Let's Bust a Recap : A Lineage of Grace

Hi there! Summer is finally upon us (still a little weird living in a place where there are actual seasons) and I am loving it. Is it summer where you live and what are your favorite summer activities? Do you even like summer? Maybe we should get on to the recap. When I started working through Teresa Whiting's DisGraced study, I decided it would be a great time to revisit Francine Rivers' Lineage of Grace series. The first three women Teresa covers in her study are Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba, all of whom are in the lineage of Christ. So as I was working my way through DisGraced, I also took time to read through these five novellas by one of my favorite authors. 

This first book in the series brings the story of Tamar to life and was first published in April of 2000. You can read Tamar's story in Genesis 38. She's also mentioned in Ruth, 1 Chronicles, and, of course, in the lineage of Jesus in Matthew. Tamar's story is one of the harder ones to read about in Scripture. It's what I would call a rated R narrative, and even though culturally we're so far removed from what was acceptable in Tamar's day, it's hard to wrap your head around seducing your father-in-law and then bearing his twin sons. 

What I like about Francine Rivers' attempt to bring these women to life is that she starts each book with a note encouraging the reader to check out the actual Biblical account—with references—and she keeps the fictionalization to a minimum. Obviously, we can't know any details about these women beyond what the Bible provides, but I think Rivers does a good job of towing the line and not creating too sensational of a backstory or additional characters. In the case of Tamar, the thing that really stopped me in my tracks was the fact that they were literally dragging Tamar out to burn her alive when she sent Judah the proof that he was the father. Sometimes, when I'm reading a very familiar Bible story, I don't stop to think about how these real people were really feeling. How terrifying for Tamar, probably a very young woman in her 20s if not still a teenager at this point, to literally be staring down death and not even sure that Judah would relent once he received his things from her. My heart can't help but go out to her in her desperation. What a story. 

The second woman named in the line of Jesus is Rahab. This installment of Rivers' series was published just five months after Tamar's in September of 2000. Rahab's story can be found in Joshua 2 and 6, and she's also commended in Hebrews and James for her great faith. 

Rahab's is one of the more famous Bible stories. She was the Canaanite prostitute who hid two Israelite spies and, as a result, was saved from the destruction of Jericho when the walls collapsed. The thing that intrigued me about Rivers' picture of Rahab's life is the idea that she was looking out for the spies. I never gave it much thought as a child, but as an adult I've often wondered how the spies ended up at the home of a prostitute. I honestly don't think they were there for her *ahem* professional services, but why were they there? The idea that she was looking out for them in the hope that she could be rescued from the destruction to come seems plausible. Another interesting notion that Rivers posits is that Rahab ends up marrying one of the spies. From my reading of Scripture, we don't know the identities of the men who went into Jericho so it's something to consider. 

Now Ruth is one of only two women in Scripture who has an entire book of the Bible named after her and dedicated to her story. Francine Rivers' novella about her life was published in February of 2001. 

What came alive for me for the first time when I read Rivers' Unshaken was the connection between Rahab, Boaz, and Ruth. Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute was Boaz's mother. Of course Boaz would have an extra measure of compassion for outsiders. In fact, could the reason Boaz was an older unmarried man in Israel possibly be connected to the fact that his mother was Rahab? Perhaps Israelite fathers weren't keen to make that unsavory association. It's all very compelling to think about. The question this little novella raised for me was whether Rahab was still alive when Boaz married Ruth. I imagine that if she was, she lived in Boaz's house. Did Rahab and Ruth have a relationship with one another? Obviously, Ruth and Naomi were very close, but was Ruth able to develop an intimate relationship with her second mother-in-law? One that would offer her untold encouragement and support living as a Moabite woman among the people of Israel? I wonder. 

The fourth book in this little series is called Unspoken and it details Bathsheba's life as imagined by Francine Rivers. It was originally published about six months after Ruth's volume in August of 2001. You can read about Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 and 12 and 1 Kings 1 and 2. She is also mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3 and you can get even more insight into her life by reading Psalm 51, the psalm David famously wrote after committing adultery with her.

