Words Of Inspiration
Robert Sells
ISBN: 0976539640
Reviewed By Gloria Ferris
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 
Words Of Inspiration
is a collection of poems inspired by a single muse: love. In it, Robert
Sells reflects on the various aspects of courtship and marriage that
make the overall experience of love so special. Relying mostly on
rhymed couplets and the skillful use of enjambment, Sells's poetry
conjures up many images of tenderness and affection familiar to many
and just out of reach of others.
Buoyed by such passages as:
"Every minute I spend with you puts me
into a state of bliss no drug can offer me."
and
"That's the way I see you sweetheart,
As God does.
And I will love you as God does…
Forever."
Sells's poetry offers up continual reminders of the true depths involved in matters of the heart.
The
focus of Sells's collection is the wonder of Christian love, inspired
by a personal relationship with God. It is Sells's contention that
fostering and maintaining such spirituality gives rise to the
fulfilling, rewarding personal relationships that are sure to enrich
our lives, none more greatly than that of marriage. Citing the
sustained joy of his own union, Sells gives due props to all those
willing to embrace the true power of sacrifice, learning to gain the
world by simply giving selflessly from the heart.
Many of
Sells's pieces would be great additions to Valentine's Day baskets and
"Just Because" bouquets, and even more perfect if read aloud over
anniversary dinners. By emphasizing the overall appreciation of the
value of one's mate, the pieces in Words Of Inspiration
serve as great alternatives to the shallow focus all-too-quickly placed
on sex and instant gratification in the modern day and age. Just like
fine wine, love is a gift that only gets better with time, and Sells
does a commendable job of reminding the reader of just that.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Robert Sells (Words Of Inspiration)
Apex Reviews: Robert thanks for taking the time to join us for this interview. We truly appreciate the opportunity to learn more about your book.
Words of Inspiration is your first book. What has you experience been like in putting it together?
Robert Sells: I truly enjoyed the experience. It had its share of challenges, learning experiences, and rewards. Because it was my first book, and I self-published, I learned a lot.
AR: Why do you think Christian love is such a unique topic?
RS: I think that Christian love is the ultimate love because it involves 3 things, not just 2 (the man and the woman). You see, a Christian relationship is like a 3-legged stool. The legs represent the husband, the wife, and God. When you include God in your marriage or relationship, it is immeasurably enhanced. But if you take away any leg then the stool cannot stand. At a time when we are questioning if relationships will last, we can depend on God to help sustain us through our marriages challenging times.
AR: You make no secret of your devotion to your wife. Are all the poems in the book about her?
RS: In a roundabout way they are. But let me explain. When I was seeking God for a mate, I petitioned Him about the type of mate I wanted. Well He responded to me and He said, "The things I tell you, I want you to write them down in poetry form. From that, the first poems were written, even though I didn't know who my wife was going to be yet. She ended up being the type of woman I described in the poems. Only God could do that. Some of the poems were written after I met her so they were written directly to her. The awesome thing about the poems is that even though they are written for a specific person, they have a healing quality for anyone who reads them. We are getting so many stories about people whose relationships were enhanced by reading the poems.
AR: Why do you think so many relationships/marriages fail so quickly in this day and age?
RS: I believe that things are out of order in our relationships. The men were set in place by God to be the spiritual head of the house, not the king of the castle. The woman was set in place by God to be the help meet. She will lovingly submit if the man does right by her. The man should be leading his household according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The man should be a prayer warrior for his household. He should consistently spend time with God to get wisdom in guiding his family in the proper direction. A relationship should be run like the example set forth in Ephesians 5:22-25.
AR: What advice would you give to anyone struggling to maintain their own relationships?
RS: I would say number one, include God. God wants us to come to Him with our cares and concerns regarding our relationships because He has the answer every single time. Men should love their wives as Christ loved the church. When he does, there is nothing he won't do for his wife, nothing.
AR: What kinds of reactions has the book gotten?
RS: We have had some incredible testimonies come in. There was a 15-year old girl who read the book and she told her mother that she wanted to save herself for a guy like the one in the book. I also had a 19 year boy tell me that he copied one of my poems and read it for his girlfriend and she cried. Then he said he wants to start being better to his girlfriend. We have some couples who read the poems to each other when they're at home. Right now I am working to get the books in the school systems around the country. Kids are studying Robert Frost now, why can't they study Christian Poetry?
AR: Has it been your experience that poetry is a difficult genre to sell? If so, what suggestions would you offer to remedy that fact?
RS: Yes poetry, especially Christian poetry, has been a hard sell. But the book has been well received by a number of bookstores and internet websites. I would suggest branding for anyone who is considering writing a poetry book. This just means to sell yourself, not your book. It gives you name recognition. Another thing you can do is dramatically increase your presence by using email blasts, start a newsletter, and do as many interviews as you can on radio, television, and print media.
AR: What's next for you?
RS: I am working on a CD version of the first poetry book. I am in the process of completing the second book in the series entitled, "Words of Inspiration: Speak Healing". My wife and I are co-writing a short story novel entitled "Not Denied". This is a story that was given to my wife by God. I am also working on the third and fourth books in the Words of Inspiration Series. I'm doing speaking engagements around the region as well as spoken word performances in different areas. And I've been asked to write a book of poetry with another Christian poet and author, which is almost complete.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
RS: Yes of course. God is the reason for everything I do. When you go to God, he will show you your purpose for being on this earth. When you know your purpose, God will open so many doors for you because you are walking in His perfect will for your life.
AR: Thanks again, Robert, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!