The Woman who Led a Sinful Life: repentance, forgiveness, and a display of love and gratitude

She is not known by name but her story is a lesson in devotion, forgiveness and humility. The woman who led a sinful life had a reputation as a notorious sinner, most likely a prostitute. Rather than deny or defend herself, she admitted her sin and made a spectacle of herself in a passionate display of love and gratitude. Luke 7:36-50 tells her story. Jesus forgave her sins and commended her for her great faith and love. Someone who has been forgiven a great deal loves the most. Why is her story significant? What is so important about feet washing? And lastly, the truths we must know about sin. 

After being forgiven for her sins, she wanted to show her gratitude that she took a jar of alabaster, filled with perfume, and entered a home where she was not invited. Kneeling before Jesus, she poured the entire jar onto his feet and proceeded to wash his feet with her tears and her hair (Luke 7:38). This woman’s action highlights a very important lesson that many people may overlook. No matter how sinful, how broken or how entrenched in error one may be, forgiveness is available when we seek it in faith. Jesus promised. Luke 7:50, “Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’” Her story also warns others about judgment. Jesus’s host, Simon the Pharisee, couldn’t believe that Jesus was letting this woman touch him (Luke 7:39). Unfortunately, Christians tend to develop harsh attitudes toward the sins of others.Like Simon the Pharisee, his societal position blinded him to his own sins. Jesus used the woman’s display as a lesson for Simon, “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little” (Luke 7:47).  

Feet Washing is an act reserved for the lowest, most inexperienced servant of the household. As sandals or bare feet were common, travelers coming into a home would remove their sandals at the door. A good host would make sure his guests’ feet were washed and comfortable in his home. It was a duty of hospitality. A show of respect to the guest and a token of humility and affection from the host. In Luke 7:44, Jesus points out that Simon failed as host as he did not provide any water for his feet. It was an unpleasant and humbling task that gained little notice from guests. Did Simon believe that Jesus wasn’t worthy of this customary act? It’s possible. It wouldn’t have been that Simon didn’t know because feet washing has been featured throughout the Scriptures. Genesis 18:1-5, Abraham provided water for his guests to wash their feet. In Exodus 30:19-21, priests were required to wash their hands and feet before entering the temple. Of course, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples at the Last Supper (John 13:1-17). It was an act of love and service. A lesson for the disciples to show brotherly humility toward others. 

There is a truth that people have a hard time grasping. It is a simple truth. Sin is sin. There is no sin scale. All sins deserve the same punishment. There are a few truths of sin. First, sin is a cosmic treason against a holy God. “God is holy and everything owes its being to him” (McGarry, 2019). Second, sin comes from mankind’s desire to act independently from God. We are born in sin (Psalm 51:4). We are unable to see the sinfulness of our hearts, our minds, our decisions, and our daily activities. Sin is powerful and pervasive. It is the easy way out. The pleasurable way. The selfish way. Third, sin and death always belong together. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and eternal separation from God. Even if sin seems to have no consequences in life, there is one we experience after death (McGarry, 2019).  Fourth, everyone is a sinner. Everyone! Romans 3:23 says “or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Lastly, sin is great but God is greater. Romans 3:24 says “and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

In conclusion, the woman who led a sinful life knew she had done wrong. She knew she deserved any punishment that would come. And yet, it didn’t. She received forgiveness instead. In an act of love and devotion, she washed the feet of Jesus. A task his host did not perform despite the social custom. We, like the woman, have sinned against God. It may not be as socially egregious as the woman or others around us, but sin is sin. Despite our sinful nature, despite our rightful punishment, we have a gift of forgiveness through Jesus. Belief in Him, faith in Him from the heart is all that is needed. 

Reference

McGarry, Mike (May 15, 2019). Five Truths We Must Teach About Sin. Rooted. www.rootedministry.com/five-truths-we-must-teach-about-sin. 

