The Naomi Chronicles by Paula Rose Michelson - Third in Series - Beginning Anew

 Start with the Debut of this amazing series!

“Nomi, you take my breath away!”
 “Oh, Chaz, I thought I imagined you saying that.” 
Chaz smiled and kissed her. “Dear one, let us remember what we went through to come to this place and this time. Let us never take lightly the love we have for each other.”
“I promise… I will not forget.” “Amore, time has robbed us of many things. Commitments unconsecrated at the beginning of our marriage and your promise of their completion on that first Sunday night.” 
She blushed. “This is true, but there is nothing we can do about that now.”
“We can have our special Sunday as you planned.” 
Naomi took the measure of her man with new insight. “Do you mean to tell me that after all of this, you are willing to wait?”
“Sí, that is exactly what I mean. If there is one thing I have learned from all of this, it is that I need to be patient with you… with us.”

Beginning Anew:
The Naomi Chronicles

By Paula Rose Michelson

The drama that left us hanging in the first book is only compounded as we move into the second and on into the third! Naomi's heritage had been revealed and almost everybody, including her new husband had turned away in shock... Chaz had been more hurt than anything that Naomi had apparently not trusted him enough to share with him that she was a Jew.

Both Naomi and Chaz escaped and went off to work through what had happened, to decide what to do about their marriage, to consider whether they could continue in this "mixed" marriage...

However, a much larger shock was coming for Chaz as he went home and shared what had happened with his family--they were happy that he'd married a Jewish woman! He wondered if the whole world was turning upside down!

Yet, God, in His infinite wisdom, used this painful reality, for it is because of your ordeal that I have come to know myself fully. Could you imagine that God would use what happened to lift the blindness from my eyes and allow me to see myself as I truly am… a Jew. For, as I told you this evening, I am also of these people… your people. My parents hid this truth from me. Hearing their reasons for this choice helped me understand why you did this. 

I could ask you to forgive me because I love you, because I cannot live without you, because I know you feel the same way I do. That was my intention until I became as I am now. Now I ask you to forgive me because I know you too have come to believe as I do. Therefore, I ask you to do as He commanded we do and extend grace to me. After all, beloved, when we forgive, it allows us to become like our Savior, as we love one another. Please let us not waste our lives but unite and live together as God intended us to be, husband and wife. Say Yes, Chaz

It was at that time that his family shared that they, too, were Jews and that they had kept it a secret for all these years to save him from what they had all gone through. Whether the shock was because he, too, was also a Jew, or whether he immediately realized what he had done to Naomi, was not easy and he had traveled a distant to a relative's home to talk with him and learn about his own heritage.

In the meantime, Naomi was also learning...and after much study, had come to know the Messiah as her Savior. Chaz, too, went through that study and contemplation, but it was harder for him since he did not have the background knowledge known by Naomi. He, too, came to recognize and accept the Messiah. And soon he came back to seek Naomi and ask for her forgiveness and love... As we move into the period after they've come together again, the return to their homes is not bringing the happiness they felt would be there...

Humming a few bars of ‘Until the Twelfth of Never’, which was the song Chaz had gifted her to show her his love when they first married; she glanced at the upper patio where he had taught her to dance. What a happy memory.

~~~

Although their love was strong enough, Naomi and Chaz still had much to learn about each other and adjust to their new relationship with God--how they would be received by those who had shun Naomi (and now him) as "Jesus Killers." Chaz had his own fears since he had a professional reputation that could be affected--even the first who called him a "Jew" on the street, cut a knife into his heart. Could he handle all that was happening to him and still come back together in marriage with Naomi?

The hatred and prejudice between those who were Catholic and those who were Jewish, but had come to accept Jesus as their Messiah was what continued to amaze me. This became such a main part of the book that both the local padre and the Jewish Rabbi had begun a relationship to try to deal with the upheaval. But, everything came to a head when, during the marriage ceremony of a couple for whom Naomi and Chaz had stood for them, it was offered that anybody that wanted to renew their vows could do so as part of this marriage celebration. Naomi and Chaz had taken advantage of it...and the  whole town was in turmoil...

“Do you know this music?” “No.” She sat down and opened the keyboard cover. After placing the score on the music rack, Naomi limbered her fingers and began to play. “I seem to remember hearing the name. However, these words are not familiar to me.” Chaz crossed to where she sat. Transfixed by the intricacy of the score, he noticed that her hands played while she looked at him. “I remember! This is The Moldau. It was written by Smetana.” “Since you know this music, you probably put it here and forgot.” “No… I did not.” Aware that something odd was happening, Naomi focused on her playing. It is as if my hands and heart are melded into this music, Naomi mused, aware that her hands were racing across the keyboard as the music engulfed them in a solemn song of freedom, intricately woven within the promise of joy. 

