Why Am I Here - What is God's Plan for My Life

By Robert Castleberry

I heard on the news the other day of an actress writing her bibliography, which was 1000 pages. I'm sure her life has been full of glamor and excitement, and I can promise you that mine won't be any 1000 pages. I can't give you every detail of my life with my family. The only thing I can try to do is convince one person out there that no matter

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Castleberry
• Release date: Feb 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869183293

Book preview

W H Y   A M   I   H E R E

I S   I T   G O D' S   P L A N

ROBERT (Stormy) CASTLEBERRY

Copyright © 2023 by Robert Castleberry.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form without written permission except for brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.

Printed in the United States of America.

For more information or to book an event, contact :

([e-mail] & Website)

https://www.robertcastleberry.com/

Case ID #: 1-13304154440

E-book ISBN: 978-1-963177-51-0

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-963177-52-7

Hardback ISBN: 978-1-963177-53-4

First Edition: Month 2023

Dedication to My Grandchildren

Andrew Castleberry. Emma Castleberry, Harper Castleberry, Pipper Castleberry, Mason Castleberry, William Owens, Nora Owens, Madison Kober, Rylie Kober

Introduction

I'm writing this book as a bibliography memoir for my kids to know my background as a youth. We talked about some details as they grew up, but not always. My parents weren't around as they grew up; they had already passed away. I don't know how much they remember of them. Stephen was only about five years old when my dad passed.

I’m also writing this book for young kids in broken and split homes. Families seem to have so much unrest today, and it's hard on the kids. The parents whose hearts are broken in their love affairs very seldom consider the drama in their children's lives. How much damage can this cause in the critical years of molding and forming their young minds! It is essential to know the perspective from the child's side of what I went through and the repercussions I had. I thank the good Lord for my loving and caring aunts and uncles. It could have been a lot different. I wonder how children remember events in their younger years and what age they remember, but I don't recall very much, especially of my brother.

I ask that parents be aware of their learning efforts in school and keep up with their reports because their disabilities will follow them through life. If the teachers have time, it would be good if they knew a little bit more about students to raise a red flag.

It's hard for folks with children to dress and get ready on their days off for church and Sunday school, but it can be so rewarding in the long run. Give it a chance and see how your life changes. Try to put God first in your life just a little bit at a time and let it grow.

¹⁸ Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds;

tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

¹⁹Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home, walk along the road, lie down, and get up.

Deuteronomy 11:18-19

Stormy Castleberry

Contents

Dedication To My Grandchildren

Introduction

Chapter 1 - The Fire

Chapter 2 - The Divorce

Chapter 3 - The Shuffle

Chapter 4 - Growing Up

Chapter 5 - Uncle Thad And Uncle Lawrence Pass Away

Chapter 6 - The Car Wreck

Chapter 7 - Change In Plans - College

Chapter 8 - The Wedding

Chapter 9 - Career

Chapter 10 - Retirement

Chapter 11 - Why Am I Here

Chapter 12 – Spreading His Word - A Faithful Christian

Conclusion

References

Chapter 1 - The Fire

My name is Robert Lawrence Castleberry, and I was born July 17, 1952, at Memorial Hospital in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I'm told that Lake Charles had one of their gulley washers that day, and even back then, it had flooding problems. From what I was told, we were at my Aunt Truby's at the time, and the ambulance could not get to the house because of high water. I was told my mother rode the firetruck to the hospital to deliver me. The doctor who delivered me clearly had a sense of humor because, on that stormy day, he gave me the nickname Stormy, which has stuck for over 70 years.

I don't mind the name. It seems fine. Anybody calling me by my nickname was my close friends, people from school, or our church. You would be surprised by the number of people who can't remember a simple name as Stormy. I've been called Smokey, Stoney, Rockey, Hurricane, and others, but Stormy has stuck it out. When I went to work in the plant, I went by my birth certificate name, Robert or Bob for short. So, you can see I answered to just about anything.

Some people believe in reincarnation, and some people believe in predestination. Just because God opens and closes doors for you in your life, He still gives you a choice in deciding which door to go through if you're old enough to make that choice. So, whether that is predestination, I really can't say. Still, when you're too young to have a say about which door you go through or the direction of your path in life, it seems like someone other than you is orchestrating your life for you, and you hope and pray that they make the right decisions for your best interest.

My parents were divorced when I was about seven years old, and I lived with my aunts and uncles on my father's side.

So, when I had children, they did not have the opportunity to ask my parents many questions about my family history and myself as a child. I just tried to answer questions as they would come up. So, the discussion was why not do a bibliography so they