A priest’s inspiring story of bringing people together and bringing them closer to God—with some help from Dolly Parton, Martin Short, and others.   This book is my Midrash. With these words, Father Jim Sichko draws us into a life story full of laughter, tears, and service, filled with insightful lessons gained during his many travels as a clergyman and motivational speaker. Whether recounting his sobering flying experiences, the time he met the pope, or his encounter with the “Weed Man,� Father Jim instructs through powerful storytelling.   As he takes us along on his journey, from getting kicked out of seminary to hosting celebrities—including Dolly Parton, Harry Connick Jr., Martin Short, and former first lady Laura Bush—at his small Kentucky parish, Father Jim shines a light into the corners of the human heart to expose our need for God and the love He alone can give. With humor and striking honesty, Father Jim reveals what it means to worship God, have compassion for others, and live life among friends.

The author of Among Friends returns with a witty, heartfelt account of his adventures as a full-time traveling storyteller for God. In third grade, we talked about what we wanted to be when we grew up. I raised my hand and said, "I want to be the pope!" Everyone laughed. But, hey, if you think about it, I'm still in the running. Encountering God is a collection of Father Jim Sichko's tales about what happened after he left his home parish in the Lexington, Kentucky, diocese to embark on a new role as a papal missionary of mercy. As his former congregation well knew, his warmth, humor, and genuine passion for spreading the message of God's unconditional love made him an ideal choice for the job, and Pope Francis seemed to agree. Here he reveals what it's like to live out of a suitcase (and love it) as he engages in the "Ministry of Encountering"-meeting people face to face, connecting through the shared experiences of daily life, and revealing how God's presence is accessible to us all if we simply open our hearts. Father Jim knows how challenging that can be, but his purpose is to make it easier. He passes along the Holy Father's message that it's not just about what we give up, but what we give-because we all have something to offer, and it costs nothing to be kind. Insightful, inspiring, and frequently funny, Encountering God offers a glimpse into an unusual life-and a call to move from "me" to "we" thinking in a world that sometimes seems determined to drive us apart. This book features forewords by Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv., and Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Airlines; and an afterword by Olivia Newton-John.