Mesu Andrews's Blog, page 2
November 25, 2024
Jenelle Hovde–5 Reasons Christian Fiction Is Great to Educate Kids
I’d like to introduce you to someone who I find absolutely UH-mazing. Though I’ve never met Jenelle Hovde in person, she’s been a “cyber-friend” for several years. She won a special place in my heart when, for my sixtieth birthday, my VA (virtual assistant) commissioned Jenelle to paint a portrait of what Joseph’s wife, Asenath, might have looked like–using the clues from my book, In Feast or Famine.
Unbeknownst to me, my friend and VA (Amanda) gave Jenelle my character description notes on Asenath, and Jenelle went to work. Amanda’s gift–through Jenelle’s talent–became the most unforgettable gift I’ve ever received. Their rendition of Asenath was much closer to how I imagined her than the woman portrayed on the cover. Don’t you LOVE Jenelle’s portrait?
Jenelle Hovde, Author & Much MoreBesides Jenelle’s artistic talent, she’s also a gifted author. She’s written biblical fiction for Guideposts, and I’m currently reading her historical novel that releases from Tyndale, July 2025. This woman can WRITE!
But her passion and heart for readers goes much deeper than writing for adults. In a recent email, Jenelle shared a bit of her background and what drives her current passion:
Aren’t My Books Too “Raw” For Teens?I used to work in the school systems as a doctor of audiology. My speciality was with children. Reading played a tremendous role. I worked alongside psychologists to provide testing to rule out ADHD or autism. My side was central auditory processing disorders and auditory neuropathy. I also worked with the deaf community. Reading skills became imperative for my clients. Ironic, considering audiology focuses on hearing! I provided remedial reading for many children. I’ve also homeschooled three girls from preK to grade ten. We love your novels!
I often shy away from sharing my books with teens and tell parents they should read the book themselves and then decide if their child is ready for the themes in my stories. The Bible is full of violence, infidelity, and other hard situations to illustrate how real people dealt with real life and then found hope in God’s steadfast love and forgiveness. Jenelle added these thoughts to our email volley:
Jenelle Gives More Good Insight For Kids’ Reading!Your books are quite a bit softer than the YA authors [popular in the secular market]. But you do take on the perspectives of young women who often buck their systems–albeit in a Godly way. I think you fit amazingly well with the YA genres.
I asked Jenelle to write a post specifically for my readers (and me) to help us reach the children in our lives with the gift of words. Most kids these days would rather play a video game or read a graphic novel (similar to a 200 page comic book) than sit down with a book full of words.
Jenelle responded with what she titled, “5 Reasons to Incorporate Christian Fiction into Your Homeschool and Help Your Kids Fall in Love with Reading Again,” (which was too long for my website title to handle). 😆
I hope you’ll take the time to read, process, and follow an expert’s advice–and perhaps give a child in your life the gift of words this Christmas…
When I decided to homeschool, I knew I wanted fiction to be a part of my curriculum. Some of my favorite memories as a preteen included multiple trips to the Regina Christian bookstore, where I paid for Gilbert Morris novels with an assortment of quarters and Canadian dollar bills. I was only twelve years old, but I lived for those trips. Books proved to be a lifeline during my turbulent teen years. The more I read, the more I fell in love with literature and writing. When I graduated from high school, I donated my vast collection of novels to the Indian Head High School library. I like to think a book or two survived.
Fast forward past a doctorate degree in Audiology, and now, as a pastor’s wife with a heart for book clubs, women’s and children’s ministry, and writing, I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on just how important Christian fiction was during those formative years.
Fiction to Teach Homeschoolers?As homeschool moms, we often find ourselves searching for books that not only keep our kids entertained but also help them grow in character, empathy, and understanding of the world around them. In today’s age, where reading scores are declining across the nation, it’s become increasingly important to find stories that engage kids on a deeper level—stories that challenge them to think, grow, and feel.
When we think of Christian fiction, it’s not just about reading Bible stories. It’s about engaging with books that shape character, teach life lessons, and spark important discussions.
Whether you send your children to public or private school, or homeschool, here are five reasons why incorporating Christian fiction into your children’s reading list can help develop moral character, build reading skills, and get your kids excited about reading again!
1. Building Strong Moral FoundationsChristian fiction is about more than just entertaining stories; it’s about teaching solid values like compassion, honesty, and perseverance. Whether it’s a story of redemption or a character learning the power of forgiveness, Christian fiction introduces dilemmas that help children understand the importance of good choices. For example, when a character faces a decision between doing what’s easy or doing what’s right, kids can follow along and reflect on how they might handle the situation themselves.
2. Helping Kids Develop EmpathyThe best books help kids understand others’ perspectives. Christian fiction does this beautifully by telling stories from a variety of viewpoints, whether it’s a character who is struggling with loss, a person who is facing judgment, or someone learning how to forgive. These books challenge kids to put themselves in someone else’s shoes, growing their ability to empathize and connect with people who are different from themselves.
Empathy is a skill that’s crucial both in school and in life. Christian fiction makes it fun and relatable as kids experience the highs and lows of the characters’ journeys. How many times have we cried over a character like Anne of Green Gables when she loses her beloved Matthew—the first father figure to show her love?
3. Encouraging a Love of ReadingIn today’s world, where reading scores in the U.S. have seen a significant drop in recent years, fostering a love of reading has never been more important. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 37% of U.S. students are reading at or above the proficient level. But when you provide your kids with well-researched books and stories that connect with their hearts and minds, reading becomes something they want to do, not something they have to do.
Christian fiction can re-ignite a love of reading because it’s engaging—it draws readers in with exciting plots, dynamic characters, and emotional stakes. From adventurous historical fiction to contemporary coming-of-age tales, these stories don’t just teach—they captivate. Whether you’re introducing your younger child to their first chapter book or helping your teen tackle more complex plots, Christian fiction offers something for every age group.
When I started teaching history, I quickly learned that my daughters retained historical facts regarding ancient biblical worlds through Mesu Andrews’ and Tessa Afshar’s fiction. Dry textbooks simply are not as fun!
4. Promoting Critical ThinkingSome of the best Christian fiction doesn’t just offer a story—it offers moral and philosophical questions that encourage kids to think critically. When characters are faced with difficult decisions—such as choosing between truth and lies or standing up for what’s right even when it’s hard—kids are forced to analyze these situations and consider the choices they would make.
For older students, books with deeper moral complexities offer a great opportunity for discussions on ethics, religion, and human nature. This can be an excellent way to integrate critical thinking into your homeschool curriculum while simultaneously teaching your kids important lessons about how to live in a wild world.
5. Handling Gritty ContentAs parents, it’s important to stay informed about the books our kids are reading. Keeping a running tab on their reading choices can help you ensure the content aligns with your family’s values and your child’s maturity level. Christian novels, while far softer than most secular children’s literature, can still address tougher subjects like loss, hardship, or sin, but always through a lens of hope and redemption. Children learn they are not alone in their suffering when they discover a character has endured and later thrived through a similar circumstance.
Decide what levels of romance or challenging subject matter you’re comfortable with. Is your child sensitive? If so, adjust the book choices accordingly. For more mature students, inspirational novels can provide a safe space to explore difficult topics, as the Christian perspective offers real hope, guiding readers toward faith-based solutions. Whether it’s handling themes of forgiveness, redemption, or perseverance, these books can help older readers navigate life’s challenges with wisdom and grace.
The great writer, C.S. Lewis, beautifully sums up the role of literature for children.
Some of My Favorite Christian Fiction Titles for Homeschooling Families“Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.”
If you’re looking for great titles to add to your homeschool bookshelf, here are a few personal favorites I recommend for various age ranges:
For Younger Readers: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis – A timeless series with deep Christian allegory hidden beneath an adventurous fantasy world.For Tweens: The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson – A beautiful mix of fantasy, friendship, and faith, perfect for middle-grade readers.For Teenagers: The King’s Men by Connilyn Cossette, Brave by Mesu Andrews, The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz, While the City Sleeps by Elizabeth Camden, Of Gold and Shadows by Michelle Griep, and A Token of Love by Carrie Turansky – Powerful historical fiction exploring themes of faith, courage, and sacrifice.For Adults: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers – A beautifully written, heart-wrenching story of unconditional love, forgiveness, and redemption, based on the Biblical story of Hosea. Lynn Austin and Shannon McNear also provide complex historical fiction in different eras that immerse me, the teacher, into the time period. After all, moms need great books too!Final Thoughts: Building a Solid Foundation for the FutureDon’t be afraid to experiment with the many genres tucked inside Christian fiction. I have two daughters who adore Christian fantasy, and one who prefers mysteries. I steer to biblical historical fiction and historical romance.
