Judas Iscariot

I have become an archetype. When you hear my name, you think not only of me, but of every traitor throughout history. Yet, those who recorded my story never had a clear understanding of who I was, what I did, or why I did it. They all tried to make sense of it, but I […]

A Tormented Woman: Blood and Translation

“Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.” – Mark 5:29, NIV “Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.” – Mark 5:29, NRSV The way my story is told these days does a disservice to my […]

A Frightened Mama Bear

I put my paw out to stop my cub from walking any further. “Sh…” I warned him, “I hear humans.” I crouched in the trees near the Jordan, being as still and quiet as possible, and I couldn’t help but overhear. “Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?” […]

Jephthah’s Daughter, 2nd Edition

You know that moment when you realize you’re totally screwed? When you realize that, no matter what you do, it’s not going to go well for you? When my father left to lead the Israelites in battle against the Ammonites, I thought that he might die, but not the women he’d left at home. But […]

Haman the Agagite

I am Haman the Agagite. Likely, when you hear my name you automatically associate it with the word, “villain.” I am known for convincing the king to sign an edict spelling death for all the Jews in Persia. I am hated, remembered forever as a heinous villain. But I didn’t start it. When Saul was […]

Eve’s Punishment

To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” – Genesis 3:16 For most of Christian history, Eve has been painted as a villain. Thomas Aquinas said that women lacked […]

Jephthah’s Daughter

I was an only child. No brothers or sisters. All of my friends had lots of brothers and sisters. They would ask me, “Aren’t you lonely?” I would say, “No.” My best friend was my dad, Jephthah. He was my hero. When he was younger, he had been driven out of his family because he […]

Proverbs of a Strange Woman

The proverbs of a strange woman, loved and condemned by Solomon, king of Israel, and the wisdom tradition credited to him: Prologue For learning about wisdom and instruction, for understanding words of insight, for gaining instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity; to teach the poor, ignored, and shamed; to acknowledge those hurt by […]

Brick Ruth, Chapter 4

Ruth 4 Inspired by Brendan Powell Smith’s work with the Brick Bible, my dad and I decided to use the Lego blocks we had at our disposal to create one of the stories that don’t appear in Smith’s work.

Brick Ruth, Chapter 3

Ruth 3 Inspired by Brendan Powell Smith’s work with the Brick Bible, my dad and I decided to use the Lego blocks we had at our disposal to create one of the stories that don’t appear in Smith’s work.