Tag Archives: #christian

Reader’s Log 69: A Weekend of Reading and Studying

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This morning, I have been reflecting on the season change and the warmer weather we have been experiencing in the South and I’m looking forward to what summer will bring. This weekend, I plan on reading and studying with a renewed sense of gratefulness for God’s Word and the access to seminary books from my father’s theological library that I would otherwise not be able to afford.

This weekend, I’m also reading two fiction books and one of them I had started a couple weeks ago-I think-and had to put aside temporary to finish up two others for a review deadline. The days were getting away from me. I feel like that tends to happen when you are engrossed in books, and you will not get any complaints on that score from me.

I’m also starting an in-depth Bible study in the book of Hebrews this weekend, so I may share what that looks like a little later in the month or next month.

Have a blessed weekend!

Stephanie

The two books are as follow:

You Belong Here Now by Dianna Rostad

Published April 6, 2021 by William Morrow Paperbacks

In this brilliant debut reminiscent of William Kent Krueger’s This Tender Land and Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours, three orphans’ journey westward from New York City to the Big Sky Country of Montana, hoping for a better life where beautiful wild horses roam free.

Montana 1925: Three brave kids from New York board the orphan train headed west. An Irish boy who lost his whole family to Spanish flu, a tiny girl who won’t talk, and a volatile young man who desperately needs to escape Hell’s Kitchen. They are paraded on platforms across the Midwest to work-worn folks and journey countless miles, racing the sun westward. Before they reach the last rejection and stop, the kids come up with a daring plan, and they set off toward the Yellowstone River and grassy mountains where the wild horses roam.

Fate guides them toward the ranch of a family stricken by loss. Broken and unable to outrun their pasts in New York, the family must do the unthinkable in order to save them.

Nara, the daughter of a successful cattleman, has grown into a brusque spinster who refuses the kids on sight. She’s worked hard to gain her father’s respect and hopes to run their operation, but if the kids stay, she’ll be stuck in the kitchen.

Nara works them without mercy, hoping they’ll run off, but they buck up and show spirit, and though Nara will never be motherly, she begins to take to them. So, when Charles is jailed for freeing wild horses that were rounded up for slaughter, and an abusive mother from New York shows up to take the youngest, Nara does the unthinkable, risking everything she holds dear to change their lives forever.

In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer

Timeless #2

Published May 2, 2023 by Bethany House Publishers

Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night she goes to sleep-in one-time period and wakes up in another. Until, that is, she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives–and everyone she knows in them–forever.

In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of an influential senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a Navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she’s asked to join a hospital ship being sent to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she’s a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon, yet unable to use her modern skills in her other paths.

While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era. The mysterious British gentleman. The prickly, demanding doctor. The charming young congressman. She’s drawn to each man in different ways, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer.

With so much on the line, how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?

Reader’s Log 068: Upcoming Nonfiction Reads

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Read Lots and Read Widely

I am thrilled about reading these nonfiction books this late spring and through the summer. They have been on my wish-list for some time now and one of the many things I like about Strauss’s and Ibrahim’s works are how accessible they are to readers across the board-if you will.

If you would like to check out interviews with these historians, first check out Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster at Triggernometry interview with Strauss, and interview the interview Ibrahim.

Are you a nonfiction reader? How often do you read nonfiction?

Stephanie

The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium by Barry S. Strauss

Published March 21, 2023 by Simon & Schuster

Following Caesar’s assassination and Mark Antony’s defeat of the conspirators who killed Caesar, two powerful men remained in Rome—Antony and Caesar’s chosen heir, young Octavian, the future Augustus. When Antony fell in love with the most powerful woman in the world, Egypt’s ruler Cleopatra, and thwarted Octavian’s ambition to rule the empire, another civil war broke out. In 31 BC one of the largest naval battles in the ancient world took place—more than 600 ships, almost 200,000 men, and one woman—the Battle of Actium. Octavian prevailed over Antony and Cleopatra, who subsequently killed themselves.

The Battle of Actium had great consequences for the empire. Had Antony and Cleopatra won, the empire’s capital might have moved from Rome to Alexandria, Cleopatra’s capital, and Latin might have become the empire’s second language after Greek, which was spoken throughout the eastern Mediterranean, including Egypt.

In this “superbly recounted” ( The National Review ) history, Barry Strauss, ancient history authority, describes this consequential battle with the drama and expertise that it deserves. The War That Made the Roman Empire is essential history that features three of the greatest figures of the ancient world.

Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine by Barry S. Strauss

Published March 5, 2019 by Simon & Schuster

Barry Strauss tells the story of the Roman Empire from rise to reinvention, from Augustus, who founded the empire, to Constantine, who made it Christian and moved the capital east to Constantinople.

