Magdalene by Rachel Starr Thomson

Rachel Starr Thomson is an author I learned about just last year. Of the ones I’ve read, her books are often allegories of the spiritual world—the angels, the demons, a Savior, and a kingdom not of this world. Of her books, the Seventh World Trilogy and the Oneness Cycle series are the most popular, and though I don’t have the complete sets of either series, I love the ones I have read. Secular fantasy is sometimes hard to grasp because it’s, well, fantasy, and fiction doesn’t often provide the depth I’m looking for while reading. But allegory is a genre I never tire of, especially when it connects clearly to Scripture and the Gospel.

Rachel also writes shorter works, one of which I’m happy to review today. Magdalene is a short story retelling of the biblical Mary Magdalene: a follower of Christ rescued from demon possession by none other than the Messiah she followed.

In order to understand the references and implications of this story, it is helpful to have a solid knowledge of the whole Gospel picture. In Magdalene, Mary is called Miriam, and that is fitting because the name Mary and Miriam come from the same Hebrew word, and the name Mary is frequently in the form of the name Miriam. Her name, along with the Israelite history, takes us back to the beginning of Exodus to the woman Miriam was named after—Moses’ sister. Beginning with her state under demon possession and ending with the resurrection of Christ, Rachel captures the emotion, imagery, and history of long ago her in her retelling of Mary Magdalene. It’s a beautiful story; the perfect length to read and reread again.

You can find Rachel Starr Thomson’s website HERE. The first books of both the Seventh World Trilogy and the Oneness Cycle are free [Kindle version] on her website, and I highly recommend you check them out!

Favorite Quotes

Slavery is letting the light go out of your eyes. And she wanted a miracle, like the miracles in the stories the rabbis told.

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Only when her eyes are heavy and her limbs numb can her mind find any peace. Her life is a long seizure, but here and there is a quiet aftermath, and she rests.

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She can still feel His touch. His strong grip. She closes her eyes to soak it in, to let memory saturate her nerves.

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Suddenly a voice thunders: God’s voice, mighty in the olive trees, lighter than the angel, voice like the shofar, like a song, like deliverance from Egypt.

Girl Defined by Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird

I had never heard of the authors of this book or the book itself until social media exploded with the upcoming release news. Twitter, Amazon, publishing house email updates, comments from friends, and just general book news updates from ministries. I didn't pay much attention to it as new book releases happen frequently, and because it's a "normal" thing in my social media streams to see book news. However, when Baker Books put it out for review, I decided to request it because a friend had said I would like it. They were right. ;)

Back Cover:
What is God's design for women?
In a culture where airbrushed models and ultra-driven career women define beauty and success, it's no wonder we have a distorted view of femininity. "Girl Defined" offers a distinctly God-centered view of beauty, femininity, and self-worth. Based firmly in God's design for our lives, this book invites us on a liberating journey toward a radically better vision for femininity--one that ends with the kind of hope, purpose, and fulfillment we've been yearning for.

Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird are sisters, lifelong friends, and the founders of GirlDefined Ministries. These Texas gals are passionate about God's beautiful design for womanhood and love sharing this message through blogging, speaking, and mentoring young women.
www.girldefined.com

For the girls who have followed the biblical womanhood theme throughout their life, you might be thinking "Not ANOTHER book on this topic!" But yes, there is. However, this book is like a combination of all the books you've probably read. I like to compare it to Leslie Ludy's Set-Apart Femininity and Anna Sophia and Elizabeth Botkin's So Much More. Here's why. Leslie Ludy is a married woman looking back on her single years. The Botkin sisters are both single looking forward to either more single years or to marriage if the Lord wills. Both perspectives are valid and important today, even though both those books were written 8-10 years ago. However, you have something a little different from Bethany and Kristen. One is single, the other married, and together they compare and combine their experiences, giving a complete picture of biblical womanhood for the immediate present. If you read books that are purely one perspective, you end up focusing on one or the other too much sometimes. But Girl Defined has an amazing balance. 

Coming from a family of eight (five girls and three boys), these two Texan girls redefine the meaning of womanhood in light of Scripture. They wrote this book because they're passionate about the glory of God and because the Lord provided the opportunity for them to coauthor a book in order to share that glory with the rest of the world. They quote or use the stories from past and present "heroes" of the faith, such as Elisabeth Elliot, C.S. Lewis, Susan Hunt, Mary Kassian, Nancy (Demoss) Wolgemuth, Ian and Larissa Murphy, and Sheila Gregoire. They also use personal examples from their own lives and from the lives of their friends. They discuss the culture and "femininity gone wrong", as well as womanhood and godly living according to Scripture. Ending with a femininity worth fighting for, these girls leave the reader with biblical hope and encouragement. You're not supposed to read this book and then place it on a shelf. You're supposed to read it, pass it along, and then live out the bold, radical, anchored, vigilant, and empowered life as a fierce warrior of Christ. 

In today's culture of gender and marriage confusion, Kristen and Bethany provide a refreshing reminder of what our lives must look like, whether married or single. Our identity is in Christ, and because of that, we need not fear what any one thinks of what we're doing or what we look like. We will appear different, but that's because we have the end of the story of the world written in our hearts and it compels us to find fulfillment and worth in something other than this world can offer. 

Definitely a book to read and then buy for a friend. Each chapter also includes a study guide, which I, personally, did not use. 

Favorite Quotes

God doesn't need an army to accomplish his work; he just needs a few faithful followers.

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When the mighty forces come against God-defined femininity, our sisterhood will remain like a rope with many cords. 

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Imagine what could happen if you lived with your eternal home in mind. 

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You only get one shot at doing things right. You only get one life to live for Christ.

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Hard work is a good and godly thing. 

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God's design transcends time and culture and is always relevant.

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Being a wife is truly an indespensable role.

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When I take God at his word and value the things he values, I find real purpose.

Disclosure: 

I received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.