All FCCW guest speakers bring interesting messages and helpful hints to our meetings. But every so often we’re showered with additional, very useful material. Such was the case with Estelle Shrum’s presentation at last Thursday’s FCCW meeting.
In her presentation, Estelle described her life, and the troubling experiences that were foundational to her new book titled, He Is The Word, a compilation of poems written over two years. As she described it, her book is proof that a life visited by frequent, unhappy events out of one’s control, can produce both victory and a deeper relationship with God.
Estelle grew up in a house with an abusive father and a paranoid, schizophrenic mother. The effect of such a toxic environment led first to frequent panic attacks as a young woman, and later, two attempts at suicide. In later years, her daughter experienced some of the ripple-effects from her family tree, developing serious problems of her own.
Estelle related that today, both she and her daughter are living examples of God’s healing victory. As she pointed out, “The four best years of my life were when I dated my husband. And we’ve been married over forty years!”
Because all of Estelle’s poems are related to scripture, He Is The Word is both a resource for practical Biblical guidance as well as an escape into poetic literature. Glancing through the book, it is easy for one to pinpoint a topic of interest and be directed to a relevant poem. Each passage brings out the essence of scripture through insightful, tender paraphrase of God’s perspective.
Estelle told us the reason for the poetic format is to, “Encourage Christians and non-Christians to read the Bible.”
In addition to poetry, Estelle included sections at the end such as, “The Many Names Of Jesus,” and “The Bible Vs. The Koran,” -- an overview of the similarities and differences between two of the world’s most important books.
As for the “extra gift,” Estelle covered a large table with several, very helpful handouts such as:
“Avoiding literary scams”
“Writers Beware: Thumbs-Down Agency List”
“How To Find The Right Book Publisher”
“Fake Writing Contests.”
She included three long lists of Christian publishers and Christian self-publishing resources.
Estelle’s own book was published through an organization called, “Publish America,” a co-op company requiring no down payment by the author. As she put it, “It’s a subject of particular importance to all freshman authors!”
FCCW extends a warm thanks to Estelle and hopes many readers will enjoy her book for a relaxing, insightful poetic journey through the Bible.
By Ken Overman, FCCW Member
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