Joanna: an important woman to Jesus's ministry

Joanna was a woman of high rank in Herod’s court when she experienced healing at the hands of Jesus. She was a woman of means, political influence, devotion and perseverance for Jesus. And at a time when women were viewed as unreliable witnesses, she is one of a group of women who first heard the news of Jesus’ resurrection. Joanna would be known as a disciple and apostle of Jesus. However, her name is only mentioned twice in the Scriptures and both times are very important. As her name means, “The Lord gives graciously,” she responds to her healing by giving herself totally to his ministry by following him and with her monetary support. Very little is known about Joanna; but why is she important enough to mention by name? As Jesus healed lots of people during his ministry, why is mentioning her healing important? 

Joanna was a wealthy woman who was accustomed to the atmosphere of worldliness and intrigue surrounding the royal courts. She was married to Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household (Luke 8:3). She would most likely be well aware of Herod’s corruption and evil deeds including the death of John the Baptist. The Scriptures don’t specify what Joanna suffered from; however, she is one of three women mentioned as being healed from evil spirits and disease (Luke 8:2-3). Scriptures also do not say if Jesus had been in Herod’s court. I think it is safe to say she sought him out outside of the court. After she was healed, she and the other women helped support Jesus and the disciples with their own money. She may have accompanied Jesus during his ministry for at least two years. And considering his ministry was roughly three years, her time with Jesus is significant. The next time the Scriptures mention Joanna, she is with Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, as they encounter the angels who proclaim that Jesus has risen (Luke 24:10) and spread the word to the disbelieving disciples (Luke 24:11).

Before modern medicine, minor ailments were treated by a family member or a neighbor who was skilled in the healing arts. Severe illnesses were often treated by a priest who also acted as a physician. As most diseases were thought to be the result of spirits or demons, most medical practices relied heavily on spiritual remedies. Before the discovery of germs, illnesses were often thought to be an imbalance of the humors. The humors were chemicals related to the elements and regulated human health and behaviors. The Scriptures detail more on the prevention of diseases rather than the cures. Ill people were considered unclean and contagious and were kept away from people. The New Testament speaks more on leprosy as a source of uncleanliness and therefore social shunning (Mark 1:40-42). The Gospels are filled with examples of Jesus’ healing powers and no disease or deformity was beyond his power. From paralysis (Mark 2:3-12) to mute and blindness (Matthew 9:27-33) to shriveled limbs (Luke 13:11-13). Jesus still heals today. Sometimes through modern medicine and doctors, sometimes without human intervention and some are brought home to Him. Healing with his divine, sometimes seemingly miraculous, but loving touch. 

It is often overlooked that women are named in the Scriptures. However, it is significant, because women are important to Jesus. Jesus lifted women up from degradation and servitude to the joy of fellowship. In Jewish culture, women weren’t allowed to learn from rabbis and yet, Jesus taught them alongside the men. By including women, Jesus was showing that all people are equal and important to God. Joanna and these women supported his ministry with their own money, behind the scenes but equally as important and essential to those in the foreground. It is a great example of how each believer can be a great resource to God whether we are center stage or not. And yes, throughout history and sadly even in modern times, the Scriptures have been used to oppress women. It hurts my heart to hear and see how God’s words have been used to degrade women to second class citizens. However, a true and deep study of the word of God will show that women are important and essential to His Kingdom. Not just to bear and raise children and take care of the home, women are important to his message of salvation. 

In conclusion, Joanna is one example of the importance of women to Jesus and the kingdom of God. She was a woman in need of healing and when she received that healing, she responded by following and supporting Jesus’ ministry. Joanna was also one of the women who the angel revealed the good news of the Resurrection. She may have also continued spreading His message for the rest of her life. While women have been oppressed with the use of the Scriptures, a study of women like Joanna shows that women were important to Jesus. Jesus tells us in Matthew 20:16, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” To God, the gift of grace is available to all, not just the ones who are viewed as desirable. We are all important to God and all can come to him for salvation and healing. 

The House at Mermaid's Cove: the Cornish coast and World War II

 The House at Mermaid’s Cove by Lindsay Jayne Ashford is a World War II story of love, mystery and secrets. In April 1943, Alice, a young woman, washes ashore on a beach in Cornwall, England. She survived a shipwreck after it was torpedoed by a German U-boat. She is found by Jack Trewella, who suspects she could be a spy. However, the secret Alice reveals is not at all what he suspects and the two begin an unusual friendship. As Alice wants to reinvent herself as sees the opportunity working at the Cornish estate, she learns that Jack has secrets of his own. As the war rages on, Alice and Jack find themselves at a crossroads: do they continue to hide the past or face it with a chance at a future? 

