The Commission

Jeanne DeFazio is a renaissance woman interested in everything. She and her multicultural team have gathered together many thoughtful voices recounting their own true-life experiences in this thoughtful, well-written, and very wise reflection. Comparing the destructive spread of the coronavirus, the devastating conflagration of the California fires, and the destructive racism that smolders beneath culture and too often these days breaks into flames, this hard-hitting yet uplifting book, as brief as it is, makes an important human statement everyone should take the time to read and consider carefully. --William David Spencer, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary The COVID-19 pandemic forced many to wrestle with their experiences in isolation. The Commission gives a lens into others' perspectives, and, along the way, reminds us that God is continually teaching and forming us for the glory that is to come. --Jeffrey Hadachek, PhD student at the University of California, Davis In The Commission, Jeanne DeFazio gives voice to a wide range of individuals who reflect on the impact the pandemic has had on them, how they found strength in God, and how they have reached out to others. If a continual barrage of news articles and images can lead to compassion fatigue, hearing people's individual stories is the antidote. Commission is a call for empathy and a call to action. May we all shine light in the darkness. --J. Creamer, faculty, University of the Nations