In 2 Kings 4:8 and continuing in 8:1, there is a story about a very special woman, a "notable woman" who fascinated me to the point that I felt driven to tell her story.

Her story was, for me, extremely different and more intriguing than any of the other famous stories in the Bible. Having been on temporary duty in the Middle East for a while and having become somewhat familiar with the culture there made her actions and attitude stand out even more. Among the issues I found intriguing about her were that she was not Hebrew, a noble, a war hero, and the ancestor of any other significant person in the Bible; she was a hero in her own right. She never showed any signs that she could be intimidated and only in one instance showed that she had any weakness at all when she cried out, "No, my lord. Man of god, do not lie to your maidservant!" (NKJV), revealing a deep hurt that she alone carried. She was simply a very special person in her own right, who, along with the actions of a prophet of god, was brought into the pages of history.

The more I read her story, the more I was able to see between the lines and see the panorama of her life and trials. She was special and had an indominable personality; she was strong and wise at the same time. She was bold and, accounting for the times and the culture, audacious. Her story was well worth telling, and I am honored to do so.