Jenelle’s Short Bio:
Jenelle Hovde is an illustrator, a pastor’s wife, and a homeschooling mother with eight novels in print. She adores faith-inspired stories and Regency romances that make readers swoon. A transplant to Florida, Jenelle currently pens romantic tales while at the beach. Visit her online and subscribe to her newsletter at jenellehovdeauthor.com. Her latest novel, No Stone Unturned, a Regency romance releases with Tyndale in July 2025. To stay updated with her latest works or subscribe to her newsletter, visit her online at jenellehovdeauthor.com.
October 28, 2024
Answers to BRAVE FB LIVE Questions
On October 1, 2024, Hubby Roy and I had so much fun celebrating the release of Brave: The Story of Ahinoam with the FB LIVE BRAVE BASH! For those who joined us that night or watched the live video later, thank you so much for your fun comments and fabulous questions!
Below are some of the questions y’all submitted for me to answer, and I’ve held off answering them on the post so more people can see them here on my blog. We can never really guess at FB’s algorithms or how many people will see those answers. I know around five thousand folks get to see my blogs and newsletters, so here we go with the answers to each of your questions:
Becky Hartsfield Asked:My Answer:“With the intertwining of a lot of Biblical history, has that part of the process become less intense with the writing of each new book?”
Yes, a lot of the basic research for various biblical time periods is transferrable to other stories. I’ve written stories set in every time period of the Old Testament except the Flood and before: the Patriarchs (The Reluctant Rival, Beauty’s Surrender, Love Amid the Ashes, Potiphar’s Wife, & In Feast or Famine), Moses & the conquest (The Pharaoh’s Daughter & Miriam), the monarchy (Love’s Sacred Song, Love in a Broken Vessel, In the Shadow of Jezebel, Isaiah’s Daughter, Isaiah’s Legacy, The Brides of King David series), and the Exile (Of Fire and Lions, By the Waters of Babylon).
Though each time period has many similarities, there’s still plenty to research for each individual story. Locations are always a bit different. Characters’ family, dwellings, food, clothing, daily tasks, etc. can all add some fun new research and may also shed deeper meaning on Scripture’s Truth. That’s what I love about God’s Word. Though its Truth absolutely never changes, because it’s the Living Word, I find something new in it each time I read a passage that I’ve read dozens—or even hundreds—of times.
Alyssa Ross Asked:My Answer:“My question is, how do you keep each story and characters straight if you are doing edits on one, while plotting another, plus keeping Brave well enough in your head to promote it and talk about it?”
My only explanation for that is God’s faithfulness! Seriously, I can’t remember what I had last night for dinner. It’s a lot like having children. My sister has ten, and my daughter has six. But they started out with just one, then another, then another, and another. So it is with books and releases. When I started out with Love Amid the Ashes, it got my full attention. I had already written the second novel, Love’s Sacred Song, so I could focus on edits, and I didn’t have a contract for the next book—yet.
As my contracts continued to come, my ability to juggle more books grew as did my familiarity with the publishing business. A new author might not be able to do all three tasks—release, edits, plotting—at the same time. Granted, it’s tough even for us old birds! But it’s a privilege that I feel grateful for each and every day!
Chad/Heidi Olszewski Asked:My Answer:“Are there audio versions that I can listen to in my car while taxi driving my kids?”
Yes! I’m so grateful that ALL my full-length novels are available on audio and one of my short-story collections. I have two other short-story collections that have not yet been read into audio format because they’re such a quick read.
Brittany Elswick Asked:My Answer:“What was the most interesting bit of research you came across when researching for this book?”
I’m such a research nerd, so I LOVE this question. Because I’d never done a lot of research on David’s family, I was fascinated by King David’s backstory. Scripture tells us his father’s name was Jesse, who was a descendant of Boaz and Ruth, the Moabitess whose story is written in the biblical book labeled with her name (Ruth 4:17). The Bible also mentions that David had seven brothers in 1 Sam. 16:10 but only lists six brothers in 1 Chron. 2:13-15. In vs. 16-17 of that same chapter, we learn that David had two sisters: Zeruiah and Abigal–some biblical translations insert a “i,” making her name, Abigail (not Nabal’s widow, Abigail).
Abigal married an Ishmaelite named Jether and gave birth to a son, Amasa, who later served as one of David’s Mighty Men. In 2 Sam. 17:25, we learn that Abigal was the daughter of Nahash, and she was the sister of Zeruiah. Who was Nahash? I thought she was the daughter of Jesse! This question sent me to Bible commentaries and rabbinic literature for answers. As usual, scholars disagree on the answer, which means I can choose to make the historical records line up with the biblical Truth in a fictional story that supports the WHOLE COUNSEL of Scripture.
I chose to adopt the Jewish records on this one, established through millennia of oral tradition, while also using Scripture to interpret Scripture. In 1 Samuel 11, a man named Nahash, King of the Ammonites attacked Israel, Saul called every tribe of Israel to join in battle against them. It could have been during this battle that Jesse’s wife—named in Jewish legend as “Nitzevet”—was taken captive by King Nahash and made his concubine. OH MY GOODNESS! Is that not the most interesting piece of research you’ve heard on David ben Jesse! There’s more, but you’ll find it within the story of Brave: The Story of Ahinoam!
Emily Shanahan Asked:My Answer:“Mesu Andrews, what’s your favorite part of the writing process? Roy, what is your favorite part of helping Mesu with the research process as a retired Bible professor?”
My favorite part is research and editing. I’ve often shared about my love of research, but here’s why I love editing. Since I didn’t grow up dreaming of being an author, imagining stories doesn’t come naturally for me. Actually, I never did much dreaming and imagining as a kid—or as an adult—so writing that first draft of a story that happened 3000-4000 years ago doesn’t come easily. My love for fiction is connected to my love for God’s Word.
If you’ve read any of my Bible studies, you know that they all focus on putting myself in the shoes of whoever wrote the biblical passage we’re studying together. So, that’s how I write a novel’s first draft. I do enough research to live in the characters’ shoes and walk with them through every scene, every word. After writing a few paragraphs (or a full chapter), I go back and use the “read aloud” feature on Microsoft Word to hear how my words sound without imposing my inflection on them. Listening to a mechanical voice helps present the raw words, and if they sound decent with no-frills-Fanny reading, it passes inspection.
Roy’s favorite part of helping Mesu?(This is Mesu answering because I couldn’t catch Roy to get his answer…) His only part of helping these days is a very crucial aspect: proofreading! He’s a huge reason that my newsletters and blog posts (and books) are so clean (thank you, Honey).
He not only finds my typos, but he also catches extra spaces before paragraphs or between words. He also finds typos after my book manuscripts have been through all the publisher’s proofreaders! I’m very happy I married that guy–even before I knew he’d be the best proofreader in the world. LOL! 😆
Katie Combes Asked:My Answer:“Was there one thing you wanted to add into the book Brave, but it didn’t make the final edits?”
My characters tend to have emotional swings without much building up or calming down. One of my editors used to say, “I need an onramp (or an offramp) to help me feel that character’s BIG emotion!” So, some of the things that were cut from my story were mostly those BIG EMOTIONS that would have seemed out of place. I think I had Ahinoam throwing a dagger at Abigail the first day they met. Ummm, probably not good. How does their relationship recover from that?
Lisa Dorsey Asked:My Answer:“Since Ahinoam’s name precedes that of Abigail more often than not in Scripture, it has been suggested that David married Ahinoam before he married Abigail. Do you portray Ahinoam as David’s first or second wife and why?”
I do make Ahinoam the first wife, and I actually believe there’s biblical foundation for it. In 1 Sam. 25:42-43, David has asked Abigail to marry him, she gets on a donkey (attended by her five female servants—which David didn’t invite, BTW), and then v. 43 says, “David HAD ALSO MARRIED Ahinoam of Jezreel…” (EMPHASIS added). Using past tense there, “had also,” says to me David and Ahinoam were already married. I LOVE all those little-bitty words in the Bible that can just slap us with a revelation!
Jeanette R Durkin Asked:My Answer:“How do you cross-reference for information?”
