A Date with Life

By Carl Word

In 1993, author Carl Word was finishing his masters degree in educational leadership at Western Michigan University and was in his fourth year as principal of W. K. Kelloggs Middle School in Battle Creek, Michigan. It was in the school hallway he met Pearl, who was working as a substitute gym teacher that day. Word says their meeting was truly love at first sight.

In A Date with Life, he chronicles their love story, one that gets to the core of dealing with adversity during lifes darkest hour. Word narrates meeting Pearl, their romance, their marriage, her pregnancy, their daughters premature birth, followed by Pearls untimely death. He shares how he went from husband, to caregiver, to single parent in the blink of an eye.

A poignant and heartfelt memoir, A Date with Life communicates that when the storms of adversity flood ones life, a courageous, concerned, and caring spirit comes to the forefront. Race, gender, and social class no longer divide. Word tells his story to help others who struggle with their own losses.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973609179

Carl Word

Carl Word is an alumni of Central Michigan Univeristy and spent thirty-two years as an educational leader. A community activist, he was entered into the 2017 Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame. His passion for lost children, schools, families, and community speaks volumes to the conscience of todays nation. For more information, booking engagements, key note speaker, presenter, facilitator, educational consultant Contact: [e-mail]

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Copyright © 2018 Carl Word.

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.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-0915-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-0917-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017919383

WestBow Press rev. date: 1/4/2018

Contents

Foreword

Preface

1. Meeting Pearl

2. Marrying an Angel

3. A Time of Rest and Childbirth

4. Pearl and Vania Meet

5. A Home for Our Family

6. Raising Vania

7. Asking for Help

8. Our Educational Journey

Foreword

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Before I share my story, I must admit that it was really hard for me to write this book. I always hesitate to mention these experiences for fear of conveying the wrong impression. A person who constantly calls attention to his trials and suffering is in danger of developing a martyr complex and making others feel he is consciously seeking sympathy. Although I am reluctant to talk about my personal sacrifices, they have influenced and shaped my thinking. And, I believe that sharing my story will be of benefit to others, especially the other single dads out there.

Preface

I have been told that whatever is buried alive stays alive. I believe that those things we don’t bring closure to, we take into the next season of our lives. Oftentimes joy, peace, and prosperity come to us only after our most difficult moments simply because we tend to carry emotional luggage from our past. Sometimes this delays God’s purpose for our life. It is my hope, embedded in the arc of prayer, that A Date with Life inspires and encourages you to zero in on that date with your life that will bring closure to whatever needs healing. Life is too short, and regardless of what you do, evil things will be said about you, especially when you are aligned with the truth. It hurts! That’s just the spirit of this wicked world we live in. Don’t worry about people talking; just settle it. Give God something new to bless in your