Having heard the Christmas story told and retold more times than we can count, it is easy to view Mary and Joseph as nothing more than paper people whom we encounter every year on the Christmas cards that crowd our mantle. In Road to Bethlehem, a prelude to his popular Seeds of Christianity Series, E. G. Lewis rounds out this flat, two-dimensional view of Mary and Joseph. In his hands they become real flesh and blood people who live, love and interact with the world around them.

Helene Wecker's dazzling debut novel tells the story of two supernatural creatures who appear mysteriously in 1899 New York. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a strange man who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York Harbor. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian Desert. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop.

Based on the acclaimed video series The Chosen, the most amazing story ever told—the life of Jesus—gets a fresh new telling from New York Times best-selling author Jerry B. Jenkins. What was it like to encounter Jesus face-to-face? Journey to Galilee in the first century. See the difference he made in the lives of those he called to follow him and how they were forever transformed. Experience the life and power of the perfect Son of God as never before—through the eyes of everyday people just like you.

Anna the Prophetess is the dramatic chronicle of the only woman to be called prophetess in the scriptures. When Anna’s great niece Julia is exiled to Jerusalem as punishment for her refusal to marry a man old enough to be her father, Anna shares the story of her early days of courtship with her husband. Although Julia’s parents admonished her to observe firsthand how lonely Anna’s life is, Julia instead discovers that her great-aunt’s life is far from lonely - it is full of love, peace, and incredible faith.

Matrona lives in an isolated village, where her life is centered on pleasing her parents. She's diligent in her chores and has agreed to marry a man of their choosing. But a visit to Slava, the local tradesman, threatens to upend her entire life. Entering his empty house, Matrona discovers a strange collection of painted nesting dolls - one for every villager.

Rivkah knows her own sin all too well. She knows the prophets' judgments against women like her - and still believes that prostitution doesn't even compare to the most secret and shameful incident of her past. Not even her best friend knows what she did. Only God knows. Determined to make her way to Caesarea Maritima to confront the mother of her beloved Nathaniel, Jorah has no time to consider the rumors she hears of her brother Jesus' resurrection. She'll stop at nothing to get the answers she needs.

On a blistering day in the 26th year of Augustus Caesar's reign, a young chef, Thrasius, is acquired for the exorbitant price of 20,000 denarii. His purchaser is the infamous gourmet Marcus Gavius Apicius, wealthy beyond measure, obsessed with a taste for fine meals from exotic places and a singular ambition: to serve as culinary adviser to Caesar, an honor that will cement his legacy as Rome's leading epicure.

Roman Tribune Clavius is assigned by Pilate to keep the radical followers of the recently executed Yeshua from stealing the body and inciting revolution. When the body goes missing despite his precautions, Clavius must hunt it down. His investigation leads him from the halls of Herod Antipas to the Garden of Gethsemane and brings him in touch with believer and doubter alike. But as the body still remains missing, Clavius commits to a quest for the truth - and answers that will not only shake his life but echo throughout all of history.

Five decades before the birth of Christ, Chava, daughter of the royal tutor, grows up with Urbi, a princess in Alexandria's royal palace. When Urbi becomes Queen Cleopatra, Chava vows to be a faithful friend no matter what - but after she and Cleopatra have an argument, she finds herself imprisoned and sold into slavery. Torn from her family, her community, and her elevated place in Alexandrian society, Chava finds herself cast off and alone in Rome.

In an era when women are sequestered and silenced, Miryam of Magdala lives a contended life until her son's careless gesture evokes a hostile action that shatters her serenity. With no hope of justice, Miryam commits an unthinkable act... and descends into depths of darkness that threaten her life and her sanity. Even after Yeshua the Messiah dramatically restores her life, Miryam can neither forget nor forgive unresolved injustices.

Wife to a gambler who took one too many risks, Rahab finds herself sold as a slave to cover her husband's debt. Forced into prostitution, she despairs of ever regaining her freedom and her self-respect. But when Israelite spies enter Jericho and come to lodge at her house, Rahab sees a glimmer of hope and the opportunity of a lifetime. In one risky moment, she takes a leap of faith, puts her trust in a God she does not know, and vows to protect the spies from the authorities.

Master storyteller and best-selling author H. B. Moore brings to life the biblical account of Ruth as never before in this vivid retelling of her courageous and faithful life. Following the death of Ruth's husband, she finds herself at a crossroads. Rather than return to her family and hometown, the young widow makes a remarkable decision: she will remain with her mother-in-law, Naomi, as her caretaker and companion.

Bezalel is a Hebrew slave to Ramses II. An artisan of the highest order, Ramses has kept him in the palace even when all other Israelites have been banned. Bezalel blames El Shaddai for isolating him from his people. When Moses and Aaron appear one summer, and El Shaddai shakes Egypt to its core, Bezalel must reexamine his anger. Over the course of the next year, Bezalel's life becomes intertwined with those of an Egyptian child-slave, the captain of the guard, and especially a beautiful young concubine.

Lydia Colburn is a young physician dedicated to serving her village in the Land. When injured fighter pilot Connor Bradshaw's parachute carries him from the war engulfing the 2025 world to her hidden land, his presence threatens her plans, her family, and the survival of her preindustrial society.

Paul, Apostle of Christ is the story of two men. Luke, as a friend and physician, risks his life every time he ventures into the city of Rome to visit Paul, held captive in Nero's bleakest prison cell. Before Paul's execution, Luke resolves to write another book, one that details the beginnings of "The Way" and the birth of what will come to be known as the church. But Nero is determined to rid Rome of Christians.

