On Being Prayerful

About the Book

The selected poems of this volume pose that with prayer as our anchor, we can live our lives joyfully and triumphantly. They ring with the ecstasy of life’s wonders, while honoring God as Creator and the singular force of our lives through His Son Jesus Christ. Imbued with some of the most recognizable bible stories, the long poems and affirmations wrestle with some of life’s biggest challenges. The Grandeur of the Rose and Things Happen, proclaim that catastrophic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease are not beyond God’s grace. The Table comforts families who have lost sons, daughters, and other relatives in Iraq. “Go Down, Death” is a fiery proclamation against the deadly seductiveness of the drug culture, especially for our youth. Yet, each of the long poems urges that with hope as our wings, we can live expectantly. The short poems express almost in one breath the hope of the longer poems: love, faith, humility, obedience, integrity, forgiveness, trust, and patience. They can be recalled quickly throughout the day as one copes with living joyfully and expectantly.

About the Author

Isabella’s several careers include elementary school teaching, higher education program development, and higher education policy analysis, research, and evaluation. In addition to conducting several seminal studies on factors affecting the success of minority students, faculty, and institutions in higher education, she has played pivotal roles in local and regional boards relating to county elections; health management organizations; and diabetes prevention, care, and management. Her poetry collections include On Being Prayerful, Long and Short Poems That Heal (2010) and Almond Trees, Conversations with John Coltrane, which will be published shortly. She has participated in the PIP program of the DC Commission of the Arts, the Takoma Park Arts and Humanities Commission Poetry Series, and open mike sessions of The Writers Center, DC. Isabella is one of 36 poets featured in Inspired Results, Poets and Artists of Takoma Park, Maryland (2009), and has received several poetry awards.