A.D. 30, by Ted Dekker (a book review)

When I was first approached by PR agency Shelton Interactive and asked if I’d be interested in reading and reviewing a new, soon-to-be-published work by author Ted Dekker, I initially and immediately wanted to say a big, fat NO.

Granted, I had NEVER read a book by Dekker, although I’d seen the majority of his writings displayed on the shelves of township and church libraries, and local bookstores. But it was my understanding that his books were haunting, intense thrillers which are SO not my genre of choice.

However, the summary the publicist provided piqued my interest, so I decided to read and review A.D. 30, Dekker’s latest literary offering, which is due to hit the shelves on Oct. 28.

And after all my foolish apprehension and yes, I admit, a harshly judgmental attitude, I must say that I’m so glad I did! What a story!!

A.D. 30 is a fictional novel set during the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. It’s the captivating story of Maviah, a young woman who is the illegitimate, outcast daughter of Rami bin Malik, a well-known and powerful sheik to the Bedouin people of Arabia. She, along with her infant son, live with her father, who has despised and rejected Maviah her entire life, and with her father’s Nabataen wife, Nashquya, the only one in the house who accepts and loves Maviah.

After a series of sorrowful occurrences and horrific, action-packed events take place in her desert hometown of Dumah, Maviah escapes the city under siege, and finds herself on a journey to Palestine, accompanied by two of her father’s best warriors, Saba and Judah. Once there, her mission is to find King Herod Antipas and form an alliance with him in order to save her father, who has been captured by an enemy tribe known as the Thamud, and the Bedouin people.

But unexpectedly, Maviah also encounters another King along the way – and quite a different King at that, who speaks of a Kingdom that is a far cry from any Maviah has ever known. His name is Jesus, or Yeshua, the Hebrew name to which He is referred throughout this book.

Each encounter she has with Yeshua, each incredible and radical teaching of His she hears, each amazing miracle she is privy to, slowly begins to change Maviah’s life dramatically. 

And finally, it is her faith and trust in Yeshua and His Way that will ultimately heal her and help her to deal with the surprise twists and dangerous turns that occur as she seeks to accomplish her all-important mission.

What I consider a ‘good read’ and a great book is generally one whose storyline causes me to carry the book with me wherever I go during the day so I can continue reading, and which keeps me reading far into the night after everyone in my family has gone to sleep. A.D. 30 is one such book. I could not put it down (although obviously, I eventually had to)!

In the micro biography on the book’s jacket, it states that Ted Dekker ‘is known for stories that combine adrenaline-laced plots with incredible confrontations between good and evil.’ I certainly found that to be true here.

Also, I absolutely love when a book enables you to experience what the characters themselves are experiencing – the physical, the mental and the emotional. The external and the internal.

And that happens for me here with A.D. 30, as Dekker paints an enormous linguistic mural, using a very fine, yet wonderfully detailed brush. His vivid, colorful descriptions and vast historical knowledge immediately swept me right into the times, the action, the excitement, the landscape and the emotions of this story.

The story itself is a little over 400 pages long, but for me, the real gem here is the 6 pages that make up the introduction that Dekker writes, entitled, ‘My Journey Into A.D. 30.’  

Here, we’re afforded a tiny glimpse into Dekker’s early life as the child of missionary parents, and how and why he came to write A.D. 30. From this portion of the intro alone, it would seem he wrote this as much for himself as he did for the benefit of other people:

‘For ten years I dreamed of entering the life of Jesus through story, not as a Jew familiar with the customs of the day, but as an outsider, because we are all outsiders today. I wanted to hear his teaching and see his power. I wanted to know what he taught about how we should live; how we might rise above all the struggles that we all face in this life, not just in the next life after we die.'

For those of us who feel or who have ever felt like an outcast -- invisible, betrayed, forgotten, unloved and abused -- A.D. 30 is also a story of hope and healing, through faith in Yeshua, one that we may be surprised to find (or not) parallel to our own life stories, although the details will obviously be vastly different. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a powerful and inspiring novel to read. Accept Dekker's invitation to 'enter this story if you like and see if you can see what Maviah saw. It may change the way you understand your Father, your Master, yourself, and your world.'

I’m so grateful and honored to have been given the opportunity to read and review A.D. 30, so many thanks go out to publicist Sara Pence at Shelton Interactive.  

Chase -- Chasing After The Heart of God

Recently, I was contacted by a publicist from Shelton Interactive and asked if I would be interested in reviewing a DVD-driven women’s Bible study by Bible teacher/author/speaker, Jennie Allen. The study is called ‘Chase: Chasing After The Heart Of God.’ I’d heard Jennie on several Focus On The Family radio broadcasts a few months ago, and last year, I’d purchased her latest book, ‘Anything.’ So after prayerfully considering this request, I decided to give it a shot and said yes. 

Never EVER having reviewed anything, I have to admit I was pretty nervous when I received the package from Thomas Nelson Publishing, Inc. and wondered what in the world I had gotten myself into. Inside the package were the various tools of the trade: two books – one for study and one a leader’s guide – a DVD and a small box bursting with cards, labeled ‘ask.’ I was intrigued. 

While at first blush, I was of the honest opinion that this study seemed geared towards and better suited for a younger audience of women, I’ve since rescinded that opinion. This study is for EVERY WOMAN -- young, old and in-between -- who desires to be a woman after God’s own heart. 

