I've Seen & Heard of Jesus: A Spiritual Autobiography

By Frances M. Meservy

God was with me when my uncle molested me as a small child, when my dad died, when I went through being unequally yoked, when I lost a child and almost losing another, when I encountered prejudices during Vietnam era, when I experienced racial riot, when our house burned down, when I encountered a horrible auto accident, when I went to a mission field in KS, when I suffered breast cancer, when I faced danger from gangs, when I had a catastrophic stroke, and when I experienced normal things in between. He never left me nor did he forsake me. He has always been my rock.

This book shows what has happened to me and what Jesus showed me and how you can apply scripture, doctrine, and biblical principles to your everyday life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781546204671

Frances M. Meservy

Fran (AKA Pennywind) fell in love with Jesus when she was 3 years old, was baptized when she was 10, called to be a missionary when she was 13 and God gave her a mission field when she was 48. Fran had wonderful, loving, Christian parents and grew up on a farm in a small East Texas town. Her Dad died when she was 11 years old. Her family got running water, an indoor bathroom, electricity, television and gas when she was 12. They got a telephone when she was 16. Fran graduated in the top 25 % of my Senior class. took accounting in college and a course in journalism years later. She has a wonderful Christian husband whom she loves more now than the day she married him and has been blessed with 2 children (a boy and a girl). Her husband was in the Navy the first 15 years of their marriage and they were Unequally Yoked about 13 years of that time. They lived in VA, RI, TX, MS, CO and KS. They visited about 36 other states and 2 other countries. Fran is 73 years old now and has been married for 52 years. She has 5 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. There have been a lot of ups and downs in her life, but she was the most down when she felt like God took her out of His service and set her on a shelf. That's when God told her to write this book about her spiritual life. It was a labor of love.

Book preview

I’ve Seen

& Heard of

Jesus

A Spiritual Autobiography

FRANCES M. MESERVY

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© 2017 Frances M. Meservy. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  08/31/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0468-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0466-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0467-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017912739

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and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from the Holy Bible, New King James Version (Authorized Version).

Contents

Acknowledgements

Bibliography

About Fran

About Al

Preface

Chapter 1:   Getting To Know Jesus

My Mother/Homemaker

Red

The Big Porch

Baptist/Catholic Chickens

Grandma

Lots Of Pets

First Surgeries

Betrayed

Dreams

Baptized

Dentist

Daddy

Gifts

Messenger Angel

Brothers

Missionary

Secret Of Learning

Turning The Other Cheek

Fred Brown

Timid

Dating

Graduation

Graduation

Chapter 2:   On My Own

College

Locked Doors

Cuban Missile Crisis

Pride Before The Fall

Blow Out On Rainbow Bridge

Nothing’s Free

Completing Business School

Taking Care Of Myself

Ike

The Policeman

God Is Protector Of Reputations

The Witness Of Words

Gullible Me

Meeting My Future

Wedding Preparations

Our Wedding/Reception

Honeymoon

Chapter 3:   Unequally Yoked

Uneasy Flight

Company

Cooking

Sicilian Spaghetti Sauce

God Is My Protection

Child Sitting

Christmas 1965

Wonderful Neighbors & Strangers

Our New Old Car

School’s Over

Becoming A Mom

Virginia

Why Home Missions

Silence Is Not Golden

Whispering

Evolution

Miracle Baby

Standing My Ground

Post Operative Depression

Hazardous Journey

Denver

Vietnam

Giving Myself

Waking Up & Praying Wrong

Prejudices

Sailing Lessons

Hard Winters

Harry Robeson

Flying

Reenlist

Give Us Our Daily Bread

Pebble On The Beach

Refined As Silver

Revelation

Out Of The Ashes

The Accident

Al’s Salvation

Chapter 4:   A Lamp Unto Our Feet

New Life

Mormon Church

Forgive Him

Intense Bible Study

God’s Unconditional Love

Healing

Senior Citizen’s League

God’s Hot Line

God’s Hand

Teaching Ten Year Olds

Seminary

Letters To The Editor

The Hitch Hiker

Gut Feeling

Kicking And Screaming To Houston

Chapter 5:   Learning To Lean

Pearland Baptist

Am I Saved & Regret

Satan Meant It For Bad/God Turned It To Good

Trinity

The Bible In A Nutshell

Wish List

Thorns

700 Club Prayer Counselor

Fay/It’s A Small World

Accidentally Witnessing At Mcdonald’s

Wine Into Water

Walking In Someone Else’s Shoes

Ga & Acteen’s Camp

Smoking Share Group

Left Over Chicken Legs

Interim Pastor

Vacation Bible School

Aleta (My Good Friend)