I think of all the books in the Lineage of Grace, Rivers takes the most license with Bathsheba's story. She starts with Bathsheba as an eight year old girl with a massive crush on the young giant-killer David. I don't think it's too big of a stretch to imagine that young Bathsheba idolized David—he was the biggest celebrity of his time—but to posit that her obsession with him continued even to the day of her wedding and beyond is maybe a bit much to believe. While I don't agree with the line of thinking that David raped Bathsheba, I also don't agree with Rivers that Bathsheba knew that David was watching her bathe and brazenly displayed herself to him. 

When I first read this novella as a young adult, I was intrigued by the idea that because of Bathsheba's situation, her friends and family may have shunned her, never speaking her name again. This thought becomes even more fascinating when you actually read the lineage of Jesus and see her referred to only as the wife of Uriah. 

Reading it this time around, I was more interested in Bathsheba's familial relations—her father being one of David's mighty men along with her husband Uriah, and her grandfather being one of David's trusted advisors. I even did a little fact-checking on this in Scripture and it all seems to track. I never made the connection that Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather, and it's intriguing to think about how his granddaughter's relationship with David may have been a factor in his betrayal of David. 

Anyway, Bathsheba's story is pretty wild and I think Francine Rivers definitely gives her reader plenty to think about with the way she presents it. 

Ahhh, Mary. Sweet virgin mother of Jesus. Certainly the most famous woman in Scripture and arguably the most famous woman to ever live. This last novella in the series was published in October of 2001 meaning all five books in the series were published in the span of a year and a half. It's hard to pick out just a few passages about Mary to refer you to her story in the Bible when her life was so intimately intertwined with the life of Jesus, but some key references include Luke 1-2, Matthew 1-2, John 2, Mark 6, Matthew 12, John 19, and Acts 1. 

I think of the five novellas in the Lineage of Grace, I read Mary's with the most caution. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Francine Rivers herself is quick to point the reader back to the Biblical accounts of these women's lives and it's a reminder that bears repeating. But having said that, I think Unafraid may offer the reader the most to think about and discuss. While we can't possibly know for sure if Rivers is right in her depiction of Mary's understanding of Jesus' purpose or her impatience in wanting him to assert himself as the promised Messiah, everything she writes in this little novella is extremely plausible, and Mary's thoughts and attitudes are natural human responses to the situation she found herself in. There's so little we know of Jesus' growing-up years on earth, and Rivers does a fantastic job of sparking the reader's imagination in thinking about what those years may have been like. I especially liked her depiction of Joseph's relationship to the Christ-child and how she imagined Jesus with his brothers and sisters. I hope we get to know more about Jesus' earthly life when we get to Heaven. It's something I wonder about often. 

All in all, I would recommend the Lineage of Grace series with the exhortation to read them as companions to the original Biblical accounts, keeping in mind that these are just ideas of what it may have been like for these women. I'm a fan of anything that makes me think more deeply about Scripture and I love when something can make Scripture come alive for me. I think this series by Francine Rivers does a great job of both. But ultimately, it's the Word of God that will never pass away and I can't emphasize enough how important it is to keep His Word central when we're consuming Bible-based media and entertainment. 

Is there a particular story from the Bible you wish you could have witnessed? Or a person from the Bible you wish you could have lunch with and pick his or her brain? 

Let's Bust a Recap : The Lady's Mine

Finally. A new release from one of my all-time favorite authors. Francine Rivers is an auto-buy author for me. And if we're being honest, the only other author that has that honor is Robin Jones Gunn. It's an exclusive club. And when one of these two women announces a new release, it's preordered in two shakes and then there's a lot of impatience on the part of yours truly until Release Day. Thankfully, between finding out about The Lady's Mine and when it actually arrived in my mailbox, I had my birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, a blizzard, and a full-time job to occupy my time. So we survived. But y'all. It has been four solid years since Rivers' last book The Masterpiece was published, and the fatalist in me always believes that the last book Francine Rivers or Robin Jones Gunn wrote will be the last book they ever will write again so I had all but given up hope that I'd ever get a new novel from Rivers. 

But I was wrong! Hooray!

