See the Easter story with new eyes — through the lens of an unexpected witness

What if a new manuscript was discovered about Jesus’s life on earth – this time, in the form of a journal written by a woman who unexpectedly found herself with a front-row seat to Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection?

The Journal is an imaginative account of what it might have been like to witness the ministry of Jesus as an average person during that time in history. It will inspire you to put yourself in the shoes of those who witnessed the greatest miracle of all time and ask how your life might be different if you had walked with Jesus.

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The Journal is a fictional account of an unlikely witness to the final week of Jesus’s ministry – a woman named Salome who takes a Passover pilgrimage to Jerusalem with a group from Galilee. As she overhears the things Jesus says and finds herself with a front-row seat to his death and resurrection, she is forced to wrestle with the questions so many people of her day were asking: Who is this man? Is He who He says He is? And what does this mean for me?

Salome’s account offers a fresh perspective on a story that’s been told many times, inviting you to imagine yourself in the story of Jesus’s life as it was unfolding. As you encounter the humanity of Jesus and the people whose lives He touched, you will discover new treasures within the Easter story and be reminded of the simple truth of Jesus’s message: love your neighbor as yourself.

Perfect for Lent or Holy Week, the book includes a 40-day Easter devotional and Lenten guide that will bring Scripture to life and prepare your heart for the Easter season.

Nancy Kurkowski

Nancy Kurkowski grew up in central Africa as the child of United Methodist missionaries. She graduated from Vanderbilt University and, after a career in the investment industry, spent her time raising two daughters and volunteering for several non-profit organizations. She served on the Regional Board of Directors for UNICEF USA for over 10 years and worked as a child advocate for CASA of Collin County. In 2013, Nancy was an Honoree at the Each Moment Matters Award Luncheon in Dallas, TX. She was one of the founding volunteers for the Seven Loaves Food Pantry (part of the Storehouse of Collin County) and now serves as the Dean of Job Skills for the Storehouse Academy. Nancy and her husband, Hal, are active members of St. Andrew Methodist Church in Plano, Texas.

Jimmy Decker

Rev. Jimmy Decker began his career as a government software tester for Accenture before moving into systems analysis in the healthcare industry. During this tenure, he felt a calling to military ministry and began pursuing ordination through United Methodist Church. He attended Perkins School of Theology with the hopes of becoming a military chaplain. His ADHD diagnosis medically disqualified him for military service, and he instead joined the staff of St Andrew in Plano. Being ordained in 2019, he has served as the Pastor of Worship and Pastor of Adult Ministries. He now holds the role of Pastor of Connectional Ministry, overseeing discipleship and spiritual development for children, student, and adult ministries. A graduate of Texas A&M, he is an avid football watcher, and cherishes time with his wife, Kristin, and two-year-old son, Max, most in life.

Reviews

What people
are saying…

Nancy Kurkowski and Jimmy Decker have written a delightful and imaginative book that allows its readers to feel intimately connected to the story of Jesus. The storytelling invites you into the time and place of Christ's earthly ministry and creatively gives insight into the teachings of Jesus. This book is a blessing.

Steve Park

Founder and Executive Director Little Lights Urban Ministries

The Journal is a fantastically creative, innovative read at any time of the year, but especially during Holy Week! Nancy and Jimmy have beautifully blended a fictional narrative with Biblical accounts and truths which allow the reader the opportunity to interact with the book in a devotional way. I was immediately drawn into the story as if it were my own journey! A great read for individuals or to use for group study about Jesus.

Candace Winslow

Executive Director, The Storehouse of Collin County

What would it be like to be in the center of the greatest miracle of all time?

When we look at the story of Jesus told in Scripture, we hear from the Apostles. We hear from the religious and political leaders. We hear from Jesus Himself. But what would it be like to hear from an average person witnessing the drama of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection? What would it be like to go to work, to cook Sabbath dinner, to raise kids, and to experience life against the backdrop of events that would change history?

Would you stop to pay attention? Would you try to avoid getting caught up in politics? Would you call Jesus a heretic? Or would you dare to decide He really was the Messiah?

As you put yourself in the shoes of someone experiencing the uncertainty and wonder of meeting Jesus for the first time, The Journal will help you enter into the story in a new way and imagine how your life might be different if you had actually walked with Jesus.

See Easter through a new lens

Find a new sense of wonder in a familiar story as you engage the Scriptures more deeply

Humanize the story of Jesus

Experience Jesus’s death and resurrection as real events experienced by real people and imagine what it would be like to be in the center of it all

Get back to the core of faith

Connect to the things Jesus said and did as person on earth and be reminded of the simplicity and beauty of His message

Experience the story of Jesus like never before

As you put yourself in the shoes of someone walking with Jesus, The Journal will reveal new treasures within the Easter story and remind you of the simple truth of Jesus’s message: love your neighbor as yourself. Plus, get 40 Lenten devotionals that serve as a companion to the story and connect Salome’s account to Scripture.