up from dust | first line friday + the friday 56

first line friday is hosted weekly by reading is my superpower.
book beginnings is hosted weekly by rose city reader.
the friday 56 is hosted weekly by my head is full of books.

happy friday!

up from dust was one of my last february reads, and i definitely enjoyed this exploration of a well-known biblical figure.

first line: firelight illuminates their faces—these beautiful, inquisitive children with wide-open hearts.

page 56: would she laugh at the way i was swooning over a shepherd boy? or worse yet, would she tell my father?

about the book

"A biblical story with a heart for today's world, pulling out an array of joy and hope, sorrow and loss."--Mesu Andrews, award-winning author

"Taking us on an intriguing journey through heartbreak and healing, Heather Kaufman leads her readers directly to the joy of the empty tomb."--Connilyn Cossette, award-winning author

Martha of Bethany is no stranger to adversity. After her mother's untimely death, Martha shoulders the responsibility of raising her siblings--quiet and studious Lazarus, and wild and rambunctious Mary. She finds solace in friendship and the beginnings of first love, but just as Martha begins to imagine a new future, hardship strikes again and her dreams crumble into dust.

Ten years later, Martha's friend pleads for the new teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, to come and heal her husband. When Martha discovers that the carpenter-rabbi is connected to her past, she's not sure she can trust him with her future. But as he continues to perform miracles, the invitation to believe becomes harder to resist, renewing Martha's hardened heart, even as she faces an unknown future.

goodreads | amazon | barnes & noble | bookbub | bookshop | christian book

now, feel free to leave a line from a book near you in the comments below.
and be sure to stop by reading is my superpower,  rose city reader, + my head is full of books for a peek into other books.