BOOKS
Elaine R Kelly Author brings healing and hope to those who are sidelined or silenced by the church by writing historical fiction and blogs about women in the Bible and church history, gender and religion, and biblical studies.
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📖Forgotten Follower from Broken to Bold, a historical fiction empowering women, shows women in the Bible overcoming trauma, abuse, and racism.
📖Because She Was Called: from Broken to Bold Book 2, A Novel of the Early Church shows early Christians overcoming divisions, advocating for women in ministry, mutuality in marriage, affirming LGBTQ+, and adopting all believers into the family of faith.
📖Walk with Mara on Her Healing Journey: 21 Steps to Emotional Resilience. It's a spiritual self-care and self-help book, including psychology, theology, and stories from fiction and from the Author's experiences.
📖The Sword: A Fun Way to Engage in Healthy Debate on What the Bible says about a Woman’s Role contains 104 flashcards and 180 end notes showing an objective rationale for diverse views on gender roles.
Released April 2024
Because She Was Called
from Broken to Bold book 2
A Novel of the Early Church
After legalists kill Stephen, followers of The Way scatter. Susannah takes off to Caesarea and lands in the arms of a deacon. But will he limit her freedoms? Will she choose romance over obeying God's call? Torn by grief and anger, where will Joanna turn for shelter? Will she testify before powerful men? Will loyalty to Jesus cost her the loss of her son?
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“A remarkable tale affirming Christian egalitarianism that will captivate, provoke, and inspire readers on an unforgettable journey through the origins of Christianity.” -Prairies Book Review
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Because She Was Called was named a Finalist in the 2024 Independent Author Awards, a stage for diverse voices to connect with worldwide audiences.
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While this novel continues character development from Forgotten Followers From Broken to Bold, Book 1, each can be read as a stand-alone novel. Forgotten Followers is set in the Gospels; Because She Was Called is set in Acts 2-11. If you are a spiritual wanderer or ex-vangelical, take a sip of fresh, living water with this story of how the early church overcame divisions and changed the world. This is a Christian egalitarian and affirming fiction.
You may buy directly from the publisher, FriesenPress, toggling between US$/CDN$, or click for Links to shop at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Nook, AppleBooks, Google Play Books, Kobo, or ChaptersIndigo.
Released September 2022
Forgotten Followers
from Broken to Bold book 1
AFTER YEARS OF SUBMISSION, Mara is afraid and unsure about everything—especially her nephew, Jesus. When her neighbours chase him off a cliff, they force Mara (based on Mary of Clopas) into the unknown. After being told she is unlovable, can she learn to love herself? Can she recover from trauma and let down the walls of worry that isolate her? Can she accept her son as he is, even though it is not what she expected?
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At the same time, Joanna grapples with hiding her biracial heritage or risking that the community banish her as they did her father. Can she stop hiding who she is and risk losing it all?
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Strong female friendships build their self-esteem, and they take heart when Jesus empowers them as disciples, patrons, and witnesses. But will Jesus’s opposition to the establishment endanger their lives?
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Forgotten Followers gives voice to woman disciples and healing and hope to readers who feel silenced, alone, or marginalized. The themes of racial and gender inequality in this retelling of the Gospels resonate today. Progressive Christians, exvangelicals, or those deconstructing their faith are likely to experience healing love as Elaine Ricker Kelly highlights these women in the Bible from a feminist and LGBTQ+ affirming lens. Book 1 of the From Broken to Bold series, Forgotten Followers is a CIPA EVVY Silver Award Winner.​
Be sure to check out the FAQ and Freebees tabs!
Details of the twelve women disciples of the novel are here.
Released August 7, 2024
Walk with Mara on Her Healing Journey:
21 Steps to Emotional Resilience
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​Do you sometimes feel unsure, anxious, doubting yourself or even God? Discover how you can transform your life with the power of emotional resilience. These 21 steps are a self-help guide for your spiritual and personal healing, empowering you with strong mental and emotional health. Drawing from the powerful journey of emotional healing of her fictional character, Mara, Elaine Ricker Kelly also shares personal stories and tools that have helped her and can help you too.
