Heather Kaufman

Up from Dust: Martha’s Story by Heather Kaufman is a fictional account of what Martha’s life may have been like outside of what we see in the Bible about Lazarus’s sibling. The Bible shows that Martha, her brother Lazarus, and her sister Mary shared a close relationship with Jesus Christ. We learn from the Bible how Martha rushed around when Jesus and his disciples came to visit the family. Yet we are told Mary elected to sit at Jesus’s feet. Yet, much of her life’s story remains untold.

But have you ever wondered why Martha acted like she did? The author takes her readers through Martha’s childhood and life until after Jesus Christ died on the cross. If you enjoy reading this type of story, I definitely recommend reading this book. If you appreciate the idea of what life outside of what we know from the Bible may have been like for the people in the Bible, you will probably enjoy this book. However, if you only want to read the Bible verbatim, you may want to skip this book.

I found this book to be an interesting exploration of Martha’s life and how her relationship with God and Jesus grew and evolved over time.

So, if you enjoy works of Biblical fiction, check out Up from Dust: Martha’s Story by Heather Kaufman.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.… (meer)

Emotional, heart wrenching and Biblically based makes this fiction book outstanding. I loved this story and cried through the whole thing. The author does an amazing job of giving us vivid descriptions of each scene. This sent shivers down my spine,” Death is imminent. It’s as close as our skin.” Can you imagine being that close to the tomb knowing that death was there?

While the story is very engaging and I loved following Mary I will say I felt like I knew her better than I ever have before. The author captures emotions so well that each trial, heartache or achievement witnessed or experienced was vivid. We see how it was hard for women at times during this time period and how Mary was someone who never gave up. Did she know what her future was going to be? I can’t imagine the pain and anguish as the ending is overwhelming to me. I applaud the author for a story that reminds us that a sacrifice was made for each one of us.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.… (meer)

What a beautiful story that fills in the what might have happened in the life of Martha and her siblings of Mary and Lazarus. I found it very thought provoking and the perfect week to read as you feel like you are traveling the road with this family as the crucifixion of Jesus approaches. I had never considered how they must have felt and endured. I must say I was so engaged in this story that I felt like I was there viewing the life of Martha and all the hurts and scars that made her who she was. I could identify with her and how she over compensated in working to hide her pain. It was joyous at times and heartbreaking at others so make sure you have tissues. I love this quote from the prologue, I see His hand in my story like a weaver’s shuttle through the warp, steady and sure, pulling here, loosening there, doing the work necessary for beauty.
God does create beauty from the ashes of our lives and this book creates and crafts a beautiful story of healing. A well written and flowing story that ebbs into your heart and mind and leaves you contemplating it for days afterwards. I was blessed in reading and look forward to more by this debut author. I highly recommend adding to the top of your must read pile quickly. You will not be disappointed.
I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.… (meer)