1Over the past thirty years, while offering retreats, xspiritual direction, and preached missions, the author was privileged to accompany many on their spiritual journey. She highlights here their common desires for peace, purpose, and meaning in life, ways to deal with suffering and death, among other life experiences. The author recounts how each experienced a breakthrough moment in their relationship with God. Reading these stories, one can easily recognize that transforming moment when each person experienced God's compassion and as a result, everything changed in his or her life. These stories capture various dynamic aspects of our spiritual journey with God and others. Ultimately, at the heart of our spiritual journey is God's never-ending desire to draw us into a loving relationship. We too can rediscover that God has been searching for us, while we have been searching for God. Through the reading of these stories, scripture, and insights, we can reclaim our own desires and continue to deepen in loving union with our compassionate God, and be carriers of compassion for others. +