Rahab: a woman of faith over fear and uncertainty

The story of Rahab is one of my favorites in the Bible. Rahab was a clever and wise woman who devised an escape plan for her and her family. As the stories of the Israelites traveled to Jericho and whispered among its citizens, she heard about the amazing things the Israelite God could do. She decided that she would put her faith in this God she didn’t know in an amazing act of faith. Her decision would mean her death if she was find out but she still took the risk. Although she was a prostitute and an idolater and would see her city and her people destroyed, her act of faith would be rewarded as God gave her a new life among his people and a place in the ancestry of his Son. What was her story? Why would she take such a risk? What does her story tell us about fear and God?

Jericho may be one of the world’s oldest cities as its ancient ruins can be found approximately 17 miles northeast of Jerusalem. The walled city was the gateway to Canaan, the final obstacle for the Israelites to overcome to claim their promised land. Rahab’s home was inside the thick surrounding walls. She would entertain the visitors to the city as well as many of the locals. This is how she heard the strong and marvelous stories of the God of the Israelites including the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:15-28) and the victory against Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21-36). When the spies that Joshua sent into Jericho made their way to Rahab’s house, she hid them on the roof under stalks of flax which were out drying. When the king asked Rahab about the two men, she claimed not to know who they were or where they were from. She tells the king they left at dusk and men were sent out in pursuit. When it was safe, Rahab tells the men a warning and asks them for their assurances that she and her family would be spared (Joshua 2:12-13). They agreed and tells her to hang a scarlet cord out her window and her family would be spared. Rahab watched from her window the gathering army, their strange walking around the city, the final thunderous cry, and the crumbling of city’s walls (Joshua 6:12-20).  Rahab and her family were spared and joined the Israelites into the promised land.

The significance of the red cord cannot be overlooked. Scarlet has become synonymous with salvation and redemption. In similar fashion of the lamb’s blood on the doorframes of the Israelites, the red cord spared Rahab and her family from the coming siege (One for Israel, 2018). While the Messiah was promised to the Israelites, the scarlet cord in Rahab’s story is a connection that the promised Messiah was coming for the Gentiles as well. The scarlet cord is a fore of how redemption will come to faithful Gentiles (Jews for Jesus, 2001). Rahab’s faith was rewarded with the honor of being the great grandmother of King David and an ancestor in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5) and one of only two women mentioned in the Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11. Rahab’s redemption is also an example of how God’s grace no boundaries. Anyone who comes to him with faith will be saved. It would seem strange that God would choose to save Rahab, a prostitute, however; God saw her heart, not her profession. God often chooses many people of various backgrounds, especially those who are on the lowest rung of the societal ladder. No one is beyond his influence or his grace. The scarlet cord saved Rahab and her family just as the blood of Jesus saves those who believe in him. Rahab’s story is just another example of God’s willingness to use the less than perfect, the outcasts, anyone who society may see as unsuitable to accomplish his holy purposes

Fear and feelings of failure will often keep us from moving forward in our faith. While she was afraid, as she heard the stories of God, she rose above her situation with faith and trust. Her faith gave her the courage to risk her life. She knew it was certain death if the king of Jericho found out she lied. It would also certain death if she turned the spies in. She would have been destroyed along with the city. In the face of certain death, Rahab placed her faith and trust in the Israelite God who had accomplished the unbelievable. She was resourceful and willing to help others at great cost to herself. Despite her profession, she is remembered for her faith. Rahab is an example of how not to let feat affect your faith in God’s ability to deliver. One of my favorite quotes from Tessa Afshar’s Pearl in the Sand is “It’s time to leave fear behind or you’ll be robbed of your destiny. You don’t need confidence in yourselves or in your own power. Be strong in the Lord. When disaster seems close, don’t be discouraged. God will never leave you.” Acting on faith is like the saying, which has many forms but generally says, that courage is being afraid and going forward anyway. That’s what Rahab did. She put her faith over her fear. If we can find the strength to put our faith over our fear, what wonders could God do in our lives?

