book launch: Voice of a Servant

For more than a decade, Voice of a Servant sat in the sidebar of this blog with "coming soon!" and this photograph of the headwaters of Jordan, a photo my husband took while taking a study abroad course that his grandmother so generously funded because of his grandfather's love for the Holy Land.  

Now finally – after years of research and writing, and waiting, and teaching resource and raising a family, among other things – finally, I  have finished this book. 

I consulted with a local Indie publishing friend (thank you for your voice of wisdom and encouragement, Lib!) ... collaborated with a local artist (Carissa, you are truly amazing!!) for cover art and character icons ... and a local graphic designer (Jess, thank you, thank you for your attention to detail!) for internal layout design ... and uploaded all the files to Ingram Sparks. 

And, at long last, this lovely retelling of the story of Naaman has been released into the world!

 

This story is accessible to middle grade readers but certainly not limited to that audience. And I've had students and adults alike come away from this text inspired to dig into the historical narratives of the Bible with renewed enthusiasm!

My heart in this work is to invite readers into biblical/historical narratives with both a commitment to upholding Truth and a vibrant, engaged Imagination. 

It is mission critical that we come to the received Word with confidence in its Truth. Because it was written in a long-ago era, it's important we're willing to do a little research at times, in order to understand the relevant times and traditions and make sense of what's going on. 

At the same time, we must remember these are stories. True stories, but stories nonetheless. So we approach the biblical narratives with human empathy and imagination, remembering these characters were human, just like we are. We ask questions of the characters, and we wonder what they would have been feeling and what else may have been going on in their lives. 

Voice of a Servant is set in the time of the divided kingdom, when Elisha was prophesying, and Aram (Syria) was conducting frequent raids into the Land. 

Encompassing 2 Kings 2-8, the story is told from three servant perspectives: 

MARCUS is a young attendant to the Aramean Captain of the Guard Naaman. He dreams of following in the captain's footsteps - commanding officers, leading raids, and deciding the fate of captives. When Marcus gets caught up in shenanigans with friends at a festival, Captain Naaman punishes the prank by sending Marcus on his first scouting expedition into Northern Israel. Will being a soldier be everything Marcus has dreamed of? Or will following in the captain's footsteps require more than Marcus expected?

When Cassia's father journeys to Jerusalem for the Harvest Feast, CASSIA finds herself face-to-face with Aramean soldiers and is forced to begin her own journey of faith. Will she ever see her father again? What will happen to her in captivity? Would her father's words about Miriam hold true for her - does Yahweh really give His children creative thoughts to help them in dangerous situations? When she learns her captor has leprosy, she wonders how she should respond. Would Yahweh heal an Aramean captain And will Captain Naaman listen to the voice of a servant girl from Israel?

GEHAZI serves the prophet Elisha. He knows Elisha was granted a double portion of the ministry of Elijah, and he wonders if he might gain the glory of serving God as Israel's next great prophet. But time after time, his greedy grasping gets in the way. Will Gehazi ever get what he's after? What will happen when his desire for fame leaves him and his three sons outside the walls of Samaria during a famine and siege? Will Gehazi's eyes be opened to see God at work in ways he never imagined?

Voice of a Servant. Historical Fiction. Ages 10 and up! 

Available now wherever books are sold! Here are the links to Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

You can also order through your local bookstore! 

Or let me know, and I can send you a signed copy!

Multiplied grace and peace,

michelle

P.S. This is an Indie published book. Reviews, endorsements, and other sharing 

on social media are welcomed and so appreciated!