Cover Image: Hagar

Hagar

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Member Reviews

This has been one of the most interesting studies I have ever done! I have loved every minute of it. I love that it is a workbook that guides you as you study it out for yourself, instead of just simply reading a study. I love the interaction, applying it to my own life, looking up the verses myself and the questions that make me think deeper than if I were to just read Hagar's story. One of my favorite parts of the study was when the author compares Hagar to the Woman at the Well. I never would have thought to study the life of Hagar, I mean I've read her story many times and know about her, but to really study her and think about her from the aspects that this study has shown me, I have learned so much from her life. I have seen how God cares about the downtrodden, the outcasts, those who feel they are not enough. I highly recommend this Bible Study. It is full of Biblical insight and will teach you so much through the story of Hagar, a woman who had no say over her circumstances.

**I received a copy of this book as part of the CelebrateLit Blog Team. I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Through “Hagar: Rediscovering the God Who Sees Me” Sharia Hrichi leads us through a deep study of Hagar that is rich in biblical truth. Woven throughout are personal stories that help illustrate biblical truths. As you interact with the biblical truths through pondering and answering questions throughout you will learn more about the God who sees. She gives ample space for answering questions and making notes in the margins and on “notes” pages. It is very well written, and I love the structure and layout. This will make a great individual, small or large group study.

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing from Shadia Hrichi. I was not required to provide a positive review. Thoughts in “My Two Cents” are my own opinion.

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A past pastor encouraged us to choose a name of the Lord each year to claim as our own, to study and learn more about that attribute of God. My name this year was "The God who sees me!" I was thrilled to see this book come up as a tour option and jumped on the chance to review it. I have not finished the entire study, but I am growing as I read it and gaining understanding of who El Roi is and what it means to belong to "The God who sees me." This study gets me in The Word and adds interesting points to ponder and pray.

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This is an excellent study guide that is wonderful to use on your own or with a group. I loved the insight that is found in it's pages.

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HAGAR: Rediscovering the God Who Sees Me is a seven week bible study, each week contains five days of reading and work. I would prefer this type of book in a paper format so that I am able to fill in the blanks during the days of work. Shadia Hrichi, the author has written a very thorough Bible study that includes not just Hagar, but those who were close to her, Abraham, Sarah, Ishmael and Issac. I was very impressed with the details about each character and how they related to Hagar and more importantly how to bring you to a closer relationship with God. This study would be great to complete either alone or with a group, there are portions that are available for group discussion which would help facilitate the study with a group. Because of the numerous details and additional bible reading I would not recommend that you try to compress this study into less than seven weeks.

I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

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This book is an excellent bible study guide. It is divided up in four different sections. Each section has so many days. The days have assignments of bible reading, pause to ponder, and activities to do.

There is so much to learn from this book. I could tell the author put a lot of work in this book. Anyone looking for a Bible study guide I would recommend this one. It is well written and so easy to understand.

I love all the activities to do in the book. There is different quotes or bible verses on the side of the pages. On some of the pause to ponder sections, it will bring attention to the quotes.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. This book review is my own opinion.

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I’m thankful for the opportunity to read this Hagar Bible study. I did not really consider all that would be in here, but the author does a good job with some very tough stuff.

As someone who has experienced abuse and manipulation, I think she does a remarkable job of showing truth without wallowing in the mud.

She gives credit where credit is due and does not shy away from the ugly parts.

I feel like I have a better idea of who Hagar is now, and what she experienced than ever before.

My eyes have been opened a bit to my personal beliefs and where they do not match what I SAY that I believe. Meaning that I am guilty of seeing circumstances and making judgments of God’s level of care.

But God does not change. The same God who promises Hagar a legacy of descendants, is also the one who allowed her to be sent away with nothing but her son and a few supplies in the desert.

One thing that really makes me like this Hagar Bible study is how much it incorporates the whole counsel of scripture. No story in the Bible stands alone, and this one is no different. Considering the woman at the well, and Job, and many other passages give this depth and richness.

While it may seem like each lesson is long, after the first week, you don’t even notice. In fact, my husband took the kids for a couple of hours one Sunday, and I did all of week three in on sitting. I kept trying to get up and go “do something productive” with my time, but I couldn’t set my Hagar Bible study down!

My relationship with God and my awareness of my position within the Great Story has grown through this study!

I did receive a copy of this book from @NetGalley and Celebrate lit, and choose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.

