Book excerpt: And So It Is! presents a collection of sermons, memories, and short stories written by Albert Schmid, displaced midwesterner and recently ordained minister of the First Baptist Church of East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The central theme of Pastor Schmid's first book is to remind us that God is love, a fact that we certainly need to acknowledge. This inspiring volume is a repository of memories a cornucopia of short stories, poems, sermons, and devotionals that remind us that we are Christ's ambassadors and God expects each of us to live and act as though He is making His appeal through us. And how do we do that? Remember, the best sermons are lived not preached. Because he visits nursing homes and shut-ins as part of his ministry, several of the stories he shares here are from the devotionals he uses during those visits. Whether talking about the meaning of Advent or recounting the story of Jabez, Pastor Schmid inspires with his sermons and stories. He makes them personal, and anyone may be enriched by his interpretations of these timeless stories and Christian traditions. And So It Is! seeks to teach as well as inspire all who discover the treasures included within.