A Safe Place

James L. Smith. Birmingham: Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries. 68 pp. (Paperback).

This reviewer is extremely pleased with this, inasmuch as the author is a dear friend who is an active member of First Baptist Church, Jasper, where the reviewer was pastor for 13 years. In fact, it was the reviewer’s opportunity to encourage the author, who grew up in an Alabama Baptist Children’s Home in Troy, to make these inspiring thoughts available to the public.

Here are more than 30 inspiring poems that readers will want to read over and over again. They deal with subjects such as family, God’s plan, emotions, joy, security, worship, justice and peace. Fortunately readers will find ample space here to write their thoughts inspired by these pieces of literary gold.

Cost of the book includes a tax-deductible donation to the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries. The author is a retired pharmacist who lives in Jasper with his wife, Carolyn.