okesolsss
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UNSPOKEN
FrancineRivers
Forwomenwhofeelthey’velosttheirreputationforever.Godcanmakebeautyfromashes.
Rick,thankyouforourprayertimeandvisiteachmorning.
Itsetsthetonefortherestoftheday.
Thankyoualsoforsharingyouroffice,buildingthefireoncoldmornings,brewingthecoffee,andpausing
inthehecticrushofrunningyourownbusinesstoletmebrainstormoutloudaboutwhateverstoryhappens
toberunningthroughmyhead.
Thankyou,JaneJordanBrowne,foryourconstantencouragementandfriendshipthroughtheyears.I’ve
alwaysbeenabletodependonyou.
ScottMendel,thankyouforyourwillingnesstorespond(quickly!)tosomanyquestions.
Thankyou,KathyOlson,foryourfineeditingandpassionforScripture.Iwouldliketoalsoextendmy
thankstotheentireTyndalestaffwhohavecontinuedtofollowDr.KennethTaylor’smissionofglorifying
theLord—andwhohaveencouragedmeasIstrivetodolikewise.Ihavefeltblessedovertheyearstobe
partofyourteam.
Thankyou,PeggyLynch,mydearfriendandsisterinChrist.Youhavebeenablessingtomefromthe
dayImetyou.YouhavealwaysheldupthelampofGod’sWord.Yourlifeisalivingtestimonyoffaith.
TheLordhasblessedmethroughallofyou.Maythoseblessingsreturnuponeachofyouathousandfold.
DEARREADER,
ThisisthefourthoffivenovellasonthewomeninthelineageofJesusChrist.ThesewereEastern
womenwholivedinancienttimes,andyettheirstoriesapplytoourlivesandthedifficultissueswefacein
ourworldtoday.Theywereontheedge.Theyhadcourage.Theytookrisks.Theydidtheunexpected.They
liveddaringlives,andsometimestheymademistakes—bigmistakes.Thesewomenwerenotperfect,and
yetGodinHisinfinitemercyusedtheminHisperfectplantobringforththeChrist,theSaviorofthe
world.
Weliveindesperate,troubledtimeswhenmillionsseekanswers.Thesewomenpointtheway.The
lessonswecanlearnfromthemareasapplicabletodayaswhentheylivedthousandsofyearsago.
Tamarisawomanofhope.
Rahabisawomanoffaith.
Ruthisawomanoflove.
Bathshebaisawomanwhoreceivedunlimitedgrace.
Maryisawomanofobedience.
Thesearehistoricalwomenwhoactuallylived.Theirstories,asIhavetoldthem,arebasedonbiblical
accounts.Althoughsomeoftheiractionsmayseemdisagreeabletousinourcentury,weneedtoconsider
thesewomeninthecontextoftheirowntimes.
Thisisaworkofhistoricalfiction.TheoutlineofthestoryisprovidedbytheBible,andIhavestarted
withthefactsprovidedforusthere.Buildingonthatfoundation,Ihavecreatedaction,dialogue,internal
motivations,andinsomecases,additionalcharactersthatIfeelareconsistentwiththebiblicalrecord.I
haveattemptedtoremaintruetothescripturalmessageinallpoints,addingonlywhatisnecessarytoaidin
ourunderstandingofthatmessage.
Attheendofeachnovella,wehaveincludedabriefstudysection.Theultimateauthorityonpeopleof
theBibleistheBibleitself.Iencourageyoutoreaditforgreaterunderstanding.AndIpraythatasyouread
theBible,youwillbecomeawareofthecontinuity,theconsistency,andtheconfirmationofGod’splanfor
theages—aplanthatincludesyou.
FrancineRivers
THEpowerfulandmightyKingSaulofIsraelwasjealousofashepherdboy.Thereasonwassimple:The
LordGodhadanointedthisyoungman,David,asHischosenking.Andmorethanthat,Davidheldthe
heartsofthepeopleinhishands.WhenDavidspoke,peopleinclinedtheirear.Whenhedanced,maidens
swooned.Whenhesang,theheartsofmen,women,andchildrenroseinpraisetoGod.
WhenDavidfledintothewildernesstoescapeSaul’smurderousenvy,hundredsofmenfollowedhim,
campingwithhiminthecavesofAdullamandEn-gedi.Somewerediscontentedmen.Othersweremen
houndedbyPhilistineraids.Someweremenovertaxedbyakinginwhomtheyhadlostconfidence.And
scatteredamongthehonorablemen,wholongedforthedayswhenGodwasIsrael’ssupremeCommander,
weremenofviolenceandvengeance,menwhosimplylovedsheddingbloodandgraspingplunder.
Warrippedthenationintofactionsastheking’sjealousymountedagainsthisimaginedenemy.But
Davidwaseversubmissivetotheking’sauthority.RefusingtowrestthecrownfromSaulbyviolentmeans,
DavidwascontenttowaitforGodtoactonhisbehalf.
Meanwhile,thecompanywhogatheredaroundDavidswelledsteadily—fromtwohundredtofour
hundredtosixhundred.Amongthemwerethirtymightymen,anelitegroupofwarriorsofprovenvalor
andloyalty.David’scourageandintegrityralliedthem,andtheyheldtogetherlikeafamily,fiercelyintent
uponprotectingitsownagainstallenemies,betheythekingofIsraelwhohadturnedhisbackonGodor
thearmiesoftheidol-infestednationssurroundingthem.
ThesevaliantfightingmendidnotcomealonetofightforDavid.Theybroughttheirwivesandsonsand
daughterswiththem.
TravelingamongthegrowingthrongofDavid’sfollowerswasalittlegirlnamedBathsheba....
PERCHEDonhergrandfather’sknee,Bathshebatoreoffapieceofbreadand
offeredittohim.Laughing,Ahithophelateitfromherhand.“She’sbecoming
morelikeyourmothereveryday,Eliam.”
Herfatherwatchedherwithafaintfrown.“It’shardtobelieveshe’sgrowing
upsofast.Eightyearsoldalready.Itwon’tbelongbeforeI’llhavetofinda
husbandforher.”
“Amightymantoprotectaprettyyoungmaiden.”
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