Abiding Hope and Love

The times in which we live present us with daunting challenges at every turn: increased crime, a souring economy, the looming specters of job loss, foreclosure, and repossession - no matter which form they take, the difficulties that surround us only seem to get worse every day. In light of such adversity, finding the silver linings to the omnipresent clouds of despair can be quite an arduous task. So, when a poetic collection such as Abiding Hope & Love comes along - whether you're a poetry lover or not - you will serve yourself well to embrace the jewels of light and wisdom contained therein. Skillfully penned by Connie Arnold, Abiding Hope & Love presents the reader with a host of different of topics, ranging from nature to children to music to the Bible, but all centered on the healing, inspiring effects that hope lends to any difficult circumstance. In so doing, Arnold provides the reader with a spiritual blueprint for introducing healing into his/her own life through the simple act of shifting focus from the negative to the positive. Consider, for example, this passage from "Signs of Hope": "If life seems to overwhelm you Till you feel you cannot cope, Just stop and look around you, Discover the signs of hope. No matter what circumstances May occur in your life's course, Your heart will be filled with peace When God is your hope's source." and this passage from "Stars": "God exists or else he doesn't, There is no in between, And with faith we can accept Even what cannot be seen. God's love beams much brighter Than the strongest star we see, To give hope and safe guidance To lost souls like you and me." In both pieces, Arnold presents the reader with compelling reasons for acknowledging the various sources of hope available to them, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Arnold also effectively displays the benefits of selfless giving, the very practice of which contributes greatly to elevating one's personal mood and state of mind. For example, this passage from "When You Give Love": "When you give love, you give peace of mind And comfort another to whom you are kind. When love is what you freely are giving, What you receive makes life more worth living." and this passage from "The Gift of Love": "Love is more a matter Of the heart than of the mind, It's giving of yourself, Being thoughtful and also kind. It brings a special lightness And brightens up each day, And makes life more worth living When you give love away." perfectly highlight all the advantages of selfless giving that await us all - if we only have the courage required to make the sacrifice. Abiding Hope & Love is a well-crafted, thoroughly insightful volume sure to inspire even the gloomiest of souls. Uplifting and encouraging, the various pieces that compose the collection are consummately comforting and reassuring, displayed most saliently in the eponymous title poem that leads off the book: "When the winds of fear and hatred Rage and roar along their

I met Connie Arnold when she was promoting her first book, "Beautiful Moments of Joy and Peace." Her poetry is traditional, soulful, and will touch a part of your heart. To my surprise, "Abiding Hope & Love", her second book of poetry, is even better than her first. She covers areas like faith, the Bible, love, music and nature. Each poem is uplifting. It's like a shot of Vitamin B for the soul. I have a few favorites. You have no idea how hard it was to narrow down one for this review. It took me most of the week before I could narrow it down to three. I let my daughter decided which of those three. Melody and Harmony Melody Hope filled Joy is spilled Calming, insightful, creative, delightful Melody Harmony Love unites Thrills and excites Pleasant, blending, never ending Harmony

Connie Arnold's new book Abiding Hope and Love will be a keepsake just as her first one was Beautiful Moments of Joy and Peace. Connie has a way of putting her gentle thoughts together creating a special purpose in her poetry that delights the soul of the reader in all aspects. From categories Hope; Love; Children; Music; to The Bible and to Nature; each section is filled with her heartfelt feelings from the hope of what a tiny raindrop can do when combined with a multitude of drops as it falls to water the earth, to the language of love. Encouragement is a poem in the children's section and shows the love and encouragement one needs to give the children. Her language of music expressed in poetry shows her love for it and the need for it in our lives. My favorite section is on the Bible and the ode to Creation. Nature winds the book up with many good ones including Artistic Creation, the Wind and the Stars. This book will be one you will want to have and one you will want to give to lift someone's spirit for it truly is filled with God's Abiding Hope and Love through her verses.

Abiding Hope and Love is a book full of poetry that you will treasure for a lifetime. Author Connie Arnold writes with faith, just as the Prophet Paul did in The Book of Romans. Her faith and love stands out in truth, and these poems will live on forever in the inkful faith of Christ. I give this book 5 stars, it is well written; within each word I feel the spirit of God pouring out to me. These poems will give you a fresh look on life and it will renew your soul in such a profound way. This book is magnificent; Kudos to Connie Arnold for writing a timeless masterpiece.

Review: By Author Nancy Lee Shrader IS IT NOW? The End of Days! IS HE MESSIAH? Messianic Prophecies! The Curse of Mayweather House Abiding Hope and Love By Connie Arnold Rated: 5-STARS Connie Arnold has done it again. Her new book Abiding Hope and Love expresses the inner beauty of this up and coming author as well as her faith in God. Her beautifully chosen words flow through the mind like a musical score, instilling in the reader a healing balm to the soul. While reading Connie's first Beautiful Moments of Joy and Peace and now Abiding Hope and Love for review, I found her poems just like the title of her books. I again left my review desk to curl up on my sofa with my laptop to bask in the light of her faith. As in her first book, I felt God's love welling up inside of me as I read each poem. With many I enjoyed twice before going on to the next. I have read Connie's first book several times since my review and will be enjoying this one over and over again as well. I will keep it close for times that sadness darkens my heart. Her first book came to me when my seven year old grandson was near death and I found comfort in Connie's poetic words. Now Abiding Hope and Love comes at another dark time in my life. My husband has just faced cancer surgery. Anyone who feels the love of God in their lives will love this book of poetry. Thank you Connie; you have filled my heart yet again.