This book provides an inviting and accessible introduction to the 12 apostles of Jesus and their gifts for us today.In His ministry, one of the first things Jesus did was to reach out to 12 individuals and draw them into a circle of close companionship with Him. This book is about these 12, their relationships with Jesus and each other, and what we can learn from them.By studying them we can learn much about ourselves and how we can experience the Holy. Don't forget, Jesus didn't call perfect people, but ordinary people - just like us. When we understand that, we go a long way to understanding how Jesus would like to work with us.John Claypool was a outstanding minister in the Baptist Church prior to his ordination into the Episcopal Church. He has authored many books including the moving "Tracks of a Fellow Struggler", written following the death of his young daughter. He was also a featured speaker on The Protestant Hour.

A journey through grief that has brought comfort to others for almost half a century. John R. Claypool had been a pastor for almost two decades, ministering to others who suffered through the loss of loved ones, when the loss came home in the death of his eight-year-old daughter, Laura Lue. This is the story of Claypool's own journey through the darkness, written through four sermons. The first was delivered just eleven days after his daughter's diagnosis of leukemia, the second after her first major relapse nine months later, and the third weeks after her death. The final sermon—a reflection on the process of grieving—was preached three years later. This edition with french flaps makes a great gift.

Hope is to the human spirit what breath is to the physical body—the very fuel that animates our being. So says best-selling author John Claypool. But with hopefulness comes the possibility of disappointment. How can we hope and yet be realistic about what we hope for? What is a hope that doesn’t disappoint? In his inimitable pastoral and gentle way, Claypool explores biblically based avenues to hopefulness. Beginning with what we can and cannot know of God's promises, he discusses the value of humility in the face of the Great Mystery that is God. Claypool then examines what we can expect by letting God be God, and he looks at the place of forgiveness and second chances in seeking hope. His conclusion addresses the greatest hope, that of the life to come beyond the grave. This very personal book, written without theological jargon, will be a welcome companion to anyone who is struggling with disappointment, fear, or loss.