To Be Alive Is a Miracle

By Alda Ornett Holder

This book is an incredible biography of Evangelist Alta O. Holders life and how she has been hit by four cars and dragged by three of the four and how God miraculously saved her life from those accidents. She is convinced Satan was trying to take her life, but God didnt allow it. This book is intended to give the reader hope to go on whether you are an alcoholic, rape victim, drug addict, homeless person, etc.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973609438

Alda Ornett Holder

Alta has always loved God. She has five children which two are deceased (Arnold and Roy). She has received numerous awards in many areas she has worked during her life. During her lifetime, the Lord helped her to obtain six degrees as follows: Two degrees, one Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with a minor in Theology; one Associate in Arts Degree in Bible Instructorship/Counseling. One Certificate in Child Development from Atlanta Tech; and an Associate degree in Secretarial Science in Vocational Rehabilitation in Atlanta, GA.

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Copyright © 2017 Alta Ornett Holder.

Editor: Josette Holder Paschal

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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.

Verses taken from the King James Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-0942-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-0944-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-0943-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017917677

WestBow Press rev. date: 1/19/2018

Contents

Introduction

CHAPTER 1 Birth and Early Childhood - Part I

Birth and Early Childhood - Part II

Early Childhood Miracles, Part III

Early Childhood Miracles at Age 10 - Part IV

CHAPTER 2 A Fifty Dollar Miracle - Part I

Miracle, After Miracle, After Miracle – Part II

CHAPTER 3 From Graduation To Graduation - Part 1

CHAPTER 4 The Terror of Rape

Picking up The Pieces

Marriage #1

Marriage #2

Miracles #1 & 2

The High Water Mark of My Spiritual Experiences

Miracle #3

Miracle #4

Miracle #5

Miracle #6

A Will to Live A Little Longer

Miracle #7

Miracle #8 and #9

Miracle #10

Is God Using Me To Show The Miracles Of His Healing Power?

Hope In The Future

A Positive Message By Alta 0. Holder

Acknowledgements and Notes of Appreciation and Encouragements From Others

A Birthday Celebration Poem by Dr. Cecily Daly

Family Pictures

Dedication

To Be Alive Is a Miracle is dedicated to my family who has stuck by me through thick and thin and especially my deceased mother who set the example for me to live by. I pray the words written portray the legacy I want to leave my children as they try to reach their goals.

To the reader who may find hope in taking hold of my faith to overcome terror, sorrow, and gain the aptitude for survival in their life.

To the run-away, incest victims, unwed mothers & fathers, alcoholics, drug addicts, prisoners, AIDS patients, homeless, and anyone seeking a positive outlook on life, I pray this book brings you inspiration and courage to go on with God’s help.

Preface

This compelling story as told by Alta 0.Holder, deals with her life as a child, a teenager, a wife, a mother, a person who deeply believes in God. The joys, the trials, the accidents, the time spent in and out of the hospital recuperating has helped her gain a strong hold on life. Turning around and starting over again many times as she did was a very hard task. You will begin to see as you read her story that her courage has not weakened. She has been hit by four cars and dragged by three during her lifetime. Reminiscing over her life sometimes she has to pinch herself to really believe her life has been preserved since she knows how close to death she has come. Taking blows of disappointment and failure many times she has never given up, she has just gotten up and started over again. It is her desire that people who feel there is no hope, after reading To Be Alive Is A Miracle will say to themselves: I WILL NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP.

Acknowledgements

AS WRITER OF TO BE ALIVE IS A MIRACLE, I am grateful to many people who came into my life and want to give special appreciation for helping with this manuscript. Even though they were not active in the last phase of this book, they indeed offered their expertise to get it to the completed book it is today. This list of people are from many walks of life. On this page of Acknowledgments I want to express my thanks.

Starting with Azator Smith, who was Principle of Chamblee High School, Atlanta, Georgia, Eleanor Fisher, who was a Traveling Secretary for the United States Government, Marie Douglas and Pat Ellis, who were Secretaries at General Motors, Atlanta Georgia, Bernice Dorsett, who is an Author and School Teacher, Atlanta, Georgia, Blondie McPhee, who contributed her hard earned money to have the first manuscript typed and edited. She was a Secretary at Sentry Insurance Company, Atlanta, Georgia, the late Charles Bowie, Photographer, Freelance Artist and Writer, Atlanta Georgia, Rita Thomas and Peggy Southworth, who were Secretaries at Sentry Insurance Company, Atlanta, Georgia, Josette Paschal, my daughter, Ornett G. Freeman (My deceased Mother), Music Teacher, who gave me most of the information of my early childhood. And to the hundreds of people who gave me encouragement as I took on this task.