Immigration/Ethiopia – Usa

Construction At Mcdonalds

Righteousness

Sciatica

We Flushed Our Flood

Al’s Wish List

You Can Fight City Hall

At Our Wits End

Understanding Grace

Heaven Or Hell

God Does Not Exist

Empty Nest

Aleta’s Healing

Into The Computer Age

Freeway Manor Baptist Church

Moving To Wichita Ks

Accidentally Casting Out Demons

Dean

Sailing Up The Waterfall

Sunshine & Cloud

Food Poisoning

Chapter 6:   Mission Field

How To Tell Who Is A Christian

Importance Of God’s Word

Satan’s Tools

Faith

Prayer

Humble

Walking In The Spirit

God’s Call

Leaves In The Pool

Blessing In Disguise

The Insult

Healing Sciatica

Breast Cancer

False Religion

Don’t Judge A Book By It’s Cover

Second Addition

Heavy Shadow

Parable Of The Talents

Patience & Wisdom

Oil & Water

Explaining Gifts

How To Tell If You’re Still Angry And How To Forgive If You Still Are

Keys

Paying Attention Is Important

Hold On To Each Other

Armor Of God

Gangs And Angels

Stroke

God’s Warning

Why Some Christians Don’t Grow

Chapter 7:   Retirement

Write In A Book What You Have Seen And Heard Of Me

Gut Feelings

Grace For Grace

Home At Last

In The Twinkling Of An

Engage Satan - Get Back In The Battle

Acknowledgements

Thank you Jesus for being with me my whole life and leading me as I walked with you. Thank you for being with me even when I forgot to consult you and made mistakes during my life. Thank you for forgiving me and keeping me. Thank you for keeping your promise to cause all things to work toward my good. Thank you for your unconditional love.

Thank you Al (my dear, sweet husband) for forgiving me when I messed up and loving me no matter what. Thank you for your patience and understanding for the time I spend writing this book. Thank you for taking care of me when I could not take care of myself. I love you more than I did when we got married 52 years ago and will love you always.

I want to thank everyone who has prayed for me during my lifetime. I don’t think I could have made it without those prayers. I especially want to thank Midway Baptist church in Wichita KS for all your prayers after God gave me a mission field. I could literally feel your prayers.

Bibliography

All scripture is from (New King James) QuickVerse for Windows Version 3.0h Copyright 1992-1994 by Craig Rairdin and Parsons Technology, Inc

Jesus’ words are in italics.

Parts of scripture related to subject is underlined.

Pictures were taken by myself, my mother, my husband or another family member. Family members have given me permission to use their names and photographs.

Actual names of people are omitted or if named, they are no longer living.

Three of the testimonies were written by my husband, Willard A. Meservy AKA Al, and included with his permission.

All testimonies that I wrote about my husband are true; he has read them and given me permission to include them in this book.

About Fran

I was born in Beaumont TX and lived in Silsbee TX until I was 2. In Buna TX from age 2 to about 6. I lived in Kirbyville from age 6-age7 and then with the exception of 5 months in Pensacola FL in 1955, lived in Buna TX until I was 18 years old.

I went to college in Port Arthur TX and got an associates Degree (went to school full time and took night courses) in 1 year by the time I was 19. I lived in the dorm for 1 year, with a woman for 1 month and my own apartment for a month & back to the dorm for another 2 months.

I worked in Beaumont until I was 21 (lived in the Y for 1 1/2 years & in a duplex for 3 months).