~~~

 One other plot that added much to the story was that of  Vida, Naomi's predecessor of the house that provided shelter and support to immigrants who were going to be sent back. Vida had left her entire estate to Naomi, even though they had never really become close with intimacies about each other. However, Vida had left her journal to be given to her. And both before and during the time when Naomi was reading it, she was experiencing ghostly words coming to her. Naomi knew that Vida was communicating with her, wanting Naomi to know how she really had felt about her...and, that, she, too, was a Jew! And another secret of hers is revealed to an important friend of hers.

The majority of this book remains as the love story between Naomi and Chaz, but so many outside influences made it harder to spend time alone. There is much scripture shared as the couple turns their lives over to God as the primary one in their trinity. A poignant part of what was happening was that, even though they were already married, they had yet to consummate it... and as the second book ends, they still had not... This struggle between the couple to separate out sexual lust from the marriage trinity they wanted to have is certainly a gift from this book to all teens and young couples looking toward marriage!

“Blessed?” He smiled at her as he walked back to his bride. He understands me. 

He held out his hand. “May I have this dance?”

 “Well… what if… 

“I promise from now until Sunday, a dance will only be a dance, nothing more.” 

Desiring him, and afraid that saying a word would be their undoing, Naomi stood, and placed her hand in his. They walked to their imaginary dance floor. While the song swirled around them, they swayed to the music andlistened to Nat King Cole’s mellow voice sing, “It was fascination…” “Naomi, you are the most fascinating woman I have ever known.” Chaz kissed her. “Wherever our journey takes us, my life is better because you are with me.” He started humming and, although she knew the record was playing, all Naomi needed and sensed was within the circle of his love. She closed her eyes and heard nothing until he said, his voice filled with longing, “This is not a brief romance.” He pulled away fromher so that he could look at her. 

“Chaz, without you, I would have no one. My life and my heart would be empty.” The music played on as Chaz held her tight. “I know what it is to feel empty.” 

“So do I.”

 “Do you know what the most fascinating thing is about all of this?” 

“No… what?” 

“The unique gift of being able to come together, fully known, and still be loved.”

 “Yes, that is fascinating.”

~~~

Now, this is fiction, of course, but one historical fact was thrown in during the second book and repeated in this book...I chose to believe it until somebody tells me differently...Did you know that all of the people who came to America from Spain were Jews that were escaping from persecution? Certainly this alone is a drawing point for history lovers, along with the other beliefs and actions taken by the Catholic Church...at least until the Padre gave a surprise sermon one Sunday...

The presentation of Naomi, in my opinion, has been faithfully followed from the point of her historical move to America and into the third book with a very specific message that began with the research and results, moved on into the personal life of the individual--her thoughts and realizations of her life--and then into the results of her decisions and changes based upon the past. The continuity is consistent, with sufficient carry over and repetition to allow individuals to be able to grasp what is happening without having read earlier books. Her historical information and its application into the story line of the two main characters, Naomi and Chaz, is excellent and dramatically presented to entice interest in their individual predicaments. Given the historical incident that started all that later happened, I found the manner of presentation, the use of language and concurrent translation quite well done and intellectually stimulating... Now even if I didn't love the character Naomi, I would still have to recognize the breadth of historical research that has been done to bring us from early Spain, the Catholic Church, and its relationship to Jews. This is an outstanding historical statement of the results of that horrific time period. But...what's going to happen next?!

Surprises, secrets, jealousy, suspicion, a touch of the supernatural, hate, love, and God's Word and plan for Naomi and Chaz all come together in an enthralling, epic and explosive ending to keep you thinking of what had happened...what was coming...and, most of all, what would your own position and beliefs be in light of the story? We've got to do better as God's children...This is a must-read, in my opinion... 

GABixlerReviews

An avid reader of inspiring fictions where the heroine was one for her families' sake, amazing women, and unique faith challenges are found within author, Paula Rose Michelson's fictions. A writer from an early age, when asked about the idea for The Naomi Chronicles, Paula says, "I cannot take all the credit for Naomi started telling me her story, and together we penned the six fictions."

When not involved in writing, speaking or helping other writers, Paula Rose Michelson pursues other passions while supporting her husband Ron who is a Lutheran Pastor and Chosen People Ministries field missionary. At one point she and her spouse worked for the mission. However, her desire to write for the Lord full time lead her to leave that work so she could devote herself to this work. 

This mother of two married daughters and grandmother of seven has been known to weave such wonderful tails that sometimes those involved lose track of the time. At her core, both family and her ever increasing reader family matter to Paula, so while writing to entertain, she hopes to impart a blessing to those who read her fictions and nonfiction's. 

Some who first knew this author as the founder, head, and facilitator of LAMB Ministries, have mentioned that a few of those teachings are found within her books. Paula knows this to be true for her desire to faithfully depict Gods love, compassion, and forgiveness while showing her readers The Jewish Messiah of Israel and the world parallel her desire to see those precious wounded ones restored to wholeness, so within each of her books, she includes a few of her biblically based teachings so others can overcome and feel good about themselves.