Sometimes I do it on purpose by using the footnotes and cross-referenced Scriptures in the study notes of my Bibles. I use a Jewish Study Bible (the Tanakh), which gives me study notes from the Jewish perspective as well. Sometimes I stumble onto a Scripture that relates to another passage I’m using. For instance, I’m reading the Psalms of David for my quiet time with Jesus while I’m writing the stories in the series, King David’s Brides. While reading Psalm 59 one morning—entitled, “When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him,” which correlates with the story in 1 Sam. 19:11-12, I discovered the Psalm expanded on the story in 1 Samuel!
Psa. 59:6, 14 says, “They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.” What?! The 1 Samuel passage makes it seem like Saul sent his men one night, and BOOM! Michal lowered David out of the window to escape. Psalm 59 gives us a fuller picture—that maybe they both knew the assassins were prowling for more than that one night. I didn’t put anything in the book about it, but it was a little wink from my quiet time with Jesus that He could give me information from anywhere in His Word if I simply remained faithful to come with an open heart every single day.
Katie Combes Asked:My Answer:“During your research, who have you found to be your favorite of David’s wives to research?”
Since I’ve written all of these women before (in short stories published back in 2021 on Patreon.com—no longer available), I know a little about their stories before digging in fully to their research. I’ve really enjoyed them all, but to be honest, Ahinoam is my very favorite. I LOVE that she throws daggers and is so SASSY! Probably my second favorite is the last book: Worthy. It will feature David’s last TWO wives in Hebron: Abital and Eglah.
Abital and Eglah are minor characters throughout the series, and pointing them out now is sort of a spoiler, but if you read the Bible…you’ll know why it’s a spoiler anyway. I LOVE their friendship and the way their story ties up the story of these six women who form the foundation of David’s household while he reigns in Hebron. He’s very humble and completely devoted to his family and to Yahweh—before he and his men conquer Jerusalem. *Yikes!*
Betsy Stevens Asked:My Answer:“Are any of your books appropriate for a 10-year-old girl?”
Unfortunately, I must say no to this question. Although my friend and fellow author, Jenelle Hovde, is a homeschool mom who has incorporated several of my books into her Bible history courses with her middle school and high school kids. Much of it depends on the parents standards and if you plan to read along with the younger readers. My books provide LOTS of conversation opportunities–as does the Bible–on real-life topics.
I just atteded a one-day intensive seminar on writing for children and would love to explore the possibly of writing middle-grade or YA (young-adult) graphic novels. We’ll see what God has in store. Stay tuned through my newsletter, since that’s where I share those personal adventures. You can subscribe here (to receive one email per month—usually): https://mesuandrews.com/#newsletter
Betsy Stevens Asked:My Answer:“Mesu… I’d love to begin reading your books…give me a map…not sure where to start? I’ve googled… and feel overwhelmed … so haven’t jumped in yet…”
Thanks for asking! Of course, while everyone is talking about BRAVE, it’s a great place to start so you can get in on all the fun conversations! You can also check out my website which lists My Books In Order (both in order of publication and in biblical chronological order—on the small chart): https://mesuandrews.com/books-in-order/. You can also download a printable listing of ALL BOOKS BY SERIES at this link: https://mesuandrews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-updated-My-Books-bibliography-ma-edit.pdf.
Where you start really depends on what you’re in the mood for or where you are in your personal Bible study. I like to correspond my personal quiet time with the novel I’m writing (and others I’m reading for endorsement). If you like to read LOTS of books, you can honestly just take your pick. Most of the books in a series can be read as stand alone, but the ones I’d suggest you read in order are: The Pharaoh’s Daughter, then Miriam; Love in a Broken Vessel, Isaiah’s Daughter, then Isaiah’s Legacy; Potiphar’s Wife, then In Feast or Famine. As I said, however, each book can be read and understood on its own. Happy reading!
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September 23, 2024
Who is Ahinoam? Part II
If you’re one of my Newsies, you’ve already received September’s monthly update with Part I on “Who is Ahinoam.” You’ve already read about brave Ahinoam’s hometown and why I DON’T believe David’s wife is the same Ahinoam that Saul married. You also know where the Bible says that Ahinoam was David’s first wilderness wife.
If you haven’t yet read Part I and would like to, I’m giving access to the exclusive article in September’s newsletter (just this once) to non-subscribers so you won’t miss anything about this feisty heroine! I want you to be ready to really enjoy the October 1st release of Brave!
CLICK HERE TO READ Who Is Ahinoam? – PART 1
If you aren’t yet receiving monthly updates with my Newsies and would like to, CLICK HERE to be included in future emails!
As I mentioned in Part I, when I began imagining who Ahinoam might have been, I knew her character in my book must be tough.
What kind of woman would be willing to dash around the desert for almost seven years with a man hunted by King Saul? She needed to be fierce, yes, but more.
What Did David’s Heart NEED?Let’s look at the condition of David’s heart when he might have first encountered Ahinoam of Jezreel.
He was lowered from a window by Michal to save him from Saul’s assassins (1 Sam. 19:9-17).David sought protection from Samuel the prophet in his prophet’s school in Naioth. Saul sent his assassins there and eventually came himself to kill David, but Yahweh’s Spirit seized every assassin as well as Saul with the ability to prophesy–giving David time to escape (1 Sam. 19:18-24).Next David ran BACK to Gibeah to speak with his best friend Jonathan (Saul’s firstborn son, Israel’s crown prince). David tried to convince him that his father was trying to kill him, but Jonathan needed proof. After Saul threw a spear at Jonathan, the crown prince finally believed and sent David away with a covenant of peace between them to last generations (1 Sam. 20).David ran to the high priest at Nob to get food and a weapon–and lied about his circumstance. Did he lie to save himself or give the priest plausible deniability if Saul’s men came asking why he’d helped the runaway, David? We’ll never know (1 Sam. 21:1-9).David then goes to Gath, seeking asylum with the assumption that the enemy of his enemy would be his friend. Not so. The Philistines in Goliath’s hometown remembered David. So David pretended insanity to escape with his life (1 Sam. 21:10-15).From Gath, David returned to southwest Israel and hid in the cave of Addulam. His family heard of his woes and joined him. Another four hundred men had heard of his troubles by then and became his misfit army.I believe Ahinoam and her (fictional) father were part of that band of misfits who joined David at Adullam and traveled to Moab with him (1 Sam. 22:1-4).
Interpreting David’s HeartPart of the reason I love writing biblical novels is the fact that I MUST slow down to read familiar Bible stories. I was familiar with all six of those progressions in David’s story, but I’d never before slowed down to consider the depth of pain and betrayal he’d felt at each step. Nor had I considered how he might have felt about marriage after the trouble he’d experienced with Michal. Being human, I suspect David’s wounded heart would take a while to mend.
How long before David could even look at a woman and feel romantically attracted to her? How long before he could let his heart trust a woman again after hearing how Michal lied about him and how Saul had given her to another? And I suspect a man with David’s rended heart could spot a woman with any falsehood from a hundred miles away.
That’s why the fictional depiction of Ahinoam and David are alike in many ways:
A heart wounded but courageousSkilled with their weapon of choiceBetrayed by those closest, but ferociously loyal to those proven to love them nowAhinoam, the Kenite.jpg)
Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, CC BY-SA 3.0
At the end of Part I, I gave a little hint about the reason I’d given Ahinoam a Kenite heritage. To those who read Judges 4 to find out more about Jael, I hope you noticed that she, too, was a Kenite.
As I mentioned in Part I, I’d written a short story in 2021 about Ahinoam, thinking it was “cool” for her to throw daggers. After deeper research–and after writing almost 1/3 of the first draft–I discovered that “Kenite” meant “blacksmith!” It’s always exciting when the LORD confirms something I’ve “accidentally” done right! I also discovered Kenites had a long history of peace with Israel and lived mostly around the Tribe of Judah.
The final piece of research that affirmed the Lord’s approval of Ahinoam’s fictional characterization was the passage in 1 Sam. 15. Samuel had passed on God’s command to King Saul that he was to completely destroy the Amalekites. Saul’s failure to do so later cost him Israel’s throne, but there was something very interesting that Saul did before that battle started:
Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. Then he said to the Kenites, “Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites. 1 Samuel 15:5–6 (emphasis added)
As Jael–a Kenite woman–had helped Israel centuries before by killing a Canaanite general, so Saul now repaid kindness to the Kenites by warning them of his attack on the Amalekites before it began. It was at this point in Ahinoam’s backstory that she and her father escape to what becomes her hometown of Jezreel. Both she and her father are Yahweh worshipers, who are welcomed by townsfolk as descendants of Jael and because of their blacksmithing skills to provide daggers as protection against enemy raids.
