The red, yellow, and orange leaves rustle in the wind and float like feathers to the earth. They crunch under my feet as I saunter toward Starbucks. I breathe in and smell the crispness of the fall air. I smile. My favorite time of year.
I enter the coffee shop and the bean aroma immediately fills my nose. Delightful. A pumpkin spice latte calls my name.
My mind shifts to the task at hand as a young woman in my peripheral vision catches my attention. The brunette with stunning chocolate brown eyes, dressed in royal purple, sits engaging in a conversation. King David’s wife. The other woman and her child stare intently and the young girl reaches out and touches Bathsheba’s silk gown before her mother could stop her.
Bathsheba’s laughter hovers throughout the small café and heads turn. She holds everyone captive without realizing it. A true queen.
I approach her table and introduce myself. The woman and girl scatter back to their seats.
She jumps up and hugs me, taking me by surprise. Did women from her culture act this freely? I didn’t think so.
“Thanks for meeting with me.” I sit and take out my notebook and recorder. “I see you didn’t have any problems finding the place.”
“Not when it comes to fine coffee. I follow my nose.” She places her hand over her mouth and giggles.
We purchase our lattes and sit back down. I decide on my first question and press play. “What was your life like before the night that changed everything?”
She sighs. “Uriah was at war a lot, so that made it hard. I missed him dreadfully. Our life together was good though.” She twirls the wedding ring on her finger.
Was she thinking of past loves or current ones? Or perhaps regrets?
“Why did you go on the roof to bathe that night? It’s a question so many wonder about.” 
She smiles. “You’re not the first to ask. It’s quiet up there. The stillness of the night was inviting and I just wanted to be alone.”
“Did you know David would be watching?”
“Of course not. Many think I enticed him, but I simply went there to bathe in peace and tranquility.”
I check my notes and tap my finger on a tough question, but it’s one my readers would want to know. “Did you have a choice to say no to the king that night? Did you have to say yes?”
She looks away and furrows her eyebrows. “I wasn’t really asked but summoned. In our time you didn’t want to question a king’s orders.” A tear escapes and cascades down her cheek.
So, did she unwillingly give of herself? Sounds like it to me. I clench my hands into fists. How could David do this? A million thoughts race through my mind and I struggle to hold it together.
I take a deep breath and squeeze her hand. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. You must have been terrified when you found out you were pregnant.”
“Beyond words. I had no idea of how he would react, but you know the rest of the story.”
All too well. Lies. Deceit. Murder. Like something out of a modern-day movie.
“After you lost your child, did you forgive David?”
“I had to. I couldn’t carry bitterness around in my heart, and besides, David confessed his sins to the people. Takes a true man to do that. It was then I began to fall in love with him. We had a good marriage.”
I take a sip of my latte as I ponder her words. How many times do we hold on to bitterness when tough times come our way? It only hurts us in the end. This is one smart woman. “Through tragedy, God restored your stolen heart.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “He made it whole again.”
Wow. God took a sinful situation and turned it around for His glory. This proves He can use us when we make mistakes—no matter what they are or how big—and make us stronger. We just have to own up to them, ask for forgiveness, and move on. He’ll then use us for His glory.
And turn stolen hearts into strong hearts.
What do you think? Was Bathsheba innocent in this? No matter what, God forgave them both and used them for His glory. 
2 Samuel 12:13 (NIV)
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”