a couch using crutches due to an injury, it was like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a blustery day, it made the reality of the story and need to rely solely on the words Christ for strength and comfort that much more compelling. Kaufman is truly fresh voice in biblical fiction, her research and use of scripture brings Jesus alive in a new light. Needless to say, this is going to be one of my top recommendations this year and if you choose to read it, I would love to hear your feedback on her writing 😊