Johanna's Journey: In the Shadow of the Mountain

By Cindy Murray Hamblen

Strange oil, a secret box, mean girls, and an ugly toad occupy the minds and adventures of best friends Johanna and Kenyeh when they joyfully reunite at Mt. Sinai where Johanna’s Hebrew people are living. Together the best friends face mean girls, a bully, and a scary old man while also learning from Moses the way the Hebrews (or Israelites) are to live and worship now that they are freed from slavery. Kenyeh grows in faith in the God of Israel as Grandfather teaches her about Him, while Johanna’s faith grows stronger as she sees His power. Both girls look forward to packing up and moving into the land the LORD has given to the Hebrews. Together they dream of good things to come. But first, there is much to learn in the shadow of the great mountain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ambassador International
• Release date: Nov 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781620204535

Book preview

ENDORSEMENT FOR

JOHANNA’S JOURNEY: IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN

"Carefully researched and placed in the historical and cultural context of the times, Johanna’s Journey: In the Shadow of the Mountain gives the Biblical story a fresh and colorful look through the eyes of a young Hebrew girl whose feelings and dreams are not that different from those of young girls today. Biblical truths couched in life lessons are derived from the trials and triumphs of growing up in a community that is facing uncertainty, danger and the need to rely on God’s provision and protection. This sequel, along with the first in the series, is a valuable addition to any home library, Sunday School, or home school curriculum for girls."

—W. Howard Brown, Ph.D.

Youth Learning Institute

Clemson University

JOHANNA’S JOURNEY: CALL TO FREEDOM

FINALIST FOR THE 2015 SELAH AWARD

FOR MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS!

"Cindy has been a member of the church I attend for many years and has been effective in reaching girls. Her burden to encourage, protect, and equip girls in the vulnerable tween-aged years has led to Johanna’s Journey: Call to Freedom which I highly recommend."

—Dr. A.A. (Buzz) Baker,

assistant to the President,

Child Evangelism Fellowship International

Table of Contents

Endorsements

Title Page

Copyright Information

Dedication

Cast of Characters

Chapter One

Chapter One Life Tip:

Chapter Two

Chapter Two Life Tip:

Chapter Three

Chapter Three Life Tip:

Chapter Four

Chapter Four Life Tip:

Chapter Five

Chapter Five Life Tip:

Chapter Six

Chapter Six Life Tip:

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven Life Tip:

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight Life Tip:

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine Life Tip:

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten Life Tip:

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven Life Tip:

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve Life Tip:

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen Life Tip:

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen Life Tip:

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen Life Tip:

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen Life Tip:

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen Life Tip:

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen Life Tip:

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen Life Tip:

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty Life Tip:

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One Life Tip:

Livna’s Wedding Treats

Contact Information

JOHANNA’S JOURNEY

In the Shadow of the Mountain

This is historical fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locations is entirely coincidental.

© 2016 by Cindy Murray Hamblen

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a data base or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-62020-545-7

eISBN: 978-1-62020-453-5

Scripture quotations taken from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV® Text Edition: 2011. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Cover and interior art: Melody Knighton

Cover design and typesetting: Hannah Nichols

E-book conversion: Anna Riebe Raats

AMBASSADOR INTERNATIONAL

Emerald House

411 University Ridge

Suite B14

Greenville, SC 29601, USA

www.ambassador-international.com

AMBASSADOR BOOKS

The Mount

2 Woodstock Link

Belfast, BT6 8DD, Northern Ireland, UK

www.ambassadormedia.co.uk

In memory of Rev. Frank R. Hamblen, who first opened the Scriptures to me and whose love for Israel and her people took root in my own heart.

Thank you, above all, to my loving husband Steve for believing in the value and worth of this book series and for pulling out all stops to help and encourage me. Secondly, I thank my beloved sister Betsy Fowler for her constant supply of encouragement and for sharing my first book with her many friends in the Detroit area. Thank you to my dear friend April Williams and the lovely Daniel girls—Rachel, Nicole, and mom Trish—as you took time to, yet again, read my manuscript and offer your thoughts. To Chris Gibbs, with her wonderful ministry of Walk Through the Bible, I thank you for your suggestions and for taking my book along on your travels. I appreciate Howard and Donna Brown for their wise counsel as professionals in the field of education (especially Donna’s reminder to challenge rather than preach.) My dear friend Kristi Wetzel shared technical information and friend Jim Hebel gave marketing pointers which are most appreciated. Having a prayer team this second time around has been empowering, so I thank: Mary Jane Hamblen, Amy Fletcher, Betsy Fowler, Madi Habib, Ann Brewton, Debbie Bell, April Williams, and Cindy Driskell. And, finally, to the darling girls, my readers, who have spoken or written words of thanks and enthusiasm for book one, I give you book two with love and best wishes for a fun and encouraging read.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

NON-FICTIONAL: (NOT MADE UP BUT REALLY LIVED)

MOSES—The Lord’s chosen man to lead the Israelites to Canaan. From the tribe of Levi

CANAAN—Home of the Hebrew Ancestors before the years of slavery in Egypt

HEBREWS—another name for Israelites

JOSHUA—Moses’ assistant and the leader of the army

AARON—Moses’ brother who became the first high priest of Israel

EPHRAIM—name of the tribe to which Johanna’s family belonged. Strong in warfare

LEVITES—tribe God chose to lead the worship and to care for the tabernacle.