In conclusion, Rahab was a woman of great faith in a God she didn’t know. She heard the stories and believed that the Israelite God was more powerful than the idol gods her city worshipped. Her story is another example of who God doesn’t wait for us to be spotless or matured faith. He takes the ordinary, the willing and accomplishes the extraordinary both in their lives and the lives around them. There is a saying that goes around that says roughly that God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called. Rahab didn’t set out to be important or honored or rewarded. She simply wanted to survive. God saw her heart and saw a woman of great faith. He honored her in many ways.  Her story matters as our stories matter today. Rahab’s simple decision to help the spies made a huge difference. What simple decision in our lives could make the difference?

                                                                  References

 

Jews for Jesus (October 1, 2001). The Scarlet Cord of Redemption. Jews for Jesus. www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/newsletter/newsletter-oct-2001/the-scarlet-cord-of-redemption. Retrieved December 19, 2020.

 

One for Israel (June 10, 2018). The Secrets Of Rahab’s Rope. One for Israel. www.oneforisrael.org/israel/jericho-rahab-and-the-rope-of-hope/. Retrieved December 19, 2020.

 

For Further Reading

 

Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar, a fictional account of Rahab’s life including the events of Jericho and her life after marrying Salmon and becoming an ancestor of Jesus.

 

Jesus (Yeshua) is a Worm…and a Snake too Among Other Things by Kendall T. Shoulders, an analysis of often overlooked metaphors and symbols which point to the coming Messiah in the Bible.

 

both books are available in paperback and eBook

 

 

The Santa Trial: a great Christmas love story with all the sweetness, heartwarming goodness of the season

The Santa Trial: A Christmas Short by Tess Thompson is a tale of wonder and romance against the backdrop of Christmas. The story opens as Morgan Scott, a young girl, makes a video letter to Santa asking for his help. She wants her dad to meet someone and she has a list of requirements. Cut to Rena Burke who is not happy about missing work for jury duty. As she lists and prioritizes bills to pay with what income she has left, she notices that her “pretend boyfriend” Ryan is also on the jury. The man she has admired from afar is now sitting next to her. Ryan Scott is also not happy about being on jury duty, especially days from Christmas. His To-Do list gets longer by the minute. Soon Rena catches Ryan’s eye and maybe jury duty isn’t so bad after all. The case at hand is John Smith, a man who believes himself to be Santa Claus and makes it his mission to help the kids whose parents cannot afford to be Santa themselves. Is Mr. Smith THE Santa Claus? Is Rena the Christmas gift Morgan has asked for?

The Santa Trial is the Hallmark holiday romance movie on the page. It was short (very short, only 80 pages), sweet, heartwarming as any Christmas movie. It had a very Miracle on 34^th Street feel which is awesome because it is one of my favorite Christmas movies. Some might call it cheesy as most Christmas romance movies are, but it was enjoyable to sit back and read for a couple hours and read a story filled with love, hope and the miracles of Christmas. I laughed. I smiled. I sighed. I closed the book feeling all warm and fuzzy. I loved the interactions between the characters and what is the holiday without a little magic? If you enjoy holiday romance stories, you will enjoy The Santa Trial.

 

The Santa Trial is available in paperback and eBook

Preparing Your Daughter for Womanhood: a great resource for moms, dads, and guardians

Parents usually worry about everything when it comes to their children. From basic care to discipline, parents are always worrying about doing the right thing. However, nothing scares parents more than “The Talk.” A thousand question swirling around their head. When do I open the conversation? How do I start? How much information to I tell them? How much information too much too soon? Preparing Your Daughter for Womanhood: A Guide for Moms by Robin Jones Gunn is a mentoring book which gets down to the heart level of the mother-daughter relationship as they move into the next stage of their lives: adolescence. Drawing from her own experience with her daughter, Rachel, as well as stories from other mothers and daughters, Ms. Jones Gunn provides inspiration for each mother to tailor this journey to each unique mother-daughter relationship. As she states, “You aren’t just having ‘the talk.’ You’re starting the conversation.” It is the moment to celebrate our daughters as they blossom into the women God created them to be.

I have been a fan of Robin Jones Gunn’s books since I was a teenager. I grew up many with many of her books including the Christy Miller series as well as the Sierra Jensen series. With two daughters myself, 8 and 2 years old, I knew that I wanted to have a different conversation than I had with my mom. So, I began preparing around my oldest daughter’s birthday. Researching the topic and trying to figure out the questions swirling in my head. When I heard that Ms. Jones Gunn was writing a book for moms on this very topic, I eagerly awaited it’s arrival. The book itself isn’t very long about 180 pages and a quick read but it is filled with ideas and inspiration to guide me and my daughters on this journey. It is not a strict how to, do A, B, C, it is a guide to help you tailor this journey to your daughter’s personality and interests. I highly recommend Preparing Your Daughter for Womanhood.

