Thomas: when doubt can fuel faith and belief

Thomas is known as the Doubter. Yes, he was a doubter; however, his doubt had a purpose. Many Christians are taught that we should not doubt. That doubt is a lack of faith. However, after studying Thomas and doubters throughout the Bible that is not the case! Thomas wanted to know the truth, so he asked questions and when his questions were answered, he believed! He expressed his doubts fully and had them answered completely. Doubting was his way of responding to new information; but it was not his way of life. Glimpses of Thomas are brief throughout the gospels; however, his character comes through with consistency. He was a man of faith who sought answers to his nagging questions. Thomas is not the first doubter in the Bible. Who was Thomas? Who were other doubters in the Bible? How does God respond to doubters? What lessons can we take from doubt? 

Thomas was an honest and loyal man. He was intense in belief and in doubt. Thomas didn’t idolize his doubt, he gladly believed when he was given reasons to do so. While his occupation is unknown, he was known for courage as well as his doubt. Courage? Yes, courage. In John 11:6, Jesus hears about Lazarus’s illness and to go back to Bethany after Jews tried to stone him (John 10:31) was dangerous for them. While the other disciples tried to talk Jesus out of going back to see Lazarus, Thomas replied, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16). He didn’t hesitate to follow Jesus. However, he struggled to believe despite what he felt. Did he doubt because he so wanted to believe but felt it was impossible? The gospels do not tell us why Thomas was absent when Jesus first appeared to the disciples after the resurrection; however, he was reluctant to believe their witness accounts. A week passed before Jesus appeared to Thomas, but he encouraged him to touch his wounds and believe (John 20:26-27). Jesus used Thomas’s doubt to show us that God does not reject honest doubt. 

The Bible is filled with doubters from Abraham and Sarah to Moses to the prophet Habakkuk and even John the Baptist. I would like to discuss three specific doubters. First, Gideon went from fearful farmer to mighty warrior. He was hiding from the Midianities as he was filled with fear about his own abilities and God’s presence. He would make excuse after excuse (Judges 11:15) and asked God to prove himself with sign after sign (Judges 11:17) and God gave him his sign (Judges 11:20-22) and other miracles (Judges 6:36-40). Second, Elijah went from faithful prophet to bold witness. Elijah is remembered as a great prophet; however, he still experienced moments of deep doubt and despair. In 1 Kings 19:3-4, Elijah flees for his life and begs God to end his life. God instead gave him rest and strength. He sent food and water and after a period of rest and with a renewed sense of purpose, Elijah became the prophet we all know (1 Kings 19:5-18). Lastly, the father of the demon possessed boy in Mark 9:14-29 asks Jesus “if he can” help his son. When Jesus questions the man’s if statement, the father proclaims “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.” His faith was imperfect but he was trying and for that Jesus honored his prayer and healed his son (Childers, 2018). 

There are four lessons we can take from doubt. First, doubt is a common human experience. Tim Keller wrote that faith without doubt is like the human body without antibodies (Keller, 2008). Just as antibodies help the body’s immune system, doubt can help fuel faith. We can have doubts without living a life of doubt. Doubt can be used to pose questions, to get an answer and come to a decision. Doubt; however, becomes a problem when it is out of stubbornness and that stubbornness becomes a lifestyle that can harm faith and belief. Second, God can work through doubt with patience and understanding. God deals with honest doubters and will meet us right where we are at (Childers, 2018). When we have doubts, we can bring our questions to God. Third, doubt can lead to deeper faith. Lastly, seeking answers and evidence is not wrong. We can ask for evidence to back up our faith. Thomas’s doubt was rational and intellectual and Jesus answered his intellectual doubt with evidence (Childers, 2018). John the Baptist experienced the most painful type of doubt. A doubt when you stand to lose everything if your suspicion is correct. He needed reconfirmation and Jesus provided it (Matthew 11:1-6, Luke 7:18-23). 

In conclusion, Thomas deserves to be respected for his faith and not ignored for his doubt. Doubt is not a character flaw. It is a natural experience to have questions and uncertainty. We can take encouragement from Thomas, We can take our doubts and allow Jesus to lead us to belief. Gideon would eventually embrace his calling and his journey from doubt to faith demonstrates the patience God has for us as he guides and strengthens our faith.Elijah’s transformation serves as a reminder that God meets us in our weakest moments, offering comfort and encouragement to continue our journey of faith. Faith is an attitude of trust and confidence (Hebrews 11:1) and we do not obtain faith without help as it is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). Growing in faith is a constant process of daily renewing our trust in Jesus. It is better to doubt out loud than to disbelieve in silence. 

