summer years cafe used bookstore northern michigan pastor wife stumbled upon book that changed them later changed they discovered among pile books table where they down with their coffees book called tree full angels seeing holy ordinary written woman named macrina wiederkehr lived monastic community many years barb began reading book together summer began seriously sorting faith going their church began reading that fall winter afternoon about months later jason into library town business trip picked first non-fiction audio book that well designed checked without even stopping read synopsis book velvet elvis repainting christian faith bell pastor much older than hours later jason called from road tell about book could tell voice that already changed long after began work love books they suddenly appear your life library shelf cafe table hands acquaintance unassuming packed with power love that mere words stories written down person then alter path another also love single book speak different people different ways even same person different ways different points their life talk about angels other than ones written about bible songs love idea book angels flying around with perfect words perfect placement perfect timing over past couple years i've been working extra attention relatively small random things that suddenly appear life more frequently getting that light-bulb-accompanying ah-ha that comes with suddenly gaining some perspective picture seems feeding bits pieces story sharing crumbs insight about what's been going past decade life happy report makes more sense than imagined could that filled with hope confidence about pieces still don't understand does really talk talking about talking tricky loads people just immediately conclude anyone thinks speaks them crazy others figure maybe talks only rare very specialized circumstances like moses burning bush with loud audible voice doesn't whisper hint right booms personally always assumed kinds creative ways talk other people with silent getting silent treatment until could together until grew started doing daily devotions that would eventually take through entire bible didn't take personally that would have been silly -year-old feeling hurt about being able driver's license just figured wasn't ready talk wasn't mature enough didn't know enough couldn't trusted make most whatever words might give what beginning realize though there god-sized whispers trails crumbs hidden pearls metaphors over place sure they were there before fact that wasn't ready hear true talking sure anything wasn't giving silent treatment macrina wiederkehr writes that heart book tree full angels trusting speaks experiences every moment believes there crumbs everywhere that although tendency looking whole loaf enough crumbs gathered will more than feed crumbs burning bushes angels with books call them what want talking result busy trying listen also finding decipher messages from then back when talking didn't know enough listen turns actually it's then thing pretty sure it's connected that even less linear than suspected this loaf landed front just recently form some people were life years went away then reappeared first thursday jason spent evening talking with john debby they were spiritual mentors parent-type figures group friends after college they always went deep which wasn't always mood midst moves away from michigan then back then illinois fell contact then john's name acknowledgments section book velvet elvis very book that began making jason's faith real john debby were still life after then days after evening with john debby jason went anniversary celebration reba place church went chicago john debby just learned have ties that church stretching back years that's another story reunion jason introduced some early mentors hadn't seen years turns they know college roommate sheri very well sheri happens christian friend felt most betrayed after divorce haven't talked years then boom connecting with jason's past confronted with meeting people part sheri's life were part both life husband's life years much more than just small world moment draws solid line connecting life faith with jason person from past shaken faith ways that were painful very important john debby sheri back life speak susan mark eileen back jason's life have been sheri's life life diagram gets rather messy which starting assume we're connected somehow god's non-linear crumb-filled story 