During these centuries Rome gained in splendor and territory, then lost both. By the fourth century, the time of Constantine, the Roman Empire had changed so dramatically in geography, ethnicity, religion, and culture that it would have been virtually unrecognizable to Augustus. Rome’s legacy remains today in so many ways, from language, law, and architecture to the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. Strauss examines this enduring heritage through the lives of the men who shaped it: Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, Vespasian, Trajan, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus, Diocletian and Constantine.

Jews vs. Rome: Two Centuries of Rebellion Against the World’s Mightiest Empire by Barry S. Strauss

Expected publication (Paperback) August 18, 2026 by Simon & Schuster

I have pre-ordered the paperback. Can’t wait to get it in the mail!

A new history of two centuries of Jewish revolts against the Roman Empire, drawing on recent archeological discoveries and new scholarship by leading historian Barry Strauss.

Jews vs. Rome is a gripping account of one of the most momentous eras in human the two hundred years of ancient Israel’s battles against Rome that reshaped Judaism and gave rise to Christianity. Barry Strauss vividly captures the drama of this era, highlighting the courageous yet tragic uprisings, the geopolitical clash between the empires of Rome and Persia, and the internal conflicts among Jews.

Between 63 BCE and 136 CE, the Jewish people launched several revolts driven by deep-seated religious beliefs and resentment towards Roman rule. Judea, a province on Rome’s eastern fringe, became a focal point of tension and rebellion. Jews vs. Rome recounts the three major the Great Revolt of 66–70 CE, which led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, culminating in the Siege of Masada, where defenders chose mass suicide over surrender; the Diaspora Revolt, ignited by heavy taxes across the Empire; and the Bar Kokhba Revolt. We meet pivotal figures such as Simon Bar Kokhba but also some of those lesser-known women of the era like Berenice, a Jewish princess who played a major role in the politics of the Great Revolt and was improbably the love of Titus—Rome’s future emperor and the man who destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple.

Today, echoes of those battles resonate as the Jewish nation faces new challenges and conflicts. Jews vs. Rome offers a captivating narrative that connects the past with the present, appealing to anyone interested in Rome, Jewish history, or the compelling true tales of resilience and resistance.

Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West by Raymond Ibrahim

Published August 28, 2018 by Grand Central Publishing

A sweeping history of the often-violent conflict between Islam and the West, shedding a revealing light on current hostilities

The West and Islam–the sword and the scimitar–have clashed since the mid-seventh century, when, according to Muslim tradition, the Byzantine emperor rejected Prophet Muhammad’s order to abandon Christianity and convert to Islam, unleashing a centuries-long jihad on Christendom.

Sword and Scimitar chronicles the significant battles that arose from this ages-old Islamic jihad, beginning with the first major Islamic attack on Christian land in 636, through the occupation of the Middle East that prompted the Crusades and the far-flung conquests of the Ottoman Turks, to the European colonization of the Muslim world in the 1800s, when Islam largely went on the retreat–until its reemergence in recent times. Using original sources in Arabic, Greek, Latin, and Turkish, preeminent historian Raymond Ibrahim describes each battle in vivid detail and explains the effect the outcome had on larger historical currents of the age and how the military lessons of the battle reflect the cultural fault-lines between Islam and the West.

The majority of these landmark battles are now forgotten or considered inconsequential. Yet today, as the West faces a resurgence of this enduring Islamic jihad, Sword and Scimitar provides the needed historical context to understand the current relationship between the West and the Islamic world, and why the Islamic State is merely the latest chapter of an old history.

He is Risen!

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Photo from The History Underground

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

-Matthew 28:5-7

“O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?”

“The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”– John 11:25-26

Happy Easter!

Reader’s Log 066: A Woman’s Place Is in the Story by Sandra L Glahn (Seeing Women in the Biblical Narrative)

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IVP Academic sent me an invite via email a few days ago, asking me if I would like to read and review “A Woman’s Place Is in the Story,” and I was thrilled to accept the invite. What perfect timing, I thought. I first heard of Dr. Glahn’s work through Dr. Carmen Joy Imes and I have a few of Glahn’s books already on my wish-list, including, “Nobody’s Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament.”

Recently, I have been thrilled to have discovered many female and male scholars addressing this topic, and I’m looking forward to the continuous journey in reading and studying these much needed works.

When I read the book description and the first few pages of “A Woman’s Place Is in the Story,” it was like the author was reading my thoughts I’ve had over the years about women of the Bible, in the Old Testament and New Testament. I am certain it will be thus for many women and men who come across this book. A big thank you to IVP Academic for the advanced copy! – Stephanie

About the book:

Expected Publish Date: Aug 25, 2026 by IVP Academic

We Misread the Bible When Women Are Left Out

Ignore them, marginalize them, or dismiss them as brief cameos—these have long been common approaches to Christian teaching on the women of the Bible. The result? We miss their significance in the biblical story and, in turn, misunderstand Scripture itself. Scholar Sandra Glahn challenges this pattern, calling readers to recognize how biblical narrative actually works. When we do, we see that women are not incidental to the story but essential to it.