Ready to Read Brave: The Story of Ahinoam?You still have two weeks to take advantage of the special preorder pricing at Baker Book House. If you’re among the first 150 readers to order you’ll receive some extra goodies as well as 40% off the retail price! But hurry! Offer ends September 30th (the day before 10/1/24 release).
Want to Attend My Facebook BRAVE BASH?
1. the series: King David’s Brides.
2. book #1: BRAVE: The Story of Ahinoam.
3. my writing or research process.BEFORE the LIVE event, my hubby will RANDOMLY choose (using random.org) several questions that I’ll answer during our LIVE BRAVE BASH. The authors of the questions I answer on camera will be our giveaway winners! So be sure to tune in and see if you’ve won a prize!Rules:Ask as many VALID questions as you’d like to maximize your entries. Any giveaway prizes that require postal service are limited to entries from the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Downloadable prizes are available to international entries. Giveaway prizes will be awarded in order of their random drawing. Deadline to enter is Monday, September 30th at midnight (ET).
August 26, 2024
David: an OT Foreshadowing of Grace
I’ve often been asked why I only write novels about the Old Testament (OT). (CLICK HERE to see all my books.) My answer is firmly rooted in how I came to faith in Jesus, so we can blame my husband! 😆 He’s the one who first explained to me that the Bible is one story, cover to cover. He showed me the New Testament (NT) message of Grace through Jesus Christ in Genesis and promised to show me salvation’s Crimson Thread from Genesis to Revelation! (CLICK HERE to see my full personal testimony)
God created a perfect garden and the perfect man and woman to tend it. The husband and wife were told they could eat from any tree except one. One day, Adam left Eve alone and Satan–disguised as a serpent–deceived her into mistrusting God. She disobeyed the Creator’s one rule, ate from the forbidden tree, and coaxed Adam to do the same. God confronted all three: Adam, Eve, and the serpent.
[To the serpent, He said:] “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15
Though Adam and Eve sinned, God doled out punishment but also offered the hope of grace. Someday, Eve’s offspring would crush the head of the serpent’s offspring–after the serpent’s offspring struck the heel of Eve’s child.
Confused? Let’s put it in NT terms: FIRST, Satan struck Jesus’s heel with the crucifixion.
Heel strike = Jesus 100 % dead.
Three days later, Jesus’s Resurrection CRUSHED Satan’s head by freeing all those who believe that His death and resurrection were the perfect atonement for their sin (as fulfillment of Genesis 3:15)!
Satan’s head crushed = Jesus 100% alive.
Did Jesus die for those who deserved his sacrifice? Nope. He died because no matter how good we try to be, we could never deserve His love.
100% Jesus’s love = 100% GRACE!
So Where Is Jesus In the OT?While researching biblical history and culture, I try to find three resources in agreement to help ensure reliability. In my research, most scholars agree “the angel of the LORD” refers to an OT human manifestation of Jesus. Whereas “an angel of the LORD” can refer to any angel God sends. My Bible software says the phrase “the angel of the Lord” occurs 280 times in the OT.
So, who in the OT actually SAW the angel of the LORD? This is only a quick list, so forgive me if your own research reveals that I’ve missed some!
Hagar (Gen. 16)Abraham/Isaac (Gen. 22)Moses (Ex. 3)Balaam (Num.22)all Israel (Judg. 2)Gideon (Judg. 6)Manoah (Samson’s father/mother – Judg. 13)David (2 Sam. 24)Elijah (1 Kings 19:7)killed 185k of Assyrian soldiers during Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kings 19)Significance of THE Angel With Abraham & IsaacGod told Abraham, Isaac’s father, to sacrifice him on Mount Moriah like a lamb. Abraham was obedient–as was Isaac. Both traveled a distance to Mount Moriah. Abraham bound his son, who was likely between 18-40 years old by then. Isaac would have crawled onto the stone altar. Abraham lifted his dagger… That’s when THE angel of the Lord stopped the whole thing!
“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.” Genesis 22:13–14
Again, we see wide agreement between scholars on the location of Mount Moriah and its significance to the story of the Bible as a WHOLE:
Mount Moriah is likely the same place David purchased the threshing floor to stop a plague from spreading.
Significance of THE Angel With DavidBrave: The Story of Ahinoam is the first of a four-book series, King David’s Wives, that explores David’s rise to power through the eyes of his Hebron wives. David reigned in Hebron for his first seven years as king, then conquered the Jebusite’s impenetrable fortress of Jerusalem. After such a great victory, he fell into the trap that snares many successful people. He began relying on his own intellect and efforts to maintain the kingdom God had given him.
Price, Randall; ROSE GUIDE TO THE TEMPLE (Rose Publishing; Torrance, CA); Picture by Bristol Works, Inc., p. 21.
When he commanded General Joab to count the men in his army (proving his trust in the army to keep his people safe rather than Yahweh’s power to save them), Joab warned they shouldn’t count the soldiers. David insisted, and God disciplined His chosen king. He allowed David to choose between three punishments (2 Sam. 24:12-14): 3 years of famine; 3 months of fleeing enemies; or 3 days of a killing plague. David chose the plague, placing Israel in God’s merciful hands. When the plague reached Jerusalem, God relented and sent His messenger to David:
“On that day Gad went to David and said to him, ‘Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.’ So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad.” 2 Samuel 24:18–19 (emphasis added)
The threshing floor of Araunah is thought to be the same plot of ground where Solomon built the Temple.
The Place of Sacrifice–and GraceWhen God promised David to make his “house”–meaning his lineage–an eternal reign, David longed to build God a permanent “house” in return. But God refused to allow David to build His earthly Temple. God was and IS impressing on everyone who hears David’s story that GRACE began long before Jesus was born of a virgin in Bethlehem (David’s hometown).
Though God refused to allow David to build His “house,” He promised David something far more precious in return:
“When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you…He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men…But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7:11–16
It was Solomon, whose birth name was Jedidiah–meaning, loved by the LORD (2 Sam. 12:24-25). Solomon was blessed by the LORD with greater wisdom than any ruler before or since, but he also sinned greatly against Yahweh. True to His promise, however, the LORD brought a “Son of David” to reign eternally–a King of Kings to save the world.
The Temple Mount is thought by some to be the same plot of ground where Jesus–the eternal Lamb of God–hung on a Cross.
Amazing GraceWhen Jesus walked the earth as wholly Man and holy God, people were divided. Was He the “Son of David,” promised to save the Jews from earthly oppressors? Or was He a messenger of Beelzebul–like the Jewish leaders said–who drove out demons by the power of Beelzebul?
[Jesus answered] “If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? …But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Matthew 12:27–28
Ultimately, Jesus was born to die. Yes, it was the Jewish leaders who killed Him, but OT prophecy says the Jewish nation will receive the same grace Jesus gives us all–when they see Who He is…
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” Zechariah 12:10 (emphasis added)
Below is one of my favorite renditions of the hymn, Amazing Grace. Brother Wintley Phipps is awesome!
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July 22, 2024
Who Is King David?
I may have told y’all before that King David is my favorite Bible hero. Have I also confessed that I love Richard Gere movies? One of the ways I enjoy “researching” biblical characters is by watching movies or reading other novels about the characters I’ll be portraying in my fiction. It often helps me delve more deeply into the culture and time period.
When I discovered Richard Gere had, during his early acting days, played the role of my favorite Bible character…well, no brainer!!!!
But…I was soooooo disappointed. 😥 Then I realized–how could anyone live up to the King David I’d created in my mind?
So, let’s take a look at some biblical Truth, historical facts, and some educated fiction. I’ve discovered such interesting things about King David during my research, that I hope you’ll be excited to read the first book in my new series, King David’s Brides. Brave: The Story of Ahinoam, releases October 1, 2024!
Biblical Truth:David’s Early Life:
Jastrow, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
We first learn of David’s importance when he’s mentioned as a descendant of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4:17, 22). We hear nothing more of him until Samuel the prophet anoints David as Israel’s new king. Plot twist: he’s only a boy tending his father’s sheep and King Saul still sits on Israel’s throne (1 Sam. 16).
Soon after David defeats the Philistine giant, Goliath, using only a sling, a stone, and a faith bigger than Israel’s army (1 Sam. 17). David becomes more beloved than Saul, so the king becomes murderously jealous and spends the rest of his royal life trying to kill David ben Jesse (1 Sam. 18:29).
