A Roman soldier. An anguished mother. A death-row prisoner. An unsuspecting pilgrim. A treacherous friend. Jesus touches each of these and many others seen and unseen on his agony-filled way to the cross. Combining sacred scripture, storytelling, and personal reflection, The Via Crucis draws readers into a heartfelt and inspiring contemplation of Jesus' sacrifice and his triumphant victory over death. Raw, vivid stories voiced by those present at Christ's trials and crucifixion capture the pain, power, and passion of the Savior's suffering on humanity's behalf.

For 10 years, Shawn Small was a youth minister in the Dallas metro area. In 1999, he took a year-long sabbatical to find God's heart for his future. The result of that time was the launching of Wonder Voyage Missions in the year 2000. Wonder Voyage is a unique organization dedicated to educating and leading groups into the ancient Christian practice of pilgrimage and in life-transforming service trips around the world. Shawn has had the privilege of leading hundreds of people to locations around the world that include Wales, Jamaica, Greece, Guatemala, and Peru. Although he leads several retreats a year, Shawn considers himself first and foremost a storyteller. This is his first endeavor at publishing in his unique storytelling style. He and his wife, Cheryl, reside in Flower Mound, Texas. They have four children.