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In this vibrant collection of poems and other approaches to her deeply held faith, such as prayers and gentle reminders, writer Offerman examines the many ways that people's relationship with God can affect their lives and the lives of those around them. In some cases, the poet "speaks" in the voice of God, as when one is reminded to "ask and I will supply fresh manna like the morning dew" or prodded with questioning such as "Do you not realize that I am all you need?" More often, Offerman is exploring her own faith in its many guises. She sees herself at times "living in horrible sin" or, in a more mundane mode, wondering how to have joy "when problems haven't changed." Her experience ranges from the exhilaration of sacred moments of feeling God's presence to her recognition of how easy it is to squander one's time when one should instead be glorying in every precious moment of life.
These short but profound works address the human wish to be better while seeing oneself as limited and needy. They also speak to believers' higher calling to do God's will and tell others about him. As all might do by her example, she sets aside time for contemplation in the poem "I Go to My Quiet Place": "You gently speak / And tell me to begin / To intercede to write a poem / Or perhaps confess my sins." At times she asks God to forgive her, such as in the piece "Heal and Make Me Whole": "Forgive my wandering, my running the opposite way." In "I'm not Deaf to Your Cry," she also imagines his words in response: "Release all your cares, take on no shame, for I love you, my child." Her conclusion, "As We Quiet Our Spirits," is a prayer that exudes the universality of her thinking, asking that we will learn to know God and "do Your perfect will."
Offerman is a self-described born-again Christian who has made it her task to minister to others through her writing and other art forms. She has gone on mission trips to pray with and for those in physical and spiritual need. Her poems, both rhyming and free verse, reflect her serious consideration of her Christian conviction. Some pieces read like stirring hymns of praise, while others illustrate how we can seek spiritual revelation in the simplest of moments, including realizing that every second is special and that all of life's events, no matter how seemingly inconsequential, offer opportunities to worship and share. By giving voice to God as he forgives and welcomes her as a person of faith, she presents the possibility of blessings to all her readers. It is through this talent—to see God's working in ordinary happenings and express the acceptance and willingness to change the negative notions all people share—that her compositions give forth a special, empathic glimmer. Offerman's creations and insights can provide a guide for those who share her beliefs and seek ways to enhance their inner and outer spiritual path.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review