Each piece in Issue Eight contains traces of sorrow—something grieved, lost, misunderstood, or a meditation of our own fallen nature. But we are not left there to wallow. There is hope in these pages. There are small moments of beauty and peace carefully woven into each troubling scene. You may suffer a little with each heartache presented here, but you may also subtly learn that no one suffers alone. Our God knows pain and sacrifice. He is a loving parent who laments with his confused and hurting children. And like a good parent, He knows how to give good gifts—lasting, wonderful gifts that the world cannot give. Hope is one of those gifts, and it is always waiting for us to grab onto when we need it. If we open our eyes and listen carefully, we can witness innumerable reminders of hope surrounding us like a galaxy of our own personal stars burning small, bright, and piercing the night—all coordinated by the One who loves us. Once you come to realize these truths, it’s hard not to “rejoice always” as Paul says. It’s hard not to love God and each other. I hope the work in this issue remind you of this reality. Darkness is the warning, but never the victor.