Benefits:
- Find healing and build resilience against emotional hurts and trauma
- Restore your self-esteem, confidence, and trust in yourself and God
- Have healthier, stronger, more positive mental health
Find out how to take 21 steps to emotional resilience:
- Navigate relationships and establish boundaries to strengthen your mental health
- Build healthy connections and accept compliments to improve your self-worth
- Accept yourself, overcome anxiety, and love yourself to build resilience against rebuffs
- Practice psychology and behaviour therapy techniques to overcome emotional hurts
- Transform feelings of shame into self-esteem with practical methods for personal development
- Deconstruct harmful beliefs and restore your faith and self-worth as an equal heir in God’s family
- Reframe Scripture to see it in new, healing ways that affirm your value and voice
- Understand how the Bible endorses equality to be bold against discrimination
- Use prompts for self-reflection, journaling, prayer, or devotionals to envision yourself fulfilling your life’s purpose
- Be inspired by personal stories to renew your faith and build resilience against the hurts of everyday living
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Don't suffer another day! Step towards emotional healing and transform your shame into confidence, your self-loathing into self-love, and your sores into beautiful scars.
The Sword
A Fun Way to Engage in Healthy Debate on
What the Bible Says About a Woman's Role
Released February 2023
Are you ready to transform your understanding of religious beliefs, gender roles, and social issues? Imagine the Bible as a Sword that cuts the divisions between us, cuts through the confusion and conflicting views of gender roles at home, church, and society. Discover the truth about God and gender and how it can change your life.
BENEFITS:
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Understand the biblical rationale for two views: male-only Christian leadership or equal freedoms and responsibilities for women in leadership
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Spark healthy debate and valuable insights into Christian relationships
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Gain a deeper understanding on various perspectives of gender roles and social issues
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Equip yourself for pre-marriage or marriage counseling
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Clarify your personal stance on various passages
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Unleash your full potential by breaking free from the constraints and traditional gender roles
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
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A comprehensive collection of 104 flashcards summarizing key biblical passages related to gender roles.
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A balanced representation of both Complementarian and Egalitarian views in one place
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104 thought-provoking flashcards to prompt reflection and start a hands-on discussion
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Flashcard format is a fun and interactive way to engage teens and young adults in Christian education
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180 endnotes broaden your understanding
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Complete resource to facilitate a productive debate about Christian beliefs in your youth group
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Essential knowledge about gender and religion for pre-marriage or marriage counseling
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Powerful ideas for personal and spiritual growth
Start today to engage in healthy debates on biblical womanhood, gender, and religion with The Sword: A Fun Way to Engage in Healthy Debate on What the Bible Says About a Woman’s Role.
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Coming Soon
What to Do When You Feel Forgotten:
Reconnect with Jesus in 40 Devotions based on a Harmony of the Gospels
​Do you sometimes feel forgotten, alone, sidelined or silenced? Do you doubt Jesus, Christianity, or your place in God’s family? Are you deconstructing your faith? Re-encounter Jesus in one chronological narrative harmonizing the four Gospels. Experience the story of Jesus empowering the women who walked with him. Through forty interactive devotionals, explore doubt, healing, affirmation, inclusion, equality, and hope. Break down the layers of religion and re-set your faith on the foundation of Jesus, who encourages, equips, and empowers women as patrons, disciples, and apostles.
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Released June 2024
Short Story:
A Companion's Strength
What if you were the centurion in charge of the guards at Jesus's tomb? What if you fell asleep and the body went missing? And you had already shown your loyalty to Jesus publicly? Would the priests take you to Pilate asking for your death sentence? Where would you go? Who would support you?
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This Short Story introduces a pair of military men who appear in Because She Was Called.​
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