Published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing on January 31st 2017
Genres: Christian, Fiction, General, Historical
Pages: 272
Goodreads
No one expected Barley to have an encounter with the Messiah. He was homeless, hungry, and struggling to survive in first century Jerusalem. Most surprisingly, he was a dog. But through Barley’s eyes, the story of a teacher from Galilee comes alive in a way we’ve never experienced before. Barley’s story begins in the home of a compassionate woodcarver and his wife who find Barley as an abandoned, nearly-drowned pup. Tales of a special teacher from Galilee are reaching their tiny village, but when life suddenly changes again for Barley, he carries the lessons of forgiveness and love out of the woodcarver’s home and through the dangerous roads of Roman-occupied Judea. On the outskirts of Jerusalem, Barley meets a homeless man and petty criminal named Samid. Together, Barley and his unlikely new master experience fresh struggles and new revelations. Soon Barley is swept up into the current of history, culminating in an unforgettable encounter with the truest master of all as he bears witness to the greatest story ever told.
As part of the Litfuse Bloggers Program, I was able to join in on the book tour for The Dog Who Was There by Ron Marasco. I had never heard this author, nor had I heard of the book.
BOOK SUMMARY:
No one expected Barley to have an encounter with the Messiah.
He was homeless, hungry, and struggling to survive in first century Jerusalem. Most surprisingly, he was a dog. But through Barley’s eyes, the story of a teacher from Galilee comes alive in a way we’ve never experienced before.
Barley’s story begins in the home of a compassionate woodcarver and his wife who find Barley as an abandoned, nearly-drowned pup. Tales of a special teacher from Galilee are reaching their tiny village, but when life suddenly changes again for Barley, he carries the lessons of forgiveness and love out of the woodcarver’s home and through the dangerous roads of Roman-occupied Judea.
On the outskirts of Jerusalem, Barley meets a homeless man and petty criminal named Samid. Together, Barley and his unlikely new master experience fresh struggles and new revelations. Soon Barley is swept up into the current of history, culminating in an unforgettable encounter with the truest master of all as he bears witness to the greatest story ever told.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
MY REVIEW:
The Dog Who Was There follows seven year old Barley a rescue dog that lived in Judea where a new teacher named Jesus is creating a stir. Readers follow Barley through his “everyday” life and they can’t help but to come to love him by book’s end. Just as we have to learn in our walk of life as Christians, Barley has to learn forgiveness as well.
Barley is a homeless dog that is taken in by people that seem kind. He soon finds out what all the fuss is about when faced with the Messiah–such a kind man that is accused of something that isn’t that hard to accept. He becomes a witness to what is done to the Savior of the world.
Barley lives through the final week of Jesus’ life as he follows the Kind Man and learns that the Kind Man has compassion for everyone – including a small dog like Barley. Barley saw that some people loved Jesus and tried to apply his teachings to their lives, while others wanted to harm him. Barley watched the Kind Man share a love he hadn’t witness before.
Barley was looking for a home, and that home was found in people, just as our home is found in Jesus himself.
I liked how this author put in a few surprises for readers along this dog’s journey through Jerusalem. The author does a great job of showing Barley’s natural dog instincts and natural desire to love and protect his humans. Those traits are key in the plot of this novel. The Dog Who Was There is a great story about our Savior seen through the eyes of a dog.
Find out more about Ron at http://www.thomasnelson.com/the-dog-who-was-there.
I received a copy of this book without cost from the publisher through the litfuse bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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