With his family fractured, Joseph must work to restore what’s lost. Joseph ben Joseph’s family fractures after Jesus’ crucifixion and his mother’s choice to stay with his brother’s followers, despite the looming threat of death. Joseph’s older brother, claiming to have seen Jesus alive, insists on remaining in Jerusalem to join the disciples. But Joseph, not being the patriarch, is powerless to lead the family back to the safety of Nazareth. Amid the turmoil, one of Joseph’s siblings goes missing. Driven by the need to reunite his shattered family, Joseph embarks on a perilous search. As he navigates the dangers, he faces the challenge of finding the missing member before it’s too late. Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and tensions of first-century Jerusalem as Joseph works to mend his family in Joseph , Book 2 of the Servant Siblings series. "How I love Jenifer Jennings' fictional writings of how Jesus and his siblings' lives could have been! She draws the reader in right from the beginning and keeps you with her intelligent ideas, dialogue and atmosphere of the times wherein Jesus dwelt..." ★★★★★ from Lana B. Dear Reader, I'd like to take a moment to introduce this fictionalized family of Jesus before you dive into their stories. There are some things you might encounter in this series that don't perfectly align with traditional viewpoints. First, remember you discovered this book in the fiction section. The story's primary duty, as with all fiction, is to entertain. While doing so, my writing attempts to shed light on Scriptural truths and show God's work in our lives in the context of history and ancient culture, but these do not make it Canon. Second, remember that simply because one sect of Christianity holds a certain viewpoint, doesn't make it the only correct one. There are many traditions of all sects that are based on human interpretation and bias that don't find solid footing in Scripture. I am not speaking of doctrinal theology clearly laid out in God's Word, but those viewpoints and practices unique to sects that are merely traditions. It is often a delicate task for a Biblical Historical Fiction novelist to separate modern views from historical facts, ancient culture, and Biblical truth. I'd like to offer a few considerations based on research that might rub against modern views in this series.   One of those viewpoints is that Joseph and Jesus were carpenters. Some of us have vivid memories of sermons and dramas depicting Jesus working exclusively with wood. While not completely outside the realm of possibilities, the truth of their profession may more accurately align with what we would call a "handyman." The Greek word  tektón  appears only twice in the New Testament and encompasses a more general career of "craftsman." One Biblical reference is to Joseph (Matthew 13:55) and one about Jesus (Mark 6:3). Both of these references are found in the story of Jesus' denial in Nazareth. Both also speak of his familial relationship with his mother Mary, his four named brothers, and "all of his sisters." These people became the primary focus of this series. This word was later translated as "carpenter" by people who had a plethora of fantastic wood available and who used wood in prominent ways in their time. The fact is that during Jesus' days in Nazareth, wood was scarce and what was available would not have made suitable building materials outside of shelves, doors, or tables. Almost everything else was made of stone. As the Jewish population was reaching the heights of its legalism, stone became the most prominent building material. They preferred stone to wood because wood absorbed impurities while stone did not. There have also been archaeological discoveries that reveal a stone quarry near Nazareth, which contained a workshop where stone items were produced on-site. A city called Sepphoris was also within walking distance of Nazareth and was undergoing mass stone building projects during the years of Jesus. These seem to point to a culture more focused on stonework over wood. Does that mean Jesus never worked with wood? Absolutely not. But these discoveries paint a picture in which Joseph, seeking to care for a family of at least nine people, might have focused his skills more on stone and taught his sons to do the same. This family might have had expanded skills in building design, woodwork, masonry, and more. The second viewpoint is a much more delicate and highly debated one. Though I have no room here (or desire) to debate centuries' worth of viewpoints and traditions, I would like to address one person who might step into a different light in this series. While imagining the family surrounding Jesus, I had to come to decisions about his mother, Mary. Studying under Protestant teachings, I know views on Mary as I understand them significantly differ from those of other Christian sects. My goal in developing Mary as a character was not to paint in her light of a certain se