{"id":29036,"date":"2023-10-05T11:36:18","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T15:36:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=29036"},"modified":"2023-10-05T11:36:18","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T15:36:18","slug":"christian-actress-jen-lilley-leaves-days-of-our-lives-says-role-taught-her-grace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2023\/10\/christian-actress-jen-lilley-leaves-days-of-our-lives-says-role-taught-her-grace.html","title":{"rendered":"Christian Actress Jen Lilley Leaves ‘Days of Our Lives,’ Says Role Taught Her Grace"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"jen<\/a>
Michael Mattes\/Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Christian actress Jen Lilley, who stars on the NBC soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” recently announced that she’s leaving the show after years of playing a “manipulative” and “promiscuous” character, a role that taught her no one is too far beyond God’s reach.<\/p>\n

The 39-year-old devout Christian actress played the role of a troubled woman named Theresa Donovan from 2013 to 2016 and made select-episode appearances on the show from 2018 to 2023. Lilley’s last day performing on the show was September 22. Before her last day, Lilley took to social media to express gratitude for nearly a decade of playing the role, a character whom she said showed her the power of God’s love.<\/p>\n

Lilley wrote in an Instagram post, “Last week of me exploring this girl’s shenanigans on screen. Playing Jeanne Theresa Donovan off and on for the last 10 years has taught me so much about empathy and grace. I have enjoyed every moment of her hilarious sass and ferocity, layered with brokenness,” she added. “To the cast and crew at\u00a0@dayspeacock<\/a>, I love you forever. You’re my family.”\u00a0The actress also thanked her fans for supporting her through to the end.<\/p>\n

She continued, “To the best fans a girl could ask or hope for: remember there is no pit so deep you could ever find yourself in where God’s love cannot find you still. You are never beyond redemption. You are called by grace and marked with love. Thank you for supporting me on this decades-long journey.” As a devout Christian who has starred on Candace Cameron Bure’s Great American Family network, which prides itself on wholesome family programming, Lilley received scrutiny from her Christian fans for returning to the Theresa Donovan role.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Jen Lilley (@jen_lilley)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n