My project is a response through poetry and illustration to some of the parables of Jesus. I’m responding specifically to a set found in Matthew chapter 13, known as the “parabolic discourse”. Of all the parables in the New Testament, I was drawn to this set in particular. I was intrigued because these parables were all illustrations of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, and the implications that has on my relationships with God, myself, and others. Jesus often spoke in parables like these – short, accessible stories that communicated divine principles. Parables are spoken in the language of the everyday, the mundane, but they can still often leave people scratching their heads. These parables paint a picture of a coming reality when all things will eventually be set right, but for now is existing and growing in the midst of all the brokenness and pain in the world right now. Through the project, I’ve been able to process through pain from my past, and come to a deeper sense of identity. My hope is that this project would provide an opportunity for contemplation, reflection, and conversations around what it means to be a follower of Jesus in today’s culture. As I’ve found to be true in my own life, faith can keep people grounded through periods of upheaval and turmoil. The faith I center myself around can often appear small and hidden, but it has deep roots, and it permeates everything in my life.