The Beautiful Little Things: one family's journey through loss and grief

The Beautiful Little Things by Melissa Hill is a story of sisters, torn by grief, finding a way to rediscover joy. The family home in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains has always a welcome escape. Romy Moore cherishes the warm embrace her family gives as she starts her career at the bottom of the London publishing ladder. Her mother, Cathy, has always been her biggest supporter as she chased her dreams. When her mother dies after a sudden illness, Romy feels adrift. Joanna has always been ambitious, coolheaded with her act together. But after the birth of her twin daughters and the death of her mother, she finds herself questioning what she wants anymore. When Romy discovers her mother’s journals, she realizes that her mother left behind precious words of wisdom to spark life back into the family and face a future without her. 

The Beautiful Little Things is a story of grief and finding a way to move forward. The synopsis spoke to me as a moving story and I was eager to read it. Unfortunately, the story dragged on. It switched first person narrators between Romy and Joanna with very little indication of the switch. It was confusing and often headache inducing. Other than stating Dublin Mountains, which I had to google where they are located, there was no indication where this story took place in Ireland. A story of grief can happen anywhere; however, this story didn’t feel like Ireland. Overall, the story fell flat for me and it wasn’t the story I thought it was going to be. I was bored half the time. The parts I did enjoy were the mother’s journal entries. However, if you are intrigued by the story, I recommend checking out The Beautiful Little Things. 

The Beautiful Little Things is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Invisible: a hard hitting story of personal and spiritual growth

Invisible is the first book in the Mendocino Village series by Ginny L. Yttrup. In a small town of Mendocino in Northern California, three women find their lives intertwined and challenge the hurts they hide behind. Ellyn DeMoss is a chef, cafe owner and an overweight woman. While she sees the good in others, she only sees the worst in herself. When Dr Miles Becker, the handsome widower, shows interest in her, she simply cannot believe it. Who would be attracted to an overweight woman? Sabina Jackson is hiding in Mendocino. She left her husband and young adult daughters behind in Georgia as she comes to heal, or so she says. Heal from what? Twila is a young woman with a troubled past. She is coming out of hiding and working on gaining back all she has lost. Can she figure out the triggers that keep her from reaching her goals? 

Invisible is a hard hitting story of personal hurts, grief, guilt and struggles. At the beginning, I could tell this story would be a doozy! This story blew me away! I immediately related with Ellyn as a woman who felt unlovable and unattractive to men. She had a horrible inner voice that fueled her self-loathing. Sabina is a woman running, overwhelmed with a sense of guilt and unsure how to move forward. Twila is a young woman who identifies where she has gone wrong and yet still struggles moving forward. This story is filled with God moments, faith and spiritual growth that holds powerful messages for readers. We are all made in His Image for His divine purpose and we are greatly and fiercely loved! My heart broke for these women and I cheered as they made strives toward a brighter future. I highly, highly recommend Invisible. 

Invisible is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Motorhomes, Maps and Murder: another crazy adventure in Normal, Kentucky!

Motorhomes, Maps and Murder by Tonya Kappes is the fifth book in the Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery series. Welcome back to Normal, Kentucky, where nothing is normal! As the town prepares for the local Civil War reenactment of the Battle of Camp Wildcat, Greaser Gadie, a notorious killer escapes from prison! The whole town is on high alert as Greaser vowed to get his revenge on the jurors who convicted him. After the reenactment, two of the actors are discovered to be not acting at all. They were murdered! And a motorhome was discovered to be stolen from the Happy Trails Campground. Are they connected? Is Greaser truly in town to take his revenge? Mae follows the leads to recover the stolen motorhome as her hunky detective boyfriend, Hank Sharp, investigates the murders. Will their investigations merge into one? 

Wow! This series just keeps getting better and better. As Mae has truly embraced the small town of Normal, she is not about to let anything or anyone destroy her new home, especially a motorhome thief! I love Mae’s tenacity and her unique and quirky group of friends. This story has such twists that I didn’t see coming! Even though I knew Mae would figure it out, the story definitely kept me on my toes as I could not put it down! I also enjoyed seeing Mae and Hank’s relationship develop more and become more public. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series and more of Mae’s adventures in Normal. If you enjoy cozy mysteries and a quirky small town, I highly recommend Motorhomes, Maps and Murder as well as the previous books in the series. 