The question Jennie Allen asks right out of the gate is:

‘What are you chasing?’

She goes on to state that ‘we’re all chasing something, something that we think will make us happy – comfort, success, a bigger house, or someone’s approval.  But if we are all honest, it feels like trying to catch the wind.’  This statement resonates deeply with me.  

The study is broken down as follows:

Lead -- The leader’s guide totally prepares you to facilitate this study, providing much encouragement and wise counsel along the way. I’ve NEVER facilitated a Bible study. Too scary and overwhelming a prospect for me, although I have several dear friends who have led studies for years and who tell me they can see me doing this.  Reading through the 'Chase'  leader’s guide, I was impressed with the wise and useful advice that Jennie provides, making facilitating the study actually seem doable for someone with zero experience in this realm.  I SO appreciated the attention to detail here with the various tools and tips shared, most especially regarding guiding conversations (and what to do when faced with specific challenges from a group member or members), as well as when and how to refer a deeply hurting member of the group to the proper helpful and professional resources, such as Christian counselors and the Christian 12 step group, Celebrate Recovery.  

Study -- The study guide/workbook uses projects, stories, and bible study to engage the mind and heart.  There are seven weeks of bible study, plus an introductory session. Lesson titles include  ‘courage,’  ‘repentance,’ and  ‘surrender.’  Each chapter is engulfed and practically saturated with relevant portions of Scripture for the particular lesson. I believe that through this study, which explores defining moments in the God-centered, very real and raw, mistake filled and messy life of shepherd, king and psalm writer, David, and the lessons he learned from them, women of all backgrounds and life seasons will gain a greater insight into and understanding of the heart of God.

There is journaling involved (if you’ve never done this, fear not! It’s a wonderful thing to do and no need to be an English major or a professional author to jot down your heart-felt thoughts), and little exercises to get your creative and spiritual juices flowing (although I must admit, I really didn't care for the ones that required you to draw. Everything I draw anymore looks like stick figures done by a preschooler). Getting together with a small, intimate group of women seems to be the best way to go here, but if you are entertaining thoughts of using this for a large group study at your church instead, it would be a good idea to break it down into smaller groups during the study time. 

See -- There are eight short, but deep videos (and conveniently, all on one disc) to provide a starting place for meeting God and for transparent conversations with one another. Each video lasts about is 8-12 minutes. First off, I loved the fact that these were just the right amount of time. I’ve been a part of DVD driven studies where the video took up most of the time, and not allowing for much interaction and sharing among the women. And then, there are the scenes. Oh, those scenes! Jennie has the various sessions filmed in a variety of eclectic locales -- a trailer, her bathroom, a quaint little sewing shop in a small Texas town, an auto salvage yard, a gorgeous field at sunset, to name just a few -- which made Jennie and her lessons come off to me in a very non-threatening, non-self-righteous, simplistic and appealing way. I believe so many women will be able to relate to her. Jennie Allen comes across here as very real and approachable, as she not only speaks of David's struggles and sins, but her own as well. And the feeling I got as I watched was that I was sitting and having a private conversation with a treasured, trusted friend over coffee about the things that matter most to us….and to God. 

Ask-- These are great! Conversation cards offer questions for spontaneous and authentic discussion time. The cards are divided by workbook lesson and have a correlating Scripture verse for the week. The best part about this is that each woman gets to choose the questions that speak to her. Questions like, 

• ‘What has God asked you to do, but you feel afraid to do?‘  

• ‘How do you think God views you?‘

• ‘Are you quick to share weakness or are you afraid of seeming imperfect?’

• ‘Is your desire to please people bigger than your desire to please God? How is that affecting your decisions and life?’

I LOVE this idea, as it’s something quite different to engage the women in the group, to keep things fresh, and to help drive home the particular spiritual truth, as well as encouraging participation in a non-threatening way for those who may not normally speak up in group settings.

On the back of the study workbook, it states that the lessons found in the study guide are simple, yet deep. I wholeheartedly agree.  In the past, I’ve been in bible studies where I was able to finish the week’s homework on my coffee break at work. Believe me, I’m no genius nor bible scholar; it was simply a matter of the study questions barely scratching the surface. They did not cause me to look at and dig deep into my heart and soul for the answers.  

However, 'Chase' will invite you to do just that. It is both engaging and interactive, thought provoking and heart convicting.  You won’t need a PhD in Biblical literature to ‘get’ this study; yet I did not find ‘Chase’ to be a piece of mindless fluff either. This is not a coffee klatch disguised as a Bible study, folks. I enjoyed and was moved by what I learned as I reviewed and worked through the material, and I’m giving some serious thought here to inviting some friends of mine to do this study together in the near future.

So -- What are you chasing?

As summer approaches, this is the time of year when many women’s bible studies are winding down and coming to an end.  Whether you are looking for a summer bible study, or are in search of one to begin once September church activities resume, I encourage you to consider choose Jennie Allen‘s 'Chase.' 

This product has been provided courtesy of  Thomas Nelson Publishing, Inc.,  and  Shelton Interactive.  Many thanks to publicist Sara Pence at Shelton Interactive for providing me with the opportunity to review this study curriculum. 

To learn more about 'Chase' and about Jennie Allen, go to: www.jennieallen.com/