Disciples of Doubt

Imagine sharing your home with the mother of the Messiah. From the cross, Jesus gasped his final instructions: 'Woman, behold, your son.' Remarkably, Jesus was giving his mother, Mary, to his beloved disciple, John. Then, Jesus declared this to his dear friend: 'Behold, your mother.' (John 19:26-27) Immediately, this new holy family was thrust into the unknowable, along with the Messiah's closest followers. As they struggle through the vicious trauma of the Lord's crucifixion and death-and their own deep doubt in his resurrection-they soon come to discover dazzling new life in their risen Master. This historical, biblical novel peers into the darkest drama of the Upper Room and the years to come. The sequel to Three Days: The Search for the Boy Messiah journeys across time, from the three days of terror and confusion during Jesus' passion and death, to many years after the Lord's resurrection and ascension, intertwining Jesus' mysterious childhood with the perils of his adult life, family, and friends. Rich with Hebrew traditions and history, Disciples of Doubt follows a grieving John on the day the Blessed Mother dies. It continues through her funeral procession and memorial, alongside Mary Magdalene and other disciples as they grow the fledgling church of Ephesus. As hundreds of mourners gather, intimate accounts reveal Mary's life with Jesus, and later John. Who was the Mother of God and what did she encounter after the Lord ascended into heaven, leaving her with a broken, newfound son?
Chris Stepien grew up listening to riveting war stories from parents who had survived the Nazi occupation of Poland. In college, Stepien studied electronic journalism. As a producer-director for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), he won six Emmy® Awards, and other honors for documentaries, sports, celebrity specials, and children's programming at WXYZ-TV, Detroit, Michigan. Stepien also co-founded Adventure, Inc., to create award-winning communications for Fortune 500 companies. As co-owner of Stepien Creative Services, Inc., he crafted marketing and advertising for global clients. Imaginative prayer inspired Stepien's first book, Three Days: The Search for the Boy Messiah, (Wellspring, 2015). The biblical novel journeys with preteen Jesus gone missing. Stepien also penned a companion rap lyric, The Boy Messiah / Conquer Hell. In 2016, Catholic rapper, Alvaro Vega, (aka 'Communion') collaborated with Stepien to record it. In 2014, Stepien's wife, Ellen, was diagnosed with breast cancer, and Chris wrote Dying to Be Happy: Discovering the Truth About Life (Wellspring, 2016). This nonfiction book asks: 'If you knew you were going to die today, what would you do?' Stepien is also co-author of Saint to Santa: How St. Nicholas Became Santa Claus (Pauline Books & Media, 2014). Fr. Joseph Marquis invited Stepien to collaborate on the children's video. A native Detroiter and lifelong Catholic, Stepien and his wife volunteered with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, assisting neighbors in need for seventeen years. In 2017, they moved to Chicago, Illinois to be near family. For more than three years, Stepien served as Workforce Development Coordinator at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation, on Chicago's South Side. He accompanied at-risk youth and adults as they became job ready. To learn more, visit: www.ChrisStepien.com. You can email Chris at: stepienwrites@gmail.com.