Five years ago, I was discouraged like never before. My colleagues had let me down at work, financial burdens overwhelmed me, and my marriage was splintering. Though my relationship with God was in a slump, I asked God, "Why?" and prayed he would turn things around. . .

When our church took a health assessment, we made an interesting discovery: People who were not in small groups rated themselves just as highly in fellowship/connectedness as people who were in small groups. . .

I grew up in a Christian home surrounded by Bibles—all 400-year-old King James Versions. One day, someone gave me one in a language I could understand, and it transformed my life. . .

About 22 years ago, I was cruising the Caribbean, and this incredibly beautiful woman, Margaret, asked me to dance. That woman, whom I met 5000 miles away, lived only 30 minutes from me, and we were soon married. It was a divine appointment. . .

"Can you love God if you don't love your neighbor?" Jenny asked her small group.

It seemed like a simple question, but the lengthy pause suggested otherwise. Martha, a new believer, broke the silence. "I suppose the 'right' answer is we can't love God; but right now I feel like I love God, but I can't love my dad. He's hurt me too deeply." . .

Barbara, paralyzed during a car accident, can't drive. She relies on several caregivers, one specifically designated to drive her to and from church.  . .

Ellen watched her neighbor, Meg, deal with a volatile marriage. When reconciliation failed, Meg and her husband finally separated. With five children and no job, Meg's future was dim. Sometimes despair set in as Meg looked ahead to the responsibilities she had to face alone. . .

In the middle of a frenzied school year, a small group of women gathered week after week to grow in Christ. Marci told the group that her sister-in-law, Meg, was struggling with cancer. None of the other women knew Meg. . .

On an ordinary spring day, Andrea's husband came home with the news that he had lost his job. They had their lives planned for many years: they loved the area, their kids' school, the kids' youth programs, their ministry in the church, and their friendships at church. . .

When Rachel started visiting a church, she was looking for something to help her handle stress. She was upper management in a corporation with hundreds of employees, and the long hours and tough decisions were getting to her. . .

Tracy stared into an empty refrigerator. Even with two incomes, money was tight for her family of three. . .

"Just forgive him," replied Pastor Bill. "That's what God wants us to do."

David and Michael were fuming. "How can we?" they questioned. "William betrayed us. He lied to us." . .

Cancer hit our family, and we were devastated.

Not too long after my wife's second diagnosis of cancer, our friends invited us to be a part of their group. . .

Jane was miserable. She'd never really wanted to start having sex with David. Even though she cared deeply for him, she was only a freshman in college, and it seemed like a big step to take. . .

I have been a Christian for as long as I can remember—though I've gone through definite periods of being a "good" Christian and times of being fairly lazy about my faith. . .

Melanie was in the middle of pursuing her Ph.D. in History when she found out she was pregnant. Academic achievement was always her first priority. Children would come after her career. Perhaps they'd never come. She always said, "I'll never, ever have kids. I was not meant to be a mom!" . .

Two years ago our teaching pastor, Ted, began to meet with a couple with considerable intellectual reservations about Christianity. They agreed to read some Christian apologetics if Ted agreed to read their books. While they read Letters from a Skeptic, Ted read Stephen Hawking's latest, A Brief History of Time. . .

Recently, my grown daughter asked me to join her in attending six sessions on learning one's purpose in life. I decided it would be wonderful to spend some time together since my daughter was soon to be married. . .

When challenged to invest $100 in a mission project, I suggested to our small group that we partner with an inner-city church and host a neighborhood cookout where we would distribute clothes and Bibles. . .

I oversee small groups made up of married couples as well as ones that are mixed with couples and singles. Because of this, I'm often visiting different groups to check up on how they're going. . .

I knew God was leading me to be a part of a small group. Every time I heard an announcement about sign-ups or saw a flyer, I felt more and more convinced that I needed to get involved. . .

I got involved with my small group about one year ago. At first, it seemed like the group wouldn't be able to relate to one another. There was such a mix of ethnic groups and varying ages; we also had a mix of both singles and couples. But I quickly found that we all shared one desire—we all wanted more of the Lord in our lives. . .

Five years ago, my wife, Margaret, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Like everyone who hears this news, we were traumatized, but we trusted God for a miracle. After the doctor operated, he said they were able to get all the cancer and there was no need for follow-up treatment. . .

Moving from out-of-state to a new area was such a transition. In addition to a new job and new schools, we would have to find new friends. Family seemed so far away. . .

I'm really glad that our hosts were bold enough to take this step forward and open their home for the small group study. . .