I fell in love with Jesus when I was 3 years old and started reading the Bible when I was 5 on my grandmother’s lap. I have never stopped. I am 73 years old now and have no idea how many times I’ve read God’s word all the way through.

My Dad died when I was 11 years old and God became my father in a more complete way.

My Mom taught us to watch for Jesus’ hand in all things. IE: He brought the rain so our crops would grow, etc.

I have been a Christian for over 70 years. I am not ordained nor have I been to Bible College or Seminary. The Holy Spirit teaching me God’s word and pastors using God’s word have taught me what I know. I am a lay missionary who has an agent personality with the gifts of Exhortation, Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge and Working Miracles. God has used me as a lay missionary for many years. Our church in KS had me on their ministry list. I could feel their prayers.

1 Tim 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

About AL

Al was born Willard Albert Meservy in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. His parents were Harry Edward Meservy and Luanne James. They separated when Al was 3 years old, his sister Sheila Ann was 4 and his younger brother Larry Dean was 1.

Al’s first memory was when he was 4 years old, sitting at the top of the stairs listening to his Dad and Stepmother arguing. She gave his Dad a choice: either the kids go or I go. His Dad chose his new wife.

Al took his first train trip from Detroit, Michigan to his Grandparent’s home in St. Petersburg, Florida at age 7. He was in charge and was responsible for his Sister (age 8), his brother (age 6) and the money.

There was no welfare system back then. Each time his Mom got married, she got her kids back. Each time she got a divorce, the kids went to foster homes, grandparents, or to an orphanage.

His most stable years were when his Mom was married to Harry Chernesky. He treated the kids as if they were his own & he is who Al remembers as Dad.

A few times in Al’s life, he was allowed to be a child. But, by then he didn’t know how. He was mostly and old man in a child’s body. After he had children of his own, he learned how to be a child. After he had grandchildren, he preferred being a child. After he learned how to be a child, he was lighthearted and more fun.

Al’s Mom took the kids to all kinds of churches. He decided all the churches were messed up. By the time he was 8 years old, he decided that if he just hung onto John 3:16 he would be ok. He eventually decided there was probably no God.

His Mom claimed to be Jehovah Witness so she didn’t have to buy presents or celebrate Christmas and birthdays. She couldn’t afford it so this made a great out.

Al went to work as a dishwasher in a Swedish restaurant that seated one thousand people when he was 14. He gave all his money to his Mom so the family could stay together. He quit school at the end of 10th grade because he failed English and didn’t see how he could work and pass.

Al joined the Air force when he was 17. He went to boot camp in Texas. He was a crew chief (mechanic) for F100 aircraft. Mostly he was stationed in Lakenheath, England.

Al moved in with his Grandparents in St. Petersburg, Florida for a while & then moved to Beaumont, Texas in 1964. He lived in a house downtown for a while, moved into the YMCA for a while & finally he and a friend, Ray moved into a duplex. That’s when I met him just before he enlisted in the Navy.

Phil 2:12-13 …………. work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Preface

October 15, 1943-October 15, 2007 (64 years of my life)

I was born in Beaumont TX, lived in Silsbee TX until I was 2, lived in Kirbyville from age 6-age7, lived in Buna TX until I was 18 (lived in Pensacola FL for 5 months in 1955), went to college in Port Arthur TX until I was 19 (lived in dorm for 1 year, with a woman for 1 month and my own apartment for a month & back to the dorm for another 2 months) and worked in Beaumont until I was 21 (lived in the Y for 1 1/2 years & in a duplex for 3 months). Then I married Al and started moving.

When I was a child, I asked God to let me travel and see the USA. He gave me a vagabond Husband and made me a Lay Home Missionary. We have moved so may times that I claim the following verse as mine.

John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Al and I have lived in 25 Cities & moved 32 times.