Motorhomes. Maps and Murder is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Golden Doves: the hunt for Nazis after World War II

The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly is the story of two women, bound together by the past, who risk everything to hunt down an infamous Nazi doctor in the wake of World War II. American Josie Anderson and Parisian Arlette La Rue were thrilled to be working with the French Resistance, stealing Nazi secrets, and earning the nickname: “the Golden Doves.” When they were arrested and sent to the Ravensbruck concentration camp, they had to endure unspeakable horrors and incredible loss. Josie ends up working with the US Army Intelligence while Arlette searches for her son. Now, a decade later, they called on again for a dangerous mission. From Europe to French Guiana, they fight to secure justice as they find themselves in a web of secrets and danger. Will they find the answers they are looking for? 

Martha Hall Kelly has earned a reputation for intense stories of women surviving through incredible historical events against all odds. In The Golden Doves, she explores the horrors of the infamous Ravensbruck concentration camp and the hunt for Nazi fugitives in the wake of World War II. It was a hard read with the subject matter and the alternating points of view between Josie and Arlette and two time periods, 1952 and 1943. Overall, I enjoyed the story. Josie was hard to like at first but as her story opens, readers will understand why. I appreciate the author’s commitment to explore the stories that occurred after the war ended as many World War II era stories often ignore the aftermath events. If you enjoy incredible stories of survival and the hunt for justice, I recommend The Golden Doves. 

The Golden Doves is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Beach Haven: a new chance for a new beginning

Beach Haven by Tammy L Grace is the first book in the Glass Beach Cottage series. Lily Reed is no stranger to loss. However, after the tragic death of her husband, she is desperate to escape the memories surrounding her. Leaving all she has known behind her, she decides to return to the Pacific Northwest and restore the Glass Beach Cottage that she inherited from her beloved uncle. As life by the ocean soothes her and the kindness of her new friends, she restores the Glass Beach Cottage and welcomes new guests. Along with the healing power of the sea, Lily learns she has strength and, with all the joys and sorrows of life, the best remedy for her own grief is in helping others. 

Beach Haven is a story of a heartbreaking loss, an unexpected inheritance and a chance for a new beginning. It is a great, fast paced and enjoyable read for a laid back afternoon. As I read, I was reminded of Ms. Grace’s Hometown Harbor series, which also takes place in the Pacific Northwest. My heart broke for Lily and I admired her decision to start fresh. The story definitely leaves it open for more adventures at the Glass Beach Cottage and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy small towns and new beginnings, I recommend Beach Haven. 

Beach Haven is available in paperback and eBook

Girl in a Spin: a witty, quirky love story

Girl in a Spin by Clodagh Murphy is a story of a party girl who is in love with a political leader and needs the help of a spin doctor to become more respectable and presentable. Jenny Hannigan is a girl with a murky past. When she finds herself in the arms of Richard Allam, a political leader, she thinks she finally found love. However, she isn’t actually wife material for a potential Prime Minister. Enter Devlin “Dev” Tennant, the spin doctor, is hired to clean up her image. She follow’s Dev’s advice as she tries to fit into Richard’s world, impressing his stuffy colleagues and his disapproving friends and keeping the media at bay. With the election campaign gaining speed and her life spinning out of control, Jenny wonders if she has been looking for happily ever after in the wrong place. 

Girl in a Spin is my first book by Ms. Murphy and right from the start, she offers a witty, quirky love story with lots of laughs. Jenny was a hard character to like at first. She is a wounded soul who hides her pain behind a sarcastic and a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” attitude. I wasn’t sure why she was in a relationship with Richard. I definitely didn’t like Richard. I loved Dev. I enjoyed his initial meeting with Jenny at a wedding they both didn’t want to be at. Their flirtatious banter instantly clicked and was fun to read. I also enjoyed her roommates, Liam and Ollie, and the family-bond they created. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I wanted to see Jenny grow and mature. If you enjoy laugh, quirky chick-lit romance, I recommend Girl in a Spin. 

