I’m tremendously excited that my first book of poetry, Gorilla, is forthcoming from Main Street Rag Publishing Company in September. I began these poems, as the chronicle of a suicide survivor, in 2015, while working toward my Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Queens University, Charlotte. Happily, the book’s arc moves from childhood trauma to the joy of knowing Christ in the fellowship of faith; through marriage, family, church, work, spirituality.

I am especially thankful to Scott for his Thursday night Bible study, which begins with prayer requests and prayers of thanksgiving. I often gave thanks for publishing a poem; asked for prayers for an upcoming reading; and am grateful to Scott for often passing on to the study group a poem I may have sent him related to a passage we’d just studied.

I am grateful to Laurie Hamilton and others who serve at the prayer stations during communion, and grateful for the prayers I’ve received from these gifted brothers and sisters. Scott suggested that after Gorilla comes out, I might give a reading at Trinity. I would love to—and already ask your prayers for that! You can learn more about Gorilla at MainStreetRagBookstore.com/Gorilla/LeeStockdale Thank you, Trinity, for your prayers, support, and encouragement, Lee