Beaumont TX - where we met, North Chicago IL, Norfolk VA (apt. & then bought a mobile home), Buna TX/Panama, Denver CO, Buna TX/Vietnam, Quonset Point RI, Newport RI, Livingston TX, Beaumont TX, Virginia Beach VA (apt. & then Navy Housing), Nederland TX (apt. & then bought a house), Livingston TX (rented a house & then bought a house by the Indian Reservation), Pearland TX, Manvel TX, Alvin TX (rented a house & then rented a duplex), Pearland TX, Bear Creek area of Houston TX (apt. & then bought a house), Clear Lake area of Houston TX, Hobby Airport area of Houston TX, Wichita KS (rented a duplex & then bought a Mobile Home & then traded that home for a Dutch Mobile Home on the same lot), Coppell TX, Gun Barrel TX (bought land and move home onto land), Livingston TX, Brandon MS, Livingston TX (retired).

We have visited and/or lived in 41 states TX, MS, OK, KS, CO, IL, MO, OH, IA, MI, IN, WI, IN, KY, TN, LA, AR, AL, GA, FL, SC, NC, VA, W VA, PA, MD, DE, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA, ME, NH, VT, N MX, AZ, CA, NV, DC and HI in the USA. We visited Mexico, Quebec and Ontario in Canada. We met a lot of nice people and I shared Jesus every where we went.

Houses we rented were sold at the end of our lease and we had to move. Or a new job was across town and it was too far to drive. People don’t quite realize how large Houston is. From the SE corner in Clear Lake Area to the NW corner in the Bear Creek area is 65 miles (during rush hour that could take from an hour and half to 3 hours to drive). Houston sprawls all over Harris County. Almost all of Harris County is in Houston city limits. Pearland, Manvel & Alvin are suburbs of Houston but are in Brazoria County and not an actual part of Houston.

Out of all the places we have lived Houston is my favorite city.

My favorite community was Casterton’s Trailer Park in Norfolk VA. It was mostly Navy families and Mr. Casterton had a big board in the office that had different men’s names on it with what they could repair, their phone number and a check mark by their name if they were home or an X by their name if they were out to sea. If a woman’s husband was out to sea and something broke, all she had to do was call the office and they would match her up with a man who knew how to repair whatever broke. We were like a family who had coffee together in the AM and watched each others children as needed. The community helped make it possible for the wives to stay home with their children - Daddy was gone 5-7 months out of the year and if Mom worked, that meant they had no parents most of the time. No parents at home means high insecurity in children.

Freeway Manor Baptist (SBC) in Houston TX was our favorite church. It just felt like home more than any place we lived. That may be a big reason why we liked Houston so much. Our second favorite Church was Midway Baptist in Wichita KS.

We lived in the Houston area for 10 years from 1980 to 1990. We lived in Wichita KS for 10 years from 1990 to 2000.

I was born and raised in Texas. Texas is and always will be home for me. Al was born in Michigan and raised up and down the East Coast and in West Florida. He loves Texas and that is home for him also. We would love to go home but this is where God wants us - so this is where we will be until he tells us to go somewhere else. We have found the hard way that you are only blessed if you are where God wants you to be. I love those blessings.

Even though I have had my favorite places, I have always been content wherever I am. Even though I hated RI because of the prejudices and climate, I was content there. I think God had more to do with that than me. He is so good.

August 2007 God opened the door so we could go home to Texas.

Luke 3:14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, And what shall we do? So he said to them, Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.

Phil 4:11-13 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

1 Tim 6:6-9 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Heb 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

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Chapter 1

Getting to Know Jesus

Mat 19:14 But Jesus said, Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

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Home Where I Grew Up In Buna Tx

My Mother/Homemaker

Mom was the biggest influence in my life. She practiced what she preached and never asked anyone to do anything she was not willing to do herself. She is a tough yet loving lady. If she told us she was going to do something, you could count on it. I think I admire her more than anyone else on this earth.

She taught me how to live, love, cook, clean, sew, iron, cut hair, garden and how to survive. She made us feel rich when we had little or no money.

I grew up with the attitude that if someone thought I could do something I would jump right in and try. Ninety nine percent of the time I found that I could do whatever was asked of me. If I failed in what I tried to do, it was not considered the end of the world. Mom’s attitude was to either try again or in some cases Well, we won’t do that again. I naturally picked up her attitude.

When Dad decided to raise our own beef, Mom went to work with a butcher (for free) and learned how to cut up meat. We always had tender meat.