I have read a few books by Lindsay Jayne Ashford and she has a way to bring areas which normally don’t get talked about in history to light. I enjoyed seeing the war efforts that affected all areas of England, not just London. On the Cornish coast, the war effort is in full swing as refugees from Guernsey Island work on the farm estate and fight back any way they can. As I read, I had to look at a map of Cornwall to familiarize myself with the areas. The relationship between Alice and Jack was sweet and tender. Although the build up was let down by the fast wrap up of an ending, I enjoyed this story. If you enjoy World War II stories, I recommend The House at Mermaid’s Cove. 

The House at Mermaid’s Cove is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

A Brighter Flame: a moving story of family drama and healing

A Brighter Flame by Christine Nolfi is a story of family secrets, healing and a new sense of belonging. All she ever wanted was a sense of belonging. After growing up feeling unwanted and an outsider in her family, Vale Lightner has learned to rely on and depend on herself and herself alone. When the bar she owns with her father goes up in flames, Vale returns to her hometown of Philadelphia at the urgent request of her grandmother, as she decides what her next step will be. Little does she know, her half sister, Blythe, is also staying at their grandmother’s house. Blythe is at a crossroads herself as she contemplates her own life changing decision. Everyone has their secrets as their lives converge where memories are reexamined and a chance for forgiveness, closure and a new sense of family can be found. Will Vale and Blythe let their guard down to finally have the sister relationship they both crave?

Christine Nolfi is known for hard hitting stories of drama with moving stories of secrets, healing and hopes for new life, love and family. A Brighter Flame is a story of a broken family with years of secrets and misunderstandings when the door opens to the possibility of glorious new relationships. These characters are flawed and deeply wounded but through tough love situations, they find themselves healing and living a life they never thought possible. Vale was a hardened woman with a deeply wounded child. However, as she opens up about her memories, she realized that misinterpreted events as only a child could. Blythe definitely acted the pampered princess as Vale saw her as the favored daughter of their mother and her stepfather. But like Vale, Blythe is hiding a secret and attempts to run instead of admitting the truth. I loved how the family rallied around her once her secret was out. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend A Brighter Flame. 

A Brighter Flame is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Valleys, Vehicles, and Victims: wedding drama and old feuds

 Valleys, Vehicles and Victims is the ninth book in the Camper and Criminals series by Tonya Kappes. The gorgeous colors of fall have painted the Daniel Boone National Forest. The picturesque beauty is a popular choice for weddings. When a wedding party shows up at the Happy Trails Campground, Mae is thrilled. However, that feeling doesn’t last long as she recognizes the bride’s parents. They are her past. A past she has desperately tried to escape. But this family isn’t any old high society people. They are Tom and Misty Moon, the owners of the famous Moonbucks Coffee Company! Pushing aside their past association, Mae is determined to provide the couple with an amazing wedding of their dreams. There is someone else in town that has bad blood with the Moons, specifically Tom. Gert Hobson, the owner of Trails Coffee Shop, swears that Tom stole her recipe that became the special Moonbucks blend. A public fight and a very public threat makes Gert a prime suspect when one of the members of the wedding party is found murdered. It’s up to Mae  and the Laundry Club ladies to clear their friend’s name. 

This series has been so much fun and each book gets better and better. I loved the opening pages as Ms. Kappes paints the beautiful fall colors of Kentucky and I desperately wish I could be there to see it. Right off the bat, as the drama stirs around the wedding party, there isn’t a shortage of suspects when the victim is discovered. I love how Mae rallies behind Gert and is determined to prove her innocence even if it puts her in danger. I also love that it’s never the first suspect or even the one the characters suspect. The twist comes in complete surprise! I even had to turn back and find the subtle clue that I had read over. I also enjoyed reading the camping tips Ms Kappes included at the end. They will be handy if and when I’m ever camping. Also the recipes at the end sound so yummy! Overall, Valleys, Vehicles and Victims was so much fun to read that I could not put it down. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, you will enjoy the Campers and Criminals series. I highly recommend Valleys, Vehicles and Victims! 

