Shadia Hrichi - Hagar: Rediscovering the God Who Sees Me

Throughout each of our lives, God places many people on our path as He forms andfashions us for His wonderful purposes. To express my gratitude to each one wouldbe quite an endeavor; nevertheless, I wish to give special recognition to those whospecifically helped bring this study to fruition.

To all of Gods servants at Leafwood Publishers and ACU Press: thank you for believingin me, for your excitement and enthusiasm for this work, for your com mitment toexcellence every step of the way, and most especially, for the humble privilege ofserving alongside a group of people who follow Christs example of kindness, humility,and love.

To my marvelous group of test readers, Sandi Miller, Linda Dunning, Jackie Kupitz,Kendra Burrows, and Dawna Hetzler: how could I ever thank you for the countless hoursyou have given to work through this study and provide such invaluable feedback? Yourefforts have genuinely enhanced this study. Your sacrifice means more to me thanyou can know.

To Francine Rivers: when God allowed us to cross paths several years ago, I couldnever have imagined the blessing He would orchestrate through your ongoing encouragementand enthusiasm for this study. Thank you, Francine; you have blessed my heart!

To Joseph Bentz, Kay Marshall Strom, and Chris Tiegreen: thank you for reviewingthe early manuscript, encouraging me to seek publication, and for endorsing the finalwork.

To Fouad Masri, Bev Hislop, and Mark Matta: I am truly grateful to each of you foryour kind words, confidence, and endorsement of this work.

To Kathy Ide, Judith Robl, and Jan Kern: thank you for your superb editing and mentorshipduring the early stages of this project.

To the wonderful leadership and all the saints at Venture Christian Church: thankyou for all of the ways you have invested in this ministry through your love, prayers,and gifts. I am especially thankful to you for cheering me on when I struggle topress onward. I am deeply humbled to be a part of such a godly, generous, and lovingchurch family.

To many family and friends who have offered their love and support in more ways thatI can count, including Dana Christensen who opened the door to her lovely mountainretreat in order to provide me with a pleasant haven for extended times of writing:thank you! I am also grateful to Kendra Burrows, Hope Hickey Netterville, and KarenMutsch for their help in formatting the extensive bibliography.

And of course, there would be no study, no ministry, and nothing of value for meto offer apart from the saving grace of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gaveHis all for me. Thank you, Jesus, for opening my eyes to Your boundless mercy, grace,and love. May Your nameYours alonebe glorified.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shadia Hrichi is a passionate Bible teacher, author, and speaker who has a heartfor seeing lives transformed by the power of Gods Word. Having experienced muchheartache, such as a broken home, abortion, and divorce, Shadia captures the heartsof her audience as she illustrates Gods love, faithfulness, and power of redemptionthrough her personal experiences.

She has received a masters in biblical and theological studies from Western Seminary,as well as a masters in criminal justice from the State University of New York.Shadia is the author of several books, including Worthy of Love, a story-driven Biblestudy for post-abortion healing. In addition to teaching Bible studies, Shadia isoften invited to speak at churches, conferences, and other events. Her insightful,witty, yet vulnerable teaching style reveals a compassion for the hurting, love forJesus, and uncompromising commitment to the truth of Gods Word.

Residing in northern California, Shadia is an active member of Venture ChristianChurch and loves visiting the ocean each week for a date with Jesus. Be sure tovisit www.shadiahrichi.com and sign up for updates. Hagar is the first study in hernew series, Behind the Seen: Exploring the Bibles Unsung Heroes. Be among the firstto find out about the next study!

ABOUT THE STUDY

Welcome! I am thrilled that you desire to journey with me in Rediscovering the GodWho Sees Me! God has so much to teach us through Hagars story, and I can hardlywait for us to get started.

This book is divided into seven weeks, each comprised of five days of personal study.Each day includes one or more questions suitable for group discussion. These questionsare followed by a Be sure not to overlook these questions even if you are workingthrough the material on your own. There are also Pause to Ponder sections throughoutthe study. These are designed to provide you with a time of personal reflection.Use the space in the margins (or if you prefer, a journal or notebook) to respondto these questions. For readers desiring to dig even deeper, Ive prepared extraquestions, which are preceded by a

Each day of study will take approximately 30 45 minutes. If you have time to go deeper,consider integrating the extra questions into your study time. At the end of eachday, there is a Your Turn section for personal application. These are very important.While studying our Bibles can stir our hearts and open our eyes to wonderful truths,only when we apply what we have learned will it have a lasting impact for Gods kingdom.

During my study of Hagar, I often found myself fascinated by secondary topics relatedto the material. As such, I included a supplemental reading for each week. Whilethey are not essential for the study, you may find them enjoyable and informative.

Before you begin, take a few moments to ask the Holy Spirit to guide you over thenext seven weeks and to bless your commitment to this study. Then, as you open yourBible and your heart, begin each day with an eager expectation of Rediscovering theGod Who Sees Me.

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

Am I known? Am I loved? Am I home?

Every human heart is searching for the answers to these questions. Yet when painand heartache enter our lives, we feel betrayed and cry out one question: God, doYou see me?

The answer is yes. He is Behind the Seen.

Because we live in a fallen world, each of us will inevitably face hard times, evenpainful ones. Who among us has never seen or felt the fallout of broken homes, brokenlives, or broken dreams? Hagar is a great example of someone who discovered God duringa difficult time. Maybe you have never heard of her. Or perhaps you came across hername in a study of the book of Genesis. But how much do you really know about thisyoung slave girl? We often relegate her to the backstage as a minor character inGods redemptive story. But was she?

As I explored Hagars story for another book I wanted to write, God continuallyamazed me as we journeyed together from the affluence of Egypt, into a life of slavery,to a desert of despair. It seemed the more I studied her life, the more I discoveredabout God. What began as a chapter evolved into a study all its own. Two years andseveral thousand hours of study and prayer later, the book you are holding came tobe. Consider this your backstage pass to the life of Hagar.

I have never actually gone backstage during a live event, but I know that much moregoes on behind the scenes than meets the eye. I invite you to come backstage withme and explore how God was involved in every detail of Hagars life. Her story hasall the ingredients of a Hollywood tragedy: betrayal, loss, abuse, crisis pregnancy,abandonment.... Does any of that sound painfully familiar?