Three women loved him. Two betrayed him. One fulfilled his destiny. Desired tells the story of the legendary strongman through the eyes of the three most important women in his life. The fiercely loving Jewish mother who nags him toward greatness … and rebellion. The impoverished Philistine girl, Amara, who becomes Samson’s bride. And the emotionally damaged seductress—the legendary Delilah—who becomes the instrument of his destruction and the key to his tragic triumph.

"You will be called Anippe, daughter of the Nile. Do you like it?" Without waiting for a reply, she pulls me into her squishy, round tummy for a hug. I’m trying not to cry. Pharaoh's daughters don't cry. When we make our way down the tiled hall, I try to stop at ummi Kiya's chamber. I know her spirit has flown, yet I long for one more moment. Amenia pushes me past so I keep walking and don't look back. Like the waters of the Nile, I will flow.

Ann Burton, author of the critically acclaimed Abigail's Story, traces Rahab's incredible journey from harlot to heroine. Shorn of her hair, stripped of her clothes, and cast out of her father's house, Rahab now scavenges the streets. Desperate for food, she's soon welcomed by the sisterhood of the House of Palms, a bordello. But after encountering two Israelite spies, Rahab makes a risky, life-altering choice.

Independent-minded Sibylla Spencer feels trapped in 19th-century London, where her strong will and progressive views have rendered her unmarriageable. Still single at 23, she is treated like a child and feels stifled in her controlling father's house. When Benjamin Hopkins, an ambitious employee of her father's trading company, shows an interest in her, she realizes marriage is her only chance to escape.

Ann Burton's critically acclaimed first novel in this compelling Biblical series tells the fictionalized tale of a young Jewish woman who makes pottery to support her family. But when her brother's huge gambling debt threatens to enslave them, she convinces his creditor to marry her and forgive the debt. After her husband sends her to manage his herds in the hills, Abigail grows fond of the rustic inhabitants - and of an enigmatic shepherd soldier who's on a collision course with her husband.

In the waning days of the Ottoman Empire, a young Orthodox Jewish woman in the holy city of Jerusalem is expected to marry and produce many sons to help hasten the Messiah's arrival. While the feisty Esther Kaminsky understands her obligations, her artistic talent inspires her to secretly explore worlds outside her religion, to dream of studying in Paris - and to believe that God has a special destiny for her. When tragedy strikes her family, Esther views it as a warning from an angry God....

Cora is about to discover who she truly is. It’s the summer of 1913, and Cora Kensington’s life on the family farm has taken a dark turn. Not only are the crops failing, but someone dear to Cora is failing as well. One fateful afternoon, a stranger comes to call, and Cora discovers a terrible secret about her past… a secret that will radically change her future. Cora is invited to take the “Grand Tour” of Europe, a trip intended to finish a person’s education and solidify an understanding of refinement and ancient culture.

Raisa was just a child when she was sold into slavery in the kingdom of Qilara. Before she was taken away, her father had been adamant that she learn to read and write. But where she now lives, literacy is a capital offense for all but the nobility. The written language is closely protected, and only the king, prince, tutor, and tutor-in-training are allowed to learn its very highest form.

Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhiminee is many things, none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them. Soon Alec is traveling roads he never knew existed, toward a war he never suspected was brewing. Before long he and Seregil are embroiled in a sinister plot that runs deeper than either can imagine and that may cost them far more than their lives if they fail. But fortune is as unpredictable as Alec's new mentor.

Simon of Cyrene has long dreamed of celebrating Passover in Jerusalem. Yet the journey of a thousand miles seems impossible: Simon is crippled, and his beloved wife has been ravaged by a debilitating affliction. So when his sons arrange special passage to Jerusalem for Simon and his wife, the couple is overcome with joy and anticipation. It seems that an impossible dream is within reach...but their journey is fraught with unexpected perils, from deadly gales to dangerous thieves.

In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons can be whomever they choose. Tess is none of these things. Tess is...different. She speaks out of turn, has wild ideas, and can't seem to keep out of trouble. Then Tess goes too far. Tess's family decide the only path for her is a nunnery. But on the day she is to join the nuns, Tess chooses a different path for herself. She cuts her hair, pulls on her boots, and sets out on a journey. She's not running away, she's running towards something.

In 1540, 12-year-old Jahan arrives in Istanbul. As an animal tamer in the sultan's menagerie, he looks after the exceptionally smart elephant Chota and befriends (and falls for) the sultan's beautiful daughter Princess Mihrimah. A palace education leads Jahan to Mimar Sinan, the empire's chief architect, who takes Jahan under his wing as they construct (with Chota's help) some of the most magnificent buildings in history.

In an ancient land in a time foretold by prophets, a babe was born beneath a shining star. Thirty years later, Jesus of Nazareth began teaching a message of hope, peace, and love. He claimed to be the Son of God, and his words - and his life - would change the world. Though David ben Joseph is quick to accept Jesus as the Messiah, the rest of his family is more cautious.

Ireland, 1845. To Briana Walsh, no place on earth is more beautiful than Carrowteige, County Mayo. The small farms that surround the centuries-old Lear House are managed by her father, agent to the wealthy, reckless Sir Thomas Blakely. Tenant farmers sell the oats and rye they grow to pay rent to Sir Thomas, surviving on the potatoes that flourish in the remaining scraps of land. But when the potato crop falls prey to a devastating blight, families Briana has known all her life are left with no food, no resources, and no mercy from the English landowner.

CBA best-selling author and Carol Award winner Kim Vogel Sawyer weaves tales of romance and faith that keep fans coming back for more. In Through the Deep Waters, timid Dinah Hubley takes a job as a chambermaid in a Kansas hotel after leaving her life in a Chicago brothel. Carrying memories that shame her to the core, Dinah spurns the attention of Amos Ackerman, a farmer who knows the healing power of Christ’s love.