This book spoke to me personally. The Bathsheba Battle is written by Natalie Chambers Snapp. The story of David and Bathsheba is one we all know. Natalie really brought Bathsheba to life and allowed me to have more insight to what Bathsheba went through due to David’s sin. I felt as though I came alongside Bathsheba and experienced all the stuff!! She went from pain, suffering, guilt, shame, grief, and anger to perseverance and forgiveness. Bathsheba lived all of these emotions! Natalie used the story of Bathsheba to illustrate how we also, in our own lives, walk through these seasons of emotions! Her book encourages women, with wisdom from scripture, as they journey through the hard stuff in life! At the end of each chapter, she includes scripture references and discussion questions. This book would be a wonderful group study for women. I highly recommend this to read. #bathsheebabattle

Most of us are familiar with the story in 2 Samuel 11-12 that tells the story of David and Bathsheba but it is through this book that I have begun to better comprehend this story. Bathsheba experienced shame, fear, and great suffering and I have a whole new understanding of her dilemna. She knew that the penalty for refusing to answer the King's summons could be severe and her husband wasn't there to protect her. She went and we know what occurred but have we ever really considered what she truly felt? I feel sure that her fear, shame, and grief was overwhelming but what about the anger? She surely struggled in her ability to forgive King David.

Author Natalie Chambers Snapp has done an admirable job in sharing modern-day experiences and comparing them to David and Bathsheba's story. The Bathsheba Battle has twelve chapters, among them Turning Away from Shame; Turning Away from Anger; Turning Away from Comparison; Turning Away from Fear; Permission to Grieve; Forgiving Others--- and Yourself; and Turning to Hope. At the end of each of these chapters she has chosen appropriate scripture for Turning to God and listed Questions for Reflection or Discussion to help us further expand our understanding.

This book is filled with many nuggets of wisdom and many wonderful statements and I especially love her reminder that 'David and Bathsheba both could have given their anger permission to turn them away from God. Instead, they chose to seek God rather than run from Him.'

This is a book that touches on many of the human emotions that we experience as humans: shame, anger, fear, grieving, forgiveness, and hope. The Bathsheba Battle is perfect for personal bible study but I can see it being used in a woman's Bible study group.

I received a complimentary digital copy from the author but I am not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts.

Author Natalie Chambers Snapp gives us a nuanced and imaginative look at what Bathsheba may have felt as her life took a startling turn way beyond what she probably anticipated. The Biblical account focuses on King David. But Ms. Snapp helps us imagine what Bathsheba may have felt, experienced, suffered, endured, and grieved on the flip side of this very famous story. By looking at Bathsheba's life and very-likely emotions, we can find Biblical wisdom to deal with our own pain, anger, shame, grief, and suffering and progress on to healing and forgiveness. Ms. Snapp is quick to point out that we cannot know for sure how Bathsheba felt, but she's also quick to state that these feelings and emotions are common to us all in similar circumstances. So while Ms. Snapp uses her imagination, I do think that it is reasonable to imagine the responses that Bathsheba likely had.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

I had heard the story of David and Bathsheba many times before, but it was always focused on David with Bathsheba just being included as a small part of the story. Until I read this book I had never thought about Bathsheba's backstory or what she went through. I had definitely not considered what I could learn from her story. This is a story using a woman in the Bible who is not included in books focusing on women in the Bible as often as women like Esther or Ruth. Natalie shares a piece of Bathsheba's story in each chapter, making the reader eager to get to the next chapter and find out what happens next, learn something they didn't know about the story, and learn how that portion of the story can be applied to their own story. I love how Natalie talks about God not changing his recipe for making people, so people from back then have many of the same thoughts and feelings we do now. As a former mental health counselor I could tell by the way that she wrote about trauma in a knowledgeable way that she was a counselor in training. This was my first time reading a book of Natalie's and now I am definitely interested in reading her other book Heart Sisters about Godly female friendship.

This is a great book! Definitely add to a must read list! The characters are great and the story is well written!

This was really an amazing book. The author broke down the story of Bathsheba, and I am so glad I had a chance to read it! So many people portray Bathsheba as an adulteress but that is not the case at all! The author goes into detail what exaclty happened in this story of Bathsheba and David. The book talks a lot about forgiveness and how forgiveness is really not for the other person, but for us. We are the ones who suffer when unforgiveness takes place in our hearts. The book also talks a lot about fear and was so relatable. So many of the emotions Bathsheba went through, so many of us can relate to today. Maybe not the same circumstance but the emotions are the same.

