My Name Is Ishmael...

To all Who Feel Outcast, Misunderstood, or Outside the Main Narrative of God’s Promises...

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,

I write to you as Ishmael, son of Abraham and Hagar, born under circumstances that intertwine promise with conflict, blessings with trials. My life's narrative is deeply etched within the foundational stories of faith, and I share this letter in hopes that my experiences might resonate with you and offer lessons of perseverance and understanding God's grace in the complexities of life.

My birth was born out of desperation and human planning, not initially from divine promise. My mother, Hagar, an Egyptian servant to Sarah, was given to my father Abraham by Sarah herself, who was driven by her inability to bear children and her desire to fulfill God's promise through her own means.