Valleys, Vehicles and Victims is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

North to Paradise: one man's journey to a better life

North to Paradise: A Memoir by Ousman Umar is one man’s journey from a rural village in Ghana to the streets of Barcelona. Ousman Umar is the son of the village shaman. When his mother dies giving him birth, a tribal tradition would have him abandoned as he was considered to be born under a curse. However, his father intervenes. He spent his childhood working the fields, setting traps in the jungle and living off the land. When he sees the strange but wondrous flying machines fly across the sky, he begins to dream of a different life. At twelve years old, he leaves his home and begins a journey to Europe. A journey that would take five years! Traveling through three different cultures, three different realities, from the Ghanaian jungle to the Arab world to Spain, Ousman encountered violence, exploitation and racism. He also found friendship, generosity and hope. It is a story of extraordinary resilience, the beauty of kindness and the power of giving back. 

North to Paradise is the inspiring, emotional and somber true story of Ousman Umar’s journey toward a better life. Once in Barcelona and achieving all he wanted, he couldn’t help but remember those he left behind. He then was determined to give back to his home village and help better their lives in any way he could. His descriptions of his experiences on his journey were heartstopping and heartbreaking. It’s hard to admire such tenacity and determination when most would have given up. The prologue states that a group of 46 started for Paradise, the Promised Land and near the end, only 6 survived! Mr. Umar states that given his experiences it would be easy to think of people as bad but with the goodness he has received, he likes to believe that most people are good, “It’s just that the good people make less noise.” How very true! I highly recommend North to Paradise. 

North to Paradise is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Assailants, Asphalt, and Alibis: a tall tale, a treasure hunt and murder

Assailants, Asphalt, and Alibis is the eighth book in the Campers and Criminals series by Tonya Kappes. During a night of telling stories around the campfire, one storyteller tells the tall tales of John Swift and his hidden treasure. Every year groups of people follow maps in the hopes of finding the long lost treasures. Mae and some of the ladies from the Laundry Club join the annual John Swift Excursion. Hank thinks the legend is gibberish and mentions the treasure hunts are cursed. Not deterred, the ladies set out and are enjoying themselves until not one but two bodies are discovered! Is there a murderer among them or has the curse struck again? 

I love tall tales, local legends and the people who get behind them whether they believe it or just like the fun of it. That’s the two groups in this story. One group wholeheartedly believes in the legend and search every year and others enjoy the hoopla around it. This year, one who wholeheartedly believes in the legend is found dead and there is no shortage of suspects. When another body is found, fear follows as Mae wonders is it a murderer or the curse? The twist revealed at the end was a complete surprise, one I thoroughly enjoyed! This series is a fun read, easy for an afternoon or two of reading. I highly recommend Assailants, Asphalts and Alibis. 

Assailants, Asphalt and Alibis is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Beauty of Rain: finding new life and purpose after a tragic loss

The Beauty of Rain by Jamie Beck is a story of loss, grief and finding a greater purpose in life. Winning the lottery had changed Amy Walsh’s life but not in the ways we all dream of. After a tragic accident, she struggles to find joy, purpose and a reason to keep living. She vows to never spend a single cent on herself. Kristin DeMarco is Amy’s older sister and worried about her wellbeing. Amy stays with Kristin and her family while she recovers. However, the arrangement leads to trouble as her attention is divided leaving less time for her career, her husband, and her kids. As Amy decides it is time to live on her own, Kristin worries about their futures. Can Kristin learn that her time with her family is her most valuable asset? Can they learn that with life’s unpredictability, the importance of love, resilience and living in the now? 

The Beauty of Rain is an emotionally powerful story of two sisters who must learn the beauty in the tragic moments and painful truths about life, love and family. I highly anticipated this story as I have heard Ms Beck speak about her inspiration. Told between Amy and Kristin’s alternating points of view, the story exposes the struggles and the pains they try to hide. With relatable faults, flaws and admirable qualities, every character felt real and their pain hits home. I recommend bringing tissues. There are moments I teared up and there are moments I openly cried. As I closed the final chapter, there was a smile through the tears. The Beauty of Rain reminded me of a 1990s song that I won’t reveal as it could give hints to the ending of the story and I hate to spoil it for future readers. I highly, highly recommend The Beauty of Rain. 

The Beauty of Rain is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook