In the beginning, we're told, was the word. Every once in a while someone shows up on the planet who is word-obsessed and word-gifted; and the light and darkness get named again. In our day, that someone is Buechner.

Churches can become places of cynicism, resistance, and pessimism.

You have a "turn" every time you have an opportunity to choose. But most of us only see a tiny fraction of the choices we have.

Over time, grit is what separates fruitful lives from aimlessness.

The ministry of bearing with one another is learning to hear God speak through difficult people.

As long as we have unsolved problems, unfulfilled desires, and a mustard seed of faith, we have all we need for a vibrant prayer life.

To become grateful, I must learn that I can handle disappointment and delayed gratification with grace and perseverance. This is why practices such as fasting and simplicity are such powerful tools for transformation. The experience of frustration and disappointment is irreplaceable in the development of a grateful heart.