When Fear Bows to the One True God

Leading Philippi: Epaphroditus’ Story

Written by Jenifer Jennings

Series: Paul's Patrons, Book 1

Published by Peacock Press

Release Date: 10.10.25

Genre: Ancient Fiction, Biblical Fiction

5 Stars!

Faith rises in the storm when the sea swells, when the heart trembles, when obedience costs something … maybe everything. When fear could drown every good thought, every good intention, that’s when we need to lift our eyes and surrender our whole heart, soul, and mind to Jesus. It is He who commands the waves. We remember that His hands … strong enough to shape creation … are the same hands that everything must sift through before touching me.

Epaphroditus has become more than a name on the page. I can picture his steps in the dust and the tremble of faith in his chest. Jenifer Jennings writes with reverence … not altering what God has revealed but exploring it with care. Her grasp of culture and time invites you to linger until the truth drawn from Scripture through her story begins to speak.

“Adonai (Jesus) … He is the Creator and Sustainer, holding all things together … even you.” Those words don’t ask to be analyzed; they simply need to be believed. I sat in their quiet power, aware that every heartbeat depends on the One who holds all things together.

This story breathes Scripture. The faith within it feels raw and real … anchored in Jesus, steady in truth. I found myself whispering prayers between sentences, asking my Savior to keep transforming my heart, mind, and soul, and to teach me courage that endures every time fear tries to rise.

“Epaphroditus allowed himself one last look at all of them. He saw not just individuals, but a body, aching, imperfect, faithful.” That’s what the Church looks like when love and grace define it … can you feel it?

When I reached, “He could do nothing but pray,” I understood it as more than a moment ... it’s the posture of every heart that has learned dependence.

This book moved me. Deeply. I didn’t want it to end because it felt like home: honest faith, humble words, holy ground.

I love biblical fiction that refuses to rewrite the lives God has already written. This one honors them. It listens instead of invents. It draws light from truth rather than shadow from imagination.

I received a digital ARC of this book from the author. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed in this book review are my own. My review focuses on the writing and the story’s content, ensuring transparency and reliability.