God's Gifts: Spiritual Writings is a brilliant collection of spiritual prose, poems, and quotations by Frederick Douglas Harper. The book includes eight richly filled sections on various themes of spirituality. Section one contains ten topics on Harper's philosophy of spiritual faith and living. These topics are labeled as Prose 1 to 10 and reveal the author's profound wisdom and in-depth vision. Sections two through six contain exceptionally uplifting and insightful poems on (1) spiritual prayers and meditation; (2) God's special gifts to humankind; (3) spiritual inspiration; (4) faith, meaning, and mission; (5) sacredness, ethics, and morality; and (6) peace, love, and natural beauty. The final section contains scores of original thoughts or quotations by the author.

Harper's God's Gifts: Spiritual Writings conveys universal themes of peace, love, faith, meaning in life, mission in life, thankfulness, forgiveness, positive thinking and living, appreciation of natural beauty, rightful living, unselfish giving, sacredness of life, personal resilience, and adult responsibility for youth, among other topics of spirituality. Some readers of Harper's poems have compared the inspirational power of his writings to passages in the Holy Bible and his themes of unconditional love and forgiveness to the redemptive writings in Kahlil Gibran's the Prophet.

Dr. Frederick Douglas Harper has authored more than 300 published poems. His most popular poem, "A Wedding Pledge," has been recorded on CD, recited in more than 5,000 weddings, translated into other languages, and reprinted in magazines. An international scholar and professor of counseling, Harper has authored 12 books, including college textbooks and three other poem books. His poems have been read on WPFW 89.3 FM Radio in Washington, DC by Nap Turner for more than 15 years, alongside the poetry of the famous Langston Hughes. Harper's first poem book, Poems on Love and Life (1985), has sold throughout the USA and in numerous other countries, and it has been acclaimed by both readers and reviewers as a classic work. His other poem books are Romantica: On Peace and Romance and Love Poems of Frederick Douglas Harper.

ON BEING SPIRITUAL
Prose 1

To be spiritual is simply to be aware of one’s purpose and meaning; not necessarily to be better or pious or aloof from common living, but to be natural, constructive, giving, loving, sharing, warm, peaceful, purposeful, growing, appreciative, and totally aware of Earth's sacred life and natural beauty.

To be spiritual is to have a healthy respect for the sacredness of life and the sacredness of the cycles, balances, and perpetuity of life so destined by God’s guiding Great Spirit. To be spiritual is to have a respect for the sacredness of God’s universal energy; energy that is so destined by God’s creations within and of Himself.

To be spiritual certainly is to be appreciative of a God-given talent, to use that talent for good, and to hone that talent to the highest.  To be spiritual, certainly, is to be humbled by one’s fortunes as well as one’s pain and misfortunes, to be humbled by one’s human frailty as well as oneself as an ephemeral being or as God’s earthly flower in bloom.

To be spiritual is to give unselfishly of oneself for the welfare, growth, and happiness of others, especially for the nourishment of the young and the well being of the old.

To be spiritual, surely, is to be totally and constantly aware of and thankful for God’s existence and presence around and within us from day to day and in every way.

A HUMBLE PRAYER

My God, all praise to Thy Great Spirit and presence.
My God, all thanks for what I have experienced in Thy
       Sacred space and time.
Let me continue to be in harmony with my energy;
Let the remaining course of my life run the divine
       Destiny of good will;
Let my continual thoughts of Thy presence and creations
       Be witness to my prayer;
Let my good deeds, wherever, be testimony to my faith;

From day to day, give me:
       The patience to listen,
       The wisdom to understand,
       The unselfishness to defer my own needs,
       The insight to realize my potential and purpose,
       The will power to be growthful and productive,
       The courage to face unknowns,
       The thoughtfulness to give and humbly receive,
       The capacity to love and be loved,
       An openness to accept my human vulnerability,
       A habit toward responsibility,
       A penchant for hard work,
       A respect for self and all that is sacred and good,
       The strength to control destructive urges,
       The ability to be modest in the face of good fortune,
       And the propensity to be at peace with myself.

AMEN.