Up from Dust: Martha's Story

by Heather Kaufman

Book Overview

"Heather Kaufman gives us a biblical story with a heart for today's world, pulling out an array of joy and hope, sorrow and loss. Ultimately, this book consumed me with absolute delight."--Mesu Andrews, Christy Award-winning author

"Taking us on an intriguing journey through heartbreak and healing, this strong debut from Heather Kaufman leads readers directly to the joy of the empty tomb."--Connilyn Cossette, Christy Award winner and ECPA...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1540903567
• ISBN13: 9781540903563
• Release Date: January 2024
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.6" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Superb Biblical Fiction

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.

Worth your time and money

This book has given me a depth of understanding and a new perspective on the people of Jesus' time. Oftentimes when I read the Bible I just think about those particular stories and those single instances, I don't often consider the moments leading up to the stories in the Bible. Sometimes the people become pretty one dimensional to me and just another "story". This book brought to life Martha, Mary and Lazarus in a way I've never considered before and their relationship with Jesus was so amazing to read. The struggles, the joys, the everyday life are all written in a way that makes me want to spend more time with them. I know it's fiction and is one person's ideas of what life was like but the research and storytelling is phenomenal and made me do some digging into the scriptures. This story brought more understanding to what I've read in the Bible. It is SO worth your time and money.

Brings the Bible to life

Whew. My emotions are all over the place right now. I love the way this author brought the Biblical Martha to life. Her fictional backstory was definitely plausible, and it was interesting to see the possibilities there. The way Heather Kaufman described what the siblings' relationships could have been like made a lot of sense, too. And you know, I never think about Jesus as an adolescent, but I love the brief picture this book paints of Him. Also, I could SEE Jesus eating. How have I never even considered how flavorful/spicy He would have liked His food? He was human, after all, and not only God. But this author made Him REAL. I think, for myself at least, that since I am always holding Him up as God, I forget the humanity of Him. And the account of Lazarus in the tomb. The events that led to it, Martha's interaction with Jesus when He comes, and then the result of His appearing. How sad that the actual Biblical account no longer brings me to tears, but this book did? I'm ashamed to say that I take the Bible for granted, and I am in awe of authors who can bring it to life. And then, chills. I had literal goosebumps on my arms. All over. Jesus has risen.

a powerful reminder of God's love for us and his redemptive power

I haven't heard of many books about Martha of Bethany, probably partly because we only see a few glimpses into her life in Scripture. But we know she was a hardworking woman of faith, and had a close relationship with Jesus, along with her brother and sister. In Up From Dust, Heather Kaufman gives a beautiful glimpse into more of who Martha might have been, and creates a woman with whom many of us can relate: someone who has endured loss, suffering, and grief, and who has struggled to have faith in Jesus as a result. But just like He does with us, Jesus doesn't leave Martha in that place of doubt and pain. The powerful, life-changing, personal love that Jesus has for Martha is the same love he has for all of us. While we may not be privileged to look Him in the face yet, believers in Jesus get to look forward to the joyous day when we can do just that. And in the meantime, we can be confident of His great love for us. The powerful reminder of that love, and of the redemption and restoration Jesus brings to our lives, is the best part of this delightful book. I was provided an advance reader copy by the publisher. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A beautifully woven tapestry by author Heather Kaufman!!!

Well my opinion is that this is a great story! It is a fictional account taken from a true Biblical story that has been written about several times, and one I usually pass up because of that reason, but I kept hearing about this book, so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did! It hooked me from the start, and focused on the Biblical Martha from Bethany, but did not only tell how Martha complained about her sister Mary not helping her with the work when Jesus came to visit them (which really happened), which is normally written about her. No, Heather Kaufman took a familiar biblical character,and brought her to life in an amazing story, one that was super engaging, well written, interesting, and held my attention all the way to the end. She kept it true to Scriptures, but shared her own ideas of what she imagined about Martha, and wove that into an amazing story...a sort of "what if" story, that I really related to, and really enjoyed! She made Martha real to me, and along with her brother, Lazarus, and her sister, Mary, the whole story came to life in an incredibly enjoyable way!!! So I highly recommend this book, and give it 5 stars, and am so glad I didn't pass it up!!!