David became a fugitive, hiding from King Saul and his assassins in the Judean desert for approximately 6-8 years. During this time, he marries two women:
Ahinoam, the Jezreelite (Jezreel being a small village in the Judean hill country–Joshua 15:48, 56)Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel (1 Sam. 25)After the second time David spares Saul’s life, he flees Israel’s borders with his six-hundred-man army, their families, and David’s two wives. They find sanctuary in the city of Gath, which was Goliath’s hometown (of all places! 1 Sam. 26-27).
David’s Early Reign:While in the land of the Philistines, the King of Gath (Achish) gave David the role of Governor over the town of Ziklag and allowed their army/families to live there (1 Sam. 27). When the Philistines marched into Israel’s northern territory, King Saul’s army engaged them in battle. Saul and three of his sons–including David’s best friend, Jonathan–were killed.
After an undisclosed amount of time, David, his army and their families moved out of Ziklag and into Hebron, a town within David’s family tribe of Judah. Soon after, David was anointed Judah’s king, and he reigned in Hebron for seven years.
Since my current series, King David’s Brides, will only cover the first two years of David’s reign in Hebron, I’ll stop here and sum up a little of the interesting research I’ve discovered while writing the first book, Brave.
Historical Fact:Looking More Deeply at King David’s Psalms:We know from Scripture that David was a gifted musician. His harp/lyre playing soothed Saul’s torment for a time and proved a comfort to David while he fled from Saul’s assassins. Today, many of David’s songs/psalms turn my heart to heaven when nothing else can focus my scattered thoughts.
I’d often wondered the exact number of Psalms David wrote. Historians and biblical scholars disagree (as they do on most things), so I searched Google images with, “Authors of Psalms” and found the graph below at the neverthirsty.org website.
Chart from: neverthirsty.org.
CLICK HERE if you’d like to see a listing of the Psalms timeline on BibleHub.com. The Psalms I’ve quoted–or had David or others sing to Yahweh–in the story of Brave are:
Psalm 59Psalm 56Psalm 34Psalm 57Psalm 52Psalm 54Psalm 18Psalm 63Watch for a FREE Psalms Bible study coming to YouVersion closer to Brave’s release in October!
The Tabernacle During King David’s Reign:We also know from Scripture that David loved to worship. The Bible tells us that after David fled Saul’s murderous threats, he went first to the Tabernacle and high priest at the city of Nob. The high priest recognized David and asked why no one had come with him. Doesn’t that infer that David was a frequent worshiper at the Tabernacle with others?
After David left, a villainous Edomite told Saul that the high priest had aided David’s escape. Saul slaughtered all the priests at Nob and their families–except one.
The son of the high priest, Abiathar, escapes and finds David and his army in the wilderness. Abiathar serves as Yahweh’s high priest in King David’s court until he betrays David’s son, King Solomon. But what happened to the Tabernacle? Several resources agreed with this explanation:
After Saul has the city and the priests destroyed (I Samuel 22), we later see the tabernacle has been set up in Gibeon (approximately 5 miles northwest of Jerusalem) during Zadok’s tenure (I Chronicles 16:39-40). It appears that with two high priests serving at that time, Zadok seems to have been fulfilling his duties at the original tabernacle built by Moses in Gibeon while Abiathar served in Jerusalem. Even after Abiathar was relieved of his duties as high priest by Solomon, we see King Solomon going to Gibeon to sacrifice there at the original tabernacle in II Chronicles 1:3. (The Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant by Wayne D. Turner From BibleTrack)
King David reigned seven+ years in Hebron (2 Sam. 2:11) before he and his men conquered the Jebusite city of Jerusalem (2 Sam. 5:6-15). Could David’s desire for the military fortress of Jerusalem also have been motivated by its proximity to the original Tabernacle only a morning’s walk away?
Educated Fiction:I’ve had multiple people email me (or comment on social media) and ask why I would ever write about King David. They then list the looooong list of his faults and usually end with this question:
Why would God make a adulterer and murderer the honored ancestor of Jesus?
I have two answers to this question which I hope you’ll see fleshed out in ALL FOUR BOOKS in the King David’s Brides series:
Answer #1:God chose King David to show that no matter how terrible the sins, if a man’s heart turns back to Him in repentance, God will ALWAYS show mercy and steadfast love. If you decide to read all the Psalms David is credited with writing, do a word search on “steadfast love.” David knew he was a screw-up. He knew the countless times Yahweh had forgiven him better than anyone! Which meant he knew better than anyone about God’s steadfast love.
Answer #2:God chose King David because he was Brave enough to show the world his ugliest self during those early years when Saul chased him. Read the psalms, y’all!!! It’s as if David wrote in his journal and then published it on every social media platform–for everyone and forever. I journal, but I’m burning them before I die. No one gets to see my ugly!
So the next time we’re tempted to criticize King David, consider the “man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). Here’s a twist straight from the Bible and following the timelines of Saul’s reign and David’s projected birth. Samuel spoke those words to King Saul when Yahweh stripped away Israel’s throne–before David was even born.
Sometimes Truth and facts are proven even more powerful than fiction!
Today’s Question:What information about King David made you pause and say, “Hmmm,” today?Did you enjoy this post? Never miss out on future posts by following my blog. Or sign up for my newsletter and you’ll receive a free novella as well as exclusive monthly giveaways and book news in your inbox! Because I’m an Amazon advertising affiliate, a small commission is earned when purchases are made using Amazon links on this site. Thank you for your support!
June 24, 2024
Who Was Prince Jonathan–David’s Best Friend?
Have you ever had a best friend? I have several. Okay, so “best” friend implies one and only, but my God is an ABUNDANT Giver. I believe best friends are His special gift–and He can give as many as He wants!
I still consider the girl who became my best friend in grade school through middle school, high school, and college as my best friend forty two years later! The best friend in the picture I met in 2005 at a California writer’s conference. She lived in Washington State, and I lived in Indiana. Two years later, the Lord moved Hubby and I to Washington–only 35 minutes from where this best friend lived!
It seems with each season of my life, the Lord graciously knits my heart together with someone else. Someone with whom I can share thoughts about HIM and other important moments.
What “Best Friend” Means To Me:Here are a few characteristics of the best friends I’ve been given in life:
A truly BEST friend is knit together with your heart for a lifetime.You can say absolutely anything to your best friend without fear of judgment or shaming.It doesn’t matter how much time passes between contact because when best friends reunite, you feel as comfortable together as if no time at all has passed.A best friend knows when something is wrong without telling them–sometimes sensing it across miles and miles.A best friend doesn’t need to know why you’ve asked them to pray, but they’ll keep a confidence if you need to tell someone.A best friend will tell you if you’re being stupid–in the kindest way possible.When Did David & Jonathan Become Friends?Let’s set the stage before we reveal the punchline. David has been serving at King Saul’s palace in Gibeah, playing his lyre to calm Saul’s mania from an evil spirit that torments him. When war season begins, David is sent home to tend his father Jesse’s flocks, and his brothers fight in Saul’s army.
David’s father sends him with a donkey loaded with food to the battlefront to provide nourishment for the sons of Jesse. (There were no McDonalds or government organizations to feed soldiers in ca. 900 B.C., so all provisions came from their families.) David received a snarky welcome from his jealous brothers, but he was more appalled by Goliath’s blasphemy than offended by his brothers.
So, David volunteers to fight the mammoth Philistine. This Goliath has been shouting threats to the whole Israelite army for forty days, and their bravest warriors are too afraid to fight him! But David doesn’t fight for Israel. David fights for Yahweh…
[David said to King Saul,] “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
1 Samuel 17:36–37
And that’s exactly what happened. With his shepherd’s sling and one smooth stone, David shouted at Goliath before he killed him:
You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
1 Samuel 17:45
BAM! Don’t you want to jump up and celebrate! I’m sure that’s exactly what Israel’s army did when David killed Goliath with a sling, a stone, and the power of Almighty God!
Now Comes the Best Friend Part
Saul’s firstborn son, Jonathan–who was also the crown prince in line to inherit Israel’s throne–would have been standing right beside his father to watch it all unfold. He would have witnessed David’s refusal to wear Saul’s armor (1 Samuel 17:38-40) and felt both excitement and fear at David’s faith-filled threat of doom when he met the giant face-to-face.
