Belief is often the basis of the difficult and worthwhile work of storytelling. In this fourth installment of our almanac series, The Bible Belt Almanac, we humbly present to you, Courteous Reader, a collection of prose, essays, and poetry about the belief systems that bring us to our knees in contemplation and, occasionally, in frustration. While generally considered a particular region of the country, our version of the Bible Belt spans the nation. In this collection, you’ll read the work of writers who bravely explore the ways in which faith and philosophy intersect with the creative process. For as our Dear Progenitor of Publications, Ben Franklin, once said: “Talking against Religion is unchaining a Tyger; The Beast let loose may worry his Deliverer” (Poor Richard Improved, 1751).