Alta O. Holder

Huntsville, AL

Introduction

T o Be Alive Is A Miracle, is a book of short stories compiled together that happened in the life of Alta Ornett Holder, making the statement for me true, To Be Alive Is A Miracle.

It was with heavenly persuasion and much thought that she took to write this book She considers this a magic of words, created not only to relate events but people whom she have lived with and whom you as a reader will respond to as if you knew them yourself. Her aim is to give courage and hope to those who may think there is no hope. She presents a heart to heart talk between those who have had mutual experiences, trials and tribulations, who have looked to the Lord for comfort and waited upon Him for His healing power.

To get readers of this book into a proper mental attitude to accept the miracles she has written about, she chose to start at her early childhood and bring the reader into the background of her life leading them into events they have never experienced by appealing to their sense of being. So that the reader will feel the sound, smell, taste and look of her life, helping them to gain a closer walk with the people and events in it. May this book go on in its way, if not rejoicing in itself, causing rejoicing in the lives and hearts of all who read what the pages contains.

CHAPTER 1

Birth and Early Childhood - Part I

O n a morning like any other morning, in a small town called Birmingham. Elder and Mrs. Freeman were waking up from a good night’s sleep, when Roy (Elder Freeman) rolled over and kissed Ornett (Mrs. Freeman). Darling he said with great expectation in his voice, how do you feel this morning? Oh honey, I feel just fine, she said, as she crawled out of bed. After I wash up I’ll fix you and Papa (her father who was living with them) some breakfast." She was nine months pregnant and due any day.

Papa whose hair was crisp and silver white, his unlined face was shrewd and his hard little brown eyes unworried with the youthfulness of a person who never taxed his brain with problems more abstract than how much money he had in his pocket. Papa had gotten up around six o’clock and dressed for the day said with a loud voice, Oh what a beautiful day, as Ornett came out of the bedroom and headed for the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Looking out into the backyard she saw the sunlight glowing on an old bench. The bench was sturdy and plain. The stove had already been cleaned out and grated the night before. The wood and coal were ready to burn. Lighting a match, she started a fire. It wasn’t long before breakfast was ready to serve. Roy, Papa, she called, breakfast is ready, come and eat. They all sat down at the table decorated with a fresh bowl of flowers. Hum, sure smells good, said Roy. After the blessing was asked, Papa looking at his daughter said, Orney, don’t you lift a finger to wash dishes after breakfast, I will clean them up. She thanked him, continuing to eat her breakfast. Soon it was time for Roy to leave for work, Aren’t you tired, honey? Let me help you into the living room to that comfortable chair I bought you last week. I really enjoyed my breakfast, bending down to kiss her he reached for his hat and left for work.

Walking toward the bedroom, later on that day, Ornett suddenly felt a striking pain in her abdomen. Reaching for the bed post, she got into bed. She lay there thinking and a happy smile came over her face. She heard a slight knock on the bedroom door and from behind the door Papa said, May I come in? Sure Papa, come in. It won’t be long before I’ll have a grandchild. I wouldn’t be surprised if your baby wasn’t born today. I have a feeling it might be a baby girl. Oh Papa, how do you know it’s going to be a girl. I don’t know, I just feel it in my gut. Well, I’ll be glad if the baby is normal and healthy."

Leaving the room, going into the living room, Papa reached for the paper and absolved himself in the news of the day. About an hour later he heard some groans coming from Ornett’s bedroom. Calling the doctor, he said, I think it’s time, what do you want me to do? Heat some water, get some towels and call Elder Freeman.