The Lady's Mine is Francine Rivers' self-described "pandemic book" and for that reason, it is intentionally a lot lighter than the rest of her body of work. Set in the late 1800s, this book chronicles the adventures of Kathryn Walsh as she is disinherited from her posh Bostonian family for being a troublemaking suffragette and sent West to claim a paltry inheritance left her by her recently deceased uncle. She shows up in Calvada, a border mining town in the middle of Nowhere, USA determined to make her own way in the world. 

Now, let's not kid ourselves: Francine Rivers is a romance writer and the majority of her books do center around a romantic relationship of one type or another. And don't get me wrong: I'm here for a good love story. But in The Lady's Mine she really leaned into the romance. In most of her other books, there is a Main Issue the plot deals with that the romance is written to serve. However in this newest offering, it definitely felt like we were reading a Romance with a side of women's rights thrown in. And it was good. But it wasn't my favorite book by her for that reason. You could definitely tell that Rivers had fun writing it, and I did appreciate how light it was in comparison with her other books. Like, when I usually sit down with a Francine Rivers novel, I don't move again until I've finished it because I'm literally holding my breath till the end. With The Lady's Mine, I could breathe, you know? According to Goodreads, I took a whole week to read it. That's not to say we never dealt with any tough circumstances or tense situations, but in contrast with the rest of her work, this one was just fun. Rivers has described it as The Taming of the Shrew meets Oklahoma! and it was a rip-roaring good time. 

All in all, my favorite author once again delivered a novel I thoroughly enjoyed, and I'd definitely recommend The Lady's Mine if you're looking for a fun romantic romp. But if you've never read anything else by Francine Rivers, for the love of silver start with The Atonement Child or the Mark of the Lion trilogy. 

Do you have any auto-buy authors?

Let's Bust a Recap : The Masterpiece

Well. I've read yet another book that was not on my 2018 book list. But you know what: I finished a presidential biography this month and I'm plugging away pretty steadily at Anna Karenina and I have completed 6 whole books from my original list so who cares? Of course I'm going to ditch my list when one of my favorite authors publishes a brand new book. I'm just proud of myself for even holding out long enough to finish J.Mad while this gem was sitting on my shelf waiting for me. So there. 

That being said, let's talk about Francine Rivers' newest book The Masterpiece which was just published last month. In this novel, we meet Roman Velasco and Grace Moore: two people who couldn't be more different from one another....or so we think. Velasco is a troubled artist, and Grace is a young, single mom trying to get her life together enough to raise her son. Throughout the book, we get glimpses into their childhoods and learn about the events that brought them to where they are today. This story deals with abandonment, loss, anger, redemption, and the power that God has over the darkness. 

I loved it.

Francine Rivers was inducted into the Romance Writers' of America Hall of Fame in 1997 so let's not kid ourselves: I knew where the story was heading. But that didn't make it any less of a pleasure to read. I couldn't put this novel down until I was done with it, and I finished the almost 500 page story in less than 3 days (I mean, I still had to cook dinner and do my job, you guys, I'm not a wizard). I especially appreciated how Rivers dealt with a very difficult and unpopular subject: Hell. She did not shy away from the very real existence of a place of eternal damnation and even included a note in the book making a point to say that although God's love is real, so is His holiness and righteousness. Believing in or talking about Hell is certainly not in vogue in our believe-your-own-truth and everybody-goes-to-Heaven society. But God is just and if you reject Him, you will spend eternity separated from Him. 

I would definitely recommend this book, as I would all Francine Rivers' books. I've yet to read one that didn't suck me in. (Though if we're being completely honest, the Sons of Encouragement series rank last and The Atonement Child and the Mark of the Lion series are my favs.) While these books are certainly Christian and I personally don't think Francine Rivers crosses any lines in her writing, her books deal with some tough subjects and are most definitely written for adults so if you happen to be younger than 18 and reading this post, maybe check with your mom before reading one. I know I started reading Rivers' novels in high school, but I suppose not every parent would want their kids reading this until they reached a certain age. 

Two thumbs up, all the stars, and whatever other positive rating indications I can give to The Masterpiece. Can't wait for your next book, Ms. Francine!

