Tag Archives: Mesu Andrews

Book Review: Potiphar’s Wife

Potiphar’s Wife

Potiphar’s Wife is the untold story of the woman who accused Joseph of rape. Looking at Joseph’s life through Zuleika’s eyes, we begin to see the backdrop of politics, people, and power struggles, and how they collide to ruin the lives of all caught in their path. Or, so we thought.

The author is no stranger to calamity. When Mesu was diagnosed with chronic illness, bedrest led to rest in God’s Word, and her love for writing biblical novels awakened. Now, “Mesu Andrews is the Christy Award-winning author of Isaiah’s Daughter whose deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for readers.”

As one of her avid readers, I was immediately pulled into the story by envisioning the choppy sea and tasting the salty mist. Descriptions and dialogue convey surroundings and scenes in Zully’s story world, and I was drawn to the woman who was torn from her homeland in a time of crisis and despair.

Potiphar’s Wife tackles the age-old question of “Who does God favor?” His promise was made to Abraham’s seed, but what about the rest of us?

Mesu says she opened a hornet’s nest in researching Joseph, and research she did. Intricate details unlock the life he might have lived in Egypt. The story arc is one from her own imagination, but the tenants are true to both. Through the crises of living in times of war, to secrets inside the palace walls, Joseph’s growth continues to astound. The God of Truth Joseph knew is the same God who sees me and you. We can be confident He knows and He cares about every detail that concerns us.

Potiphar’s Wife is an excellent tool for better understanding of the Biblical narrative.

Sally

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the WaterBrook/Multnomah book review program in exchange for a fair and honest review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

See more reviews of Mesu Andrews’ work:

ISAIAH’S LEGACY

OF FIRE AND LIONS

ISAIAH’S DAUGHTER

MIRIAM

Book Review: Isaiah’s Legacy @WaterBrookMultnomah #Partner #sponsored

Isaiah’s Legacy @WaterBrookMultnomah #Partner #sponsored

Isaiah’s Legacy takes a wild ride through history with Israel’s king, Manasseh, and those intertwined in his life. Throughout his lifetime, Manasseh earned the title of brutal, fierce and wicked. However, Mesu Andrews asserts, his is “the greatest prodigal journey in Scripture.”

Mesu Andrews is the Christy Award–winning author of Isaiah’s Daughter and numerous other novels, including The Pharaoh’s Daughter, Miriam, Of Fire and Lions, and Love Amid the Ashes. Her deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for readers. Mesu lives in North Carolina with her husband, Roy, and enjoys spending time with her growing tribe of grandchildren.”

I sat on the edge of my seat, waiting to see how the story would be redeemed. Yet, the plot darkened. I grieved with characters over the fight for power and prestige, yet, the wicked kept winning. Is this how God grieves over our decisions that separate us from Him?

Isaiah’s Legacy highlights the darkness of following one’s own counsel and rejecting wisdom from the Lord. Like those of long ago, we find cracks in our faulty theology and hope for a return to faith in the one, true God. When faced with unimaginable terror, God’s followers find unexplainable peace, and we remember He uses good and bad as instruments in His hands. If you’ve ever wondered how the Israelites could so easily be led astray, read this narrative of how events could have been arranged. It’s eye-opening and puts flesh and bones on vague names and missing faces. You, too, will agree with the Queen Mother, “I don’t understand why Yahweh allows evil to win,… but of this I’m absolutely certain. My God is good. He has a plan. And His victory will somehow be bigger than our sorrow.”

Isaiah’s Legacy is absolutely a must-read for your library!

Sally

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the WaterBrook/Multnomah book review program in exchange for a fair and honest review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review & a Giveaway: Of Fire and Lions

We know the stories of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, but what about the backstory, and all of the gaps between? Mesu Andrews has opened a window to a whole world of unfamiliar sights, smells and tastes in her book, Of Fire and Lions. Through her eyes, we can better understand the environment the Hebrew captives found themselves in, when Babylon came to call.

Mesu Andrews is an author of biblical narratives who takes her calling seriously. She researches biblical accounts to build the foundation, backs them up with historical records, and adds creative fiction to weave them together. The result is award-winning, eye-opening, heart-thumping stories that engage and entertain. Mesu has become one of my favorite authors, as you can see in my reviews of Isaiah’s Daughter and Miriam.

One of the reasons I like Mesu’s writing, is her ability to create teachable moments with her characters. They have shortcomings, yet we learn from their mistakes. They have doubts, and we nod our heads in agreement. They try to take matters in their own hands, and we get a glimpse of how to set things right, with God in charge.

Biblical fiction allows us to draw on the faith of another, and gives a peek into the daily events that might have shaped their choices and consequences. Pick up a copy, and see how it boosts your trust in the God who is more powerful than fire and lions!

