The Gift of Life: 117 Poems and Observations

Congratulations! You’ve made the audacious choice to pick up a book of poetry. Audacious in the sense of a “surprisingly bold risk.” So, thank you for taking the risk of walking with me as I look at different slices of life. This is, in reality, a partial faith journey for me. Sometimes, the slice is dark and troublesome; often it is my standing in awe of God’s creation. As I look at the Apostle Paul being stoned or Barabbas being set free, at a desert child or some ashes in a mirror what resonates with me just might speak to you. All that the God of the Bible has made invites us to know Him and serve Him. Some slices are just fun. Others invite you to look hard at the very core of who you are. You may agree or disagree with my perspective, but let me invite you to sit on my balcony and view some slices of life that might alter the way you deal with people and events. Let my reflection on a spider web, a barbed-wire fence, a terrorist attack or even a shoe-shine boy further open your mind and heart. Our lives are complicated and simple; they are convoluted and straight forward. Life is worth living. And yet, life is not a right to be claimed; it is a gift from God framed with heavenly expectations and wrapped with the Creator’s invitation to trust and obey. Out of the cold expanse, God brought a chance for us to know Him, walk with Him and rejoice with the life He has offered us. Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Life, then, must not be wasted or diminished in value. It is my hope that these poetic expressions will add a significant perspective to your observations on life. Above all, I encourage you to seek to know the LORD God Almighty.