He was there in an old pickup truck, grinning and giving me the thumbs-up sign, just as he had the guy in the Blackhawks jersey. I smiled and waved back, just as he pulled onto the exit ramp. As I did, I glanced in the mirror. There, off to the right, against the blackness of a starless night was the pink neon sign of the Bare Essence Lounge.....With this sort of lively writing, Carlton Allen tells the humorous and witty stories of those less-than-perfect individuals who have "fallen toward grace." Rather than writing about people who easily seize the gift of God, Allen focuses on those individuals who, instead, stumble and fall headlong into the arms of grace. Allen argues that these individuals are essential to the Church since they, better than anyone, understand the true nature of grace.

Carlton Allen is the pastor of First Baptist Church, Claxton, Georgia, following a 13-year tenure as the associate minister of First Baptist Church, Greenwood, South Carolina. He is a graduate of Furman University and Southern Seminary and is the author of several articles.

Titles of related interest
Seasons in the Year	When the Season is Dry	Becoming Fire	Telling Stories