You know how one thing leads to another and things get pushed back and put off and eventually you think you should just forget about and you feel guilty about not getting it done? Well, this book review is one of those things. I finished it ages ago. I couldn't let the review slide any longer though, for two reasons. 1) It would be stealing to accept a book for review and never review it and 2) I loved this book! How could I not share it with you?
Lazarus Awakening is the third book in Joanna Weaver's Bethany series. I've wanted to read Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World for a long time. Now I'd love to also read Having a Mary Spirit.
I loved everything about this book. Being a "why?" kind of girl, I enjoyed finding out a bit of Biblical background about culture and society as well as explanations about the original words used and their meanings. For example, two Greek words are translated in English as friend, philos and hetairos. Jesus used philos to describe Lazarus, meaning someone loved and dear. In Matthew 26:50, "And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him" we might wonder why would Jesus refer to Judas as a friend. The Greek word used here was hetairos, more rightly meaning, according to Spiros Zodhiates, means to "establish a... deceptive and misleading friendship."
My husband teases me about all the highlighting I did in this book while reading it. It was just so full of wonderful thoughts. And such a difference from the last book I reviewed.
You can read the first chapter here.
There are wonderful resources and helps in the many appendices in this book, including a ten-week Bible Study. I somehow missed the red banner on the cover of this book with that information, so will be re-reading Lazarus Awakening while actually following the study.
I highly recommend this book. Remember, "good things come to those who wake."
I was provided with a free copy of this book by Waterbrook/Multnomah in exchange for my honest opinion.
