This is, frankly, news that is going to profoundly interest a very specific subset of 1990s- and early 2000s-era evangelical Christian kids, and elicit the mildest of amusement from the rest of you, but: Prince is covering a Nichole Nordeman song. "THAT Nichole Nordeman, Mallory?" I hear you asking. YES, THAT NICHOLE NORDEMAN. "The same Nichole Nordeman who released "This Mystery" in 2000, a CD my older sister Laura played every morning as she got…

There are seven children around the table. My youngest brother has yet to be born. When he is, he will bring the total to eight. But for now, there are seven children circled around the broad oak table in the kitchen. The dishwasher hummed and ratted and the counters were wiped clean. The floors are swept and all that remained of our breakfast of biscuits and gravy and milk was the white crust around my…