Author S. J. Knight. 598 pages, soft cover. Published by the author in 2018.

This is a work of fiction, not exposition. The Biblical record is silent concerning the private lives of the early believers. Nevertheless they lived, laughed, lost and learned. Amidst everyday chaos, they strove for Christ and against human nature. They were people just like us.

A TIME TO STRIVE: A Compelling and Moving Story of the Early Believers (Review by Susie Hicks)

A Time to Strive is the 5th book in a series of biblical novels by author S.J. Knight. The first book tells the story of characters in the fictitious village of Banayim, living in the momentous time of John the Baptist preparing the way for the Messiah. Subsequent books trace these characters through time as they deal with the death and resurrection of Messiah, his ascension and the resulting time of both zeal and confusion as they endeavour to preach the gospel without the physical presence of their Lord. 

This new book allows readers to immerse themselves in the biblical text, while getting reacquainted with all their Banayim favourites!  The author has a gift in truly bringing to life characters that otherwise can appear somewhat two-dimensional from the bible record alone, fleshing out the text with ordinary, everyday people who help us understand the reality of life for our early brothers and sisters. Readers will laugh out loud, genuinely feel angry for the horrifying fate of some, cry tears both of grief and of joy ... such is the depth of emotional connection the author draws with the characters. 

While obviously the plot lines are based on the biblical account, some of the sub plots are certainly confronting at times, but that's what makes it so believable and relatable. By including the less than glamorous aspects of daily life the author highlights how little we know about the way God sometimes chooses to work. What we shy away from, He would have us reach out to and affect change, sometimes by simply doing our job, and in doing so reflect the love shown to us. Accounts of the angst and drama of young love ... the grief of a bereaved parent that can threaten to engulf all joy ... the ever abiding worry of a mother even for her grown children ... are all so raw and real. 

My favourite highlights were the conversations between Paul and Barnabas, and others, that help flesh out the writings we have from Paul, and perhaps give an insight into what was behind some of his decisions. One can almost hear him wrestling with the old dilemma, "The good that I would, I do not ... and that which I would not ... this I do."

A Time to Strive is every bit as compelling as the first four novels in this series of carefully researched and realistically presented books. Many thanks to S.J. Knight for this labour of love in bringing these characters to life.