When Tess Swift, a young archaeologist estranged from her husband, her family, and her God, steals an ancient scroll she mysteriously finds in the ruins of Ephesus, she expects it to bring her financial freedom to start a new life. Instead, she finds herself swept into a journey of self-examination and spiritual awakening as she reads about the trials and triumphs of the first-century church. The scroll turns out to be the story of Aquila and Prisca (Priscilla), co-workers of Paul mentioned in four of his epistles. From Aquila's conversation in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost to their last years in Ephesus when Prisca meets a dying Virgin Mary, their story challenges Tess to examine her life and come to terms with her guilt. The bulk of this book tells the fictionalized story of the only married couple mentioned prominently in the New Testament, using real biblical and historical events as a dramatic backdrop for both ordinary and miraculous events in their lives. Broad in scope, this book covers the period from A.D. 28 to A.D. 78, giving the reader a vivid picture of the early years of the church and the Roman Empire. This book will entertain, educate, and inspire readers, perhaps leading some to share the conclusion Tess reaches in the dramatic finale.
