Thanks to the artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and other creatives who have so enriched my life by helping me to see the mystery, beauty, and wonder of life. They have also probed the dark corners of suffering and injustice in order to help me experience the world with compassion, a passion for justice, and a clear view of the need for grace. Their work has helped me see a little more clearly, ask better questions, live with the ambiguities, and embrace the mystery of Love.
Thanks to those who read some or all of this book as it was being written and offered encouragement and helpful critiques—and caught some embarrassing errors before they found their way into print. Special appreciation to Carolyn McCready, Steve Miller, Gene Skinner, Hope Lyda, Kim Moore, and Georgia Varozza. Also thanks to the adult Sunday school class at Valley Covenant Church, who allowed me to share with them the content of a number of these chapters before they were even written, and whose insights and questions helped me refine my thinking.
Thanks to my dear friend Jeff Crosby, who saw something in this concept and passed it along to the publisher. You made it possible, dude! And thanks to the team at Baker Publishing for all your efforts in making the concept a reality. You have been patient, insightful, and unceasingly kind. Special thanks to Chad Allen, who acquired and championed the book, and Michelle Bardin, who was always so nice and who helped at every phase of the project; to my editors Lindsey Spoolstra and Rebecca Cooper; and to William Overbeeke, Brian Brunsting, Brian Vos, Heather Brewer, Lauren Carlson, and their team of sales and marketing experts. I so appreciate all of your work!
Thanks to those who offered help and assistance in locating or providing the art displayed in these pages. Of particular note was the generosity of Anne Pyle (possibly the world’s greatest authority on Sadao Watanabe), the brilliant Makoto Fujimura, Charles Norman (son of Larry Norman), and Jordan Poole and Kathy Berry of Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden Foundation (which really must be seen when you are in the vicinity of Summerville, Georgia).
And finally, special heartfelt thanks to my smart and lovely daughters, Emma and Kathryn. I am so proud of the people you have become; and to my mom, Patricia, who never fails to offer love, encouragement, and support. Also thanks to my amazing sister, Debbie.
This book is humbly offered in memory of my father, Larry Glaspey, who died while it was being written. I miss you, Dad.