Journey of a Twelve-Year-Old, To a Woman of God: Limited Edition

By Mary Heyward- Munn

 "Life is like standing in quicksand when you don't have faith! But the Creator always provides."

The story of a girl's journey to adulthood, guided by family and faith as; she navigates life's struggles. Discover how she overcame grief, trauma, and challenges to her morality to emerge the triumphant woman she is today.

The Beginning Journey from childhood to a woman of God delivers a valuable message to us all: there is courage to be found in turmoil and strength to be gained in adversity.

A lifetime of lessons, wisdom, and observations, this intriguing story will keep you firmly gripped and help you forge your path through life with faith. The lessons learned on this journey will ring true to readers of all ages.

As a man, woman, or discovering faith in God yourself, you will find the Bible verses helpful, inspiring, and motivational. They are a blueprint to help you journey through life's many challenges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Little Learners Club
• Release date: Nov 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215034682

Book preview

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JOURNEY OF A

TWELVE –YEAR –OLD

TO A WOMAN OF GOD

Limited Edition

May you share in God’s Bountiful Blessings.

Mary Heyward Munn

What People Are Saying About

Journey of a Twelve-Year-Old to a Woman of God

Delighted in reading this book, learning about life in the South from an adolescent perspective, I felt the presence of God through the pages and on her life. A book, with a good story for all, whether a Christian like the author Mary Heyward- Munn. You will thoroughly enjoy and appreciate her story, be inspired, and encouraged.

Loni Gills, Freelance Writer

Thoughtful and inspiring stories.

- VDJ

Journey of a Twelve-Year-Old, to a Woman of God is a work of non-fiction in the memoir genre. It is suitable for the general reading audience and was penned by Mary Heyward Munn. The book follows the growth of the author both physically and spiritually as her relationship with God deepens and guides her on the road to adulthood. Faced with incredible misfortunes throughout her formative years, the author’s inner strength was found and developed through faith and now the lessons learned during those turbulent times are offered to readers everywhere.

Truly, this is a book with something in it for everyone everywhere, no matter what stage of life you’re at and what experiences you’ve had so far. The universal theme of pushing through adversity in order to not just survive but thrive is present in every chapter of this book. Mary Heyward Munn is admirable for being able to open her heart so wide to share with her readers and take the often-traumatic events of her life and turn them into wonderful stories of hope. Hers is a rare skill to turn pain into beauty, and the story of her life and her blossoming relationship with God is beautifully told here. Journey of a Twelve-Year-Old, To a Woman of God is a book as important as it is heart-warming. I find it hard to imagine a single reader of this book walking away from it empty-handed as the wisdom in its pages can be taken away and applied to the life of anyone who reads it.

- K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

JOURNEY OF A

TWELVE –YEAR –OLD

TO A WOMAN OF GOD

––––––––

MARY HEYWARD- MUNN

Copyright © 2022 by Mary Heyward- Munn

Journey of a Twelve –Year -Old, To a Woman of God

All rights reserved: Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author or representative.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations used in this book are from The Holy Bible, taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © Thomas Nelson 1982.

Used by permission.

Scripture quotations noted KJV are from the King James Version

Photograph credits appear under acknowledgments

Library of Congress: Cataloging- in – Publication

Data available upon request.

Heyward- Munn, Mary,

Journey of a Twelve –Year– Old, To a Woman of God/Mary

Heyward - First Edition.

ISBN 979-8-9860265-3-4

Printed in the United States of America

Limited Edition: 2022

Cover design by Sam Smith

Dedicated to:

My Lord and Savior

Jesus Christ

-M.H.M.

If It Had Not Been for The Lord...

Psalm 124:1

I am blessed and highly favored!

Philippians 4:23

CONTENTS

PREFACE............................................................II

CHAPTER 1 early life

CHAPTER 2  mom and dad

CHAPTER 3  my sister -the entrepreneur

CHAPTER 4  sunday school

CHAPTER 5 life with  my sister lucille

CHAPTER 6 christmas break

CHAPTER 7 knowing god

CHAPTER 8  knowing god - healing

CHAPTER 9  lucille goes home

CHAPTER 10  my cousin sammy

CHAPTER 11  shock of my young life

CHAPTER 12  my  ministering angel

CHAPTER 13  heading north

CHAPTER 14  greyhound bus -late

CHAPTER 15  new in town

CHAPTER 16  courting -future hubby

CHAPTER 17  returning to school

CHAPTER 18  learning something new

EPILOGUE: 2012

PHOTOGRAPHS

WISDOM AND DEVOTIONAL INSPIRATION.

Phrases and Quotes

PRAYING

THE ELDERLY AND WISDOM

THE VALUE OF THE ELDERLY

7 STEPS TO WISDOM

THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU  DO HAVE.

GRATEFULNESS

BE CAREFUL. WHO’S ‘RUBBING OFF’ ON YOU?