In A Woman’s Place Is in the Story, Glahn models how we can better read stories in their literary context and understand why the original authors included what they did. She reexamines both well-known and neglected passages, such as Tamar and Judah, the Hebrew midwives, Abigail, and the Samaritan woman at the well. Even when they appear briefly, women in Scripture move the plot forward and reveal profound truths about who God is.

In this book, you’ll explore how leaving women out of the biblical story changes the plot and meaning that was intended, how distorting women as they appear in the biblical story affects the way we view women in general, and how misunderstanding how women appear in the story affects the way we view God.

Women have always been part of the whole story of God. With A Woman’s Place Is in the Story, discover how rightly seeing women in the biblical narrative leads to more faithful interpretation and application for the benefit of all God’s people.

It’s time to tell the whole story.

Author the Author:

Dr. Sandra Glahn is a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. She is the author or co-author of more than twenty-five books, including Nobody’s Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament and her forthcoming work (August 2026), A Woman’s Place Is in the Story: Seeing Women in the Biblical Narrative.

Reader’s Log 063: Faith Studies 2026 Part I

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Today, I’m sharing the Bible studies I’m working through and the journey this year has truly been a blessing in my life. I’m also reading the Bible chronologically this year for the first time ever. What a difference it has made already in the in-depth studying I’ve been conducting for three plus years now. I discuss my studies in other posts, so I hope you check those out. Also last year, I took a deep dive in women’s roles and ministry in the Bible and women ministries today in modern times. I’m continuing that study and have found it rewarding in my life.

The books you see in this posts, are the ones I’m currently reading through. The first one on the book stack “Has the Church Replaced Israel” by “Michael J. Vlack takes a look at the theological evaluation of the different arguments and the author’s conclusion of this much heated debate in our current church environment. That said, this has been a long standing debate throughout history, but has become front in center in the last couple years due to the Israel/Gaza war.

About the book:

The relationship between Israel and the Church continues to be a controversial topic led by this Does the church replace, supersede, or fulfill the nation of Israel in God’s plan, or will Israel be saved and restored with a unique identity and role?
 
In Has the Church Replaced Israel? Author Michael J. Vlach evaluates the doctrine of replacement theology (also known as supersessionism) down through history but ultimately argues in favor of the non-supersessionist position. Thoroughly vetting the most important hermeneutical  and theological issues related to the Israel/church relationship, Vlach explains why, “there are compelling scriptural reasons in both testaments to believe in a future salvation and restoration of the nation Israel.”

I read “Our Father Abraham” by Marvin R. Wilson a few years ago now and thought I would give it another read through. This book is from my father’s theological library and the book is a wonderful read.

About the book:

Although the roots of Christianity run deep into Hebrew soil, many Christians are regrettably uninformed about the rich Hebrew heritage of the church. This volume delineates the link between Judaism and Christianity, between the Old and the New Testament, and calls Christians to reexamine their Hebrew roots so as to effect a more authentically biblical lifestyle.

As an introduction to the world of Hebrew thought, Our Father Abraham is biblical, historical, and cultural in nature. At the same time, the writing is personal and passionate, reflecting Marvin Wilson’s own spiritual pilgrimage and his extensive dialogue with Jews. The book (1) develops a historical perspective on the Jewish origins of the church, (2) sets forth the importance and nature of Hebrew thought, (3) discusses how the church can become more attuned to the Hebraic mind-set of Scripture, and (4) offers practical suggestions for interaction between Jews and Christians.

The study questions at the end of each chapter enhance the book’s usefulness as a text and also make it suitable for Bible-study and discussion groups. All Christians–and Jews too–will profit from Wilson’s sensible treatments of biblical texts, his thorough understanding of both the Christian and the Jewish faith, and his honest historical analysis of the general failure of the Christian church to acknowledge and understand its relation to Judaism.

I’m trying to remember how I came across “Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospel” by Cyndi Parker. As I typed that thought out, it came to me I might have heard about this book from Dr. Carmen J. Imes. Whatever the case, I remember downloading a sample to read before making commitment on purchasing the book. As you can see, I bought the book and I’m really enjoying what Parker has to say.

