Alive, Awake, Alert

Dead or alive? Drowsy or awake? Distracted or alert? How do we respond to the Apostle Paul's charge to be alive together with Christ, awake even at night, and alert in unceasing prayer? Layered with scriptural allusions, Cynthia Griffin's Alive, Awake, Alert, a collection of 101 poems, sounds a call to live fully in Christ, to wake from apathy, and to watch with alertness to the Holy Spirit. With an energetic and concise style, she offers readers a combination of soberness and delight. Packed with doctrine, wit, and imagery, her poetry provides readers with a meaty meal. No cotton candy Christianity here! Like a digger of ancient wells, she unearths rhyme, rhythm, and structure reminiscent of Donne, Herbert, and Hopkins to craft over fifty sonnets bursting with joyous faith, vulnerable reality, and thought-provoking metaphors. The Introduction invites readers to come to the Lord's table for constant nourishment on God's Word in unceasing meditation. In Part One: Responses in Communion with the Host, the poems are prayer reflections addressed to God Himself, Father, Son, and Spirit. In Part Two: Conversations in the Cloud of Witnesses, perspectives from both Old Testament saints and New Testament disciples combine with the poet's voice in an enriching dialogue of faith. After most poems, biblical references follow providing interpretative context. For readers who enjoy deeper analysis, the Addendum: Author's Annotations gives background and additional references for the meditations.