The Girl with the Bible: An American Survival Story

By Rená Curry and Sophie Mary

This book tells the story of Mary. She has a real testimony of the power of the human spirit combined with the power of the Holy Spirit. It is an uplifting journey through the mind and life of an addict. It is the story of a soldier who survives the trials of life. She triumphs over a past that most would not have made through. She shows her tenacious character in her resolve to be better. Her seven children are a testament to the saving mercy of God to help us overcome our circumstances. There was no way that a crack fiend could guarantee the safe delivery of those children and avoid serious birth defects. She looks back over her lifethe successes and failures. She records the ravages of addiction on mind, body, and soul. And she tells of the victory she found in Jesus Christ, her Savior. Take a look at how this American soldier overcame drug addiction and is now working for a treatment facility to help others live to tell a similar story. Take a peek at what God can do in a short span of time to help gain your years back. Be inspired! Be amazed! And be blessed!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543438574

Rená Curry

About the Author It is a new dawn for American stories. There is a truth that lends itself to the listeners and readers. There is an undercurrent of yearning on the horizon. Our new age writers are sharing their experiences in a new and gripping way. This writer is one of these new age authors. She has written a book that tells the truth of how we can find our way back to the source. We are all looking to attain a measure of peace and purpose in our lives. The lines are blurred for so many people in the world today. The answers to the questions of life and our place in it are on our minds in a more poignant way. We experience so many of the occurrences in the world firsthand and within minutes of it happening. The good and the bad are a constant assault on our sensibilities. We want answers. We want them now. We need the testimonies of real people. We need assurances that we can overcome our situations. We need to know that we can make it back from teetering on the edge. This author delivers an American story of survival and triumph. She tells the story in rapid, undeniable clarity. She lets us know the immediacy of the conflicts in specific characterization. She uplifts our spirits and shows us how to be our own heroes. She inspires us to get the answers to our questions. She is a daughter, wife, mother, aunt, friend, and sister. She can do and be all things in Christ Jesus.

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Copyright © 2017 by Rená Curry and Sophie Mary.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2017911480

ISBN:                   Hardcover                     978-1-5434-3859-8

                            Softcover                       978-1-5434-3858-1

                            eBook                            978-1-5434-3857-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Website

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 07/24/2017

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CONTENTS

Preface

Author’s Note

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Epilogue

PREFACE

I’m sitting here and wondering, what should I say? What is the book about? Why should you even read this book? My mind is all over the place until I quiet my mind, my surroundings, and my heart and allow God to speak. This book is about a little girl who spent her life searching for something that was there all the time—love! I am looking at others and comparing my life to what they had. While my life was not angelic, it was covered. As I look back and reflect on the past, so many things come to mind; but if I had one thing to say to anyone, it would be that no matter how far down you have gone, there is a hand to pick you up. Journey with me to visit the girl with the Bible. God never gives up on us, even if we, at times in our lives, give up on ourselves.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

It was my pleasure to be a part of this book and the story of Mary. I am forever grateful to God for bringing her into my life. I have never known anyone like her. I could not associate the woman I know now with the woman that she was for most of her life. I understood her vulnerability, but not the recklessness that it took to live the life of a streetwise junkie. I cannot visualize her as that thin woman out there scavenging for a fix. But I can see her as the woman of God that helps anyone that comes to her. I can see her as the minister that has compassion in her heart for everyone.

I continue to marvel at her strength of character and her resilience. Even in the face of disappointments and obstructions, she maintains her calm countenance and love for all people. I look at her work in the community to give back and make a difference. I marvel at her praise and worship in the liturgical dance team. I look at her selfless work for the projects inside the church. I know why she does it. But it seems as if nothing bad has ever happened to her. It is the very embodiment of the miracles of Christ.

There is no way that this mighty woman of God should be doing the work that she is doing today. It is too fast. To put it into perspective, less than ten years ago, she was the hulled-out addict on the street that you were trying to avoid eye contact with. You looked at her and looked away, hoping that she would not ask you for anything. She would not have asked. She would have taken it from you. She was not a panhandler. She was a survivor.

CHAPTER 1

In the beginning …

—Genesis 1:1

Where do I begin? I cannot even clearly remember my birth mother. I met her for the first time when I was twenty-four. She was sentenced to prison when I was four years old. I do not remember her or my situation in Maryland before going to Momma in Texas. Momma came to Maryland as the closest relative to my birth mom and picked me up in 1968. It was nothing that I recall; it was what I was told.

My earliest memories are of my PawPaw. He was great. He was kindhearted, generous, and he loved me as I loved him. He was warm and knew how to spoil a child. There was a park that was down the street from the house. He would take me to play and swing. He would give me Cheese Nips to eat. I loved them. This was a happy time. My PawPaw was a veteran. He had retired from the military. He had married Momma, and they had left East Texas and started their life together. They had one son, who died. I do not know the situation, but I do know that Momma never talked about him or the situation. I never got the chance to ask PawPaw because he died soon after a short illness. It was quite sudden.

My life changed after his death. Momma was more intolerant. She became a controlling tyrant who must have things her way or not at all. She may have been like that anyway, but my PawPaw always deflected her. I remember he would say Leave that girl alone! But that did not change the fact that Momma was doing something wrong to me. I say Momma, but she was more of the age of a grandmother. She had adopted me, but she was familiar with my birth mom.

She had adopted another child from her, my brother. I always called him Brother, and he called me by my first name, Sophie. He was the only one to do it, and later, he was the only one I allowed to do it. He was three years older than me, and he protected me. He was my protector after my PawPaw died. It was him and me against the