Tessa Afshar was born in a nominally Muslim family in Iran and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She survived English boarding school for girls before moving to the United States permanently. Her conversion to Christianity in her mid-twenties changed the course of her life forever. Tessa holds an MDIV from Yale University where she served as co-Chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the Divinity School. She has spent the last twelve years in full and part-time Christian work and currently serves as the leader of Women’s and Prayer ministries at a church in Connecticut.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Can a Canaanite harlot who has made her livelihood by looking desirable to men make a fitting wife for one of the leaders of Israel? Shockingly, the Bible’s answer is yes. At the age of fifteen Rahab is forced into prostitution by her beloved father. In her years as a courtesan, she learns to mistrust men and hate herself. Into the emotional turmoil of her world walks Salmone, a respected leader of Judah. Through the tribulations of a stormy relationship, Rahab and Salmone learn the true
source of one another’s worth in God and find healing from fear and rejection.
MY THOUGHTS: I have always loved the story of Rahab. And to see her listed in the genealogy of Christ is a beautiful testimony to God's grace and forgiveness. In Pearl in the Sand, Tessa Afshar has painted a picture of what Rahab's life might have been like before she hid the Hebrew spies as well as after the fall of Jericho. This is a fascinating story. I appreciated the author's reminder at the beginning that this is a fictional account and her entreaty for the reader to turn to the Bible for the true known story. However, she does an excellent job of presenting a very plausible story. My one frustration was with the portrayal of Salmone as a husband; he sounded like he'd been to a modern-day marriage seminar. I'm not sure men were that sensitive and communicative in Bible times. But I didn't live then, so who knows?! In spite of that tiny caution, I do recommend this novel.
I've always been interested in Rahab's story also.
I've enjoyed so many fictional books based on the Bible (The Left behind Series comes to mind first). You're right about it is important to remind us that it is fictional.
I must say, even knowing Left Behind was fictional, I would have been terrified had I read it and wasn't a Christian.
I haven't done a lot of book reading....mostly magazines etc....but this looks like a good one to get back on track with.
I'm in my "fabulous fifties" and my husband and I have been married 25 years. We have a son and a daughter who are both in college. so we are reluctantly entering the empty-nest years. I was an RN in my former (pre-kids) life which comes in handy as I serve in our church's care ministry.
Chatting over a cup of coffee with a friend to encourage and support one another (and share a laugh or even a tear) is one of my favorite things to do.
I've always been interested in Rahab's story also.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed so many fictional books based on the Bible (The Left behind Series comes to mind first). You're right about it is important to remind us that it is fictional.
I must say, even knowing Left Behind was fictional, I would have been terrified had I read it and wasn't a Christian.
I haven't done a lot of book reading....mostly magazines etc....but this looks like a good one to get back on track with.