I highly recommend this book. I think every woman who reads this will appreciate understanding the story better and will be able to relate in some way or another.

I received a copy of this book from the author. No review was required. All statements here are solely my own

The Bathsheba Battle explaines Bathsheba in a whole new light! God uses whom He chooses to be a part of His work.

The Bathsheba Battle
Finding Hope When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn
by Natalie Chambers Snapp

Abingdon Press

Christian , Religion & Spirituality

Pub Date 17 Sep 2019



I am reviewing a copy of The Bathsheba Battle through Abingdon Press and Netgalley:



If you have ever had your life take an unexpected turn, or have felt hurt or stuck, The Bathsheba Battle is just the book for you.





Natalie Chambers Snapp points out that Bathsheba is one of the most misunderstood women of the Bible. She is typically misrepresented as an adulteress. But despite an unexpected turn in her life, which led to tragic circumstances that were beyond her control, if you look you can see that there is a glimmer of hope in her story. In this book we are reminded that Bathsheba’s suffering led her to bear fruit that grew while she was in the deepest valley of her life.




Though our lives are different today, than it was in Bathsheba’s day, one thing remains the same, that is we all experience suffering. Chambers reminds us too that The restoration of our relationship with God is an important first step to our own self-care. We are reminded too that forgiveness is important but forgiveness does not always lead to reconciliation.




I give The Bathsheba Battle five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

This book/bible study based on the life of Bathsheba was a good, solid read. I appreciated the author acknowledging the complexity of Bathsheba's story (not just a simple "she sinned", as that is grossly inaccurate) and the difficult journey she must have faced following. The way she traced shame, grief, bitterness and other emotions many women face through this story and rooted them in the biblical text was powerful. I know a lot of women in my life who would benefit from reading this book and studying this story - and I will be sharing it with them!

This book was so timeous for me. I had been asking God lots of questions and thru one sentence in this book he answered a question I asked 10 months ago ... the author used the exact same phrase as something God had given me 10 months ago ... what a confirmation & encouragement to see how God uses books to talk to us. It’s showed me a different side to Bathsheba & helped me on ,your journey toward healing.

I know when many people think of life taking an "unexpected turn" they probably immediately think of death, but it can also be anything from going through a divorce, an unplanned pregnancy, or a number of other things. I don't think anyone in this life is immune from going through something unexpected that may make you feel worn down, and defeated. The Bathsheba Battle is the perfect study for someone going through an unexpected season of life, someone who might need some healing. I have had several unexpected things going on in my life over the last year and I think I am just now processing all of them so I have been in kind of a bad place. This study gave me hope. This study lifted me up. This study modeled strong women who dealt with pain and suffereing and turned it into stronger faith in God. The main study is about Bathsheba but many other women heroes are briefly mentioned in these pages. I read this book alone, but it is also set up to be done in a group Bible study. There are fabulous verses at the end of each section to meditate on and study, as well as a prayer and discussion questions. I recommend this book to literally any Christian woman, but particularly Bible study groups.

The Bathsheba Battle is not my first study of the Bathsheba Bible story. But I’m in a different place in life than I was last time. I am more mature, more experienced in life. Not as naive, and have the wounds to prove it. (Nothing Huge, but still significant)

The Bathsheba Battle has 12 short inspirational devotions (about a 5-minute read) that pack a punch. Each one walks you through a big truth and has excellent scripture with application questions at the end.

Battle 1: Bathsheba in the Bible
Recognizing Bathsheba in the Bible as a real woman who went through a ton of ‘stuff’ is very helpful. The Bathseba Battle doesn’t gloss over anything, but doesn’t roll in the mud either.

Battle 2: The Bathsheba Bible Story’s Shame
The Bathsheba Bible story is one that has often been used to cast shame. But we can, and should take a pace from the Bathsheba story, and refuse to own that shame.

Battle 3: Trauma in the Bathsheba Bible Story
The lessons on shame and trauma were particularly helpful. Recently, I had the idea that Trauma or “Post Traumatic Stress” is something most everyone encounters. I do not in any way minimize what our soldiers are experiencing. But I want average ‘normal’ women to realize that we experience trauma too.

Recognizing that, gives us the chance, the freedom. to heal.

I received a copy of this book from @NetGalley and chose to review it here. all thoughts above are my own, and I would recommend this book to every Christian woman!