References

Childers, Alisa (February 2, 2018). 4 Lessons We Can Learn From Doubters in the Bible. Blog. https://www.alisachildersblog.com/blog/4-lessons-we-can-learn-from-doubters-in-the-bible. Retrieved August 10, 2025. 

Keller, Timothy (2008-02-14). The Reason for God . Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition, location 192. Retrieved August 10, 2025. 

Five Survive: a slow burn young adult thriller with surprising twists and turns

Five Survive by Holly Jackson is a young adult thriller which takes place over eight hours with six friends and one sniper threatening their lives. Eighteen year old Red Kenny is on a Spring Break trip with her friends. A road trip in an RV from Philadelphia to the beach. When the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere, with no cell service and no one around to help. Suddenly, the wheels of the RV are shot out, the friends realize that there is a sniper out in the dark, watching them and knows exactly who they are. Someone in their group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for. The friends desperately try to get help as well as discover who had the secret. As the hours pass, the friends discover that they all have secrets buried deep. They have nowhere to run and tensions run high, someone will not survive. 

After reading the author’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy, I looked forward to reading her other thrillers. Five Survive is a slow burn thriller that picks up in the final quarter of the book with dizzying speed. At one point, I questioned whether I cared about these characters or the secret someone was hiding or how the events played out. I considered putting the book away. Oh I am so glad that I didn’t! There were so many twists and turns that I was on the edge of my seat to the very end. Each character seemed sketchy and trying to hide something. Even Red, the narrator, left me questioning her motives. The how and why behind their adventures was shocking and the identity of who dies is unclear even to the final page. If you enjoy thrillers, even a young adult one, I highly, highly recommend Five Survive. 

Five Survive is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Delicate Escape: a slow burn romance with twist and turns suspsense

Delicate Escape is the second book in the Sparrow Falls series by Catherine Cowles. Thea Stewart is running, when she comes to Sparrow Falls, she finally finds the perfect place to leave peacefully off the grid. Slow to trust, she has made a few friends in town and romance is definitely off the table until she meets Shepard “Shep” Colson. Shep has it all: a successful construction company and a great family along with golden boy charm and devastatingly good looks; however, Thea isn’t going to be taken in by smiles and sweet talk. Shep is drawn to the quiet, reserved Thea and when she needs some home repairs done, Shep jumps at the chance to help. As he is rebuilding the walls in her home, he also slowly breaks through her carefully erected walls. As she learns to trust him, she reveals her secrets and Shep is determined to keep her safe. There is a shadow from her past that is determined to tear her life apart. 

Delicate Escape is a great story with a mix of sweet romance, humorous banter and suspense with breathtaking twists and turns. When Thea was introduced in Fragile Sanctuary, I knew she was hiding and her story would be an emotional roller coaster. I wanted to reach through the book and hug Thea and I waited for her to gather the strength to fight back and protect the life she created in Sparrow Falls. I cheered for her throughout the story. In this story, Shep is dealing with the aftermath of book 1 and the guilt of his inadvertent role in the events. He was also a character I wanted to hug. I loved his character and the love he has for his family and friends was wonderful. I also loved his tenderness with Thea and when their love story was sweet, tender and passionate. Overall, I loved this story and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I highly, highly recommend Delicate Escape. 

Delicate Escape is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

In the Grasp: a second chance sports romance

In the Grasp is the first book in the LA Wolves series by Cadence Keys. Jack Fuller is at the top of his game with a high priority on his personal life remaining private. He can’t stop thinking about the girl who got away. Now, nine years later, she arrives back in his life and Jack is determined to do it right this time around. Paige O’Malley has worked tirelessly to land her dream job a largest newspaper. Her first assignment: to write the most personal expose on Jack, the man who broke her heart. As she tries to remain professional and land her interview, she learns that the spark between them is still as hot as ever. She is forced to decide what is more important: her dream career or the love of her life. 

I love sports romances, so I looked forward to picking up In the Grasp. From the opening chapter, I loved Jack and Paige as readers meet them as seniors in high school, best friends to lovers when something happens that tears them apart. Fast forward and they are both living their dreams except one. From the moment they saw each other again, the drama, the banter, and the steamy romance were in high gear. There were moments of great emotions from both Jack and Paige. I love the grand gestures from both of them! I could not put this book down! I am looking forward to the rest of the series. If you love sports romance, you will love Jack and Paige and the world of the LA Wolves. I highly recommend In The Grasp. 

