Leaves of the Heart

Leaves of the Heart is a collection of poetry and prose that expresses the emotional and spiritual life of someone who seeks to walk intimately with God on a daily basis. A large portion of this book is directed towards my most intimate friend, Jesus. The balance is directed to others that have the ears to hear, because, they have experienced the full impact of life's cruelty. The title comes from the idea that seasons exist in nature, in our lives emotionally, relationally, physically, and spiritually.

I have been encouraged throughout my life to publish my work, but have held back, unsure of my ability. I have had a series of events take place over the last ten years that have narrowed my focus. The most significant being receiving a diagnosis of kidney cancer. God blessed me with an early detection and surgery to remove my left kidney. Then several years later it appeared that the Cancer had reappeared. I found myself asking the classic question, "What would I do if I knew that my life was going to end in six months?"

My professional life became less important to me, and my family became more of a priority; especially my grandchildren. My writing also became more of a priority because I wanted to leave a legacy for my grandchildren.

Over the years my greatest joy has been derived from being an encouragement to other people. It is my prayer, that you will be encouraged by this book. My question to you is, If you knew you were going to die today, two weeks, or six months from now, what are the most important things and people in your life that you would want to focus on? And, most importantly, what is going to happen to you when you die?