(March 1935: Lincoln County, West Virginia) Birthdays are a special time in our family. The past seven months were quite an adventure for us as a family. We never forgot the Lord’s faithfulness throughout life and its rocky roads. We were especially grateful for the love of family and friends. The Great Depression was at its worst, but we weren’t wanting for anything. I long looked forward to my sixteenth birthday, and today was the day. I was ready for whatever great adventure came my way. Frank and I had grown quite close as friends and decided we wanted to be together. Frank has taught me to not be afraid of living life to the fullest. He’s the sweetest, most compassionate guy I’ve jever known. His love has been one of my greatest blessings. You just never can tell what surprises he might have up his sleeve. Mama and my sisters put together a little birthday dinner for me at the house. Frank, Mr. Lemaster, and his brothers all came. It was crowded in our tiny shack, b...
(May 1934: Lincoln County,West Virginia) The way Jesus started workin’ in my life was unlike anything I had ever seen before; the last seven months filled with so much goodness in our family. A new beginning brought us closer together, even though nothing would stay the same. I was still struggling to find my peace. My heart still felt torn. Even so, I knew and trusted that Jesus was with me. I knew He would always be that solid anchor for me. The sun started to set as I headed back into the house. There’s something about fresh air and farmland that is soothing. I still enjoyed havin’ time to myself. As I said, things were changing in our family: Della married a couple of months ago. She was never too far away, while my brothers, other sisters, and I were gettin’ older. We had lots of new friends around. The Lord was dealing with me an...