Girl in a Spin is available in paperback and eBook

Wild Women and the Blues: survival, life, love and forgiveness

Wild Women and the Blues by Denny S. Bryce is a story of survival, forgiveness, life and love with all its joys and sadness, its ups and downs. In 1925, Chicago was the jazz capital of the world and the Dreamland Cafe was the club to see and be seen. Nineteen year old Honoree Daclour was a sharecropper’s daughter, no stranger to hard work, and was willing to dance her way to the top. The Dreamland offered a path to the good life and socializing with the celebrities of the day. However, Chicago is also home to bootleg whiskey, gambling and gangsters. In 2015, Sawyer Hayes was a film student desperate to interview the 110-year old Honoree. All his hope is resting with the frail but formidable woman. She is the only living link to help fill in the gaps in his research. Little does he know that she’ll fill in a lot more blanks than he expects. 

With its gorgeous cover and interesting premise, I was eager to read Wild Women and the Blues. It is the debut novel for Ms. Bryce who wrote a stirring story of the vibrant Chicago during the Jazz Age. Both desperate to find a better life and at the same time, desperate to keep their secrets. As Honoree reveals her story and her secrets, Sawyer finds healing in confronting his past and revealing secrets can close wounds. The story was moving with twists and turns as well as a great history lesson into the Jazz Age. I knew of Louis Armstrong; however I had never heard of his wife, Lil Hardin Armstrong. Or the great Oscar Micheaux, the US’s first major Black filmmaker, whose work countered the negative on screen portrayals of blacks at the time. Wild Women and the Blues is a mix of fiction and history lesson. I highly recommend Wild Women and the Blues!

Wild Women and the Blues is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Nantucket Inn: a new business, a new life and a second chance to start again

The Nantucket Inn by Pamela Kelley is the first book in the Nantucket Beach Plum Cove series. After the death of her husband, Lisa Hodges discovers their financial security wasn’t there. She needs to make a decision fast. She decides to turn her house into a bed and breakfast. The lives of her three daughters are coming to life changing decisions as well. Kate, the oldest, has a wonderful career in Boston and is engaged to a photographer. Until a series of events sends her back home to Nantucket. Kristen, Kate’s twin sister, is a local artist and finds herself frustrated with her boyfriend who keeps making promises and doubts he’ll make good on them. Abby, the youngest, is happily married to her high school sweetheart. But after another failed IVF attempt, she questions if they are truly happy. 

The Nantucket Inn was a fast-paced, engaging story. The women are likable and relatable. I cheered for them as they stood up for what they wanted and weren't afraid to say enough’s enough. Lisa actually has four children. There is a son, Chase, who doesn’t have much of a role in this story. However, I’m sure he’ll show up with a story of his own in the series. There was a little opposition to Lisa’s bed and breakfast. Violet, a neighbor and fellow bed and breakfast owner, and I have a feeling she’ll be trouble for Lisa in the future. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I recommend The Nantucket Inn. It is a great read for a lazy afternoon. 

The Nantucket Inn is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Borrowed Time: even picture perfect can hide darker secrets

Borrowed Time is the fourth book in the Hart’s Ridge series by Kay Bratt. This story asks the question “do you ever really know the person you’re in love with?” It’s about to be answered for Deputy Taylor Gray as she investigates the disappearance of her close friend, Sissy. The more she investigates Sissy’s life, the more she discovers that appearances can be deceiving and the most picture-perfect relationships can be hiding deeper and darker secrets. No one knows this more than Taylor’s sister, Anna. She is living the seemingly all-American dream with a successful husband, a nice house and two thriving children. But there is more behind the scenes. Her perfect life is spiraling out of control as she discovers the secrets that have been hiding behind the perfect façade. Will Taylor discover the truth behind Sissy’s disappearance? Will Anna be able to pull her life together again?