Have you read anything by Francine Rivers? What is your favorite book by her? Least favorite? The only title I haven't read by her is her non-fiction devotional entitled Earth Psalms. Have any of you read that one? What did you think of it?

Casual Fridays

Can you believe we're halfway through October already?! I can't. But this Kid Snippets video seemed like an appropriate way to kick off today's post. 

First item on the agenda for today: deodorant. I think it's about time I updated you on my deodorant saga. Since it's been about two and a half months since I started using the fancy expensive stuff I bought, I figured I can pretty accurately judge it now. And guess what: I'm converted. I went through the first stick and bought three more. Lest you think that's excessive, buying the 3-pack saved me $12. Which is the price of one bar on its own. Kindof a buy 2, get 1 deal. #worthit  Anyway, as far as a deodorant goes, it's definitely the most effective I've ever used. As far as an antiperspirant, I personally have found that it works just about as well as anything else I've ever tried so no complaints there. Cons: it is very thick and that takes some getting used to. Also, it will come off and show up on your clothing if you're not careful, BUT it doesn't stain your clothing so...lose/win. Overall, I'd recommend it. By the way, this is not a sponsored post but if anyone over at Native is reading and wants to send me a check, holla back at me! For the rest of you, if you're interested in trying it out, I can send you a referral code which will get you a free travel sized stick with any purchase. You're welcome.

Are you so over me talking about deodorant? I am. Here's a super-cute pic of my guys to awkwardly smoothly transition us to something else.

If you read my post on Monday, you know that Cody and I recently took a roadtrip of heroic proportions. We tried to hire a driver for our last leg home, but her mom was all, "Umm...that's not even legal." Whatever. 

I re-read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers last week. I kept trying to remember how long it's been since I read that one. And then I found this photo. It's been a solid 11 years. I feel real old. I wasn't planning to do a recap on this one, but if anyone's dying for one, shout it out in the comments and I'll do something about it. I'm currently working on a biography of Thomas Jefferson. I figure if I'm serious about reading through the presidents, I really should aim for at least two a year. 

Brasil ~ 2006

I've used my CrockPot twice this week. I use my CrockPot all year long, but we're getting to that time of year where it has a permanent spot on the counter. If you have any tried and true CrockPot recipes, please send them all.

My jam lately has been Portugal. The Man's "Feel It Still". The lyrics are wack but I cannot get this groove out of my head. Love it. 

And finally, a shout-out to my BFF Christina because today, she leaves her 20s behind! You're so old. Kidding. Please don't throw that back in my face in a few weeks. Love you, girl!

Circa Halloween 2011

Casual Fridays

Well, yesterday my wisdom teeth came out. As I'm writing this post on Wednesday in anticipation of not feeling like being a part of the land of the living, I have no idea how it went, but I imagine I'm probably lying on the couch right about now, watching a musical, and ringing a tiny silver bell signaling my ever-patient husband to bring me some more chocolate pudding. Or I'm in Heaven with Jesus because I didn't wake up from the anesthesia. We'll find out.

Anyway, Happy Friday to you and here are three PhotoGrid collages to send you on your weekend. 

First of all, I finally got my beach day! Last Friday, right after I published this post complaining about how it still hadn't happened, my boss texted me saying she wasn't bringing Little Man, and I immediately threw some sunscreen and one of my favorite books in a beach bag and started driving east. I couldn't have asked for more perfect weather or for a more perfect day. #iloveflorida #westcoastisNOTthebestcoast #eastcoastgirlforevaaaaa

Back at the end of April (yes, it's been a solid month since this actually happened--have I mentioned how crazy it's been??), I got to go to LPL with my BFF Christina. This year, Ms. Beth talked about the blessed EMBRACE: what it means to embrace something, things we should embrace, and things we shouldn't embrace. No secret Siesta photo this year, but we almost made the recap video! If you pause it at 2:14, we were literally standing right next to that girl. To her left, if you must know. So that's....well, that's nothing really, but as always it was a wonderful, uplifting weekend. 

And finally, my sweet niece had her first birthday recently! I try to tell them that growing up is not actually allowed and also it's highly overrated, but to no avail. Auntie Hannah loves you, baby girl! 

