Imperfection is the prerequisite for grace. Light only gets in through the cracks.

The things, good Lord, that we pray for, give us the grace to labour for', as Sir Thomas More expressed it. The inner voice of prayer expresses itself naturally in action, just as the inner voice of my brain guides all my bodily actions.

The more we love, and the more unlikely people we love, the more we resemble God - who, after all, loves ornery creatures like us.

As a writer, I play with words all day long. I toy with them, listen for their overtones, crack them open, and try to stuff my thoughts inside.

People want to go back to those old days, but it's probably not going to happen.

Faith in God offers no insurance against tragedy.

True healing, of deep connective tissue, takes place in community. Where is God when it hurts? Where God's people are.