The Scent of Water, by Naomi Zacharias

Being a stay at home mom and hanging out with other stay at home moms I often find myself in a very safe Christian bubble consumed with nap schedules, feedings, and development milestones. “The Scent of Water,” by Naomi Zacharias will bring you out of that bubble or whatever bubble you are in. I am not naïve enough to thing injustices do not happen in our world. But Naomi Zacharias has a way of vividly describing her surroundings so you feel you are there with her while she’s walking in the red light district or entering a brothel.


She tells the story of several women and the brokenness in their lives and how they are trying to get out of their brokenness and live new lives. At first glance you might feel this book could be depressing as you read about the horrid lives these young women have lived and the pits they end up in. But again, Zacharias has a way of bringing it full circle so you see them now and how God’s mercy has shown down on them. Each woman’s story recognizes God’s grace and mercy and they all thank Him for it.

Towards the end of the book Zacharias says, “Life is about fighting through what is painful, what is downright wrong, for the sake of what is right.” You may not have survived life in the red light district or had a husband that turned out to be a pimp but we all have pain in our past that has shaped who we are in our present and, more than likely, will shape our future. The question we must all ask ourselves is if we are going to let God use our past for His future or are we going to attempt to hide it from everyone and pretend it never happened never allowing it to be used for God’s glory.

Thanks to Zondervan publishing for a complementary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.  If you are interested in reading a sample chapter or purchasing this book please follow this link.