Believing Hearts: An Anthology of Fictional Stories of Contemporaries of Jesus and Their Conversions

The Holy Scriptures are filled with wonderful stories of people who encountered Jesus during his mortal ministry. Some believed Him and became faithful followers; others turned away. Among the thousands who heard him, there are only a few stories recorded by the Gospel writers. This book is a fictional work telling possible stories of ten others, including men, women, and youths, who came to accept Jesus as their Savior. There are recognizable names, such as the Twelve Apostles, Nicodemus, and Jairus. Secondary characters from events gleaned from the Gospels were given names and personalities. When they appeared in more than one story, such as Peter's family, different names were selected to portray independence, not continuity. Each character reflects the universal questions that all must face in accepting Jesus as the Christ such as wealth, fear, tradition, and pride. Perhaps we see a little of ourselves in each of these characters. In the end, it comes down to acting on faith, relying on the eternal love and grace of Jesus, and having believing hearts.