About the book:

Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospels draws readers into a deeper understanding of ancient Israel and first-century Judaism—the clothing, setting, political climate, and more—all to better understand Jesus’ ministry. Instead of reading the Gospels through twenty-first-century eyes, author Cyndi Parker introduces readers to the larger context with the weight of the Old Testament behind them. This is an approachable and conversational book that introduces the reader to the complex human world of Jesus. Have you ever wondered if it is important that Jesus grew up in Nazareth but moved his public ministry to Capernaum, even though Jerusalem was the capital of Jewish thought? Does it seem strange to you that Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes held significantly divergent religious views, even though they were all Jewish? In this book, Cyndi Parker guides us through the intriguing drama of history that created the context of first-century Judaism. She extends an invitation to readers to take a new look at the long drama of God’s interactions with humanity that reach a climax in the life of Jesus. Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospels focuses on the complexities of the political, social, literary, and religious context of the Gospels. The purpose is to advance readers’ understanding of the Gospels and help them encounter Jesus, the disciples, and crowds as real people in a real place at a time vastly different from today. Come explore the land of ancient Israel with its dramatic history, culture, and religion. Includes many images, maps, photos, and drawings throughout!

Jesus Though Middle Eastern Eyes (Cultural Studies In The Gospels) by Kenneth R. Bailey is a phenomenal read. So far, I’ve read three parts. I will definitely be reading other books by this author and I highly recommend this one.

About the book:

Beginning with Jesus’ birth, Ken Bailey leads you on a kaleidoscopic study of Jesus throughout the four Gospels. Bailey examines the life and ministry of Jesus with attention to the Lord’s Prayer, the Beatitudes, Jesus’ relationship to women, and especially Jesus’ parables. Through it all, Bailey employs his trademark expertise as a master of Middle Eastern culture to lead you into a deeper understanding of the person and significance of Jesus within his own cultural context. With a sure but gentle hand, Bailey lifts away the obscuring layers of modern Western interpretation to reveal Jesus in the light of his actual historical and cultural setting. This entirely new material from the pen of Ken Bailey is a must-have for any student of the New Testament. If you have benefited from Bailey’s work over the years, this book will be a welcome and indispensable addition to your library. If you are unfamiliar with Bailey’s work, this book will introduce you to a very old yet entirely new way of understanding Jesus.

I came across “Women of the Bible” by Ann Spangler & Syswerda down in the basement in a container. This book is a family member’s and was thrilled they said I can use it. The book is a one-year devotional study of women in Scripture, and I an tweaking it a bit to fit in my method of study.

About the book:

Women of the Bible focuses on fifty-two remarkable women in Scripture — women whose struggles to live with faith and courage are not unlike our own. Far from being cardboard characters, these women encourage us through their failures as well as their successes. You’ll see how God acted in surprising and wonderful ways to draw them — and you — to himself. This year-long devotional offers a unique method to help you slow down and savor the story of God’s unrelenting love for his people, offering a fresh perspective that will nourish and strengthen your personal communion with him.

The Bible I am using to study and read along with “Women of the Bible” is the “Holy Land Illustrated Bible, which is among my favorite Bibles I have. The Bible is a hardcover with black lettering, full-color design, and contains articles, photos, illustrations, and easy-to-read Scripture. Hands down, this is one of my favorite Bibles to date. I would also like to stress, the other books on this post does not in anyway, shape or form, replace the Bible. Being in the word comes first always.

About this Bible:

Visit the Holy Land and other sacred biblical sights alongside the accompanying biblical text without ever leaving home.

The CSB Holy Land Illustrated Bible is a visually immersive Bible reading experience featuring over 1,100 images, maps, and illustrations to provide greater insight and understanding of the people, places, and things of Scripture. Book specific introductions provide the setting and circumstances of writing for each book, and every image includes a descriptive caption to help better understand what is pictured. Also included are more than 275 full-length commentary articles and 40+ “Digging Deeper” callouts strategically placed throughout the Bible for further exploration.

FEATURES  The CSB Holy Land Illustrated Bible features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible® (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible’s original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture’s life-transforming message and to share it with others.

Part II of my faith studies of 2026 will be posted sometime in July.

Stephanie

Book Review: When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer

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Published May 3, 2022 by Bethany House

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she’s the same person at her core in both times, she’s leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives–and any hope of love–are put in jeopardy.

Libby’s life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about–women’s suffrage–is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she’s not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other–but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

My thoughts:

Imagine living two different lives but living them in two different periods and waking up each morning to the other. What a concept! I love time travel stories and I’m always on the lookout for something fresh and unique. Gabrielle Meyer has certainly achieved that in this story.

The methodology or the mechanics-if you will-of how Libby wakes up in the other time period each morning is certainly one I mulled over a bit when beginning this story. I wasn’t sure how it would work but it did and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

There are emotional stakes at work in this story and Libby’s choices would have a trickle effect that could change the course of history and her families lives in more ways than one. There were a few things I didn’t see coming! What an ending!

The beginning pages set the tone and as I got to about the 100-page mark, there was a shift in the story and that is where the story really picked up for me. From that point on, I was completely immersed.