So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
1 Samuel 17:50
David took Goliath’s sword, cut off the dead man’s head, and presented it to King Saul (ewwww!). How did Jonathan feel in that moment?
King Saul was likely in his early seventies and Jonathan probably in his fifties. David was probably mid-teens. This BOY had done what no Israelite warrior dared to attempt–and he’d done it with total reliance on Yahweh.
Was Prince Jonathan Star Struck?
As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head. “Whose son are you, young man?” Saul asked him. David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.” After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.
1 Samuel 17:57–18:1 (emphasis added)
When I first read this passage–many years ago–I thought Jonathan was on the David “groupie” wagon. Maybe Jonathan was a little star struck by David’s boldness and success and wanted to be best friends with the best warrior in Israel.
I don’t think so any more. Instead, I believe that Jonathan’s heart was knit together with David’s because he’d finally found someone whose heart was as passionate for Yahweh as his own. We see several hints in Scripture that point to others in Jonathan’s family being double-minded about their faith. Here are a couple of biblical clues that helped change my mind:
David’s wife placed a large IDOL in her bed to trick Saul’s assassins when she helped David escape. Why would she have access to an idol if someone in the family (or several someones) didn’t worship idols (1 Samuel 19)?After Saul orders all the priests of Nob killed–where the Tabernacle was located–he chooses another chief priest. Who was the new chief priest? Was he a direct descendant of Aaron as the Law required? How was he chosen? And the Bible gives us no record of how the Tabernacle was transferred from Nob (1 Sam. 21) to Gibeon (1 Chron. 16:39).
I saw other hints and clues highlighted while reading a well-researched novel by Jubilee Lipsey, My Brother the King. CLICK HERE to read my full review or purchase your copy HERE. Jubilee’s descriptions of David’s and Jonathan’s emotions and how their relationship began and deepened helped me understand these two men and what God must have done in such a tumultuous time in both their lives.Has God Blessed You With a Best Friend?The answer to the above question is an adamant, YES! But I must add one caveat. Our loving Heavenly Father may choose NOT to knit your heart together with a best friend. Why would he do that? Speaking from experience, there was a season in my life when I so yearned for a best friend, and there was simply no one around me that felt safe or seemed interested in that sort of reciprocal relationship.
What do we do then?
Those were the weeks, months, and–yes, years–that I grew deeper in my relationship with Jesus than at any other time in my life. When God doesn’t bring you an earthly best friend to tend your heart, He may be calling you to draw closer to Him. To listen to His whisper. To sense His heart being knit together with yours. Nothing is sweeter than knowing the still small voice of our Father’s personal comfort.
Today’s Question:Have you experienced the certainty of a God-given best friend? If you feel comfortable, share a bit about that journey in the comments below.
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24
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May 27, 2024
Who Are Samuel and King Saul?
Attribution: the Providence Lithograph Company, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
God chose Saul son of Kish to become Israel’s first king. God chose Samuel, a prophet and priest, to anoint King Saul.
Did God make a mistake? Or did Samuel?
Neither.
The Israelites made the mistake. To this point in Israel’s history, God ALONE had been their King. Previously, when they were in trouble, God sent faithful people like Moses, Aaron, Deborah, and Barak to rescue them. But now, the Israelites became terrified and DEMANDED an earthly king.
Who Is This Samuel Character?
[So Samuel said to those gathered,] “When you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king.”
1 Samuel 12:12
Samuel became both prophet and priest in Israel. His birth and beginning years were miraculous, proving God’s anointing from the moment of his conception. He was Hannah’s firstborn son. Hannah was one of many misunderstood women in the Bible. For years, her womb had been barren, and her husband chose to marry a second wife, Peninnah, who was very fertile and just as snarky (1 Sam. 1:2).
Hannah went with her husband every year to the Tabernacle. One year, she approached the altar (a definite no-no for any woman) and began to pray silently. Eli, the high priest, thought she was drunk. Evidently, the combination of approaching the altar and moving your lips without making a sound meant you’d had too much wine? She convinced him she wasn’t drunk, and he felt so bad about his mistake that he prayed for Yahweh to open her womb (1 Sam. 1:12-17).
And He did! But Hannah had bargained with God: if He gave her a son, she’d give her son (after he was weaned) for service in the Tabernacle. Samuel was born, and at a very young age, he was given to Eli to serve in the Tabernacle (1 Sam. 1:20-28).
Why Choose Saul?I’ll give you my opinion, but since no one can know the mind of God, remember–it’s only my opinion. Scripture presents a picture of pre-royal Saul as extremely modest and rather unqualified for the job, which is precisely the sort of man God would be looking for!
A Well Known & Handsome Donkey Farmer
“There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish…Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, ‘Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.'”
1 Samuel 9:1-3
Humble
“Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: ‘About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines…[When he met Saul, Samuel said,] ‘As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?’ Saul answered, ‘But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?’
1 Samuel 9:15-16, 20-21
…Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, ‘Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance?'”
1 Samuel 10:1
[When Samuel came to anoint the king, the lot fell to Saul, but no one could find him among the crowd…] “So they inquired further of the Lord, ‘Has the man come here yet?’ And the Lord said, ‘Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.’ They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. Samuel said to all the people, ‘Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.’ Then the people shouted, ‘Long live the king!'”
1 Samuel 10:22–24
Receptive to the Holy Spirit
So What Changed?
“When [Saul] and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying.”
1 Samuel 10:10
Attribution: Willem Swanenburg-Abraham Bloemaert-Biblioteca Nacional de España, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
God doesn’t change. Samuel remained faithful.
Saul changed. Pride slipped in and made him think HE knew better than God. It’s the same sin that got Eve in the Garden. It’s the same sin that gets most of us if we walk back most of our motivation for wrongdoing…
God’s Instruction Through Samuel Is Clear
“Samuel said to Saul, ‘I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” ‘ “
1 Samuel 15:1–3 (emphasis added)
Saul’s Disobedience Is Also Clear – To Everyone But Saul
God Deals With Saul
“Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.”
1 Samuel 15:9 (emphasis added)
“Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, ‘Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.'”
1 Samuel 15:12
“When Samuel reached him, Saul said, ‘The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.’ But Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?’ Saul answered, ‘The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.’ ‘Enough!’ Samuel said to Saul…’Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?’ ‘But I did obey the Lord,’ Saul said…I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”
1 Samuel 15:13-21 (emphasis added)
Yahweh chooses the HUMBLE:
Saul: “But God, I’m from the smallest tribe in Israel! I’m a nobody!”God can even deal with HIDING:
“Where’s Saul?” Hiding with the supplies (some translations: with the baggage). AKA: “Please God, don’t make me do this. It’s too much for me.”El Shaddai WILL NOT abide the HAUGHTY:
God didn’t cut and run the first time he disobeyed–or the second. So, let’s not feel sorry for Saul. Instead, let’s consider how sneakily pride can slip in for us all–and say no to the serpent’s tricks! After Samuel announced the bad news, he actually cried for the king he had anointed…
“‘You have done a foolish thing,’ Samuel said. ‘You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.'”
1 Samuel 13:13–14
Though it’s hard to realize timelines when you’re reading through pages of Scripture, my research shows that Samuel prophesied this BEFORE David was born. Doesn’t that make David’s Psalm 139 even more precious?
Today’s Question:What steps can we take in our own context to avoid pride?
“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Psalm 139:13–14 (emphasis added)
You’ll meet both King Saul and Samuel in my October release: Brave: The Story of Ahinoam, Book #1 in my new series, King David’s Brides. CLICK HERE if you’d like to pre-order from Amazon. But if you’re looking for a paperback, you can buy it much cheaper from Baker Book House here!
Did you enjoy this post? Never miss out on future posts by following my blog. Or sign up for my newsletter and you’ll receive a free novella as well as exclusive monthly giveaways and book news emailed straight to your inbox! Because I’m an Amazon advertising affiliate, a small commission is earned when purchases are made using Amazon links on this site. Thank you for your support!
April 22, 2024
3 Ways Publishing a Book Is Like Spring Gardening
Dennis Lamczak, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
I’m not a gardener, but I lived in Indiana for most of my life, so some farm girl stuff sort of soaks in. My grandma could put a twig in the ground, and a tree would grow, but I somehow got the proverbial “black thumb.” Though I tried a vegetable garden a couple of times (not very successfully), I was never astute enough to begin some plants inside during the spring. (CLICK HERE if you’d like to know why you should start them in spring!)
