There’s something uniquely comforting about a book that feels like it’s been written just for you, and Poems for Praise, Comfort, and Joy: Volume II by Ronald Jirovec is exactly that. This isn’t your average collection of rhyming lines and soft sentiments. This volume is a walk through a spiritual wilderness—sometimes dry and painful, sometimes refreshing and soul-stirring. It’s filled with insight born out of real waiting, real hardship, and real hope. What you get here isn’t just poetry, but the record of a journey—a life lived with open hands before God.
The biggest lesson this book keeps whispering through every page is this: patience in trials leads to spiritual perfection. It’s not always about arriving at some glorious mountaintop moment, but about learning to stay put, trust deeply, and grow where you’re planted—even when the ground feels rocky. Through poetic reflection, Jirovec captures how God molds us through discomfort, reveals deeper truths in our waiting, and calls us to praise even when joy seems far off. It’s spiritual encouragement wrapped in verses—raw, relatable, and real.
“So goes the Lord’s (redeemed by the blood) poet in the world.
Words like out a hillside spring do flow.
Must pen them or permanently on by they go.
A sudden title comes into my mind.
It was from my ministering spirit I find.
Of His help I am sure of, not just amused.
A sudden word in my mind to make a rhyme that I never used?”
–An Excerpt from the Book
Let’s talk about the journey inside the pages. This isn’t a chronological memoir, but it does feel like one long, winding prayer. We meet the narrator—not just Ronald Jirovec, but the poet in all of us—walking through valleys of disappointment, wrestling with purpose, calling out to God during “The Wilderness Years.” These poems don’t shy away from the raw stuff. Frustration. Waiting. Longing. And yet, in nearly everyone, there’s a thread of praise—a reaching for joy even when it’s buried beneath a mess of emotions. In “Putting it Together,” we get the beautiful mess of a spiritual puzzle slowly taking shape, line by line.
Characters in these poems come to life in metaphor: the Christian wanderer, the weary prophet, the doubting believer who still dares to hope. There’s his wife, reflected with tender humor and quiet admiration. There’s the poet himself, battling confusion but clinging to divine calling. And through it all, there’s God—sometimes loud and present, sometimes silent but faithful. These aren’t just poems; they’re portraits of spiritual formation, sketches of divine interaction with an ordinary man who dared to keep asking why.
And the structure? Oh, it’s clever. You’ll see classic poetic forms and unexpected formats—like “grams,” poems where the first letters of each line deliver hidden messages. Latin titles, playful rhymes, gritty emotion, and biblical references all dance together. Jirovec’s style is a mix of old-school reverence and honest, sometimes cheeky reflection. It’s part Sunday sermon, part journal entry, part literary experiment, all held together by faith and a sense of calling.
Ronald Jirovec isn’t just a poet—he’s a spiritual pilgrim with a pen. His writing is deeply rooted in personal experience, often marked by a desire to understand God’s plan and timing. What sets him apart is how he brings theology down to earth. He doesn’t pretend to have it all figured out. Instead, he takes readers on his journey of doubt, faith, and ultimately, deep spiritual trust. His voice is authentic, insightful, and refreshingly human.
As you read his poems, you’ll feel like you’re sitting with someone who’s lived through enough storms to appreciate the sun. His words don’t preach; they testify. Jirovec has a gift for finding God in the mundane and pulling beauty out of spiritual waiting rooms. It’s like talking to a wise friend who isn’t afraid to admit he struggled—but who kept the faith anyway.
If you’re ready to embark on a journey that is as much about self-discovery as it is about exploring a country, Poems for Praise, Comfort, and Joy – Volume II is a must-read. It is a book that invites you to see, feel, and understand life—and God—in a way that few ever have.
Poems for Praise, Comfort, and Joy – Volume II
Now it is available at Kravitz and Sons Bookstore.
Grab your copy today and experience the magic of for yourself.
Poems for Praise, Comfort, and Joy: Volume II
My poetry covers a wide variety of topics, with the main one being scriptural instruction and wisdom. I also write about life, mysteriousness, hard times and testing, adventurous hiking, other people, intellectual and philosophical introspection, comfort, and hope for the future. I will challenge you to seek god and discover his plans for you. Ron […]