DEAR LITTLE RYAN, You will always remember the day your mom sat you and your sisters down on the fraying living room couch, black and brown fibers teasing through anxious fingertips. You can replay the entire scene in your mind.

THERE MUST BE such a thing as a unicorn — that mythical creature God made for progressive Christians to date. Someone who is thoughtful, lives for social justice, and wants to creatively build God's kingdom.

“ARE YOU MARRIED? Do you have children?" These are questions that I am used to hearing, oftentimes from older folks, which I feel obliged to answer.

CASTRO STREET IN FRONT of the Twin Peaks bar was full of people standing shoulder to shoulder, but this was no typical Sunday afternoon beer bust. The Rockies and Gibraltar and the entire world made of clay had fallen and crumbled.

THE FIRST TIME I was catcalled, I was 11. A young man in a pickup truck saw me and he perked up. He flashed a grin, and let out a whoop. "Wooooo!" As far as street harassment goes, this was fairly mild.

IT HAPPENED at the end of recess, after the bell had rung and all the other junior high kids had gone inside. My beefy, mop-topped classmate hurled basketballs at my chest while his friend held my arms back so that I couldn't protect my body. "Chink!" Neil yelled angrily.

GOD MADE ME a person who loves and desires touch. I love giving hugs and not letting go. I love patting people on the back and squeezing people’s arms in af rmation or excitement when conversing.

I WAS QUITE ANXIOUS as I walked from my car to the mosque. I had no personal desire to be there, save that it was a mandatory assignment for my seminary class.

WHILE STANDING in the courtyard of one of the oldest hotels in Waikīkī, I noticed a large monkeypod tree standing tall above a clean, well-trimmed lawn. It was magnificent, with branches that reached wide and a canopy that welcomed you in.

I'M STANDING completely naked in Imperial Spa, a Korean sauna or jjimjilbang. After rinsing off the sweat from hours of lazing in heated rooms, I see other women who are taller than me, thinner than me, shorter than me, heavier set than me, but just as naked as me.

I SAW THEM through the second floor window. A family of at least 20 — playing loud music, dancing, singing, eating, laughing at each other's jokes, holding each other's babies.

I BECAME PREGNANT immediately after we began to try for a baby. I thought I was ready. What they don’t tell you about pregnancy is that in primates, the fetus has the unique ability to implant its placenta directly into the closest large blood vessel of its mother.

POP. POP. POP. My eyes shoot open at the unmistakable sound of gunfire and the squeal of tires. It’s after midnight. After I make sure my wife Melissa is unharmed, I turn to our 1-month-old baby boy.

THERE ARE THREE QUESTIONS I never want to hear again: What do you do? When are you getting married? Where are you from?

MY GRADUATE STUDENT and I stare intently at the video of a chubby-cheeked 6-year-old signing a story about a spider.

JOANNA: Take a deep breath, Joanna. Why am I going to this small group? I haven't had the best experiences with Christians.

MY SON IS a lollygagger. Josh doesn't have a problem taking his sweet time getting out of the car, or getting off the toilet.

OUR THIRD CHILD, Liam, was born one early and beautiful Monday morning. The hospital staff was not concerned about his health or development, and neither were we.

LOOKING DIRECTLY INTO his eyes, I smiled and greeted him as warmly as I could. "Hi, Isaac!" No response. He was fixated on something else, his eyes gazing into a world unknown.

JAZ AND MELODY are twins; they're fraternal and living out their separate stories.

I HAD A STORY in mind, about the time I was in a cast for six weeks. A moment of cockiness, compounded by wet grass from the morning dew, led to a full arm plaster cast for four weeks and a fiberglass cast for another two.

Close to three years ago, my sister and brother-in-law got married. No matter your birthplace or practicing faith, weddings are intrinsic to being Indian.

Happy 18th birthday! I wish I could celebrate with you — can you believe that it's been an entire decade since I've last seen you?

I AM A 29-YEAR-OLD KOREAN FEMALE ALONG SEEKING A PASTORAL POSITION, PREFERABLY AT A SEMI-CHARISMATIC CHURCH WITH A FOCUS ON SOCIAL INJUSTICE AND DISCIPLESHIP. I should mention — I don't have an M.Div degree.

I LOVE MY CHURCH. This church is perfect. I don't know why anyone would want to leave.