What picture comes into your mind when you think of a saint? Is it a portrait of a medieval saint with a golden halo? Or a cartoon character wearing a white robe and carrying a harp standing on a cloud? Is it a solemn picture of someone dressed all in black with a pinched look of long-suffering on his or her face? Do you automatically think to yourself, "It's hard to be a saint — but it's even harder to live with one"?

In the New Testament, the word "saint" is used to describe the early Christians. It actually doesn't have anything to do with white robes or shiny halos or acting holier than thou. In fact, when we read the stories of the early church, we discover that these "saints" had all the same stresses, all the same warts that we do — and maybe even more! They also struggled with que…