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In this collection of non-fiction narratives Steve Doughty offers an evocative exploration of contemporary spiritual seeking. The figures in these stories are as varied as a Muslim woman and Christian couple meeting at a peace vigil, a minister dazzled by photos from the Hubble telescope, a Native American stone carver, a miner receiving his last communion, and two attorneys risking their lives to defend victims of political violence in Colombia. A number of the main figures live on society's margins. They contend with issues of life and faith in arenas ranging from social justice to science, prayer, mental illness, sexuality, interfaith encounter, and the humdrum of daily life. The author notes that the main characters have attracted him as a pastor and seeker because ""they offer images to ponder. Images of real people. Images of the wonderings and affirmations that take shape within our deepest selves. And, finally, images of the living God at work within us, among us, and through us. As with all such images, these challenge us at least as much as they comfort and reassure."" An appendix offers questions for personal reflection, group study, and retreats. ""Steve writes with a fierce intelligence, but he writes, too, with a compassionate heart. These stories share a hushed power, an appreciation for the wonders in our lives, both great and small. His writing is so nimble, so seamless, that I found myself constantly looping back, asking, 'How did he do that?'"" --Deb Richardson-Moore, author of The Weight of Mercy ""Steve's stories of real people emerge from his pastor's heart and from an understanding that God often shows up in ordinary people amid the joys and messes of life. These stories invite us 'home' to our central call of loving God and neighbor and entering more fully into the dance of life. . . . Get ready to laugh, cry, be filled to the brim, and changed."" --Laurie Hartzell, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Benton Harbor, MI ""Steve is a gifted storyteller and a deep thinker who makes meaning out of everyday encounters with the people he meets. Most of us know people just like the ones in these stories, but we miss the meaning. Steve's stories are powerful to me because they teach me to seek the wisdom that I miss far too often in my rush to get to my next commitment."" --Rick Ufford-Chase, Co-Director of Stony Point Center, Stony Point, NY ""In these pages we meet twenty-one unforgettable vignettes of the imago dei. Steve is a storyteller with an acute eye and ear for those details in human lives that remind us of why we are meant for one another on this earth. I found myself marveling again at how people we may meet bear a spiritual richness so easily missed. These stories reveal what knowing the holy in human life is like if we only pay attention."" --Don E. Saliers, William Cannon Distinguished Professor of Theology Emeritus, Emory University, Atlanta, GA Steve Doughty is a minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA). His writings have appeared in a number of anthologies, including The Best Spiritual Writing series. A graduate of the Shalem Institute's Program in Spiritual Guidance, he has served pastorates in New York, the Black Hills, an Appalachian region of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and volunteered with the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship in Colombia, South America. He and his wife Jean live in Greenville, SC.