TRIBES OF ISRAEL—twelve tribes descended from Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, Dan, Asher, Gad, Naphtali which made up the Hebrew (or Israelite) nation

FICTIONAL: (MADE UP FOR THIS STORY)

FATHER—Johanna’s father

MOTHER—Johanna’s mother

SAMUEL—Johanna’s younger brother by five years

GRANDFATHER—Father of Johanna’s father and Uncle Elad

GRANDMOTHER—named Ephrat, mother of Johanna’s father and Uncle Elad

UNCLE ELAD—Father’s brother and husband of Aunt Chava

Aunt Chava—Uncle Elad’s wife and mother to Johanna’s cousins

ASA—Johanna’s oldest cousin and son of Elad

LIVNA—Uncle Elad’s second child. Johanna’s role model

ETHAN—Uncle Elad’s third child and twin to Rina

RINA—Uncle Elad’s daughter and twin to Ethan

GILON—betrothed to Livna. Of the tribe of Ephraim

KENYEH—Johanna’s best friend. Daughter to Midianite Ibsam and Ethiopian Adina

IBSAM—leader of Master Kufu’s caravan and father to Kenyeh

MASTER KUFU—owner of Egyptian caravan and husband to Mistress Nesset

METU—Ethiopian youth who helped Ibsam on the caravan

NATHAN—Son of Daraf. Two years older than Johanna. Friend from earlier years

JONAH BEN GURION—widower friend of Grandfather also of the tribe of Ephraim

THE PRINCE—proud bully from the clan of Korach and tribe of Levi

QUEEN BEE—beautiful girl who led the group of girls which seemed to wander freely

LIZARD TONGUE—chatterbox girl who followed and tried to impress Queen Bee

CHAPTER ONE

THE MARKET

JOHANNA COULDN’T EAT. SHE TRIED to finish a piece of bread, but her excitement had her stomach tied in knots. Why is everyone taking so long? she said looking at her grandparents and mother, who sat in the family tent finishing their morning porridge. Father and Samuel are outside and ready to go. Shall I wrap up the bread and cheese, Mother? We need to go soon. There will be so many people at the market.

Calm down, child, said Grandfather. The sun has just barely risen! Besides, most people won’t be looking for what you seek. If there is some to be had, we’ll find it. He smiled at his granddaughter as he stood and swept crumbs from his brown tunic. Mother and Grandmother followed his lead, donning their woolen outer robes to fend off the chilly early morning air.

The Israelites were camped at Mt. Sinai, a towering mountain that cast its shadow over the thousands of tents clustered about its base. They expected to camp there for several months as they waited for God to tell their leader, Moses, that it was time to pack up and head to the new land He promised to them. A market area had been set up where the people could trade for all sorts of items. Today was Johanna’s very first visit to the market.

Finally, the family set out. The rising sun cast a beautiful spray of deep rose across the horizon in the distant sky. Walking beside Grandfather, Johanna carried a small, narrow basket with items for trade. The tan basket had a long strap made of woven reed that was slung over her shoulder. I wonder if I’ll see any of my friends there? Sara? Rivka? Mara? Nathan? She felt her heart quicken at the thought of seeing Nathan.

It wasn’t too hard to know the way since there were many people walking to market that day. Father said that the marketplace was located on the outskirts of the tribe of Simeon. If they looked for the flag of that tribe, a sword against a green background, they would see the market area beside it. Father carried six-year-old Samuel on his shoulders so he could be a watchman for the banner.

Other families walked ahead of them and behind. A few used donkeys to carry bundles of items for trade. The animals plodded along, tails swishing, while children darted in and out among the clusters of people. The sun rose high and warmed the chilly morning air. Except for the great pillar-like cloud of the LORD, there wasn’t a cloud in the blue sky. Johanna looked at the great cloud way up ahead and smiled to think that the LORD was keeping His promise to be with them. He had freed them from slavery in Egypt, and now He was leading them with His great cloud by day that turned into a giant, beautiful pillar of fire at night. Nowadays, the cloud did not move because the LORD had told Moses to stay camped by Mt. Sinai.

As they walked along, Johanna observed the many camps of the Hebrew clans. There were thousands of black and brown goat hair tents as far as she could see. Children ran and played, women were busy grinding grain or washing clothes, while men sharpened axes and arrows. It was fun to walk past one tribe’s area and to then come upon another’s with its colorful banner flapping in the wind. There was Naphtali with its leaping doe upon a wine-red background. Asher’s flag was an