Includes bibliographical references and indexes

"Friendship isn't always given a lot of thought--and lately, it doesn't get a lot of time and effort, either. But in a world of busy and isolated lives, in which friendships can too easily become shallow, tenuous, and homogeneous, Dana Robert insists that good friendships are a vital and transformative part of the Christian life--a mustard seed of the kingdom of God. She believes Christians have the responsibility--and opportunity--to be countercultural by making friends across cultural, racial, socioeconomic, and religious lines that separate people from each other. In this book Robert tells the stories of Christians who, despite or even because of difficult circumstances, experienced friendship with people unlike themselves as 'God with us', as exile, as testimony, and as celebration."--Publisher statement