Book excerpt: This collection of Story Guides—short, four-minute reads—are inspirational, touching the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of everyday life and the pain of our lives. Writing from his own myriad of experiences as a minister, counselor, chaplain, and author, John Thomas Tuft gently explores our hopes, dreams, faith, fears, and failures in the light of unyielding grace and hope. Entertaining, informative, and touching, the Story Guides challenge us where we think we are most comfortable. Words are magic and writers are wizards.