Bathsheba is a person in the Bible who I felt like I understood until I read The Bathsheba Battle by Natalie Chambers Snapp. The author does an excellent job giving new perspectives on the whole person of Bathsheba and not just the adulteress she is often portrayed as. This book delves into the topic of forgiveness, anger, and shame. It gave me a lot to think about and I am glad that I read it.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I think I was eight years old when I first heard Bathsheba's story, and It certainly got my attention. I remember my shock and confusion vividly, though it was more to do with David than with Bathsheba. Did the heroic and faithful giant-killer really do that?
I was interested to read this book to focus on the story from Bathsheba's perspective. It explores the emotions Bathsheba must have experienced as she is brought to the palace, discovers herself unexpectedly pregnant, and then has to deal with the loss not only of her husband Uriah, but also of her child.
While our situations are different from Bathsheba's, we all experience unexpected and often devastating circumstances at times, and this book attempts to draw lessons from Bathsheba's story that can help us find they way forward in our own situations.
The reason for giving this book 3 stars is that I found some of the links with Bathsheba's story a little tenuous. There are so many gaps in the Bible's accounts of her story that I felt a lot of the lessons in this book were based on imagination and supposition rather than what we can actually glean from the biblical account. The author freely admits this, and I think the points she presents are helpful. I just found it a little frustrating to constantly be reminded: "We don't really know how Bathsheba felt but..."
Leaving that aside, I think it will be a helpful book for many struggling with difficult circumstances, and it provides encouragement and practical advice for turning away from shame, anger, comparison, and fear, and towards forgiveness and hope.

"Could Help In Your Battle"

King David is one of my favorite people in the Bible. I love his authenticity, he is so honest about his thoughts, words and actions both good and bad. Bathsheba was one of his wives.

When this couple is talked about some see Bathsheba as an adultress, since she slept with David while she was married. Or we think of her as Solomon's mother without giving her much more thought.

In this book the author gives us much more to think about. Have you ever stop to think about the sin that started this relationship? It wasn't that Bathsheba was a woman looking to have an affair. It was the fact that in the time and culture she live in, a woman had no choice except to obey what the King said.

Have you ever had your choices removed from you? If so you know it brings up a whole array of emotions. Including but not limited to shame, anger, guilt, betrayal, fear, withdrawal etc.

While we don't know for sure how Bathsheba handled all her emotions and thoughts. We can gleam nuggets from scriptures that are shared in this book. Bathsheba had choices taken from her but she chose to walk a healing path. She chose to take care of herself the best way she could in her circumstances.

This book is a guide with Biblical ways to recognize and start and walk the healing process. Ways we all need if we've ever been hurt in this life. Hurts than can come at the hands of good people just as easily as it can from the hands of not so good people and circumstances.

I've highlighted many parts of this book. One of my favorite quotes from it is:

"When the soul withers, we must do whatever it takes to bring it back to life."

Books like this bless our souls when we need it.

I received an advance readers copy of this book. This is my honest review. I'd highly recommend having a copy of it to read and apply.

“Troubles help us learn not to give up, and when we have learned not to give up, we have stood the test. Standing the test leads to hope. And hope, like the kind I see in Bathsheba’s story, is what gives us the strength to keep climbing out of the valley – because there’s a reward to be had.”

The story of David and Bathsheba is one that is familiar to most Christians. It is one that I have read many times, so I didn’t think that there was much more that I could learn from this story. This book by Natalie Chambers Snapp proved me wrong. I never thought about how Bathsheba must have had to forgive David. First, he used her, then had her husband killed. The worst part of it was that because of David’s sin, she lost her infant son. This book really made me think about how the people involved in this story were real people with real feelings, instead of it just being a familiar tale that I gloss over in my Bible.

There are twelve chapters in this book, and each chapter begins with a quote, and ends with a list of scriptures to meditate on and discussion questions. This book can be read and studied alone, but it would also make an excellent study for a small group of women. The author talked about difficult topics such as shame, anger, comparison, fear, grieving, self-care, forgiveness, and hope. She related each of these emotions to the story of Bathsheba, and she also included personal stories to make her ideas more relatable.

“We can’t always control our circumstances, much like Bathsheba. However, we can choose how we react, and if by God’s grace we choose that our soul will be well, it will be well – no matter what.”

1 star
I was really looking forward to reading/studying this book and the life of Bathsheba. The author Natalie Chambers Snapp really started off well and I was thoroughly enjoying the book until she started using The Message as her Bible source. The Message is certainly NOT an accurate Bible translation and anyone who uses it as their Bible source has discernment issues. I just cannot trust an author or anything she says while using The Message.
I was hoping it would be just a one-time thing but each time she gave a Bible source it was from The Message, so I gave up reading the Bathsheba Battle.
I cannot recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own.