What is your favorite story about Daniel’s miracle-working God? Leave a comment, and you will be entered into the drawing to win my copy on Saturday, March 2. (Must be in the continental United States.) For an extra chance to win the drawing, share this post on social media and let me know in the comments.

Sally

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the WaterBrook/Multnomah book review program in exchange for a fair and honest review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”








@WaterBrookMultnomah #Partner #sponsored

Book Review: Isaiah’s Daughter

A rags to riches story, Isaiah’s Daughter is a captivating look at real people who are a part of Israel’s history. Mesu Andrews creates a compelling story that is intricate and rich in characterization and dialogue. The principals are complex and endearing. Scenes are descriptive and memorable. I am in awe of the research done to create a narrative that is so irresistible.

Mesu Andrews was an active woman with a busy to-do list, until a debilitating illness cancelled her calendar. At that point, she found consolation in God’s Word and an unquenchable thirst for the stories recorded there. Her interpretation is fresh and insightful. Read my review of her book, Miriam, here.

I see the prophet Isaiah as a pillar of wisdom and insight, yet Isaiah’s Daughter helps me to view him as a mere mortal who relied on the Lord. Even he must have had doubts, as voiced on page 36, “Yahweh, I will trust You when I have more questions than answers.”

The author uses the power of storytelling to illustrate truths that are also relevant for our day. On page 53, Isaiah told his class that God had revealed the coming Messiah, as well as an attack by Syria. When he gave them a chance to respond to why God would do both, Eliakim said, “Could it be the same reason my abba swats me with a stick? When I disobey, Abba swats me, and it hurts. But he hugs me after and says he disciplined me because he loves me. Maybe God will send His presence to comfort at a time when His discipline is most severe.”

On page 118, Prince Hezekiah asks, “What benefit is prophecy when we can’t understand it?”

Isaiah responds, “Prophecy – even when we don’t fully understand it – is given so we can watch God’s sovereignty and power unfold. He offers clues to identify His activity in the world around us. For those who are alert to His activity, we find great reward in discovering His love and faithfulness. For those who ignore God’s involvement in this world, there awaits disaster and regret when His meaning is revealed.”

If ever there was a time we needed those words, it’s now. We’re watching world events unfold at an incredible rate. Jesus has promised His return. We are to watch for the clues and obey to the end.

Do you struggle with knowing God’s will for you? When Ishma desires to know God’s will, Isaiah reminds her God’s “plan for you in this moment is to be faithful where you are.”

Do you struggle with dark days? Yaira says she experienced joy more deeply because she had known sadness.

Through the actions of King Ahaz, we come to understand the consequences of our choices – good or bad.

Through the frustration of Isaiah, we learn how to pray for those who don’t seek God.

Through the eyes of Hephzibah, we see the importance of creating homes for our husbands that are a safe refuge away from the criticisms of the world.

Through a miscarriage, we find sisterhood in the way the harem cares for their queen.

Why read Isaiah’s Daughter? It gives a glimpse into the hopes and dreams of people who struggled to follow God, just like we do, in the midst of unexplainable turmoil. Isaiah’s Daughter is an incredible love story of a woman and a man in the annals of history. Yet, more importantly, it is the love story of God and His chosen people. It will encourage and bolster your faith as you wrestle alongside their battles!

Sally

FTC disclaimer: “I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.”

Book Review: Miriam

Miriam

Do you ever wonder what it must have been like to experience the Ten Plagues of Egypt, and escape? Or, what cataclysmic event had to happen for the Israelites to be willing to uproot from everything they knew? Miriam, a novel by Mesu Andrews, gives a glimpse behind the scenes, to equip the mind and senses in that process.

Who is Mesu Andrews? She is a student of God’s Word and the award-winning author of Love Amid the Ashes and numerous other novels, including The Pharaoh’s Daughter. She uses fiction to fill in the blanks of long-loved stories of the Bible. Her imagination and research bring details that explain gaps in the passage, causing the stories to jump to life with new vibrancy.

Through the doubts of Miriam and her family, we experience the turmoil they faced in the new revelation Moses brought of God. Andrews captures the pain of unanswered questions and the 400 year silence of El Shaddai. But, like Miriam, we also experience Yahweh anew, as we learn to trust the One who leads us into the unknown.

You’ll want to experience this book, and yes, it is an experience. Through the questions asked by the Israelites, we come to understand the enormity of God’s sacrifice for us, as His Son was represented by the sacrificial lamb, slain at Passover. It sets the stage for the greatest event in history, the sacrifice and resurrection of the Lamb of God.

Miriam is a book that inspires awe and trust in the God who rescued Israel from bondage, and rescues us from a life enslaved to sin.

Sally

FTC disclaimer: “I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.”