Tough as Nails: Poems Inspired by God
by Karen J. Chisholm
Xlibris


"Division is De-vision.
Men have lost the dream.
Those who set in motion
Gave way to those who scheme."

Daily communication with God is the recipe for peace and harmony and a pathway to digging deep within the inner spirit to understand who one truly is by knowing the Lord. The compilation injects a strong dose of humility, helping people come to the realization that they are but part and parcel of the supreme and that, in the grand cosmic sense, humans are minuscule. Humanity's accomplishments and gains stem from God's glory, his way of showing mercy and instilling within each person a unique gift. Revolving around this premise, Chisholm's work is sheer joy, carrying within it a purity of purpose imbued with an unfiltered abundance of the Lord's love.

With short lines filled with frenetic action, the style is both poetic and musical, an ode to Christ as indicated in several poems by phrases like "He paid sin's price." The pieces flow seamlessly from one to the next, with each examining an angle of Jesus' unyielding devotion, sacrifice, and love for humanity. At the same time, the poet goes to great lengths to unify society by demonstrating the efforts of historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and aligns that same thought of unity with spiritual parallels as well. Interestingly, unification is not by fitting in, Chisholm suggests, but rather by being true to one's self and truly embracing the gifts that God has granted to each and every soul.

Though there is no dearth of poems that impel the individual to examine himself and his individual-minded ways against the backdrop of Jesus Christ's unselfish sacrifice, there are also many selections that simply sing praise and glory to the Lord. Specifically, the imagery of the shining sun and the celestial bodies gives way to God's creation of nature—from the rainforests to the oceans, a nod to his ultimate power and grace to bless the human race. Thus, the poetry uses pieces like "Great Grace" to create a guide for a new life, to be born again and absolved of one's sins while experiencing the bliss of true joy and peace. Even further and in poignant fashion, the poet carefully and forcefully drives home the point that people are but creatures of the dust: from the dust they came, and to it they will go. To believe that humanity has any real power over nature's dominion is folly.

Another aspect that Chisholm captures in her verse is the opportunity for redemption and resilience. In "Known of God," she adamantly exclaims that God knows all and sees through each individual right down to one's spirit. With that said, "Storms" is a powerful piece of poetic synergy, fusing one's trials and tribulations into the strongest of armors, one forged in faith and fortitude. Overall, using lines that would reverberate with vigor through any church on a Sunday morning, Chisholm's work is determined to wake readers to the seen and unseen temptations lurking in their vicinity at all times while simultaneously preparing them for a life predicated upon unconditional love and surrender to Jesus Christ.

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