The Hart’s Ridge series keeps getting better and better. Borrowed Time touches very deep subjects with suicidal ideation and domestic violence. Readers: bring tissues. By the end of the book, I was in tears. I love Taylor and her sisters as well as their mother, Cate, as great women who have rebuilt their lives. In this story, we see more of the uppity Anna and her story. While the investigation into Sissy’s disappearance was the main story, I was hooked on Anna’s story and cheered for her as she found a way to fight back. I loved seeing Anna and Cate rebuild their relationship. I also loved the interactions between the sisters. Despite their differences in personality and life choices, they have each other’s backs. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend Borrowed Time and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. 

Borrowed Time is available in paperback and eBook

If You Must Know: two sisters and a turning point in their lives

If You Must Know by Jamie Beck is the first book in the Potomac Point series. Sisters Amanda and Erin are as different as two sisters could be. The only thing they have in common is the childhood bedroom they shared. Amanda is known for following the rules, being the picture perfect daughter, wife and now mother to be. Erin follows her heart, flies by the seat of her pants and loves living the bohemian lifestyle with her yoga classes and Etsy business of organic soaps and bath products. Suddenly, their lives are turned upside down and they are forced to confront the uncomfortable truths about themselves and their family. Can these sisters find a way to build trust and lean on each other in trying times? Especially when there’s one secret still lingering between them.  

Jamie Beck writes wonderful stories of family, drama and coming together when they need each other. If You Must Know is a story of betrayal and sisters. Between the two sisters, I enjoyed Erin more. I cheered for her when she went after what she wanted. I didn’t care for Amanda as she tried to weigh the family’s reputation in front of her own needs. Although, as the oldest, I understood her strive for perfection. However, by the end of the story, Amanda finds out that sometimes one’s needs must come before family. As someone with sisters, the tension and interactions between Amanda and Erin was real and relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed If You Must Know and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy family drama, I recommend If You Must Know. 

If You Must Know is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Birdie: family secrets and an unsolved mystery

Birdie by Kate Frantz is a story of family secrets and an unsolved mystery. When her mother dies, Birdie North discovers a mysterious stack of letters from her grandmother. A grandmother she’s never met and didn’t know her mother was in communication with. Curious about the family her mother left behind in Scotland, Birdie decides to travel to her mother’s birthplace and uncover the truth of these letters. When she meets Theo Hambry, an English stranger, who has a letter of his own from her mother! They reluctantly work together to discover the mystery of these letters. Little do they know that they are linked more than they know and they are about to uncover another mystery with a dangerous individual who will do anything to keep them silent. 

I was intrigued by the premise of Birdie. The story was interesting and the mystery was engaging. However, it moved much too slow. I didn’t care for Birdie. She acted childish at times and flew off the handle way too often. Early in the story, Birdie gets sympathy from a nurse who cared for her mother. When this individual expresses how much she was going to miss her mother, Birdie bristles as if she is the only one who gets to miss her mother. She does have growth by the end of the story. The one character I enjoyed was Theo, a young man, who struggles with his father’s disappearance and finds solace in his faith. Overall, I enjoyed Birdie. The mystery was engaging with quite a few twists. 

Birdie is available in paperback and eBook

The Soulmate: a suspense thriller of marriage, betrayal and secrets

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth is a suspense thriller of marriage, betrayal and secrets. There’s a cliff known as the Drop which has become a popular suicide spot. There’s a cottage that sits on that cliff. It’s the home of Gabe and Pippa Gerard. As people come to the cliff with the intent to end their lives, Gabe comes to the rescue to talk them back. Until one night, he doesn’t. Questions begin to swirl in Pippa’s head as to what happened, what did she see and is there more to Gabe’s story than he’s telling. But would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate, lie? As the investigation into the victim’s death begins, Pippa begins to see cracks in their perfect façade and Gabe begins to act more and more erratically. What will Pippa do when she discovers that Gabe is hiding deeper and darker secrets? 

