Christian Indie Award: Best Gift Book, 2021

The Stations of the Cross from the perspective of Mary Magdalene come to life with historical and archeological references and beautiful reflections and prayers.

In a fresh take on the Stations of the Cross, this version gives a human voice - and a female voice, that of Mary Magdalene - to the Stations, interweaving with history and archeology of the actual sites on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, today. The result is a profound and beautiful experience that touches the heart and enriches the mind - exactly what the originators of the Stations wanted those who undertook this spiritual exercise to achieve.

By humanizing the Stations and bringing them to life, the audiobook offers a primer on dealing with adversity - with perseverance, grace, and hope. Listeners will encounter Mary Magdalene, Simon of Cyrene, Veronica, and Joseph of Arimathea - all of whom were ordinary people that stepped up in a crisis and did something noble, even if it was something small. Each of the 14 Stations has been designed to allow listeners to tap into that nobility.

The audiobook largely avoids the debate over who Mary Magdalene was - the penitent prostitute of European art or the secret wife of the DaVinci Code - and focuses instead on what she was: A strong, courageous, loyal, and determined woman who was virtually unstoppable at the time of the crucifixion! A saint for the 21st century.

It also highlights recent archeological discoveries at Magdala, Israel which provide new insights about Mary Magdalene’s life there, including a 1st-century synagogue where Jesus undoubtedly taught and a Jewish purification bath (or miqva’ot) she may even have used, herself.