An Eternal Love Tabitha's Story

Ordinary Women of the Bible

by Melanie Dobson, Guideposts

An Eternal Tabitha's Story is the 8th book in the Ordinary Women of the Bible fiction series.

After Tabitha loses her husband to the sea, God gives her the unexpected gift of a son and a new faith to follow the resurrected Messiah. Tabitha thrives amongst her community of believers in the sea-side village of Joppa. There, she teaches widows, and a slave girl named Korinna, how to sew while she makes her living as a seamstress. She loves her adopted son, but when his recklessness threatens to destroy their entire community, Tabitha’s heart breaks. Only a miracle can bring Matthias back to her and all those who care for him. A miracle, perhaps, from beyond the grave.

Genres: Biblical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2020

About the author

Writing fiction is a fun excuse for Melanie to explore ghost towns and old houses, travel to unusual places, and spend hours reading dusty books and journals. She writes both contemporary and historical fiction with threads of romance and suspense.

Melanie is the award-winning author of almost thirty time-slip, historical romance, suspense, and contemporary novels including Catching the Wind, The Winter Rose, and The Wings of Poppy Pendleton. Five of her novels including Chateau of Secrets have won Carol Awards, Catching the Wind won the Audie 2018 Inspirational Fiction award, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won Best Novel of Indiana. Catching the Wind and Memories of Glass were both finalists for Christy Awards in historical fiction.

Melanie and her husband, Jon, have two daughters. After moving numerous times with Jon's work, the Dobsons have finally settled near Portland, Oregon, and they love to travel and hike in both the mountains and the cliffs above the Pacific. When Melanie isn't writing or researching, she enjoys line dancing, biking, and making up stories with her kids.

More information about her and her books is available on her website at www.melaniedobson.com. You can also connect with Melanie at www.facebook.com/melaniedobsonfiction.

Reviews

[Wanda Torres · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one started out slower than some of the others in this series but still very good. Definitely enjoyed the twist toward the end. Overall still a very good book.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a tale in Acts about a woman who sewed clothes for the poor, taught widows and orphans the trade of sewing, and provided for people in need. When she died and Peter asked why they were mourning so, and so many, they told him this. Seeing she was still needed, he prayed and God raised her from the dead, returning her to the now rejoicing crowd of former mourners. This, the power of God was made manifest any as the word of this miracle spread, more came to the Lord.
This author puts flesh on the character. She is presented as a widow, her son being a boy with no thumb who had been left on the garbage heap as a days old infant, not too far from Tabitha's villa, that she adopted and raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. He was hung up on the girl who led the worship songs for services in the area, despite evidence that she did not rerurn his feelings. He later realizes he was worshipping her and not the God Who created them all.
The story follows Matthias, which is what Tabitha named the baby boy she found in the dump, as well as Tabitha and her sewing circle of women, in a story that rings so true that it's sometimes a challenge to believe it is fiction. The story is built around the passage in Acts, and has some add ons that are very realistic. I felt like I knew Tabitha, like I would thank her for sewing so I didn't have to (I hate to sew with 17 purple passions!) and instead, I'd have helped her sell them in the market booth and helped her cook and serve.
This book shows what must have been Tabitha's heart before the Lord based on the Scriptures. It is well worth reading.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the eighth in the series. Another hit. I loved this one. The biblical history was spot on and I like the way the author filled in the blanks. For example, in the bible it says "two men" went looking for Peter. In this story she personalized it with Simon the Tanner and Matthias, Tabitha's son. It moved me that she thought to bring together two adversaries united in a common cause-find Peter to perform a miracle for them and bring Tabitha back to life. Although in the bible it does not mention that Tabitha AKA Dorcas had a son, because of her personality it is quiet possible that she rescued the infant whom she raised as her son. She was a true desciple who helped many. Again, although not everything is biblically based you can believe her actions moved the heart of Agathon who frees his slave girl rather than making her marry him. He not only frees her but gives her to Matthias with a dowry. Melanie Dobson did a great job turning 7 verses in the bible into such a great story.

[patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabitha (also called Dorcas) rescued a baby from the garbage dump and raised him. She is a widow of Joppa and a follower of the new religion. She is well off but she has a heart full of love and care. She teaches women to sew and they make garments to sell to support themselves. Tabitha also makes tunics to give away. She wishes the church to grow and trusts in Jesus. Her adopted son has caused grief in the community but she prays he will return to Joppa and the church. Her trust in God and charitable love and care make her a loved member of the church in Joppa. Melanie Dobson wrote this story An Eternal Love. It is another fictional tale of women of the Bible to inspire us. The story is wonderful.

[Stephanie Mccall · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Eternal Love was one of the first Ordinary Women books I read, part of last year's Christmas haul and actually, the first book I cracked open. At that time, I was still skeptical of the series since I tend to prefer novels over novellas and had not read any Guideposts books, just their magazines. However, An Eternal Love had me "falling in love" with Ordinary Women, and I have not looked back.

Tabitha, the Rhapsodies (love the name, love the group), and the other characters, down to baby Hermione (another name I love; I'm a sucker for good names), pulled me into their story from page one onward and wouldn't let go. I knew the story of the healing of Simon Peter's mother-in-law of course, but I did not expect such a rich narrative leading up to it. Here, Melanie Dobson paints a wonderful picture of what Tabitha's life could have looked like based on Biblical culture. She also characterizes Tabitha not only as a wonderful mother and mother-in-law, but a dedicated Christ-follower, an expert in hospitality, and an inspirational house church leader.

As much or more than Tabitha, I loved the other characters in An Eternal Love, and the themes they embodied. Matthias, for example, is far more than Tabitha's "prodigal"; he has a difficult, but rich past as an adoptee and plenty of strong, imitable traits despite his bent toward trouble. I also loved that his eventual association with Korrina is built on honest friendship, and there is no undue pressure to enter into a romance or convert from either party. Instead, Matthias and Korrina are given real time to know each other and the people around them, and Matthias is given more time to think through what his relationship with Tabitha will look like now that he is an adult.

Melanie threw in some great twists and turns with certain characters and plot threads, particularly Bethany, Ianthe, and even Agathon. These characters could've easily fit into stereotypical molds, as could others, even the Biblical ones like Peter. Yet their subplots ensure they are memorable and contribute something unique to the novella even if they don't get the page time of major characters. Agathon's ending particularly shocked and pleased me, again, because Melanie could've taken an "easy out," but made it organic to who he was and would become.

Of course, I can't close this review without discussing Jesus and Tabitha's healing. First and as always with a book like this, I applaud Melanie for writing Jesus with deft accuracy, while capturing His gentle humanity. I also applaud her for delving into what healing may have felt like for Tabitha. The Bible doesn't linger on such things and it doesn't need to. That said, seeing a bit "more" from the pen of a respectful author is always nice. It was doubly so for me because I got to see a bit of what Tabitha's life would look like later--what came "after happily ever after," so to speak.

After reading so many great books in this series, I'm not sure what rank An Eternal Love would get in my "final" list. It probably lands in the top ten easily, though, and again, it was a beautiful opener to the series for my personal journey. I'd recommend diving in anytime.

[Lisa Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story full of finding faith and redemption. Tabitha, Matthias, and Korinna’s stories all blended in beautifully to create a story of love and faith, while showing that God can and will redeem even the “worst” sinners among us. This story brought Tabitha’s story to life in a way that pushes me to want to serve others as much as I can. A definite must read and beautiful addition to this series.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love This Fictional Portrayal

This novel brings to life the entire story of Tabitha with a possible inclusion of an adopted son. I truly enjoyed this perspective and how it played into the reach of Tabitha's love for everyone in her town.

The sadness the characters deal with makes their lives believable and the beauty of God's eternal love and redemption shine in their darkness.

Truly enjoyed how their stories played out and who doesn't live a truly happy ending?

[Paula White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. My only complaint is it ended too soon.

[Mary Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. I have enjoyed all of the Ordinary Women of the Bible books that I have read. I am looking forward to the next book.

[Claudia Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way the put adoption into the story. Some of my best friends were adopted