Sometimes we need to change our perspective - to lift our eyes above the temporary and trivial and to set them on things of eternal value. When we have a clear vision of our ultimate destiny, we gain the courage we need to face the challenges that confront us every day. At the heart of this book is a conviction that the writers of the early church offer us insights that are at once ancient, and yet full of vitality, because they speak of the living one, Jesus Christ, and the hope that is available to us in him. Although many of them experienced suffering, exile and martyrdom, all of them witnessed a living faith in God's power to save, and the teaching of Jesus as the way to life in its fullness. As experienced guides, these men and women point us to God, helping us to reflect on his character and saving acts, as well as inviting us to respond wholeheartedly. The selections have been organised so that month by month, day by day, you may immerse yourself in the sayings of particular writers, encouraging you to encounter the wisdom of the early church for yourself and to draw on those riches to live each day with hope.