Fiction Friday! Interview With all Four Women From the Hidden Faces Series

Interview With all Four Women From the Hidden Faces Series

Today we have a special treat. All four women from the Hidden Faces series are here to talk to us and wrap up these interviews.

Q – First I would like each of you to tell me what was the most difficult part of your journey. Let’s just take the answers in the order of the books.

Anna, from Trapped! The Adulterous Woman - Watching the Roman soldiers beat and crucify Jesus. It was horribly wrenching, and something really that I have no words to describe. When I saw what my sin did to Him, I was undone, inconsolable. It took some time for the realization of what was happening in the heavenlies to sink in. It was too much. This was not just a man who rescued a foolish woman from the righteous Pharisees. This was God in the flesh, and they were killing Him.

Marah, from Alone, The Woman At The Well - Oh, Anna, I cannot even imagine how horrible that must have been. To watch the Savior being tortured like that. The most difficult part of my journey came before I met Jesus. The shame and guilt I experienced from having had five husbands absolutely destroyed my life, my self-esteem and my family. I was so embarrassed and ashamed, but I didn’t know how to fix it. After my first husband died so young, my life became more and more complicated, and I couldn’t seem to get things turned around. 

Tirzah, from Broken, The Woman Who Anointed Jesus’s Feet - Oh, that’s easy for me to answer. The fact that I compromised my vow never to succumb to the lifestyle of a harlot to survive, like my mother and grandmother. Claudia and I tried to survive by baking bread, and she resorted to begging, but we were starving to death. I didn’t know what else to do.

Marah – I can relate, Tirzah. I never dreamed I’d end up begging, but when I had no other way to get food, the desperation won out.

 

Zahavah, from Hopeless, The Woman With the Issue of Blood - My most difficult issue was the hopelessness of having an incurable disease to which God seemed to be oblivious and uncaring. I became so desperate I’m embarrassed to say that I attempted suicide. And the isolation from my husband and family because the disease declared me unclean.

Q – The other question I’d like to ask is … in the language of an author … what is the main takeaway from your encounter with Jesus? What do you hope the readers gain from reading your stories?

Anna - That Jesus offers forgiveness to the vilest of sinners. He dealt with me with such compassion and tenderness … no judgment, no criticism … simply grace and mercy. How can I do any less toward others? Forgiveness is the theme of my story.

Marah - That shame and guilt need not dominate after Jesus invades our lives. It doesn’t matter what our past has been. Once Jesus redeems us, the past, present and future are cleansed. Freedom from shame and guilt is the theme of my story.

Tirzah - Of course, I agree with Anna and Marah, and my story includes both forgiveness and freedom from shame and guilt, but the takeaway from my story is that Jesus is worthy of extravagant worship. Whatever it takes to worship Jesus lavishly, we should be willing to do. It may mean crossing cultural lines and tradition, but He is worthy of it. Extravagant love produces extravagant worship.

Zahavah - That when Jesus is present, there is no need for hopelessness. Healing is available. It may not be the way we would have pictured it, but with Jesus there is always hope.

Thank you, thank you, ladies. I cannot tell you what delving into your stories has meant to me over the past two years. Your testimonies are life-changing. Bless you.

Click HERE to order your copy of Hidden Faces: Portraits of Nameless Women in the Gospels

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