Sally Hepworth has a reputation for suspense thrillers. So when I got the opportunity to read her newest book, I jumped at the chance. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in this story. With short, quick 87 chapters, the story was choppy and disjointed. Switching between Pippa and the victim, and past and present, the story didn’t give enough time to truly get invested. I didn’t like Pippa or Gabe or their perfect façade. At one point, Pippa discovers Gabe’s indiscretion and she accepts it? Really? Just like that? “Ok, I forgive you.” Some women may eventually get there but for Pippa, it was almost instantaneously. I also didn’t enjoy how long it took to identify who was who in the story. I had to guess who was a daughter, a sister, etc. Overall, I did not enjoy The Soulmate. However, I will give Ms. Hepworth’s previous works a chance. 

The Soulmate is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

When the Apricots Bloom: three women faced with impossible choices in order to survive

When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson is a story of three women faced with impossible choices to survive. It’s 2002 in Baghdad when Huda gets a visit from the mukhabarat, the secret police. They “ask” that she befriend the wife of the Australian deputy ambassador. As a secretary at the Australian embassy, it would be easy to do; however, Huda has no desire to become an informant but fears for her son’s safety if she refuses. Ally Wilson, the deputy ambassador, has secrets of her own as she has a reason to be in Baghdad other than being a dependent spouse. Little does she know that her secret puts her in grave danger. Meanwhile, Huda’s estranged childhood friend, Rania, led a privileged life as the daughter of a sheikh but now she battles to keep a roof over her daughter’s head as well as ensure their safety. Soon, the lives of the three women will intersect, their secrets come forward and they must decide what they will sacrifice to protect their families.  

With the gorgeous cover and a poetic title, I looked forward to this story. Set in the final days of Saddam’s regime, When the Apricots Bloom is a story of trust, friendship, and motherhood. Drawing from her experience as a foreign correspondent, author Gina Wilkinson strives to take readers on a haunting story of Iraq and the choices many families faced under the deadly regime. While it is described as suspenseful, and I could see where it should have been, I didn’t feel the suspense. I cared for these women and wanted to see them survive but I had an issue with Ally’s naivety that she could simply walk around Baghdad asking questions as she did. Overall, the story was good but I didn’t close the book with any satisfaction. While it is hard to recommend this book, I may have been the wrong reader for When the Apricots Bloom. If you are intrigued by the premise, I encourage you to check out When the Apricots Bloom. Hopefully your experience will be different from mine. 

When the Apricots Bloom is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Undertaking Irene: a disappointing mystery

Undertaking Irene is the first book in the Jane Delaney Mystery series by Pamela Burford. Janet Delaney runs Death Diva, a business in which she is hired to do what her clients don’t want to do, don’t want to be seen doing or can’t bring themselves to do it. She is hired by an old friend, Irene, to steal a gaudy mermaid brooch from a corpse at the woman’s funeral. According to Irene, the brooch is rightfully hers and the deceased refused to give it back. Unfortunately, someone else was hired to do the same thing before she was able to get a hand on it. As she returns to tell Irene that she was unable to retrieve the brooch, Jane discovers Irene has died. Convinced Irene was murdered, Jane is determined to find out who the killer is and bring them to justice. 

Undertaking Irene is my second book by Pamela Burford and unfortunately, it felt horribly flat. It seems to want to be a comedic mystery but I was so bored. I didn’t care for Jane, the mystery or the outcome. There were supposed to be lots of laughs but I didn’t laugh once. If anything, many of the jokes and comedic moments were just cringey and eye rolling. I understand Jane is driven by a sense of loyalty to Irene and concocts some outlandish theories about her death. However, Jane was unlikeable. I definitely didn’t care for the other thief. Unfortunately, I will not be continuing this series. Some reviewers compared Undertaking Irene to the works of Janet Evanovich. I have never read Ms. Evanovich’s books, so I can’t say if this comparison is true. If you enjoy Janet Evanovich’s books, you may enjoy Undertaking Irene.  

Undertaking Irene is available in paperback and eBook