What are you up to this weekend? You are welcome to come mock my bruised and swollen face as long as you come bearing Boston Market mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole. 

Let's Bust A Recap : The Scribe

Hello and a very happy Monday to you. It's starting to feel like Fall around here (all the praise hands), so we have been outside the entire morning. Ergo, this post is coming to you in the afternoon. 

I mentioned last week that during my roadtrip of epic proportions and subsequent down time in North Carolina, I managed to read three whole books. Yes indeedy. The first one was The Scribe by Francine Rivers. 

First of all, you should know that Francine Rivers is one of my very favorite authors. I actually own every single book she has written and The Scribe was the only one I had not read. She is phenomenal, and I would highly recommend her books. She is a Christian, and redemption is a major theme in all her novels. However, the nature of her writing is very mature, so if you're younger than 16 (maybe even 18), I personally don't think her books are for you yet. 

The Scribe is the last novella in a series entitled Sons of Encouragement. In this series, Rivers takes lesser known men of the Bible and crafts fictional tales about their lives. The five men in this series are Aaron (brother of Moses), Caleb (one of only two spies from a group of twelve that believed God about the Promised Land), Jonathan (the son of Saul and best friend of David), Amos (one of the minor prophets), and Silas (the companion of Paul). Rivers has a similar series entitled A Lineage of Grace about the five women named in the ancestry of Jesus Christ. 

If you can remember waaaay back to this post, you know that I like to daydream about the missing pieces of Biblical people's lives. Well, that's exactly what Francine Rivers does with these books. And they're fun to read. It's very interesting to me to think about all of the possibilities she presents with these stories. Some of the ways she portrays these people are exactly in line with the way I've always pictured them when reading about them in the Bible. And sometimes, she depicts them entirely differently than I would. When reading these books, it's important to remember that although these were real people that actually lived, her characterization of them is fictional. Which is why I so appreciate her letter at the beginning of each of these novellas based on Biblical people. She emphasizes the fact that she is writing about a real, historical person, gives all Scriptural references pertaining to the person, is transparent about the fictionality of the novella, and encourages the reader to go back to the true source of information on the person. She writes, "At the end of each novella, we have included a brief study section. The ultimate authority on people of the Bible is the Bible itself. I encourage you to read it for greater understanding."

Having said all that, The Scribe is about the life of Silas. It's been quite some time since I read any of the other novellas about Biblical people, but my impression after finishing this one is that it was probably one of the most imaginative of her works. I would presume that the reason for this is because of how little information we actually have about Silas to begin with. She had more room for interpretation with him. This made it extremely interesting to read. The way she presents Silas is totally different  than how I've always thought of him, but the way she presents, Paul, Barnabas, and Peter are exactly in line with the way I've always thought of them. 

I don't want to go into too much detail about The Scribe because if you're thinking of reading it, I don't want to spoil it for you. I was surprised by many of the scenarios set forth in this book, and I wouldn't want to ruin those surprises for any potential readers out there. If you do decide to read any of these novellas, I would love to discuss them further with you. As a woman, I will say that I found the Lineage of Grace series more compelling than the Sons of Encouragement series. I think to an extent, this has to do with the fact that a woman can get inside a female character's mind more easily than she can get into a guy's head. I couldn't stop reading the Lineage of Grace series, whereas it took me nearly three years to read every book in the Sons of Encouragement series. Not because the books in the Sons of Encouragement series weren't good or easy to read (except Amos. Amos was hard to read. but that had more to do with the actual content---I'm getting off-topic...let's get back on track), but because when I finished one, I wasn't immediately compelled to start the next. I took breaks. I read other books in between. 

To sum it up, I would recommend The Scribe and the rest of the Sons of Encouragement or Lineage of Grace series as long as the reader keeps a proper perspective about the fictionality of these little novellas and understands the Scripture's ultimate authority on the lives of these people. If you do decide to read any of them, hit me up and let me know what you think.

Have you read any fictional accounts of Biblical people? What did you think of them? If you could take an in-depth look at any person of the Bible, who would it be and why?