The school of pain and suffering teaches many lessons, and one rarely finds a student who has not learned something very important-even life-changing-about God, life, or relationships. These powerful, vivid lessons often leave an indelible mark on the character of their students. For me, one of the powerful lessons of pain and suffering had to do with relationships.

Before my cancer and the eventual amputation of my arm, I had friends, but I didn't understand how important those relat... (continued)

When Dave was pitching for the San Francisco Giants, we had a good life. We had a good marriage, two great kids, and a growing relationship with God. We had good friends and some close relationships, but baseball life had moved us around enough that we found it difficult to maintain close relationships. We had each other. What more could we need?

We approached Dave's cancer, with all its career- and life-changing implications, in much the same way we handled anything else-thinking tha... (continued)

Even when you're tired of trying to work things out with others, someone understands your frustration, your confusion, your indifference. God understands because . . . . He was the most misunderstood man ever to walk the earth. His parents didn't know how to handle his intellectual maturity. Political and religious leaders accused him of blasphemy and anarchy. Townspeople tried to throw him over a cliff. His co-workers questioned his motives. His closest friends turned their backs on him ... (continued)