Delilah: Treacherous Beauty

I enjoyed this story about Delilah and Samson. I've heard about their story in the Bible, but never read or studied it myself. I enjoyed how much research went into bringing their story to life. Angela has such a way with creating a beautiful story with so much depth. Delilah was a sweet girl who dealt with some terrible situations. Once her step-father died her step-brother, who disliked her and her mother, sold her mother off and kept Delilah as a slave and toy. She was mistreated, humiliated, abused and misused. Instead of learning to forgive, her hatred brewed within her making it hard for her to truly live. I enjoyed seeing Delilah struggle and come out with a clear understanding of who God was at the end of the story. Her struggles were not beautiful. She wore her wounds on her sleeve and though she thought she could heal them she couldn't. Reading this and seeing how God used Delilah to use Samson to help free His people was absolutely remarkable. Samson, a judge for the people of Israel, was a stubborn man that tried to use his "gift" as an excuse to live life. I loved seeing him get angry and try to get away with his choices. He thought because he was chosen that he was outside the standards God gave the people. Samson had a lot to learn and he had to learn the hard way which resulted in him doing things God's way and losing his life. He was a brilliant, strong and faithfully man who made many mistakes, but he was pure. Overall, I enjoyed it and can't wait to read the second book in the Dangerous Beauty trilogy. My favorite quotes : "And I realized that sometimes Adonai says no for our own good." - The widow "Adonai never wounds His people without also making preparation for their healing." - Rei "I had though that I could strip Samson of his faith by eliminating the outward symbol of it, but I was wrong. Samson's faith went deeper than his scalp, deeper than even his emotions. He did not merely believe in Adonai; he knew his God and trusted completely in His purposes." - Delilah