Libby’s faith in God, and the struggles at times in trusting in His perfect timing, and plan was beautifully told. We humans at one time or another in our lowest moments, often question God’s plans for our lives. How can it possibly work for the better? Without going into too much detail about Libby’s struggles-because they are truly heart breaking- Meyer’s handled it Biblically and I was truly moved by Libby’s faith, healing and growth because of her trust in God.

Meyers is a gifted story-teller and she truly places her readers in time and place with this beautifully historical story. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series and it will be very soon!

I rated this book five stars!

I must caution my readers that there are two instances of SA. The author doesn’t go into great detail of it happening and it is brief but nonetheless, it may upset those who are sensitive to reading such abuse.

Stephanie

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” – Romans 5:3-5 NLT

Reader’s Log 062: Love Is in the Air

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Today, I thought I would share five Christian romance books I have been hearing chatter about, and what a perfect day for this post! The title of these books has also captured my attention. If I were to post a cover crush, I would choose “To Love a Lady” by Gabrielle Meyer. That reminds me, I have read and written a book review for “When the Day Comes” by Gabrielle Meyer. That review will be posted on February 17th of this month.

Which one of these books grab your attention? Have you read any them?

Happy Valentine’s Day and let’s get reading!  

Stephanie

To Love a Lady by Gabrielle Meyer

Dollar Princess #1

Published January 1, 2026

For fans of My Fair Lady and The Gilded Age

New York City, 1883. Keira O’Day has spent her life scraping by in the tenements, haunted by the mystery of her parents’ abandonment. When wealthy widow and social climber, Maude Hill, offers her a daring proposition—to be adopted, polished, and presented as a society bride for an English lord—Keira sees an opportunity she can’t pass up.

Maude’s nephew, Alexander Paxton-Hill, is skeptical from the start. Tasked with teaching Keira the art of charm and flirtation, he soon finds himself captivated by her honesty and warmth as she challenges everything, he thought he knew about love—and about himself.

After navigating the glittering, treacherous world of New York society, Keira arrives in England and catches the eye of the elusive Duke of Severton. She’s poised to win everything until a lavish ball, a long-buried secret, and one reckless act of love threaten to unravel it all. Now Keira must the role she’s been prepared to play—or the woman she’s become.

The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter

Published October 7, 2025

She inherits the bookshop of her dreams…

But she has to run it with the ex she vowed never to speak with again.

Shelby Thatcher adores working in the charming small-town bookshop her grandmother opened years ago. Since high school she’s helped Gram turn the shop into a community hub for book lovers in the lakeside town of Granville, NC. When her beloved grandma passes away, Shelby inherits the bookstore. But to her shock, Gram leaves half ownership to Gray Briggs, the man who broke Shelby’s heart years ago.

Granville residents have been vilifying Gray as long as he can remember. After graduating high school, he couldn’t skip town fast enough, even though it meant leaving the girl he’d fallen deeply in love with and alienating her family once and for all. Now he’s back, the beneficiary of his elderly friend’s will. Facing the town’s animosity is difficult, but seeing Shelby again is sheer torture. No one could ever stir his heart the way she did.

As the adversaries are forced to work together, Gram’s beyond-the-grave scheme is working–Shelby’s old feelings for Gray begin to resurface. But the problems that destroyed their relationship before still remain, and a new one surfaces–one that threatens Gram’s beloved bookshop. Is their love doomed to fail again, or will they find a way to make it work this time around?

Before the King: Joanna’s Story by Heather Kaufman

Published January 21, 2025

Joanna’s wealthy family aspires to Herod’s inner circle, but when her father’s esteemed position in the Sepphoris Sanhedrin is threatened, her family resorts to harboring a dark secret. As Joanna navigates the complexities of aristocratic life and an arranged marriage, she is caught between loyalty to her family and her own desires. When tragedy strikes, leading to a life-altering injury and a startling encounter with Herod’s financial minister, Joanna must grapple with a new future–one that challenges her sense of duty and hope for love.

Years later, Joanna is forever changed when a rabbi comes preaching a new kingdom and healing the sick. Yet, she treads a perilous path between a court that mocks Jesus of Nazareth, a community of believers who views her with suspicion, and a husband who guards his own secrets. As pressure increases, Joanna must protect her allegiance to the Christ, whose message is as compelling as it is dangerous.

In this gripping narrative, rising author Heather Kaufman weaves a tale of faith, resilience, and love amid the danger of King Herod’s court.

The Voice We Find by Nicole Deese

Fog Harbor #3

Published April 15, 2025

Sophie Wilder returns home to California with nothing more than a failed Broadway career and a geriatric cat. Stuck working at the family winery with her egotistical brother and desperate for a way to revive her acting dreams, she takes a side gig as an audiobook narrator with Fog Harbor Books. But getting mixed up in the life of her reluctant sound engineer was never a part of her plans.