 

Preparing Your Daughter for Womanhood is available in paperback

Last Train to Istanbul: a story of family, survival and war

 Last Train to Istanbul by Ayse Kulin is a story of love and survival in a time of great uncertainty. The story opens in 1941 as World War II is raging in Europe and Turkey is between a rock and a hard place. Trying to avoid a repeat of the aftermath of The Great World, Turkey is reluctant to choose a side, despite pressures from Britain, Russia, and Germany. As war and politics rages on, a young girl falls in love. As the daughter of a prominent family, Selva could have any man who wanted and yet she only had eyes for the handsome, Rafael Alfandari, the Jewish son of an esteemed family. In defiance of both their families, they marry and flee to France. But soon the Nazis invade and occupy France and they find themselves in danger. A few brave Turkish diplomats develop a plan to get the Turkish Jews, including Selva and Rafael, out of France and back into Turkey. The train they must take crosses the war-torn continent and behind enemy lines. Will they make the train? Will they make it to safety?

Last Train to Istanbul opens more of the world in World War II. Most books focus on occupied France and Germany. Many people don’t realize that other countries were involved or desperately trying to stay out of the war. Last Train to Istanbul opened my eyes to the war than is normally talked about. The story was dramatic with daring escapes, family drama and the amazing human spirit to survive against unbelievable odds. This is my second book from Ms. Kulin. A few years ago, I read Love in Exile, which I also recommend, Last Train to Istanbul weaves a beautiful tapestry of the country and her people. I enjoyed every character with their different views on life, politics, and the importance of family regardless of the past. I always find it encouraging when people will go above and beyond for complete strangers and this is a story of those individuals. I recommend Last Train to Istanbul.

 

Last Train to Istanbul is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Great Passage: a beautiful story of words, language and our lives

The Great Passage by Shion Miura is a beautiful story of words, language, and their meanings in our lives. Kohei Araki is an editor of dictionaries or a prominent Japanese publishing house. Along with his mentor, Professor Matsumoto, Araki dreams of creating an inclusive dictionary of the Japanese language. He hires Mitsuya Majime, a studious young man who is focused on accuracy and perfection. Joining the small crew, Majime is now tasked with a career-defining goal: the complete The Great Passage, the comprehensive 2,900-page dictionary of the Japanese language. Meanwhile, in his personal life, Majime discovers friendships, romance and a great dedication to the words that connect us all. Will Majime be able to hurdle the obstacles in his way to achieve the goal? Will The Great Passage ever be published?

The Great Passage is both a hard read and a beautiful lyrical flow of language. The story and interaction between the characters was my favorite part. As the suave, self-assured Nishioka becomes a reluctant friend of Majime’s, and is surprised at the quiet, awkward Majime succeeds where he fails. The sweet and simple romance between Majime and his wife. The characters are what made me stay with the story. However, it is a difficult read as the technical information of the work that goes into making a dictionary slowed down the story. I do recommend The Great Passage as it is a beautiful story and a glimpse of life in Japan and her people.

 

The Great Passage is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

 

Ten Women: stories of life and finding common bonds

Ten Women by Marcela Serrano is the stories of nine women and their psychiatrist. They come from very different backgrounds, very different lifestyles in Chile. Ranging from a teenager who is confronting her sexual identity to an old woman confronting the loneliness of old age and despite the differences in ages and their backgrounds, these women representing the variety of the cultural and social groups in Chile. On the surface, it would seem they would have nothing in common. However, a common thread brings them together: their psychiatrist. As each woman shares their stories, they discover they may have more in common then they originally thought. Through these new commonalities, they form bonds and friendships in which transforms their lives in ways they never imagined.

Ten Woman would be read as a collection of short stories; unfortunately for me, the connection between the women seemed to be lost. While many of their stories had commonalties, it got to the point that it was repetitious I enjoyed each woman’s story on its own, but the cohesiveness is murkier. I would still recommend it as Ten Woman brings stories of a part of the world many of us never think about and possibly think we would not have anything in common. However, each of these stories could be find here in the United States or anywhere in the world. If you choose to read Ten Women, I recommend reading it as a collection of short stories rather than a cohesive plot.

