A couple of years ago my sister gave me a wonderful gift for my birthday. It was a set of books: the Mark of the Lion trilogy written by Francine Rivers, including A Voice in the Wind, An Echo in the Darkness, and As Sure As the Dawn. I am an avid reader but reading for pleasure had been sidelined for several years when my children were still very young. I anxiously dove into the first book and was hooked. Lust, drugs, blood, guts, lies, murder, and other atrocities—all the makings of a great Christian fiction book! What?? Yes, it’s all in there. But also in the books is the constant reminder of God’s love and the good news of Jesus Christ.
The first book, A Voice in the Wind begins in 70 A.D. right after Emperor Titus’ capture of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple. Many of the Jews and new Christians were driven out and sold into slavery. One of the book’s main characters, Hadassa, is a Christian from Jerusalem sold into slavery at the villa of a rich prestigious Roman family. Throughout the book Hadassa’s faith is put to the test. Hadassa knows God has a plan for her, but like most of us, it isn’t always crystal clear with precise directions. Hadassa’s perseverance and humility under her dire conditions reflect her love of God and acceptance of Jesus Christ as her savior and redeemer. It is in her caring and humble nature that she lets her light shine and shows Christ’s love through her actions, and many times, through her inactions. This message will have a great impact on both “old” and “new” Christians alike.
Another great attribute of the trilogy is its rich descriptions of historical fact. I have a confession. One of my favorite movies is “Gladiator.” The gladiatorial games and training are an intricate part of the plot in all of the books. Ms. Rivers goes into quite a bit of detail about how gladiators are acquired and trained, and how the games were such an integral part of Roman society. Roman society itself is also written about in such detail, that I really did have to pull myself into the 21st century whenever I put the book down. I highly recommend all three books.
At the end of A Voice in the Wind be sure to read the introduction to An Echo in the Darkness and make sure you already have a copy, as you will want to pick it up immediately.
Want to share an inspirational book? Send a review to Erin Hielkema at ehielkema @hotmail.com or place it in the newsletter mailbox in the church office.