In the Grasp is available in paperback and eBook

What We Leave Behind: a woman must face her past and answer the question what could have been

What We Leave Behind by Rochelle Weinstein is the story of Jessica Parker as she faces life and emotional growth confronting the past and moving forward in her future. At sixteen, she is dealing with the loss of her father as well as the loss of her first love. After an intense summer romance, Jonas Levy, a twenty two year old medical student, has abruptly walked out of her life and Jessica is left with deep wounds. As she grows up and moves on, she eventually becomes a successful music supervisor in Los Angeles. After she marries Marty Tauber, a film producer, she finally seems to have it all until her marriage begins to unravel. When a secret from her past comes to light, Jessica finds herself in a storm of trauma and memories as she faces the past. Will she be able to find peace in order to salvage her marriage and save everything she loves? 

For a story that describes itself that “our lives are a sum total of the choices we make, which inevitably leaves us to wonder: what if?” To ask the question: would we go back and make a different choice if we could? To live what could have been? However, What We Leave Behind fell short. The story dragged with lots happening but it didn’t really add to the benefit of the story. For me, different reveals felt out of place and were more for shock value than an emotional impact. I didn’t care for the main character, Jessica and the events that she has to experience which made the book very hard to pick up and get into. Overall, I did not enjoy What We Leave Behind. I just wasn’t drawn into a story I expected to be an emotional exploration of what if and what could have been. I do not recommend What We Leave Behind. 

What We Leave Behind is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

When the Rain Ends: a mother and daughter learn to navigate one of life's toughest storms together

When the Rain Ends by Mary Ellen Taylor is a story of a mother and daughter who must learn to navigate one of life’s toughest storms together. After the sudden death of her ex-husband, Dani Peterson learns that she is slowly losing her vision which has left her feeling adrift. Life on the Outer Banks of North Carolina is just a painful reminder. Along with Bella, her grief stricken twelve year old daughter, Dani buys an old farm near the Virginia state line. While Bella is not happy with the drastic change, Dani is more determined to rise to the challenge. Soon the summer brings them new challenges, new friends, and the possibility of a new love. Can they learn that every storm can be weather as long as they do it together? Are sunny skies in their future after so much wind and rain? 

When the Rain Ends held so much promise that I was eager to begin reading. It soon became apparent that the book would not live up to the synopsis. This story had so much potential as the topic of grief is prevalent throughout and yet I found it hard to connect with any of the characters. Dani was okay as a mom who was trying to help her daughter with grief while dealing with grief herself. Bella didn’t act like a twelve year old in her behaviors and attitude. The plot was flat and forming. It didn’t hold my attention. In parts, I found myself zoning out. Some of the subplots were underdeveloped and others didn’t fit in the overarching story. Overall, I did not enjoy this story. It could have been a great story about grief and learning to move forward. I do not recommend When the Rain Ends. 

When the Rain Ends is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Lost Baker of Vienna: family history and a search for answers

The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman is a historical novel inspired by the author’s family in the aftermath of the Holocaust and World War II. In Vienna, 1946, Chana Rosensweig survived the horrors of the war, only to find herself, her mother and her younger brother free and yet struggling to make a living and live in safety. Despite the danger, Chana sneaks into the hotel where she works and makes her late father’s recipes late at night. She soon finds herself caught in a dangerous love triangle, torn between the black market dealer who offered security and the apprentice baker who shares her passions. In North Carolina, 2018, Zoe Rosenzweig follows the clues left in her late grandfather’s writings to track down her great aunt in Europe and find out the truth to what happened to her. Soon, Zoe has the sense that someone is following her. Is there someone in the shadows looking for her aunt as well? 

In a story about survival, loss, love and the effects of war, The Lost Baker of Vienna speaks of the unbreakable bonds of family and bringing to light the courageous spirit of survival as the World War II refugees begin to rebuild their lives and overcome the overwhelming hardships left behind in a world torn apart by war. I enjoyed that the author focused on the events and experiences in the aftermath of World War II. Often World War II novels focus on the actual war experiences and ignore the aftermath. I felt more drawn to Zoe’s experiences as she is tracing the steps of her great aunt than Chana’s point of view. Overall, I enjoyed both points of view as the web of secrets unraveled. Some parts were interesting and kept me reading while others were predictable. However, I commend the author for giving a voice to those left behind in war and worked to rebuild. If you enjoy historical novels, I recommend The Lost Baker of Vienna. 

The Lost Baker of Vienna will be available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook 

on August 19, 2025.