 

Ten Woman is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A River in Darkness: one man's escape from North Korea

A River in Darkness by Masaji Iskikawa is his harrowing story of life and escape from North Korea, one of the most brutal regimes. Half-Korean, half-Japanese, Mr. Ishikawa grew up in a between worlds. He wasn’t fully accepted in Japan, the country of his birth and he was mocked and placed in the lowest social caste, what Mr. Ishikawa called “Hostiles,” in North Korea as his family moved there in 1960 when he was 13. His father, a South Korean native, was lured to the new Communist country with the promises of a better life, better work opportunities and education for his children; however, reality proved far worse than he could have imagined. Mr. Ishikawa recounts his early life in Japan, the move to North Korea and the 36 years he spent there until he couldn’t take it anymore. He knew he had to get out. Either he died in country or he died trying to escape, he would make a run for it.

A River in Darkness is not only a shocking real-life story of life inside North Korea and a testament to the desperate measures people will take to survive and even try to escape, it is a wake up call to the path many countries are heading. I know there are many people who should say that socialism in America would be different, but I have read too many accounts of people who lived and escaped communist countries to see that the results always end in human suffering. And as I read Mr. Ishikawa’s story, I couldn’t help but see the same empty promises being made now. I highly recommend A River Darkness as a warning to those who think that socialism is the answer. It is a heartbreaking story and a must read.

 

A River in Darkness is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The House by the River: a family saga set in the country of Greece

The House by the River by Lena Manta is a family saga story set in the beautiful country of Greece. Living in a small village by a river at the foot of Mount Olympus, Gerasimos and Theodora have five daughters: Melissanthi, Julia, Aspasia, Polyxeni, and Magdanlini. When tragedy strikes, Theodora is left to raise her daughters alone. As they grow into beautiful young women, Theodora knows she can’t keep her daughters at home forever. They are too curious, too free-spirited with too much wanderlust to stay in their tiny village. But before each girl leaves, she lets them know they are always welcomed to come home to the house by the river. Theodora must endure the twenty-year silence from her daughters as they live their lives. They marry, travel the world, courted various romances, fame and their own tragedy. Will their own tragedy bring them back together to the house by the river?

The House by the River is a long, in-depth family story. Separated into sections, detailing each daughters’ successes, failures, and tragedy. The stories started out strong. I enjoyed Theodora’s story as well as Melissanthi’s and Julia’s. Unfortunately, the other daughters’ stories were tedious and very unrealistic. However, the best part of the book is when the daughters, one by one, return to the house and in various ways find forgiveness and healing from their waywardness. Overall, I enjoyed the story. The imagery of the various towns and villages in Greece are stunning. However, it is hard to recommend because it is just so long and tedious to the point of repetitiveness

 

The House by the River is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

On this day in history: Frederick Douglass publishes the first issue of The North Star

Today in history Frederick Douglass begins to publish his newspaper, The North Star. Douglass is an important part of American history as he was a social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman at a time when the commonly held belief stated he couldn’t, shouldn’t be able to. He was the living rebuttal to the argument of many slaveowners that slaves lacked the intellectual capacity to be a functioning citizen. He would escape slavery in Maryland and would become a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York. Who was Frederick Douglass? What was his newspaper, The North Star? And what legacy does he leave us today?

Frederick Douglass was born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey circa February 1818. The exact date of his birth is unknown. He chose February 14 as his birthdate as his mother called him “Little Valentine.” At age 6, he was given to the Auld Family and by age 8, Lucretia Auld sent him to her brother-in-law, Hugh Auld, in Baltimore. It was there that he began his education when Hugh’s wife, Sophia, began to teach him the alphabet, Fredrick would continue his education by teaching himself. In 1837, he met and fell in love with Anna Murray, a free black woman. After gaining his freedom, they would marry on September 15, 1838. They would be married for 44 years until her death in 1882. Douglass would write three autobiographies, the most famous, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave (1845), would be a bestseller and influential in the abolition movement. He would also be an active supporter of women’s suffrage. On February 20, 1895, he attended a meeting of the National Council of Women in Washington, D.C. He would die from a massive heart attack after returning home. He was 77.

