Sometimes, in the face of adversity, our only source of strength is faith. In Mitch Albom’s latest book, Have A Little Faith, he delves into the enduring power of the human spirit, chronicling the lives of two men of God, intertwined on the fabric of faith.

The origin of this story stems from an honorable but unusual request: A rabbi from Albom’s childhood synagogue asks him to write his eulogy. Though Albom acknowledges he’s fallen out of touch with his Jewish community, he grants the rabbi’s wish. Numerous visits with the rabbi forges an amazing friendship lasting eight years. Their bond also provides the backdrop for spiritual conversations on life, faith, and hope.

Albom searches for the substance of faith through the lens of Rabbi Albert Lewis. Affectionately nicknamed “The Reb,” Lewis was a gentle and affable soul with a word of wisdom and a song on his lips. Born to an impoverished family, Rabbi Lewis was instilled and reared in traditional Jewish values. He described his tight knit community as a “Kehillah Kedoshah” or a sacred community. Lewis followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and became a rabbi. Rooted in family and faith, he embodied those values in his teachings and sermons. And inspired by the rabbi’s unwavering faith, Albom rolls up his sleeves and lends a hand to his neighboring community of Detroit.

Albom begins a new narrative while visiting a downtown shelter and experiencing the plights of the homeless. He quickly becomes involved with Pastor Henry Covington who runs a ministry for poor and displaced people. At first, Albom is skeptical about the pastor’s intentions as his road to faith was a winding, dark journey. Covington, like Lewis, was reared in poverty. However, devoid of a tight knit community, Covington turned to a life of crime and armed robbery. Drug addiction and jail time stole years of his young life. Then one terrifying night, while hiding with a gun in his hand, he said a prayer to God. He took a leap of faith and it changed his life forever. He overcame drug addiction and dedicated his life to preaching to the homeless. Moreover, Pastor Covington’s story testifies of the possibilities to change and lead a better life.

In this book, faith resonates as an ever changing and vibrant phenomena: Albom, like many readers, shares his own doubts about faith and the skepticism of overtly religious people. Yet, through his conversations and experiences with the rabbi and pastor, he cannot help but become a believer. The intriguing contrasts and dichotomy of both men of God demonstrate how faith can blossom in the human spirit. Rabbi Lewis was the ultimate example of living in faith throughout his life and ministry. Conversely, Pastor Covington lived a reckless life but recreated a new life fortified by a steadfast faith and commitment to God. Refusing his old lifestyle of hustle and money, he chose instead to serve the needs of others.

One essential value Albom presents is tolerance and acceptance of other religions. He conveys this message by juxtaposing a rabbi of Jewish faith to a pastor of Christian faith. The second important value he presents is the power of reigniting faith. When it is absent, it can be difficult to rally around people. But when faith is present in others, it can touch the lives of many.

What is faith? Faith is first believing, action, commitment, and love. Faith can be experienced in miracles or in the depths of despair. Faith holds no boundaries and is present in each of our lives. In the age of fluctuating markets and unemployment rates, our ties to faith is paramount to the strength of our spirits.