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But there’s something about these we must understand."
Poet Dillman presents a collection of gentle reminders concerning the need to connect with and stay connected to God and his son, Jesus. The opening work, “Surrender,” conveys that though that word is generally considered negative, surrender to God is, in fact, necessary to follow a positive path. Each offering connects the etheric realm of God’s power and care with simple human situations. For example, “Are You Ready?” poses a direct question: what if Christ were to come “in just five minutes’ time”? Customs like the celebration of Christmas or visions of the new year take on new meaning in Dillman’s deft depictions. A portrait of “Mary, Favored by God” demonstrates what Dillman clearly strives to establish in the reader’s mind—how a simple peasant like Mary could, through unwavering faith, rise to eternal glory.
Throughout, Dillman stresses that yielding to God can evoke sudden, miraculous alterations longed for but not anticipated by the devotee. This transformation is exemplified in a poem co-written with Dillman’s oldest daughter: “A kind work, a prayer, or telling someone your story, / Can change someone’s life and give God the glory!”
Dillman, who is both a pastor and an engineer, brings to this spiritual assortment the convictions he has gained by living the words he writes in this debut work. The assortment comprises several sections, each introduced with a photograph that symbolizes the segment’s content. The majority of Dillman’s poetic presentations are arrayed as couplets, the words and images clearly chosen to continually impart the message of the book’s title—the earthly and spiritual rewards that a person will receive by accepting and holding firm to the grace and potential of God the Father and his son. His book will doubtless be enjoyed and shared in religious gatherings for group conversation and individual contemplation.