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This Bible study on Hagar offers a deep, insightful exploration of the person and circumstances we read about in the Book of Genesis. We know Hagar was Sarah’s slave who bore a son to Abraham, but there is so much more to the story. You can tell the author put much study into the lessons. They cover five weeks with five days of study each week and includes lots of Scripture along with application. Slowly working through this Bible story causes a person to take time to better understand and gain new knowledge about Hagar and her life at that time, along with the other Bible characters. I appreciate the way the entire book is presented and the rich material offered. The author also brings in New Testament verses too and connects them to Old Testament truths we read. I recommend this for individuals or groups. There’s plenty to discuss. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

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When thinking about the women of the Bible, Hagar probably wouldn’t make the top ten list. Honestly, I barely knew anything about her. I wondered how someone could write a useful study on someone who is barely even mentioned in the Bible.

I wasn’t excepting this seven week bible study to have such depth. This study not only talks about Hagar, but also the people in her life that were also affected by the choices made. Each chapter is concludes with questions, to dig deeper.

I learned a lot about Hagar and God’s love while going through this study. I did this study on my own, but it would work well with a group. I recommend this Bible Study for anyone who has ever felt invisible to God.

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This book serves as a great tool for Life Groups of all sorts. The story of Hagar was not the normal one I would expect to see a study based on. Yet the author does a great job of preaching out of this life and helping us connect to our own walks with God.

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I like this study. I was surprised at some of the insights Hrichi has on the life of Hagar. I had known Hagar was an Egyptian slave but had not even considered the possibility that Abraham's visit to Egypt might include the purpose of removing Hagar from that country. She is first mentioned after Abraham's visit there so it is certainly a possibility. Another surprising insight was the parallel of Eve and Sarai, both offering a temptation to their husbands. And both husbands went along.

I also liked the insights Hrichi had with respect to abuse and mistreatment. She shares much from her own life experiences in those areas. She also provides very good questions that relate the insights from the study to our personal lives.

I recommend this good study of a relatively unknown character in the Bible. You'll experience good teaching and thoughtful questions as you complete the daily studies.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review.

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HAGAR by Shadia Hirchi is an in-depth Bible study about the story of HAGAR and her place in the biblical narrative. It is clear from the author's writing that she has a deep love for God and a desire to help others by shedding light on often overlooked Bible stories.

Hirchi uses examples and stories from her own life to help readers to connect with Hagar's story. She also encourages readers to carefully consider the biblical text. She provides exercises and questions that require readers to examine the biblical text very closely in order to find the answers. I worked through this study on my own, but this study would also work well for a small group.

I really enjoy reading Bible Studies and commentaries that are written by people from diverse faith backgrounds. Hirchi's work helped me to see Hagar's story from a unique perspective. She picked up on some very interesting connections that helped me to see Hagar's story through a different lens. Her writing also helped me to draw connections to my own life and to consider how God might be speaking to me through the biblical text.

Note: Thank you to Celebrate Lit and Net Galley for a free copy of this book. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Can you imagine being "chosen" to be a handmaiden for a woman and giving birth to the man's first child, a son, and then being rejected and hated by the man's wife? Where would you turn? How would you cope?
This seven-week Bible study will help you to explore that question and many others. I think this would be better as a group study so that others may glean from the group. This is a strongly researched and refreshing look at Hagar and the family who embrace her even while ignoring and rejecting her and her son, Ishmael.
I am giving this Bible study a rating of 4 stars and highly recommend it.

I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley and ACU Press/Leafwood Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

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I really enjoyed this in-depth Bible study on the story of Hagar. I guess that a lot of people haven't really thought about Hagar before. They might know her as Sarah's servant, but Shadia shows that she was so much more than that! I learned a lot about Hagar and God's love in this study. The author completed each chapter with experiences from her own life and reflective questions for the reader.

What I really liked about this book is that the reader is not just reading, but really actively studying God's word in addition to reading the book. At the beginning of a week, you'd often have to read a complete chapter in Genesis and then focus on some verses in detail and also some references and relevant passages in other books of the Bible. So I got both a very detailed picture of Hagar's story and how it fits in with the larger message of the Bible and how it reflects and foreshadows the events told in the New Testament. Shadia uses Hagar's story to give hope to the reader and make him/her realize that God has a plan for everyone and that he is always there to comfort us. The book was easy to read and I loved the combination of studying the Bible and applying what you've learned to your own life.