Douglass was inspired to start his newspaper in 1846 after subscribing to The Liberator, published by William Lloyd Garrison. He began to publish his newspaper, The North Star, on December 3, 1847. The antislavery newspaper would run until June 1851 when it merged with Gerrit Smith’s Liberty Party Paper. The title is a reference to the directions given to runaway slaves in order to reach the Northern states and Canada: “Follow the North Star.” The North Star’s slogan was “Right is of no Sex. Truth is of no Color. God is the Father of us all, and we are brethren.” Eventually, The North Star would have more than 4,000 readers in the US, Europe, and the Caribbean. The newspaper focused on current events concerning abolitionist issues with editorials, letters from readers, news articles, poetry, and book reviews. He would write with great passion especially about the discrepancy in America’s Christian beliefs and the prejudice and discrimination he witnessed. Sadly, very few copies of The North Star survive as many of Douglass’ papers were destroyed in a fire in June 1872.

The legacy of The North Star and Douglass himself is that it gave readers an outlet and amplified the growing political power of the African American press (Georgini, 2019). His use of words to fight for freedom and rights for African Americans as well as women’s suffrage left an unmistakable mark on America. His autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave, is still required reading for many high school and college students. He is an example of how people can shape their future (Staff, 2013). Douglass would encourage African Americans to rise above their beginnings and achieve freedom. He once stated that he “would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong” and reportedly reconciled with his former slaveowner, Thomas Auld, in 1877, when Auld was near death. Although Douglass was able to reconcile with his former owner, reconciling with slavery itself would prove harder. He once said, “Slavery is indeed gone, but its long, black shadow yet falls broad and large over the face of the whole country,” during an 1881 speech at Storer College in West Virginia (Blackmore, 2018). Douglass would devote the rest of his life to civil rights and equality.

In conclusion, Frederick Douglass and his newspaper, The North Star, were influential in the abolition movement. He is an example of human perseverance. To rise above his origins to achieve what he wanted. He worked hard, faced difficult opponents, and fought everything he had. He believed knowledge is the path to freedom. True freedom. He was correct. When knowledge is given and obtained, the possibilities are endless. The North Star would be an example of how words could be used to influence and forge change. Against all odds and critics, Douglass forged ahead to create his newspaper, to be a mouthpiece for freedom and equality.

 

References

 

Blackmore, Erin (December 4, 2018). Frederick Douglass’s Emotional Meeting With the Man Who Enslaved Him. History. www.history.com/news/frederick-douglass-meeting-former-master. Retrieved November 30, 2020.

 

Georgini, Sara (February 14, 2019). ‘The North Star’ Amplified Black Voices. How a 2019 Reboot of Frederick Douglass’ Paper Hopes to Do the Same. Smithsonian Magazine. www.smithsonianmag.com/history/frederick-douglass-north-star-amplified-black-voices-reboot-newspaper-hoping-do-same-180971500/. Retrieved November 30, 2020.

 

Staff Writer (August 12, 2013). Legacy and Significance of Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass Heritage. www.frederick-douglass-heritage.org/legacy-significance/. Retrieved November 30, 2020.

 

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (November 11, 2016). The North Star. Encyclopaedia Britannica. www.britannica.com/topic/The-North-Star-American-newspaper. Retrieved November 30, 2020.

Still Waters: an Scandinavian murder mystery

Still Waters by Viveca Sten is the first book in the Sandhamn Murders series. On an island in the Stockholm Archipelago in Sweden, a man has been discovered dead on the shore. Inspector Thomas Andresson, a member of the violent crime unit, has been called to the scene. The investigation would set off a series of events which will rock the tiny island community. Nora Linde, Thomas’s childhood friend, is vacationing on the island with her husband and two sons.  She can’t believe a murder could have happened on the quiet island but when two more bodies are discovered, she believes they could be connected. Are they connected? How? Can Thomas and his team discover the truth before another body is discovered?

Still Waters is an intense murder mystery with twists, turns and tiny clues that the ending is unexpected. The events behind the deaths was not what I expected but still mind blowing as the clues are recapped and connected at the end. I enjoyed all the characters especially Thomas and Nora. I look forward to reading other books in this series. I also discovered that the books had been turned into a tv show which is available on Amazon Prime streaming service. I may check it out soon. A murder mystery set on a beautiful island, Still Waters is an intense story and I recommend it.