Mary worshiped. Martha served. But what did Lazarus do to experience Jesus’s lavish love?
Filmed in the Holy Land, this DVD companion to Joanna Weaver’s book Lazarus Awakeningexplores
the incredible truth that Jesus loves us apart from our works or our
worthiness. He wants to call us out of our tombs and into friendship
with Him.
Designed for use with the book and companion study
guide, this three-disc DVD Bible study is formatted for both individual
and group use, with content suitable for both men and women. · In-depth Bible study: Features eight 15- to 17-minute video sessions. · Bonus “Israel Moment” videos explore the life of Christ and the Holy Land. · Designed for use with the study guide and book. · Leader’s guide, promotional material, and retreat format included.
My Review:
The author, Joanna Weaver is well known for her books on Mary and Martha and in this study, she brings Lazarus "to life" as a person whose life we can learn from if currently struggling through a time of spiritual darkness. The study guides the viewer to a place of fellowship with God and the knowledge that He wants to have a relationship with us. (A fact we all know, but not always fully accept.) This study gives you the chance to go really indepth and is suitable for self-study but it would be advantageous to do it as part of a group study, with the sense of community involved helping to bring awareness to the need of fellowship with God and others.
A negative for me was that some of the camera angles bothered me, so I did much better just listening, although I confess the scenes from the Holy Land were gorgeous. I also did this without reading the book. I have loved other books by this author, so I feel it would have been more advantageous and given me a greater understanding if I had experienced the book before attempting the study.
Disclaimer: I received this DVD/Study Guide Pack from Blogging for Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review.
Joanna Weaver is the best-selling author of Having a Mary
Heart in a Martha World, Having a Mary Spirit, Lazarus Awakening, and the
award-winning gift book With This Ring. Her articles have appeared in such
publications as Focus on the Family, Guideposts, and HomeLife. Joanna and her
pastor-husband, John, have three children and live in Montana. Visit her
website at www.JoannaWeaverBooks.com.
Sisters of Lazarus: Beauty Unveiled by Paula K. Parker is more than just a story about the two sisters, Mary and Martha, we know from the Bible. Anyone who has been raised on "Christianese" has heard someone described as a Mary or a Martha and made assumptions on their work ethic based solely on one word. This book goes beyond the few facts we know from Scripture and weaves a spellbinding tale that is sure to change the readers perspective. Author Paula K. Parker was curious about why the sisters were so different and has told a story that infuses life into these women, their family, and their friends. The elder sister, Martha, is described as a plain woman who believes her only value is in her accomplishments. She is a hard-worker and takes pride in all she does. Mary has no apparent skills, and believes that her beauty is all she has to offer. When their brother, Lazarus, offers hospitality to Jesus and his disciples, the sisters learn that neither works nor outward beauty is the reason they are valuable to God.
This beautifully told story quickly draws you in and the characters spring to
life in a way that makes a familiar story fresh. I have even taken part in Bible studies on these 2 women, but have never considered them through much more than the 'working for God' vs 'listening to God' angle. More than just a photograph of their lives though, Paula creates a rich tapestry that is beautiful and functional. The research put into the time period and the characteristics of the people portrayed is outstanding. The veil truly is lifted to enable the reader to see the beauty of both women as well as the failures and faults. Seeing the transformations in their lives through the encounters they have with Jesus not only caused me to have a richer understanding of what life was possibly like for these two women, but to also think about what I consider of value in me and how God sees me.
Although historical fiction is not always my favorite genre, this story was told within the realm of possibility without attempting to distort facts that are found in Scripture. Fact and fiction were interwoven in a manner that highlight what was happening through characters you care about. Several things made me pause and think, which is a sign of a good book (or film) for me. But the line that hit me the most forcibly was said by one of the people whom Jesus healed . When others were celebrating him and his healing, he said, "I did nothing except look for Jesus". Wow! That is a simple, but profound statement that reminded me that only one thing is truly important...and, for the first time, I gained a better understanding of Jesus' words about Mary. I definitely recommend Sisters of Lazarus: Beauty Unveiled.
Disclaimer: I did receive a free download of the book from the publisher, through NetGalley.com in order to write this review. I was only asked for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
