Reading, Writing & Pondering

  On Living Stone by Heather Kaufman is the third book in the Women of the Way series. This book is Salome's story--and so much more based on the New Testament.  Salome grows up feeling lonely. Her eyes are an unusual color and her mother passed away when she was young. She has her father and he does encourage her, but she is still lonely and made fun of as she grows up by the Sea of Galilee. She is known as a wild girl with a quick tongue. As she gets grows up, she worries she will never marry. Then, she does and God blesses her with two sons--James and John. When her sons are grown, James and John answer a call to follow Jesus of Nazereth. Salome isn't sure what to think of their path and the man who is leading them. Will she and her family all become followers? On Living Stone certainly details some of the challenges of living during the time of Jesus. Based on the Bible, the author uses her imagination to bring New Testament history to life.  I found this story to b...

Martha of Bethany in the Bible is known for being super responsible and calling out her sister, Mary, in front of Jesus for not helping her. Yet, as a reader, I wonder just who this Martha is. How did she become this responsible, hard-working woman? Up From Dust by Heather Kaufman is Martha's Story in her new Women of the Way series. This book is divided into two parts. The first part chronicles Martha's early life. Martha was responsible for raising her siblings, Mary and Lazarus, after her mother passed away and her father became apathetic towards life. She is forced to take up a mother role that she wasn't really ready for. She also gives her young heart to a shepherd and then tragedy strikes. Martha has faced many challenges. The second part is her life around the time that Jesus enters her life. One of Martha's friends calls on Jesus to heal her husband from leprosy. Martha struggles with her feelings towards Jesus. She isn't sure she can trust him because of ...

  Women throughout history have been turning to prayer to change to world. When Women Pray by T. D. Jakes focuses on 10 women of the Bible who changed the world through prayer. From lesser known women like Rhoda and the shunammite woman to Mary and Esther, Jakes shares how each of these women used prayer to make a difference. He also relates each of these women and their situations to the world today. I found When Women Pray to be an interesting book. I learned some things about Bible women that I did not previously know and was also reminded of some that I did know. At the same time, Jakes wrote this book this year and shares his thoughts about writing during the Covid-19 pandemic, which I found especially interesting. Jakes is also a black preacher and he shares some things from his perspective as a black man that helped me as a white woman see things a little differently. I found the book to be easy to read and understand. I think it is a book that would speak to young Christi...