Barbara

ripple-effect

The Ripple Effect

Celebrating the life of Opal Myers. Opal lived in the back-mountains of eastern TN. She wasn’t famous or rich or, for that matter, even known outside her community, but yet she made a difference in my life and the lives of hundreds of others.

Manly’s Birthday

Happy Birthday, Manly! Happy Birthday, Manly! When I saw this video on FaceBook it made me think of you. I don’t know that you’ve ever bought a birthday cake for any small child other than your own, but since I first met you, I’ve watched you invest time into the lives of children, youth, young adults, …

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The Mask I Wear

Don’t be fooled by me. Don’t be fooled by the face I wear. I wear a mask. I wear a thousand masks – masks that I am afraid to take off; and none of them are me. Pretending is an art that is second nature to me; but don’t be fooled, for my sake, don’t …

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Almighty God Calling

It was late on a Saturday night several weeks ago. Dan Thompson, the pastor of the Almighty God Tabernacle, put the final touches on his sermon and then prayed for some time for all the people who desperately needed to hear the message the Lord had given him. Finishing, he picked up the church phone …

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Scars of Life

The world is far from being a perfect and safe place—and, life is not always fair. We all experience wounds that leave us scarred. For me, the wounds I regret the most are the ones caused by my inability to face and deal with my pain. To cope, I simply avoided painful situations and relationships. …

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Harsh Realities – Forced Walk in the Freezing Cold

Can you imagine walking five or six miles through the snow carrying your two-week-old baby!
I can’t. As that mother snuggled her little girl close to her chest to keep her warm and safe from the biting Appalachian wind, I’m sure she had no idea her little one would grow up to be a source of hope and encouragement to her entire community and beyond.

Holiday Public Dinner in the Cove

A True Testimonial to Miss Opal

Having read and enjoyed Catherine Marshall’s Christy, based on the adventures of her mother Leonora as a Smoky Mountain missionary, I was eager to seek out the truth behind the fiction. Barbara League has produced a true gem in so doing in Letters to Lori. In the real world “Cutter Gap,” the focus of the battles against ignorance and want shift from “Christy” and the Presbyterians to young Opal Corn.

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A Journey Through the Life of Opal Myers

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Letters to Lori. It took me on a journey through the life of Opal Myers from the time she was a child and followed her as she grew up and became a teacher to those in need. As I read this book I felt like I was there experiencing her life right beside her. I learned of the struggles and heartaches she had to face but how those struggles turned her into a strong woman of faith who didn’t let trials get in her way.