On April 14, 1938, a baby girl was born to the Freeman family. This was a happy occasion. They named her Alta Ornett Freeman, Alta, after her grandmother who was deceased but was a school teacher before she died and her middle name was after her mother whose first name was Ornett. When Roy arrived, he could hardly contain himself and he was so happy. After seeing his baby and his wife he alerted the relatives and friends of the new birth. In the months that passed, Roy showed me off to all his friends who came to see me. Being the only girl grandchild my grandfather had and the only girl in the family so far. It’s easy to see why they were all so excited. As I grew larger, and larger, I enjoyed being bathed, rubbed down with olive oil and powered with baby powder. I was taken for many rides in the neighborhood by my grandfather in my stroller and when I finally started walking my uncle Erskine gave me a puppy. I tried to play with him, but never quite got use to him, so he ran away and never returned.

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PASTOR & MRS. ROY FREEMAN

Birth and Early Childhood - Part II

E arly one morning my mother picked me up screaming, covering me with a blanket and calling to my father to wake up papa, she ran outside followed by my father and grandpapa. A neighbor who heard our screams called the fire department. We stood watching as our house went up in flames including my father’s brand new car. That day we lost everything except the clothing on our backs.

Going through a tragedy of this type was devastating to my parents, but people from everywhere came to help. We were given a place to stay that day until a place could be found for us to make a new home. The next day a place was found. A wealthy person on the other side of town heard about our dilemma and donated one of his houses to us free to live in. This was a miracle. People donated furniture, clothing, and household appliances to help us with this transition. The yard had many shade trees to sit and play under and property to add additional rooms to the house. That night after settling in, my father gathered us around him for prayer: Thank you, Dear Father, for sparing our lives, for protecting us from the fire, for giving us a new place to live, for furniture, clothing and everything that was given us to start a new life. We are grateful to you for your mercies on our behalf, Father, you have been so good to us. We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus and your Holy Spirit you left to comfort us. Amen.

In the neighborhood, a small church was around the corner I could see the back of it from my back porch. Mama, being a pianist applied for a job opening they had, to be the church pianist and was hired. Money started coming in, along with the odd jobs father did on the side, to accompany his salary from the church he pastored. I really admired father when I found out later in life that he had a raw leg, as a results of acute pneumonia settling in his leg from a child. The skin never grew back and it frightened me when I first saw his leg. He was dedicated to supporting us and I never heard him complain, even though he could have, I just never heard him do so.

One day after I learned about his leg, I asked him, Daddy, how did you hurt your leg? He sat me down and told me the story, He said: When I was a child, I developed pneumonia and my parents being ignorant to the fact thought I only had a cold. I was sent to the cotton field to work on our farm one day and I became so hot I fainted. Fortunately, a mid-wife traveling with her horse and buggy, I interrupted and ask Daddy what is a mid-wife? Honey, that’s a lady in the olden days who went around the country side helping women deliver their babies because there were not as many doctors out in the country and it took a long time to get to the city to see one. "She spotted me laying there in the cotton field and after careful examination she found I had a very high fever and picked me up, placed me in her covered wagon and rushed me to my house, informing my parents where she had found me. She advised them to start putting some cold packs on my head to try to reduce the fever and to send someone for the doctor right away.

When the doctor finally arrived, he examined me further and said I had pneumonia in the third degree. They were shocked but by following his instructions my life was saved. Jumping up into my father’s lap, I said: Daddy I am so glad you are well."

I was very alert at an early age and when I was three years old mama became pregnant again. I wanted to know and asked many times, am I going to have a sister or brother? I was often told to be patient and one day soon I would know, but you know, it seemed like forever. When finally the day came for her to give birth. Mama called me to her bed, Alta, daddy is going to take you over to your Aunt Florence’s house to stay a few days, because it’s time for the baby to come and I won’t be able to take care if you for a while. You can play with your cousins, Fredric and Marion Henry. Be a good girl and see you soon. I wanted to stay with her and wait for my sister or brother. Unfortunately, my daddy carried me over to my Aunt Florence’s house. I cried most of the way but my father kept assuring me that everything would be all right and when I returned I would have a new brother or sister. I tried to understand, but still didn’t want to go.

When we got to Aunt Florence’s, daddy carried me inside. While they were talking, I slipped back out to the car. I saw Fredric, who was two years old and asked him to help me get in the trunk, which had been left open when daddy took the luggage out of the car. We saw a milk grate and we pulled it over and he held it while I climbed in and covered myself up. Not knowing I was there, daddy came out and closed the trunk. I could hear him calling me so he could kiss me good-bye but because