Bad Girls of the Bible

Higgs, Liz Curtis Bad Girls of the Bible and What We Can Learn from Them. Colorado Springs, Colorado: WaterBrook Press, 1999.

In her book Bad Girls of the Bible and What We Can Learn from Them, Liz Curtis Higgs delivers fictionalized, modern stories based on the lives of biblical women. She writes her book in a self-help format so that her readers can relate and compare their lives to the lives of several different biblical women. Higgs hopes that by pointing out flaws and corruption of women in the Bible, it will show modern woman that no one, not even biblical women lead perfect lives. She hopes that by pointing this out, woman will take their lives into personal consideration and strive for a well rounded existence.

Higgs used mainly all biblical verses in her research for this book. She incorporates bible verses into her fictional stories to make a legitimate statement. She also claims that her husband, Bill Higgs has “held her hand through the entire process” as well as review and change almost every word. Higgs leaves selective corresponding notes all throughout her book so that readers have a chance to flip to the back of the book and find out exactly where she got some of her information.

While growing up into her late teens and early twenties Higgs led a very troublesome life. Her family tried to raise her as a very down-to-earth and wholesome girl, but somewhere down the line, she veered off-track. She often found herself in bars many hours of the week as well as finding companionship with different men around

every corner. A couple of years later, her life hit rock bottom, she was getting into several different drugs and leading a very promiscuous lifestyle.

However, Higgs figured out that the only way she could save herself was to look up for help. She believes that a husband and wife couple she found while working one night saved her soul literally overnight. They treated her not as a wrecked ship but as a human in need of some serious soul searching. They took her to church and she came to know Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and from that point on into today, Higgs has led a rewarding life in the glory of God.

In this book, Higgs main thesis and point of writing is to show contemporary woman that they have more similarities and differences with biblical woman than imagined; both on a simple and or complex level. While writing this book, Liz had four different readers in mind. First, there are the once Bad Girls who have chosen to surrender their old lives for new lives in Christ. Second, there are the occasional Bad Girls who were raised up around church who feel like they have sinned too much. Third, there are the Good Girls who aspire to gain knowledge and compassion for the unsaved women around them. Finally, there are the Good Women who know that there is more to life; they just aren’t sure where to search. Higgs labels her readers so that she can really “tug on their hearts,” she wants each and every reader to realize that God loves everyone no matter their situation, and that everyone has a shot at the undeserved glory of God.

Higgs first introduces readers into the life of a girl named Evie, which is meant to represent the life of the first woman created, Eve. In this portion of the book, Higgs tells her readers that there will always be something out there somewhere that we as human

will have to stay away from, whether it is a man that could possibly lead into an affair or a piece of cake that we know the doctor said not to eat. Whatever the case, Higgs teaches the reader a lesson about temptation and how to deal with it on biblical terms. However; she tells her readers of how Evie fell into temptation and she points out her flaws so that again, contemporary woman can compare their selves to this realistic situation. Higgs then tells the story about the Portiphar’s wife and how she was one of the Bad Girls, which goes