Unafraid
Chapter One
Mary sat alone beneath a mustard tree, her hands covering her face. Did all
brides feel this way when the contracts were signed, gifts given, and futures
sealed by the will of others? She trembled at the prospect of life with a man
she hardly knew, other than as a man admired and befriended by her father upon
his arrival in Nazareth three years ago.
"He's of our tribe, Anne," Joachim had announced after meeting Joseph at the
synagogue. "And descended from the royal line of David."
"Is he married?" Her mother cast an eye toward Mary.
Thus had plans for her future been set in motion, for her father was quick to
find out that Joseph was looking for a wife from the tribe of Judah, a
descendant of David, a young woman of unquestioned virtue and faith. Mary knew
their ambitions. Mary's older sister was married to a Nazarene, and her parents
hoped to marry their younger daughter to another man of their own tribe. And of
course he must be devout, kind, and able to provide a good home for her and any
children she might give him. So they invited the carpenter to their home
frequently, and Joseph ... read full excerpt from: Unafraid ebook
