Meet professor, scholar, and essayist for “A Tale of Two Trees,” Jonathan Koefoed. Jonathan chose the last song on the album, “By the Rivers of Babylon,” and wrote a rich personal essay exploring, in the midst of a broken world, Christ’s command to practice a peculiar hope.

Meet Poet, Artist, and Essayist for “A Tale of Two Trees,” Susan Cowger. Susan chose the song “In the Waters” from the new album “A Tale of Two Trees” and wrote a stunning chapter combining personal narrative and original poetry called “Time Between the Times.”

Meet editor, encourager, book coach, and essayist for “A Tale of Two Trees,” Anita K. Palmer. Anita chose the song “Take to the Fields” from the new album, and she gives us the great gift of her honesty and vulnerability in an essay entitled, “Mercy in the Wind.”

Meet singer, conductor, pianist, and essayist for “A Tale of Two Trees,” Amber Salladin. Amber chose the song “The Word became Flesh,” and wrote a stunning essay on how singing together, whether lament or praise, shapes us both body and soul into the likeness of Christ.

Meet Founder and Executive director of Cultivating Magazine (& The Cultivating Project), and essayist for “A Tale of Two Trees,” Lancia Smith. Lancia chose the song “Let Your Roots Go Deep,” and wrote an essay about longing and holding on in places of “mending and rooting.”

Meet John Barnts, YouTuber, Bible translator, and essayist for “A Tale of Two Trees.” John chose the song “Follow You Down” from the album, and wrote an essay tracing his personal journey of understanding suffering, not as something God does to us, but something we do with our wounded God.

Meet Jason Smith, story-gatherer, YA novel author (Fayborn Trilogy), and essayist for “A Tale of Two Trees.” Jason chose the song “When I Cried Out” from the album, and wrote a wonderful essay about a God who hears us, meets us, and works with us through every hard place.

Meet Steven Elmore, President of the C.S. Lewis Foundation, teacher, and essayist number four for “A Tale of Two Trees”. Steven chose the song “Like a Lamb” from the album, and wrote an essay exploring the joyfully surprising love revealed by our crucified Lord Jesus.

Meet Benjamin Holsteen, songwriter, PhD Candidate at St. Andrew’s University, and essayist for “A Tale of Two Trees”. Ben chose the song “How can we sing?” based on Psalm 137, and wrote an essay (that just made me cry) about the longing for home and trusting Jesus to get us there.

Meet classical educator, author, and essayist for “A Tale of Two Trees”, Heidi White. Heidi chose the album’s title track and write a myth-intoned essay exploring the storied history of cross of Christ, and how only the crucified Lord can transform us and the world.