Book Review: Unexpected Love by Julie Coleman

The Bible can be a difficult book to decipher anyway, but in regards to women there are so many stories that just don't make any sense. The tendency then is to either gloss over those difficult passages or take them out of context. Christian women are left with their questions unanswered.  This book , Unexpected Love, helps to shed some light on this dilemma.

Nine stories are told of women who came directly into contact with Jesus during his ministry on earth. There is no common thread in their stories other than each one was sought out by Jesus and was never the same after. From Mary Magdalene to the woman at the well, the author breaks each passage down into bite size pieces. Each story begins with the specific scriptural reference and then explained according to historical and societal norms of ancient times. Best of all, the author strives to help the reader apply the truths revealed to our own lives.

The moral of this story is that Jesus seeks us where we are. He is concerned with our lives regardless of station in life, sins of our past, or financial situation. Women were important to him and still are. At a time when women were looked down upon as second class citizens, he broke through the barriers and welcomed all to follow Him.

This book, a free copy I received from Book Sneeze, was truly a joy to read and I found myself amazed more than once by a revelation that I had never realized prior to picking this book up. It was an awesome read on my own for personal edification, but it would also work great as a women's Bible study in a group setting.