August Tate is still reeling from taking guardianship of his teen sister. Determined to find a solution to her degenerative hearing loss and to prevent his private recording studio from going under, he agrees to produce audiobooks part-time. When Sophie breathes new life into his creativity and forms an unexpected bond with his sister, rooted in their common faith, he must confront the reasons he turned away from his own.

Bestselling and award-winning author Nicole Deese weaves an emotionally charged romance rich in the complexities of love and family.

The Sands of Sea Blue Beach by Rachel Hauck

Published July 1, 2025

Emery Quinn finds herself at a crossroads between her career and complex family dynamics. Living at home in Cleveland and clinging to memories of her late mother, Emery struggles to connect with her blended family. Seizing the chance for a fresh start, she accepts the position of editor-in-chief at the struggling Sea Blue Beach Gazette. Returning to the Sands Motor Motel in the picturesque Florida town, she is flooded with bittersweet memories and past regrets.

Architect Caleb Ransom has returned to Sea Blue Beach, a place filled with both cherished and painful memories. He means to make a difference for his family and hometown by raising his abandoned nephew and preserving the history of Sea Blue Beach as the leader of the new historical society. He never expected to see Emery Quinn again, the girl who captured his heart sixteen summers ago.

As Emery and Caleb rekindle their friendship and explore a chance at love, they join forces to unite Sea Blue Beach, a town bitterly divided into east and west, old and new. Together, they navigate family challenges, professional setbacks, and a high-stakes royal visit, all leading to a place where forgiveness and love reshape their journey back to each other.

From the talented pen of New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck comes a poignant tale of second chances and the enduring power of love.

Reader’s Log 058: Current Reads

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Nonfiction and Historical Fiction

I’ve recently started reading the three books below-one of them is historical fiction and the other nonfiction. I am finding them to be enjoyable and reads thus far. The Lost World of the Prophets and Finding Phoebe are books written by Biblical Scholars. They are informative and I’m truly gaining so much knowledge and insight from them so far and I would highly recommend them.

A few times I’ve posted about my deep dive into cultural and Biblical background studies and it has really opened up a whole new world for me about understanding and examining ancient cultures. By doing so you first must take off your western lenses. We westerners tend to carry over our modern cultural ideas, sensibilities and prejudices when reading about other cultures and ancient times.

I can’t wait to share my thoughts more in-depth about the books below!

Stephanie

Finding Phoebe: What New Testament Women Were Really Like by Susan Hylen

Published January 17, 2023 by Eerdmans

Forget what you think you know about women in the early church.

In this learned yet accessible book, Susan E. Hylen introduces first-century primary sources to illuminate readers’ understanding of New Testament women. Perfect for clergy, spiritual reading groups, and all curious minds, Finding Phoebe combines incisive scholarship and instructional sensibility to encourage readers to develop their own informed interpretations of Scripture.

Contrary to popular conceptions of “biblical womanhood” as passive and silent, women often served as leaders and prophets in their communities. Women owned one-third of all property during the period, granting them access to civic power through patronage. Many women worked outside the home and were educated according to the needs of their professions. Through careful examination of “modesty” and “silence” in the Greco-Roman world, Hylen reveals the centrality of these virtues to both men and women practicing self-control in service of communal good.

Hylen’s work will challenge readers to free their minds of modern preconceptions and consider New Testament women on their own terms. This practical book includes historical context, scriptural evidence, and questions for discussion.

The Lost World of the Prophets: Old Testament Prophecy and Apocalyptic Literature in Ancient Context (The Lost World Series #7) by John H. Walton

Published February 27, 2024 by IVP Academic

I’ve started with the 7th book in this series because I’m currently studying Biblical prophecy and the Prophets. I do intend to read the whole series.

Being responsive to God is at the heart of prophecy. But readers of ancient prophecies and apocalyptic literature―including those in the Old Testament―can come away thoroughly perplexed. Are the prophets speaking about their own times, about our present, or about some still-unrealized future? It’s common to study prophecy with a focus on the sole question of prediction and fulfillment, either for the sake of apologetics or for understanding the end times, but such an approach can fail to track with the original intent of the authors. We need to shake loose both from a paradigm of reading prophecy as an offer of mysterious divination as well as from the habit of constructing eschatological timelines of any sort. How do these books work as meaningful Scripture for Christians today? John Walton applies his signature method to help us recover the lost world of the prophets. To read these biblical books well, we must A fresh reading of the Old Testament text in light of the ancient Near Eastern context can open new avenues of awareness. Walton provides a clear, helpful guide to the nature of biblical prophecy and apocalyptic literature that will help readers avoid potential misuse and reclaim the message of the prophets for their lives. The books in the Lost World Series follow the pattern set by Bible scholar John H. Walton, bringing a fresh, close reading of the Hebrew text and knowledge of ancient Near Eastern literature to an accessible discussion of the biblical topic at hand using a series of logic-based propositions.

