God Protects Me

''Yes, I know God protects me. How else could I have made it through those hard times? I count my blessings every day. It is a blessing just to wake up another day.'' These are the words of Elsie Vera Brown, who takes us on a deeply personal journey through the people, places, and events comprising her life story. Feeling comfortable in her life at the age of seventy-four, Brown recalls that it was not always so, and she takes us back to the year 1938, when her torment, which still haunts her today, began. God Protects Me begins in the small farming town of Coaling, Tennessee-where everyone knew everyone's business and there was a certain security in that-and expands to the hardship and fortitude that made up much of Brown's adult life in cities where the community bond was not as close. These settings brought with them issues of the time, such as prejudice and racism, as well as those that still persist today, including teenage pregnancy, sibling rivalry, drug use and alcoholism, and physical and emotional abuse. Brown's life story contains experiences familiar to us all: the push and pull among siblings, the drive to make a better life for our families, the love and hope for our children and grandchildren, and the simple joys in life. Through it all, Brown is very much aware of the old adage ''there but for the grace of God go I.'' Brown wants her life story to be an educational experience for others: ''Please learn from my mistakes. That is what this book is all about: lessons, learning. I hope my mistakes don't have to be yours. God protects me, and I know he will do the same for you.''