THE SEASON ONE FINALE IS HERE!The room freezes with baited breath. This young woman has dared enter the forbidden court of the King of Persia. With eyes locked on his, she waits for her fate – will she perish? The courtesans ask each other, “Who does she think she is?” I wish I could have been there to answer them: she’s Esther, the Blood Thirsty Queen of Persia. Tune in for more! P.S. Stay tuned to the end for exciting announcements, news about when Wicked or Wise will return, and for that much desired (heh) history lesson on the “Esther: Fact of Fiction” debate.Have questions, thoughts, or testimonies you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you! Please email me at [email protected] or send me a DM on Instagram @MsRachAllene / @WickedorWise. Favorite Sources + Recommended ReadingScripture References:Esther 5-10Psalm 22EzraNehemiahJohn Acts 2Outside Sources:Outside refers to “outside of Scripture” and does not necessarily advise of any Christian/non-Christian bias in the source.For the Psychology Today article quoted on women’s intuition:https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201107/women-s-intuition-myth-or-realityFor more on the Persian diet:https://healthahoy.com/ancient-nutrition/ancient-persian-nutrition/The article quoted about Purim:https://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/1404/jewish/A-Throw-of-Dice.htmThe article quoted about the tomb of Esther and Mordecai:https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/esthers-tomb/For more on the was-she-wasn’t-she of Esther’s lineage:https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/esther-midrash-and-aggadahFor a picture of the interior of the Esther tomb:https://www.flickr.com/photos/damonlynch/49324428181Fun Recommendations:For the most Biblically accurate movie I’ve seen to date (though still not really driving home the rape aspect of things):https://www.amazon.com/Esther-F-Murray-Abraham/dp/B08QVHTM4G/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=esther&qid=1622061165&s=instant-video&sr=1-1For the cute Veggie Tales rendition of her tale:https://www.amazon.com/VeggieTales-Esther-Girl-Became-Queen/dp/B003Y6IC2K/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=esther&qid=1622061165&s=instant-video&sr=1-3There’s also this Hollywood take on her story, and is the favorite of a lot of my friends, but the inaccuracies make me FRUSTRATED. I’ve watched it a handful of times, and always end up raging at the screen.https://www.amazon.com/Night-King-Blu-ray-John-Rhys-Davies/dp/B00AQMGQAA/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=one+night+with+the+king&qid=1622061372&sr=8-2There are also a gazillion fictional books written about her – no specifics to recommend, but they’re all fun reads. Just google “Esther” or “Hadassah” and you’ll have a lengthy list.Be sure to follow @WickedorWise on Instagram for pop quizzes, unique character art, and more!InstagramFacebook