The Palace at the End of the Sea by Simon Tolkien

Theo Sterling #1

Published June 1, 2025 by Lake Union Publishing (For review.)

441 pages, Kindle Edition

New York City, 1929. Young Theo Sterling’s world begins to unravel as the Great Depression exerts its icy grip. He finds it hard to relate to his father, a Jewish self-made businessman, refuses to give up on the American dream, and his mother, a refugee from religious persecution in Mexico, holds fast to her Catholic faith. When disaster strikes the family, Theo must learn who he is. A charismatic school friend and a firebrand girl inspire him to believe he can fight Fascism and change the world, but each rebellion comes at a higher price, forcing Theo to question these ideologies too.

From New York’s Lower East Side to an English boarding school to an Andalusian village in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Theo’s harrowing journey from boy to man is set against a backdrop of societies torn apart from within, teetering on the edge of a terrible war to which Theo is compulsively drawn like a moth to a flame.

Reader’s Log 057: Books on Psalms

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Previously, I posted about reading “Reflections on the Psalms” by C. S. Lewis as the first book I’m reading as an addition to my daily morning devotions of the book Psalms in the Holy Bible. I’m curious about what others are saying about their studies and takeaways. The devotional I’m studying is a four-year plan but I’m wanting to shorten it in about two years tops-maybe. So far, I’m really enjoying the pace of the four-year plan as I get deeper into the context. We will see how it goes! The three books below are the ones I want to get to next and they’re not in any particular order. I did add praise for “Praise for Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends” by Carmen Joy Imes because she is among my top favorite Old Testament Biblical Scholars.

Stephanie

Psalms 1–72: A Pastoral and Contextual Commentary by Federico G. Villanueva

There is a second volume of the Psalms from this author to complete the commentary on the whole book.

The Asia Bible Commentary series empowers Christian believers in Asia to read the Bible from within their respective contexts. Holistic in its approach to the text, each exposition of the biblical books combines exegesis and application. e ultimate goal is to strengthen the Body of Christ in Asia by providing pastoral and contextual exposition of every book of the Bible.

This commentary on Psalms 1-72 provides an exposition that the reader can engage with in their own community of faith in the Asian cultural context. Along with a commentary on each Psalm, Dr. Federico Villanueva provides cultural reflections on a wide variety of relevant topics that include the likes of lament, praise, creation, meditation, depression and natural phenomena. This commentary is an excellent resource for pastors, lay leaders and Bible students but will also be useful and relevant for any Christian committed to applying the Bible in their respective contexts.

Praying the Psalms, Second Edition: Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit by Walter Brueggemann

In this thoroughly revised edition of a classic in spirituality, Walter Brueggemann guides the reader into a thoughtful and moving encounter with the Psalms. This new edition includes a revised text, new notes, and new bibliography. “The movement and meeting of God with us is indeed a speech-event in which new humanness is evoked among us. Being attentive to language means cultivating the candid imagination to bring our own experience to the Psalms and permitting it to be disciplined by the speech of the Psalms. And, conversely, it means letting the Psalms address us and having that language reshape our sensitivities and fill our minds with new pictures and images that may redirect our lives” -from Chapter 3

Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

by Carmen Joy Imes

The Psalms teach us how to pray. Many saints over the past three millennia have come near to God by praying the Psalms, and this volume introduces us to some of their greatest thoughts on them.

Covering all 150 psalms, this companion to the “Prayer book of the Bible” contains key devotional readings from the Great Tradition as well as space for journaling our own prayers. This book will help us learn to pray as Jesus prayed—after all, He quoted from the Psalms more often than any other book.

Praise for Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

“For centuries, the Psalms have been the lifeblood of the church’s worship, witness, and soul care. In this volume, Imes invites readers to engage this life-giving book alongside their fathers and mothers in the faith . . . The nuggets of wisdom here should direct readers to engage the world of early Christian theology further, where they will find faithful friends and wise guides on the road of discipleship.”

Stephen T. Pardue, PhD,

Assistant Professor of Theology,

International Graduate School of Leadership (Philippines), Asia Graduate School of Theology (Philippines)

“This book will help you to re-hear the Psalms as you pray through them with the saints of old. It is a book to carry around with your Bible, to savor slowly with your morning coffee . . . It will touch your prayer life and calm your soul.”

Donald M. Fairbairn, Jr., PhD,

Academic Dean (Charlotte Campus),

Robert E. Cooley Professor of Early Christianity,

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

“What a delight to read the Psalms in the company of the righteous! . . . The pithy and apt extracts from these scholars give extra insights for our daily meditation. I am looking forward to using this book!”

