Jen Lilley States Her Purpose Is to Assist Others in Meeting Jesus

Actress Jen Lilley Talks Faith and New Devotional

Jen Lilley openly discusses her faith—it’s something she doesn’t shy away from. In her heartfelt prayers, she sometimes wonders if she’s perhaps pushing too hard in her spiritual journey.

“I really see myself in Elijah from the Bible. He was a pretty courageous figure,” she shares with a chuckle. “And then I think, ‘Am I supposed to be more like Esther? If so, God, maybe you should give me a little help with that, because I’m not great at keeping things to myself.'”

Central to Lilley’s latest work is faith. She’s released a 365-day devotional titled Awaken Your Faith, aiming to help readers connect with Christ in a deeper way. This release coincides with the promotion of her holiday film, Chris Mystery, and her current project—a biopic about Hollywood icon Jimmy Stewart, titled Jimmy.

Lilley, who played a significant role in Days of Our Lives from 2013 to 2023, has become known for family-friendly romantic comedies and holiday films, including Christmas Waltz in Paris (2023), Royal Wrapping for Christmas (2021), and Christmas Spirit (2015).

Despite her rising star in the acting world, she remains anchored in her beliefs. The idea for Awaken Your Faith emerged during a discussion with someone at Broadstreet Publishing, who suggested that Lilley consider writing a devotional book to inspire others.

“After much prayer and reflection, I felt like this was the direction God wanted me to take,” she recalls.

The title of her devotional is inspired by a well-known verse in James, which says, “Faith without works is dead.” She emphasizes that “putting faith into action comes naturally when you truly love the Lord. If you are His disciple, it should reflect in how you live.”

Each month focuses on different themes; for instance, January is all about surrendering one’s life to Jesus. “God isn’t looking for just passive listeners in a crowd,” Lilley conveys. “He genuinely wants us to be His disciples, and that means setting aside our own desires regularly to follow Him.”

She expresses a desire to motivate readers, hoping her book encourages them to take meaningful action. Already, the devotional has struck a chord, climbing to the top of Amazon’s list for Christian self-help books.

“Ultimately, I want to help people truly encounter Jesus,” Lilley adds.