Book Review: The Day I Met Jesus

While telling well-known stories, this unique book brings to life characters that are often overlooked, and makes these stories from the Gospels personal. The Day I Met Jesus, by Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth, tells the stories of five women who encountered Jesus in the Gospels and how their lives were impacted. Each woman’s story has three parts: a journal entry written from the perspective of each woman, the Bible passage that sets the context of the story, and a cultural and theological explanation of the story.

The five women are: A Woman Caught in Adultery, A Prostitute Who Loved Too Much, A Desperate Samaritan Woman, A Woman with a Flow of Blood, the Woman Whom Jesus Loved. While keeping historical and cultural context in check, each woman’s story is recounted, giving the reader a look into her life prior to meeting them in the Gospels. These women were heartbroken, used, abused, and had shattered dreams and smothered spirits. Meeting Jesus, brought new life and hope to each one; he revived their desolate lives and gave them a new purpose.