INSPIRATIONAL PHRASES  AND VERSES

IN CONCLUSION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS / CREDITS

QUOTES

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author’s Note

FOREWORD

Missionary Mary Heyward Munn is an inspiration to many. She is a living testimony of what God will do in one’s life when you surrender all to Him. I believe anyone, young or old, reading her book, The Beginning Journey: Life of a Twelve -Year-Old will be challenged to say, Here I am Lord use me. Personally, I can attest to her holy life.

Melissa B. Herron Williams, who has gone on to be with the Lord, and Missionary Munn, were remarkably close friends. They indeed were exceptional women of God. Both were praying women and soul winners for Christ. They were mothers who instructed their children in the ways of the Lord.

The Holy Scriptures reveals that many are called early in life to fulfill some special destiny such as Samuel, David and Joseph. Some are unnamed such as the lad that provided five loaves of barley bread and two fishes that Jesus used to feed the multitude.

Suffice to say, when you place your life in the hands of God, He will do great things in and through you. As Missionary Mary Heyward Munn shared in her story, God planted a seed early in her life that guided her in every avenue of her life. Missionary Mary Heyward Munn has and continues to be a blessing to many. I was blessed to read her story.

Bishop James Herron, Sr.

Mary Ellen

I have had the privilege of listening to much of what my mother has written and over the years I have learned more about the individuals who had a significant impact on her life. My Grandmother, Annie, who returned to the Lord in 1958, and her eldest sister, my Aunt Lucille, who helped to raise her. Lucille’s going home memorial was in 1939, so I have never met her, but I know she was a peaceful soul.

I recall hearing many stories about my mother’s childhood and the challenging life she had. Even though they were always adventurous, what I remember the most about them is her devout faith and her devotion to the Lord. He has protected her through every twist and turn, and eventually helped her to raise a family of her own. Growing up, my siblings and I heard the scriptures quoted from the book of Proverbs regularly.

When I think of my mother; I can say the hand of God remained a steady part of her life as she raised her children. I can’t imagine it was easy raising eleven children, but through the grace of God, she made it seem effortless. While Dad was the breadwinner, Mom stayed at home to care for us. She always purchased quality, God’s best for less,

PREFACE

An intriguing journey that charts over sixty years of love, venture, loss, trauma, and redemption. This book is a thoughtful account of my journey into adulthood.

As a youth, I had big dreams of a future brimming with adventure, hope, and happiness. Nothing could have prepared me for the challenges I faced over the years. Now I know each struggle was simply a test from the Creator. It is because of my enduring faith in His plan for me that has kept me empowered throughout my life and allowed me to find strength in the face of adversity.

My faith, and all the knowledge passed down from my mother, has kept me courageous and strong throughout the years. So much so even at the age of sixty-eight, I am still braving new challenges, like learning to swim, and at ninety-five becoming an author.

It is never too late to learn something new.

All the best

Mary Heyward Munn

Journey of a Twelve –Year -Old

To a Woman of God

If It Had Not Been for The Lord...

CHAPTER 1

Early Life

––––––––

Early one morning while lying in my bed, I began to read a book titled: "Gifted Hands" by Ben Carson. Initially, it sounded strange to me—there was talk of bigamy and estranged father—but I continued reading to find out what it was all about. The story followed a single mother, Mrs. Carson, and her two sons.

Mrs. Carson worked several jobs providing for her boys, leaving home early in the morning and returning late in the afternoon. Before she left for work, Mrs. Carson would lay out the boys’ clothing for them so they could easily dress in the morning. Fortunately, clothes did not matter much to them, especially not to Ben who was the youngest of the two boys. Instead, he was preoccupied with thoughts of his mother and how she had to work so hard, she never had time for them.

Despite Mrs. Carson’s lack of education, she always did the best she could to help her sons; encouraging them to do well in school and strive for a better life. She wanted so much more for her boys than what she could offer them. They both worked hard in school, and Ben, motivated by his mother’s past, achieved the grades he needed to go on to college and then medical school.

He eventually became a leading neurosurgeon in the department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, at John Hopkins Medical Hospital in Baltimore. He is now celebrated as the first physician to successfully separate conjoined twins connected at the head.

While reading his story, I found myself pondering how Ben and Mrs. Carson’s life resonated with my own. Could his story become mine? I asked myself.

I recognized the similarities between Mrs. Carson and my own mother. My mother was a midwife who worked hard and spent long hours away from home. Around 1933, there was a change in the medical field. The regulations for anyone who practiced and worked as a midwife changed drastically; they had to obtain a license.

My mother sat me down and said, Gal, (That’s what she called me) I have to go away for a while. Tears immediately filled my eyes, and I shook my head before she began to explain.

I must have a license for the work I do. The nearest school is in Columbia, South Carolina. I must train for my degree.

I’ll come with you, Mom, I said holding onto to her neck.

You can’t. You must live with your sister Lucille. It will only be for a little while. I will come back soon, my mother said taking my arms from around her neck and rubbing my back.

Mother traveled to a small town outside of Ridgeland every day to study in pursuit

Reviews for Journey of a Twelve-Year-Old, To a Woman of God

[Rika · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thanks Nana, for purchasing this book for me. I laughed, cried, learned and was inspired by the words of my Great -great grandmother.