Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1 and collect the clues through all the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top five grand prizes!

*The hunt BEGINS on 10/15 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.

*Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (NOT Explorer).

*There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt–you have all weekend (until Sunday, 10/18 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way. Our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.

*Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

I’m always happy to be a part of this bit of fun. I’ve been writing since the time of Moses (almost), in several different genres. Lately I’ve been doing historical fiction featuring biblical characters, and I’ve learned so much!

My new release is featured below. It’s the story of two sisters, both of whom are related to Jesus (the Bible says Jesus had at least two sisters and several brothers.) The Bible tells us very little about them, so I’ve invented a story that might well mirror their thoughts and feelings about their unique sibling.

The Shepherd’s Wife

Why did I choose to make Pheodora, sister to Yeshua, marry a shepherd?

During my research, I was surprised to learn that shepherds were despised in Israel. Because they associated with animals and often had to handle dead bodies, they were ritually unclean, and could not attend services at the Temple without undergoing ritual purification. No one else could touch them, and, as human nature always does, things went a step further–soon no one wanted to associate with a shepherd or even speak to them. They gained a reputation for being untrustworthy and sly . . . so why would I want my heroine to marry one?

Ah, but consider the night Yeshua (Jesus) was born. To whom did the angels appear? Who were the first to see the newborn savior? The shepherds who watched the flocks outside Bethlehem, the lowliest of the low. God certainly didn’t think them untouchable or unworthy, for they were given a direct invitation by the angels. They were the ones who delivered the news to everyone they met, including those who worked at the Temple like Simeon and Anna the prophetess.

How do we know this? Ordinary people did not keep flocks in Israel, for the land was too valuable to give over to herds. A family might have a goat and some chickens, but the only animals allowed to be kept in a flock were those destined for Temple sacrifices. That’s why Bethlehem had shepherds–they lived only about six miles from Jerusalem and the Temple, and the rocky hillsides in that area were not good for farming.

Pheodora, my heroine, had a sister, and I chose to have her marry a wealthy merchant’s son. The people of that day thought it a great blessing to be able to do nothing but study Torah, and the only way that was possible is if someone else could provide for you. So Damaris, the other sister, had a father-in-law who was wealthy enough to provide for her husband and his family, so she lived among the wealthy while Pheodora lived among the poor.

Opposites are always interesting, and create great opportunities for dramatic tension.

I hope you will enjoy the story of THE SHEPHERD’S WIFE, and here’s a heads up–there’s a story within the story, a tale of the goats of Yom Kippur, that is part of the historical record. It is fascinating! I could never invent such a unique twist.

If you’re interested, you can order THE SHEPHERD’S WIFE on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, or at your local bookstore!

Here are the Stop #6 Basics:

Here’s the CLUE TO WRITE DOWN:

STRESSES,

Here’s the link to Stop #7, Sharon Hinck’s website.

But wait, before you go, I am also offering an extra prize: I’ll choose THREE winners and send out three copies of my latest book, REDEEMING LOVE, A COMPANION STUDY, which I wrote with Francine Rivers. This book will let you spend more time in the world of Angel and Michael Hosea, and will open your eyes to new meaning in Francine’s beloved novel.

All you have to do to enter is enter your name in the Rafflecopter form below. US residents only, please.

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy the hunt!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1 Comment

  1. Tashia M Jennings

    Thank you for this wonderful chance.

    Reply

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