Every day we open our eyes to a world full of wonder and mystery.  The simplest movement can be poetry and any thought a miracle.

I am Barbara Heerema and I am a writer (www.barbaraheerema.com).  I also was a good wife to my late husband, and raised 3 beautiful grown children.  I write poetry to share and celebrate the comfort of guidance, faith, and community.

Here is a poem I wrote entitled Refreshed (available at www.winsumpress.com).  I want to share these words with you this morning because it is important that we celebrate each sunrise with appreciation and wonder.  It is the everyday that makes the one after it so remarkable.

Refreshed

The morning started with refreshing rain,

washing away the mugginess of a warm night.

Now the air is fresh and cool.

There are sparkles around the yard

as early sunshine peeks through

and put rainbows into the raindrops

left on the leaves.  The birds rejoice.

As I observe these things and enjoy

the fragrance of a sweet, clean world,

I, too, am refreshed.  My spirits lift.

With you, Lord,

I am ready to face my day.

My days always begin with prayer and hope, even if only as silent reminders of all I am and still can be.  I believe that faith and God and religion are the cornerstones of not only this country but of us, as human beings.  Religious people created the wonders in the world we live in and I am certain that our collective spirituality makes us all stronger and more resilient.

I have had people tell me that my writing is not religious, even though I am clearly a Christian and proud of it.  But my words don’t discriminate; they are meant to join us together in times of hardship and grief.  I believe that God joins us all within a spiritual community –  even though at times it seems that religion is what makes us the most different.

I was married to a very smart, honest, moral, driven and Christian man whose family was Dutch.  His name was Arie.  During World War II, my husband’s family hid the Jews from the certain death waiting for them at the hand of the Nazis.  My husband grew up during a time when his brothers were absent for long periods, risking their lives for the underground, and he used to tell stories of the Jews in his attic that he was charged with protecting when he was only about 15 years old.  I was married to a man who believed in humanity and the goodness of God even when the world around him was experiencing unparalleled evil.

My home was a relatively religious one and I was proud to be Arie’s wife…even though  sometimes the marriage itself was less than perfect.  The truth is that life isn’t supposed to be perfect, but my faith in God and my belief that I was where I was supposed to be grounded me to my family and continues to steer me toward my destiny.

Nothing is more wonderful and rewarding than inspiring and comforting other human beings – whether you provide comfort in an attic hidden behind a bookcase or whether you share your words with strangers.  My daughters published two “Because You Listen Lord…” volumes of poetry because they believe in me and my words.  I hope you also find faith and guidance through my verse.

My books are published by Winsum Press, Inc. and are available at www.barbaraheerema.com or www.winsumpress.com.  Please enjoy…and remember to celebrate each and every sunrise.

When she shared her work with her writing classes and her Christian counselor, the encouragement for her to publish increased, because people were touched by her writing. Barbara, a fledgling Christian author, asked God about what should she do, and she began to see events nudging her in the direction of writing a book.

Ultimately, in a few broad strokes, God put in place everything that was needed for publishing: the friends, the tools, the funds. In 1990, the first printing of her prayer-poems and poetry entitled “Because You Listen Lord…” was on the bookshelves.

In this first book we see memories triggered in new ways. We can find our own life’s parallels in the brief stories. We find hope – we are not alone.

Book 1 is available in Softcover and various eBook formats.

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Please visit our Excerpts page where samples await you.

Wrapped around the chapter about being her husband’s caregiver are the stories of everyday life with friends and family. The threads of relationships and plans are woven into the writing, as Barbara shares her unique ability to see both the front and the back of the tapestry of our lives.

She transparently shares the feelings of anxiety and loneliness common to our human experience, and then shares the steps of faith which brought her to peace. Carefully crafted word-pictures draw us into these very private moments, where we are shown the hope she finds.

You, the reader, will be taken in by the way that, in the midst of the trials, Barbara can look outside the window see something of beauty to praise.

Please visit our Excerpts page where samples await you.

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