"I know you think life is not fair, that those you love are unaware of the depths of your pain. All I know is God knows you hurt. He has seen your tears."
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Feathers From Heaven by R. Allan Krum Jr. Trafford Publishing
book review by Karyn Saemann
Seekers of Biblical strength and solace will find it in these well-written, scripture-based poems. A handful of the 90 selections speak to themes like marriage or holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. But the verses are otherwise about trusting God in tough times. Grief, tears and perseverance are frequent topics. God is metaphorically described as being a light and a rock to the troubled. Many of the poems are closely tied to well-known Bible passages, feeling like modern rewrites; these are followed by a scripture reference. Succinct titles speak to the general subject matter: "Strength," "Brokenness," "You are Never Alone," "The Tears Will End," "Endurance," and "Arms of Strength and Comfort."
Readers are repeatedly reminded that God's love is unconditional, that his strength will carry them through when they are weak, that he is always in control, that he has a plan for their lives and that God, too, suffered unfathomable pain when his son, Jesus Christ, perished on the cross. The poems are short, typically a dozen stanzas, making for easy reading. Although most of the poems share an overarching theme, there is enough variety in the writing and the author draws from enough different Bible verses to not feel redundant. The sheer volume of entries ensures that, if one poem doesn't speak to you, another one will. Beautiful cover art will catch the eye of potential readers. Heartfelt, modern Psalms for the bruised and bleeding; a collection to keep on the shelf for when trouble unexpectedly descends and/or refuses to abate.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review