#1 – Gardening/Publishing Require More Than Hard WorkI’d be much more willing to garden if it only involved putting a seed in the ground, dumping a cup of water on it, and returning in a week to harvest the vegetables. Sign me up!
Alas, gardening is so much more. It’s more than tilling the soil. More than planting. More than watering the soil, faithfully weeding and protecting the plants from pestilence and predators. Gardening is more than hard work. It’s an art. It’s a passion. And I don’t have it.
But I am passionate about Jesus and God’s Word. I love the Bible. I love reading it and studying it. I could research the words, the culture, the locations, the archaeological discoveries every moment of every day! Sometimes I jokingly say I only write novels to support my research addiction. Well, sort of jokingly. 😆
A 2021 survey of over 2,000 Americans revealed that over half believed they had a good idea for a novel. Of that half, only 15% started writing a book, and only 8% actually finished their book. (CLICK HERE to see more survey results.) If writing was easy, everyone would do it.
#2 – Gardening/Publishing Require the Creator’s Partnership
Since Indiana is synonymous with corn, let me illustrate with two “corn” pictures why the Creator is the essential Partner in gardening (and farming). Picture #1 was taken on the day of our daughter and son-in-love’s wedding. That year the Lord had blessed the corn crop with perfect summer weather! Dry enough to get seed in the ground early in the spring, rain soon after, terribly hot and humid for us poor humans during June, July, and August.
Our son-in-love is about 5′ 9″. Granted, he’s bending over to kiss his bride, but that corn is WAAAAAY taller than him, right?
The following year, Indiana experienced the worst drought in decades. Can you see the difference? Both photos were taken during August in Indiana–one year apart. See what happens when the Creator withholds rain? Even farmers with irrigation systems couldn’t sustain their harvest numbers in a drought of this proportion.
So it is with writing, publishing, and book sales. On some days, I sit at my laptop and the words just flow out of me. Other days, it’s like trying to wring out water from a dry cloth. I’ve found marketing and publicity to be much the same. Some of the books we’ve worked hardest to promote with pre-order sales, social media blitzes, and sale prices somehow fall flat. Other books sell like spring water in a desert with very little hype. My only explanation is the One who gave me the words in the first place. He gets ALL the glory!
#3 – Gardening/Publishing Require Advanced PlanningI’ve had so many people ask me, “Why can’t you write faster?”
Believe me…I wish I could! 😉
You might be wondering what I’m doing during these endless months BETWEEN my book releases. Well, like the gardener who plants a few of their plants inside during early spring to get the “slow rooting” seeds going, I’m busy with behind-the-scene tasks to prepare before release day! Brave: The Story of Ahinoam is Book #1 in the series of King David’s Brides, so I’ve also started plotting and writing Book #2 about Maakah (see 2 Samuel 3:2-5).
For those of you who follow me on Facebook or Instagram and answered my question about what sort of Bk #2 teaser you’d like to see included in Brave, here are the results of everyone’s comments!
To give you an idea of some of the writing/publishing tasks that will keep me busy all the way up to Brave’s October 1, 2024 release date, here’s a general list:
monthly newslettermonthly blog postfour scheduled social media posts per week (personally answering comments)personally answering daily emailsMay 7th release and promotion of The Nameless Ones (our 3rd indie-published short story collection)3 more edits on Brave (line edits–April; copy edits and proof pages–end of May).brainstorm marketing & publicity for Brave with Bethany House.execute marketing & publicity plan for Brave:work with launch team to stir excitement for releasewrite discussion questionswrite Bible study for YouVersionwrite prequel (free download for new & existing newsletter subscribers)publicity and interviews: podcasts, TV/radio, blogs, magazine articles, and live eventswrite teaser chapter for Maakah’s story to include in Bravewrite Maakah’s story (100,000 words)send to beta readersrevisesend to senior editor by August 1stSuccessful “Gardening”Perhaps after reading how I’ve compared writing to gardening, you’ve seen similarities between gardening and your own life.
To succeed at work, to strengthen family relationships, or to grow a church, we must work together with passion toward a common goal.But as Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its laborers labor in vain” (NIV). Only when we partner with the Creator Himself do we see success that reaches into eternity. That’s the success that matters!Though I’m a creative that loves spontaneity, I’ve learned that much of life’s success comes to those who plan. It’s a bitter pill but good medicine for a less-stressful future.Today’s Question:Which of the three “gardening” life lessons is the one you needed to hear today?March 25, 2024
Covid Changed Our Tour Sites and Short Stories Changed Our Hearts
In June of 2018, I began dreaming of returning to Israel for a second trip. My hubby Roy and I had made our first pilgrimage in 2000. We thought a 2020 trip to celebrate my 10th traditionally published novel, Isaiah’s Legacy, was a great reason to organize a readers’ tour of the biblical and historical sites mentioned in my books. We began planning over a year before our March 2020 “Experience the BOOK” tour. It’s hard to remember the days before Covid changed our world, isn’t it? Who could have guessed we would be the last American tour group in Israel when Covid-19 swept the globe? (U.S. travelers pictured above. International tour members met us in Israel.)
As part of a gift package to the readers who joined our tour, I wrote several short stories to read at corresponding biblical or historical sites in Israel. Though Covid changed some of our touring sites, our God still used those stories to work in our hearts. On April 2, 2024, I’ll be releasing 3 of those short stories on Amazon in a collection called, The Nameless Ones–biblical stories about people important enough for Scripture’s record but not mentioned by name. The lives of The 700th Wife, The Water Girl, and The Mole’s Wife were first read aloud on Israel’s soil in unforgettable circumstances…
First Day – Caesarea and Mount Carmel
After our red-eye flight “across the Pond,” we arrived in Tel Aviv at 10am local time. Our amazing guide, Hedva, was at Ben Gurion to greet us. Blurry eyed, but with enough adrenaline to push us, we pressed on with a rush of excitement, anticipation, and awe to explore God’s Promised Land. We began our tour along the Mediterranean Coast in Caesarea with the amphitheater, the remains of Herod’s palace, and the hippodrome.
From there, we traveled to Mount Carmel. We needed a little distraction on the thirty-minute bus ride between the historical and biblical sites. No matter how excited we were to be in Israel, our eyelids were drooping after many of us had gotten little sleep on the plane. Some had been awake for nearly forty-eight hours! So, I began reading aloud the first short story–The Water Girl–a fictional account of the girl who may have gathered the water to pour on Elijah’s altar of sacrifice (1 Kings 18).
Setting the Stage for Elijah
We were about to stand on Mount Carmel, the place where the Prophet Elijah met Queen Jezebel’s 450 prophets of Baal and proved Yahweh’s power greater. I wanted the story to come alive in their groggy minds before we climbed to the top of that mountain (hill).
Could The Water Girl have been one of the “they” mentioned in Scripture who drenched Elijah’s repaired altar before Yahweh’s fire lit the sacrifice?
“Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!'” 1 Kings 18:38–39
Could The Water Girl have needed a personal miracle from God as much as Israel needed relief from the drought?
Covid Invades Our JourneyWhen we left the U.S., we were told by some doctor friends to pack masks “just in case” some crazy new virus from China made its way to Israel. For our first four days of touring Israel’s sites, we were relatively unaffected by the world’s rising panic.
By day 5, however, Covid-19 popped our bubble of oblivion. When we arrived at the Jordan River’s baptismal site, the “robe rental” booth was closed. Why? Because all their employees had the Covid-19 virus!
That same day, Israel closed her borders. We had added a “3-day Petra extension” into the country of Jordan at the end of our tour but planned to re-enter Israel to fly home from Tel Aviv. We were faced with our first difficult decision:
Though our faithful tour director (above) tried every trick in the book to switch our flights to Amman, it seemed everyone else was trying the same thing to get back to the U.S. So, we cancelled Petra to remain within Israel’s borders.
The short story I’d prepared to read on our way to Mt. Nebo, The Shepherd Boy, is included in my 2023 short-story collection, The Edge of Promise. Discover how I imagined a shepherd boy might have been the only witness to Moses’s mysterious death and how the boy’s life was forever changed (see Deut. 34:5-6).
I read The Shepherd Boy on our ascent to Jerusalem instead, trusting the same great God for whatever awaited us there…
To the City of David…
The day we entered Jerusalem was both exciting and unsettling. The first glimpse of its ancient walls and golden dome send a chill down my spine, but it wasn’t the same crowded, bustling city my husband and I remembered from our 2000 pilgrimage. In the wake of Covid’s uncertainties, only stragglers walked the streets. Many tourists had already fled the country. But we had more sites to see and short stories to read!
