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This work is a compilation of experiences in poetry form that read like prose and with titles that are arranged in alphabetical order. Each is meant to emphasize faith, hope, and love in daily life. Most are focused especially on life-changing cogitations and events. The author strongly emphasizes the need to take all issues of faith, fear, hatred, and all other emotions and weaknesses to "YHWH," which are the four consonants of God’s name in Hebrew.
Elder writes that he became a double amputee thirty-five years before, at age nineteen, after an accident. His faith strengthened to the point that it became unquestionable after he prayed about his issues of physical, mental, and emotional horrors to God and found peace, love, and the power to forgive the driver who had caused his injuries. Included in the poems that Elder wrote about his experiences are some about another group of people who face similar traumas and trials: military veterans. The poems include such standouts as "Ink and Paper," "Optimism vs. Pessimism," "Recycling All Our Stuff, Especially Our Souls," "Trials and Tribulations," and "Shema! The Shema and Its Meaning." The latter poem’s focus on the Shema (Hear, O Israel!), a foundation of Jewish prayers and a section of particular significance to the Torah, may resonate with Jewish readers especially. The passages end in "Amein," of which some interpretations are "’So be it’ or 'verily and surely' is.” According to some interpretations, "Amein" and "Amen" differ, as the phonetic spelling is actually “aw-mane” rather than what is typically heard in standard English usage.
According to the author's tradition, true prayer requires faith, discipline, and knowledge. However, faith is the most important of the virtues. Some of the thoughts and prayers are simple and direct. Others focus on wordplay or definitions, while still others on just hanging on when a person questions their own or life's value. All are consistent with the author's declaration of his faith as the cornerstone of his rehabilitation. Elder believes that anyone can experience the enlightenment and should because to experience that faith is the most important aspect of life. Simultaneous with his particular ministry is his definition of himself as "a regular guy who is relearning life as a double amputee with His help, and being very grateful for every day."
Elder expresses his hope that his poetry will inspire, motivate, and be inspirational to others. The poems and the author are worth reading and learning about, respectively, for the human experiences and common sense that they express while encouraging readers to develop faith and spiritual development. In doing so, people are able to overcome even the most devastating situations. In some of the descriptions of his paths to coping with and appreciating life, Elder's writing is reminiscent of that of Helen Keller, a person who experienced severe disabilities and faith, and who wrote much about her interpretation of her life to inform and educate others, Elder's and Keller's writing is similar in the expression of their joy in living, belief in the strength of the human spirit, and faith in the spiritual healing power of God.