Recommended for everyone that likes Bible studies or Christian self-help book and also for everyone that wants to learn more about Hagar.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I selected this book because I thought it was historical, Biblical fiction. What I got was an in-depth Bible study, which is was much more than I was expecting. While the Bible study is rigorous, it is accessible. The author breaks the concepts down over seven weeks, which seemed long at first, but went quickly. Much of the study analyzes the context in which Hagar found herself – the slave of Abraham and Sarah. And yet God sees her in her lowly estate and meets her there at her most desperate.

I found the study encouraging. While my situations in life have never been as desperate as Hagar’s, it was good to see the many ways God meets people behind the scenes, or “behind the seen.”

I gratefully received this book as an eARC from the author, publisher, and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

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Hagar isn't usually a woman of the Bible that many study. She was a concubine outcasted with her young son by the very people who serve the God she now seeks for help. God saw her and he see me and you too. You aren't forgotten, He sees you. So call out to Him and let His light shine on you too.

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Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC digital copy of this book.

I was not quite expecting this book to be so in depth! It was quite a study. The book is entitled "Hagar: Rediscovering the God Who Sees Me". I was wondering when I started reading this book how the author was going to get a huge study out of a character in the Bible who only has about 3 mentions. The way she does this is by not only studying Hagar's life, but all the ones who affected her life, namely Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and her son, Ishmael. In each character, the author reveals how God is the "God behind the Seen".

This book will build your faith as you study how God takes this motley crew into a group that trusts Him through extreme circumstances. The author gives personal insights, deep studies into the Hebrew words and cultures, and forces the reader to take deep introspective looks into his or her own life of faith.

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I chose this book due to my interest in Hagar, a sometimes forgotten character towards the beginning of the Biblical story. However, what I didn’t realise is that it was a seven-week Bible study rather than a typical book. Seven weeks later and I’ve completed the study and learnt bits and pieces along the way.

The reason I am drawn to Hagar is that she finds herself alone and abandoned yet meets with God in that lonely place. In fact, she names God ‘El Roi’ – The God Who Sees Me. Shadia Hrichi dives into this story and helps the reader understand what this meant for Hagar and what it might mean for them in the present day.

Whilst the book does centre on Hagar and her son Ishmael, it naturally has an in-depth look at Abraham and Sarah’s story to provide context. However, in the final week or two, the book does seem to shift to looking at the story of Jesus – there’s a clear ‘gospel message’, which the author wishes the reader to grasp. Personally I would have rather let the story of Hagar communicate that itself rather than explicitly spelling it out.

The Bible study is formatted in a way that is helpful for many people and Shadia Hrichi is clearly an educated author who has done her homework. The study contains different questions and activities throughout and encourages the reader to stop and ponder in places. Everything is well referenced and there are plenty of honest and open personal stories from Hrichi which enrich the experience and provide tangible examples to support her perspective.

I found the most interesting parts of the study to be the ‘word studies’ in which Hrichi gave valuable information about the original Hebrew words. This kind of information brings the Bible to life for me. Such is the variety of activities, there is surely enough here to appeal to those who learn in different ways.

To be honest, I haven’t done a specific Bible study in this way for years and persevering through this book reminded me why. I would have much preferred a ‘normal’ book on the topic. However, I can see how this study book would help many readers and was very impressed by Hrichi’s in-depth knowledge, coupled with her honesty. If you like Bible studies, I’d definitely recommend this one. It’s great to see a minor female character be examined in such a prominent and special way. Hagar is often overlooked or forgotten, but as Hrichi unpacks, she has an important revelation of who God is. Those who take time to examine her story will be enriched.

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I love a great bible study. The very first thing I noticed is that this has a notes section. When I have a thought or scripture that I want to review later, I love referring to my notes! I also enjoyed that although this is a bible study, it has a devotional feel as well. Each week has a new focus. This was a great study and I would recommend it.

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Hagar Rediscovering the God who sees me by Shadia Hrichi is a 7 week Bible study about Hagar and her role in the Bible and God’s influence in her life. Each week is divided into 5 days of personal study with each day having one or more questions to ponder or group discussion. The author states in her introduction that Hagar is a great example of someone who discovered God during a difficult time in her life. A minor character with a powerful redemptive story. What lessons can be gleaned from a woman who suffered at the hands of others? What did God do for Hagar that He can still do for us?
This study is very interesting. Unfortunately, I had no time to fully do the study before posting my review; however, after reading though the study, I am eager to do the study in its entirety. I found the format cut off in the eBook version, if you can get a physical copy and want a study, I highly recommend Hagar Rediscovering the God who sees me.

Hagar Rediscovering the God who sees me
Is available in paperback and eBook.

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