Before visiting the Western Wall of the Temple, I read The 700th Wife and we pondered together the life of King Solomon. Though the current temple wall dates back to King Herod, it was Solomon who built the original Temple in Jerusalem.
The Bible says King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. So, why did he marry seven hundred women? Who was The 700th Wife? Why did they marry? What was her purpose–political, religious, or personal connection? Because we have no historical record of her identity, my hope is that she influenced the spiritually wayward Solomon to recognize true wisdom in his final days on earth. Perhaps she helped him write these words:
Last Days“Remember Him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:6–7
Covid numbers around the world continued to climb, and fear with them. Israel’s Old City became more and more desolate. Yet our faithful guide, Hedva, continued teaching us. Every day. All day. Rain or shine. Our little band of travelers tramped all over the Old City to soak up every word she poured out.
After three days in Jerusalem, we had only one more day of sites to see before moving to Tel Aviv for three free days to await our return flight home. We’d saved our most anticipated Jerusalem sites for the last day:
The night before, we got this information from the ministry of tourism: All tours within Israel’s borders are to be suspended. Any tour guide found accompanying more than three people will be fined and his/her license suspended. All major historical and biblical sites are closed to the public.
It was the first time I’d cried about Covid’s effects on our tour.
God Wins
During our first trip to Israel in 2000, we hadn’t seen Hezekiah’s Tunnels, and they’d just started the archaeological dig on the City of David. Those two sites and the Petra extension were the main reasons we’d organized the reader tour for 2020. And Covid had cancelled all three. Death counts around the globe were rising. Fear began it strangle hold, and I felt like the enemy against us was winning.
Would Israel close the airport? Could we make it home? Would the U.S. let us in? Would we be quarantined if we made it to the U.S.?
That fear helped me understand what The Mole’s Wife must have experienced as the Assyrian army approached Jerusalem and her husband orchestrated the digging project of Hezekiah’s Tunnel. Every day her husband risked his life by digging through a mountain’s bedrock hundreds of feet below ground. But if he didn’t succeed in creating a tunnel–which connected the Gihon Spring outside the city walls to the well inside the city walls–the whole city would die in a siege.
Ashes to Dancing
I called a meeting that night to tell everyone about our last day’s cancellation and to read aloud The Mole’s Wife (the third short story in The Nameless Ones). After I finished reading, someone pointed out my hubby’s T-shirt from my book, Of Fire and Lions, and the Scripture quoted on the back:
“The God we serve is able to deliver.” Daniel 3:17
Our last day in Jerusalem was a beautiful time for leisurely strolls through the ancient city. With Bibles and/or cameras in hand, we prayerfully focused on deepening our love for God’s people. We spent our final three days in Tel Aviv. No guide. No schedule. We spent that time in self-guided tours to ancient Jaffa and through Israel’s most modern city. Beach walks and wonderful food was the perfect goodbye to a surprising and memorable journey.
On the way to the airport, our bus driver said, “I took one other tour group to the airport this morning. I think you’re our last American tourists in Israel.”
My heart ached a little at the sadness in his voice. “We hope to come back soon,” I told him–and meant it.
Keep watching my blog and newsletter for our next reader tour. We hope to return in the spring of 2026! CLICK HERE to subscribe to my newsletter and never miss “insider” news about my writing and personal photos and news.
For More Information on The Nameless Ones…Because my “Newsies” (newsletter subscribers) ALWAYS get special perks and insider info on my writing process, they’ll receive a special “TNO sneak-peak newsletter” next Monday (On April Fool’s Day, 4/1/24, no foolin’–one day BEFORE release!). This first chapter peek of The Nameless Ones can be found nowhere else!
So, if you’d like to be the first to read about Solomon’s 700th Wife, and get my exclusive monthly writing/life updates and fun giveaways, be sure to subscribe at: https://mesuandrews.com/#newsletter. You’ll also get a free novella! Enjoy!
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
March 7, 2024
Who Is Asenath?
My current WIP (work in progress) is King David’s Brides, so why am I writing a blog about Asenath–the main character of my May 2023 release, In Feast or Famine? Well, because I had a milestone birthday in December–yes, I turned the big 6-0–and my sweet friend/assistant, Amanda, gave me the most unique and amazing gift ever!
Amanda employed the artistic talents of my fellow biblical fiction author, Jenelle Hovde, to create an Asenath more like the beauty we imagined.
A Cover From a Traditional PublisherContrary to popular belief, an author who works with a traditional publisher (Waterbrook, Bethany House, Revell, Tyndale, Zondervan, Thomas Nelson, etc.) has little control over the cover you see on Amazon or a bookstore shelf. Occasionally, I get to help choose a model; most often, not. Usually, I get an email from my marketing director with a “first mock-up” or “rough draft” cover. After fourteen traditionally published books, however, I’ve learned that this so-called rough draft has already been through a significant vetting process.
The marketing and sales committees have discussed how Christian fiction readers, in general, will respond to the font, the model, background photos, and overall design. They’ve researched current trends in book covers and how sales correspond to certain types/styles of cover.
My publisher and their marketing/sales committees definitely know the market, in general, better than I do. But I know MY READERS better than anyone. The publishers I’ve worked with–Revell, Waterbrook, Guideposts, and Bethany House–have been extremely gracious to tweak that first mock-up cover when I make suggestions. But I’ve learned through the years that MAJOR changes likely won’t happen.
Asenath on the IFOF Cover
As you can see, we don’t get a full picture of Asenath on the In Feast or Famine cover. CLICK HERE to read the blog post that shows the multiple cover drafts I was given to choose from and more information about that process.
In Jewish lore, Asenath is touted as the most beautiful woman in all of Egypt–so beautiful, in fact, that her father kept her in a tower to protect her and keep her pure. (CLICK HERE to read my post, An Egyptian Rapunzel: Were Both Joseph and Asenath Held Captive?)
My faithful friend and assistant, Amanda, agreed with me that–though the model on my cover was attractive–she likely wouldn’t be considered the most beautiful woman in ancient Egypt.
So, Amanda asked our friend and author, Jenelle Hovde, to use some of my descriptors of Asenath from In Feast or Famine to paint a more beautiful wife for our handsome Joseph!
Jenelle’s Mock-Ups
I received a text from Amanda on my birthday morning asking, “Are you at home? I need to deliver your gift.”
She lives in Arkansas, and I was living in North Carolina at the time. She’s a very talented virtual assistant, but I couldn’t imagine how she could deliver a gift in person that day! I told her I was at home, so she called me and said, “Look in your inbox.”
Like every good employer, I obeyed my assistant! And there were these three beautiful “mock-ups” (B&W pictures above). Amanda told me the story of hiring Jenelle to paint them (oil painting on her iPad!), which was perfect because Jenelle has also written a biblical novel about Asenath! She knew all the appropriate jewelry, clothing, and backgrounds to use! (CLICK HERE to see all Jenelle’s books.)
The Asenath in My Head
Some authors have a really clear picture of their characters in their minds while they write the story. Others, like me, find photos online and use those images to guide their descriptions. I found Israeli model, Yael Shelbia, early in my research process and envisioned her as my Asenath while writing.
So, when Amanda asked, “Do any of the mock-ups look like the Asenath in your head?”
I was stunned at how VERY MUCH Jenelle’s paintings looked like the Asenath (Yael) I’d described in my book! “YES!” I told Amanda.
“Which mock-up looks MOST like the Asenath in your head?” she asked.
So, I ask YOU–dear reader–which of the three mock-ups would YOU have chosen?
My ChoiceWhen I chose the middle one, Amanda heaved a huge sigh and said, “Check your email again.”
So, again, I happily obeyed and found my choice already prepared in a digital oil painting! I was laughing and crying while trying to get out the words, “How did you know which one I’d choose?”
“Because she just felt like the Asenath you described in your book!” Amanda said.
That’s why she’s my virtual assistant (and dear friend)–not because she gives me great birthday gifts. LOL! 😆 Amanda is special because not only does she read my books but she also cares about getting my books into the hands of the people who need to read the messages.
It’s not about sales numbers or trending cover designs for us though both are VITAL to my continued publishing! I’m so grateful for the caring professionals who guide my writing, marketing, and sales for each traditionally published book. I’m equally grateful for my readers and friends who have a huge impact behind the scenes–like my VA and friend, Amanda.
Thanks for helping make my 60th the best birthday yet! 😉
