The Day I Met Jesus, by Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth launches today! And here is my full review as promised.

The short version: The Day I Met Jesus is 50% off today. Buy this book. Read. Weep. Internalize.

Click on the image to read the first chapter for free:

The longer version:

What would it have been like to physically meet Jesus face to face?

Looking into Jesus’ eyes, what would a shunned person experience?

Or a person rebuked for violating social norms?

And what if, as that shunned or rebuked person, you met Jesus face to face and He fully loved you and affirmed you, even defending you to your detractors?

In this book, hear from people who did encounter Jesus face to face. Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth have teamed up to write engaging, heart-pricking, thought-provoking Biblical narrative. The Day I Met Jesus contains the diaries of five historical, Biblical women who’s lives were changed because they met Jesus:

Diary of a Woman Caught in Adultery

Diary of a Prostitute Who Loved Much

Diary of a Desperate Samaritan Woman

Diary of a Woman with a Flow of Blood

Diary of the Woman Whom Jesus Loved

After each diary entry, two additional sections complete each chapter: “The Sacred Text” — a transcription of the scripture which is the impetus and foundation of each diary, and “Walking it Out” — a discussion of the historical, cultural, and linguistic aspects of the passage. The discussion prompts the reader to ponder what the encounter meant for each woman and what the scriptural truths mean for our own lives.

Many times while reading this book I was moved to tears, both joyful and poignant. The fleshed out stories are believable. The writing engages the reader. The scriptural truths both cut and mend souls. I highly recommend this book. Buy several; you’ll want to give some away.

“As you hear each woman write about her life-changing encounter with the Son of God, we expect the profound significance of how Jesus interacted with them to turn your own world upside down just as it did theirs.” — from Frank Viola’s introduction

“We wrote this book because we want to see Jesus set you free. We want you to approach His enormous throne of grace with complete confidence — the throne of a King who dared to wear human skin, to welcome outcasts, and to grant deep dignity to those on the fringes of this world.” — from Mary DeMuth’s introduction