Jill Firth, PhD,

Lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew,

Ridley College (Melbourne)

Reader’s Log 056: Current Reads and Contemplation

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I finished Children of the Book: A Memoir of Reading Together by Ilana Kurshan. The book has been published but I haven’t turned in my review yet because there is something the author briefly mentions about a group of people that made me pause and I’m trying to work out how I’m going to address this issue objectively. I will say I wish she had fleshed it out a bit better to get a clearer picture and that is part of the problem I’m having with the passage. Also, the author’s narrative often moves rather quickly onto other things… Okay, that is all I’m going to say about the subject until I release my review. Be sure to be on the lookout for it!

The books I’m currently reading are enjoyable thus far and I recommend them to consider reading. In this post, I will show three of them and the fourth book will be for another post because it is a very complex topic that I will be talking about in depth.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend of resting and reading.

Stephanie

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict

Not yet published Expected Date: March 24, 2026 – I have a review copy from the pubs.

1920’s London was enthralled by the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Filled with priceless statues, jewels, and the gold-encased mummy of the boy Pharaoh himself, the burial site unleashed a fascination with the ancient world and revolutionized the world of archeology.

The discovery was made by Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle and his associate, famed archeologist Howard Carter. What no one knows is that without the pioneering spirit of Lady Evelyn Herbert, Carnarvon’s daughter, the tomb might never have been found. As a young woman, Evelyn was fascinated by the story of Hatshepsut, a woman who had to assume the guise of a man in order to rule Egypt. Although she brought peace and prosperity to Egypt, her male successors ruthlessly and thoroughly erased her name from history.

Lady Evelyn’s ambition to find the tomb of Egypt’s first woman ruler exposes her to life-threatening danger and pits her against archeologists who refuse to believe the tomb can be found―and certainly not by a woman. Refusing to give up, Evelyn is on the verge of success when she is suddenly forced to make an agonizing choice between loyalty to her beloved father and Carter and realizing the dream of a lifetime.

About the author:

Marie Benedict is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Lady Clementine, Carnegie’s Maid, The Other Einstein, and the novella, Agent 355. With Victoria Christopher Murray, she co-wrote the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies. 
Her books have been translated into thirty languages, and selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and LibraryReads List. 
Up next is the February 11, 2025 release, The Queens of Crime, the thrilling story of Agatha Christie’s legendary rival, mystery writer Dorothy Sayers, the race to solve a real-life murder, and the power of friendship among women.
And in April, her first children’s book will released, a middle grade historical adventure co-written with Courtney Sheinmel called The Secrets of the Lovelace Academy.

Phoebe by Paula Gooder

Published September 4, 2018

Sometime around 56 AD, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. He entrusted this letter to Phoebe, whom he describes as the deacon of the church at Cenchreae and a patron of many. But who was this remarkable woman? Biblical scholar and popular author and speaker Paula Gooder imagines Phoebe’s story—who she was, the life she lived, and her first-century faith—and in doing so opens up Paul’s world, giving a sense of the cultural and historical pressures that shaped his thinking and the faith of the early church. After the narrative, Gooder includes an extensive notes section with comments on the historical context, biographical details, cultural practices, and more. Rigorously researched, this is a book for anyone who wants to engage more deeply and imaginatively with Paul’s theology.

About the author:

Paula Gooder is a speaker and writer on the Bible, particularly on the New Testament. She began her working life, teaching for twelve years in ministerial formation first at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford and then at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham. Following this she spent around eight years as a speaker and writer in biblical studies travelling the country and seeking to communicate the best of biblical scholarship in as accessible a way as possible, after that she spent six years working for the Bible Society as their Theologian in Residence and then for the Birmingham Diocese as their Director of Mission Learning and Development. She is currently the Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Tempest at Annabel’s Lighthouse by Jaime Jo Wright

Published April 1, 2025

In 1874, a battered woman awakens atop a forgotten gravesite by Lake Superior. Identified only by the locket around her neck inscribed with the name Rebecca, she seeks refuge with an elderly lighthouse keeper named Edgar. But as Rebecca struggles to remember who she is, she finds herself haunted by the lingering memories of Annabel, a mysterious woman who perished in the unforgiving waves of Lake Superior years earlier. With the spirit of Annabel seemingly reawakened, and an unknown adversary on the hunt to silence Rebecca once and for all, there is more at stake than just reclaiming her own memories. Rebecca must reclaim Annabel’s as well.

In the present day, author and researcher Shea Radclyffe escapes to the lighthouse outside a historic mining town in Michigan, seeking clarity about her failing marriage. Instantly drawn to the lighthouse’s landlord, Shea contends with the vengeful legend of Annabel’s ghost and a superstitious community that has buried the secrets surrounding a decade-old murder. As the secrets harbored around Annabel’s lighthouse unravel, Shea must navigate a fight of torn loyalty, self-discovery, and the haunting forces of love and a vengeance that should have drowned a century before.

About the author:

Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history’s secrets.