Seeker of Stars: A Novel (10 page)

I turned to Reta, who was smiling at us. “Does he have—we didn’t talk about names,” I said.

She shook her head. “I don’t know what name is appropriate here. And I couldn’t name him without you. I just call him my
yalud
—my own lamb.”

I looked at him and flexed my hand. The idea forming in my head was too audacious. I felt self-conscious to say it even to Reta, and I could not think how my family or the cabal would respond. I stretched my hand once again and took the leap.

“The baby in Israel, the infant king, they called him Yeshua,” I said. “Reta, I’d like to name our son after him.”

Reta did not speak. I did not know how to read her silence, so I filled it with words. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful. And I’m not sure what it means. It’s just—I think I want to declare myself as a follower of your God, this Yeshua, the unmoving star.”

Reta sat perfectly still as she spoke. “It means ‘the Lord is salvation.’ It was my own father’s name.” A smile dawned on her face. “Oh, Melchior, I can feel the stars dancing!”

If you enjoyed
Seeker of Stars
, I would be honored if you would tell others by writing a review. Go
here
to write a review on Amazon.

Thank you!
—Susan Fish

References

Cahill, Thomas.
The Gift of the Jews.
New York: Anchor Books, 1998.

Hoppe, Leslie J.
A Guide to the Lands of the Bible.
Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1999.

Johnson, Paul.
Civilizations of the Holy Land.
New York: Scribner: 1979.

“Magus,” TheMystica.org, February 14, 2012, http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/m/magus.html.

Meilsheim, D.
The World of Ancient Israel.
New York: Tudor, 1973.

Moss, Carol.
Science in Ancient Mesopotamia.
New York: Children’s Press, 1998.

Service, Pamela F.
Mesopotamia
. New York: Benchmark Books, 1999.

Smither, Ethel L.
A Picture Book of Palestine.
Nashville: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1947.

Thesiger, Wilfred.
Desert, Marsh and Mountain.
New York: Flamingo, 2001.

SEEKER OF STARS

Published by David C Cook

4050 Lee Vance View

Colorado Springs, CO 80918 U.S.A.

David C Cook Distribution Canada

55 Woodslee Avenue, Paris, Ontario, Canada N3L 3E5

David C Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications

Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 6NT, England

The graphic circle C logo is a registered trademark of David C Cook.

All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes,

no part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form

without written permission from the publisher.

The website addresses recommended throughout this book are offered as a resource to you. These websites are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement on the part of David C Cook, nor do we vouch for their content.

This story is a work of fiction. All characters and events are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is coincidental.

ISBN 978-1-4347-0727-7

eISBN 978-0-7814-1102-8

© 2013 Susan Fish

The Team: Don Pape, John Blase, Caitlyn Carlson, Karen Athen

Cover Design: Nick Lee

Cover Photo: Shutterstock

First Edition 2013

Photo by Matt Fish

SUSAN FISH is a writer, wife, and mother living in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Visit
DCCeBooks.com
for more great reads.

What people are saying about …

S
eeker of Stars

“With a design as durable as a Persian rug and equally as intricate, Susan Fish has woven a profound and tender story that is both contemporary and as ancient as the stars. Very moving, beautifully told. There are threads of mystery, and yet we know the outcome; it’s a journey story, yet we are home. This is a tale that will be told again and again, and each time, when the seeker reaches for the star, we’ll reach, too, and be forever changed.
Destined to become a classic
is an overused phrase, but I think it’s true here.”

Jane Kirkpatrick,
award-winning author of
A Land of Sheltered Promise

“Susan Fish invites us into a beautiful and well-told fictional story that leads us into the greatest and truest story of all.”

Brian McLaren,
author,
ANewKindofChristian.com

“The author takes you on a journey that is as much about human nature and the spirit that draws us as it is about the star of Bethlehem—and as much about the universal embrace of the infant Savior as it is about the culture and myths of the period. There is power in the story’s telling as the magi become more human and recognizable, the Christmas star more astonishing and compelling, and the Christmas miracle more poignant and personal without losing any of the mystery that is the story itself.”

Doug Kranz,
pastor and astronomer

“Susan Fish is a gifted communicator who paints with words. Her books are intriguing canvases that draw us into colorful stories and, in the process, make us feel and think—and as we do, our hearts are opened so that God can drop some nuggets in that make us richer for the experience.”

David MacFarlane,
director of National Initiatives for Evangelical Fellowship of Canada

“Fascinating, timely, and challenging. We need such a work at such a time.”

Michael Coren,
radio/television broadcaster and author

“Susan provides a brief but exquisitely written look at a biblical character and a culture we know very little about: that of the magi. I loved it and wished it were longer.”

Linda Hall,
author

“I really liked this book. It made me laugh and cry and think. Susan Fish has a clear and winsome voice, and she tells her story in a way that is as fresh as sunrise, as fluid as quicksilver, and as evocative as an old tapestry. She sketches scenes and characters with a deft touch, never wasting words, always leaving space for readers’ imaginations. And the ending is pure gold. I know the impression made by
Seeker of Stars
is going to stay with me for a long time.”

John Bowen,
evangelist and author

“A wonderful story that illuminates new wonder and awe through the familiar but mysterious travels of the three wise men.”

Lorna Dueck,
executive producer of Listen Up TV