Contact and bio

Name: Marina Hofman, PhD **only one F in Hofman

Social Media: Instagram @marinahofman

Website: https://womeninthebible.info  | Images: https://womeninthebible.info/images

Studio Line: (561) 805 - 3161

Email: marinahofman@gmail.com

 Bio:

Dr. Marina Hofman is a professor at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and the award-winning author of Women In The Bible Small Group Bible Study. She advocates for freedom and leads Moms For America in Palm Beach County.

Additional:

-As a survivor of a life-threatening trauma and one who has overcome debilitating limitations, Marina is passionate about sharing her incredible testimony of God’s redemption and the healing and the hope she has in Christ.

-regular media guest providing insightful biblical perspectives of current issues, women's issues, and parenting

-inspires audiences to find courage by highlighting examples of women in the Bible

-mom of a 3-year-old daughter who inspires Marina to stand for truth and champion women and girls

Testimony

Here’s a 3-minute read and a 7-minute video of my testimony:

Talking points: Testimony

Overview: what happened? Injuries? Recovery? How is life now?

-What happened? (M: car crash)

-You survived! (M: yes but physical injuries—God’s miraculous healing)

-Did you have other injuries? (M: mental, emotional—long road to recovery)

-What did your day-to-day look like? (M: fears, anxieties, debilitating! Couldn’t drive)

-How did you overcome these fears—i.e., drive again? (M: humanly not possible; only with God)

-How did you deal with anxiety + depression? (M: courage and confidence—not in me but in God)

-What is your message for listeners struggling with anxiety + depression? (M: power + strength in Christ)

-You’ve come so far—not even a studder!—how has your suffering and recovery has been used by God for good? (M... daughter, empathy, understanding)

Talking points: Women in the Bible

Suffering & God’s presence—Hagar

-What is one story that speaks to the suffering and isolation people have experienced? (M: Hagar desperate; encounters God—she is known, comfort)

-What does Hagar’s story tell us about suffering (M: in the midst of suffering, we often encounter God the most powerfully—hope!)

Fear & courage—midwives

-Do women in the Bible face fears and uncertainties? (M: story of midwives—problem)

-How do these midwives respond, even as their very lives are threatened? (M: live out God’s “ordinary” call in the day-to-day—and through this God does something extraordinary)

-Is the time these midwives live in like our time?

-What does this story teach us about courage? (M: informed, move forward despite fear, legacy—i.e. parenting, career/ teaching)

Overcoming challenges & trusting God—Hannah

-There is a theme of women facing challenges in the Bible and overcoming them. Talk to us about one of the challenges women face in ancient times that we can connect to today. (M: Hannah + my own infertility)

-What do you learn about overcoming challenges from Hannah? (M: gives pain to God, prays, then trusts God—no longer downcast)

Leadership in adversity, standing up—Esther

-Is there a women who lives in a time like ours? (M: Esther—hostility on every side, impossible opposition)

-Uncle Mordecai says God will bring deliverance—but God may have positioned Esther for such a time. God DID call Esther for such a time.

-fear: likely Esther was afraid—went forward anyway

-exposed the enemies—spoke the truth. Risked everything.

-God is still writing history—will we be included in God’s work on earth? Will we be God’s mouthpiece? Speak truth? Bring the lies to the light of day to help others find their way forward?

High calling, faithfulness—Mary

You study women in the Bible—of all the women you’ve studied, is there one who inspires most? (M: Mary mother of Jesus—we all are called to bear Christ, exemplifies faithfulness, life long calling, dedication—we too are favored, blessed by God, God is with us)

Talking points: Courage

How do we move forward in courage?

-storms will come (like disciples with Jesus) —> not our lack of righteousness but an opportunity

-be informed—we need to be equipped with the truth and know what’s happening so we are prepared when God calls

-know our values and what we will stand for—no one else will fight for us or our children

-need to know the truth of who we are in Christ!!!! We go forward with Christ!!!!

-fear: overcome or just move forward anyway! (my own testimony of doing so) … Jesus touched the leper! We do not need to live in fear; we need to restore human dignity and overall a more humane way of living

-we are either strong in Christ or we feel weak—in which case, we go in God’s strength!!

-importance of community—we are not alone. We have God—we also have one another.

-when we act and have confidence, we inspire others!

-trust God!—know the promises of God, pray, be in fellowship