In the spring of 2015, I was asked to teach a four-week class on "Writing as a Spiritual Practice" for my church, Vestavia Hills Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The class drew more interest and participants than I anticipated, and to sustain that interest, our pastor, Gary Furr, initiated a monthly writers group for all who wanted to continue their writing activities. I have been a regular participant in that group, and the other members have provided me generous affirmations of my work. In fall 2015, Gary Furr published a collection of some sermons, prayers, and songs he had written over the course of his ministry. He encouraged me to consider publishing a collection of my own work with the same company he dealt with, Parson's Porch & Company. Inspired by his success and his support, I began pulling together this collection of my writings and editing them for publication.