Mom was our shinning example. She did not send us to church, she took us. She didn’t tell us to be kind, well mannered or polite. She was kind, well mannered and polite.

Mamma was always helping someone when they needed it; but she was the busiest in 1957-58 during the Asian flue pandemic. According to history about 2 million people died worldwide. This was a very dangerous flue.

If Mamma knew of anyone who had the flue, she would be there to help the family. Prepare food and take care of whole families who were down with the flue.

She was rocking a sick baby and the child’s sick Mamma said, Sue you keep going around helping all these sick people and you are going to get this flue too. Mamma replied, God will take care of me and my family.

No one in our family ever had a cold, must less the flue." Her faith always carried the day. Her example showed us that if we were doing what God wanted us to do, He would be there for us and protect us.

When we asked her for permission to do something, she would ask us, What would Jesus do? Or Would Jesus do that? It always made us think.

When our Dad died, he had enough insurance to pay for his funeral and pay the house & car off. Mom signed up for social security for us kids. She got a check each month until we graduated from High School. We got a free lunch card each month for school. Mom grew and sold things to augment her income. Some people thought we were rich. Mom was just good at handling money and we never went without.

After Dad died, she went to work with an electrician and learned how to wire a house. She wired our house and the electrician signed off on it. Then she went to work with a plumber and installed water pipes and gas lines. Later she decided she wanted fancy cabinets in her kitchen. She worked with a cabinetmaker and then built the cabinets and installed them.

Within a year after Dad died, we had running water, an indoor bathroom, gas for heating and cooking, electric lights, doors between the rooms, and an attic fan.

This taught us that can’t never could do anything. It also taught us how to learn and accomplish things. All you had to do was want to bad enough.

When I was 12, she sat me down and explained about puberty and how my body would change and what to expect. She explained that sex was a holy union between a husband and wife and that it was not dirty. Even though there were boys and men out there that would try to make it dirty, I should not listen to them.

She told me how boys would try to get me to have sex with them and different tactics they would use to try and smooth talk me into what they wanted. She taught me not to put myself in a compromising place and how to dress and act. She taught me how to wear makeup so it looked natural. But most of all, she showed me I could talk to her about anything and everything. No mater what happened, she was always there for me.

When I started dating, she asked me to think about where we were going and what time I thought I should be home. I would figure out where we were going to go and how long it would take and then give an answer. Most of the time 10 PM was the time. We discussed everything and we kids were included in the decision making process. This taught us how to make wise decisions and to think for ourselves.

Mom trusted us and was merciful to us when we goofed; therefore, we became trust worthy.

If we needed a spanking, we got one. Most of the time, we were left sitting on the porch for an hour to think about what we did while she decided what she was going to do to punish us. Honestly, that time on the porch was worse than any punishment we ever received. Our imaginations just ran wild.

Mom played board games with us. We have been known to keep a monopoly game going for weeks. We would come home from school, do our chores, get our homework done, eat supper, listen to a radio show (before 1955 or watch a show on TV (after we got a TV in 1955), and play a game till bedtime. We were taught that games were for fun and losing was not bad.

In the spring we planted and in the fall we harvested. During the summer and winter, she played baseball with us and when we were in Jr. High she got us a basketball goal and played basketball with us. She taught us to know the seasons in life and how to use them.

She inspired me to trust Jesus with everything, taught me to watch for God’s hand in all things, proper manners, how to take care of myself and how to act. She is the wisest person I know.

Eccl 9:17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Prov 10:13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, …

Eccl 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak, A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.

1 Pet 4:8-11 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen

Red

My first memory is walking in a big ditch between a train trestle and a highway with a red dog that was bigger than me.

When I asked my Mom about it, she said I was about 22 months old. She had let me play in the fenced back yard with red (our dog). Our dog and I dug a hole under the fence and crawled under.

A neighbor found us in the ditch several miles away. Our dog would nudge me back into the ditch if I started to go toward the tracks or road. She asked me where I was going and I told her I was going to Beaumont to see my Dad at work. I was going in the right direction.

2 Th 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

The Big Porch

My second memory is a large wrap around covered porch on the back of a white house. I was sitting on the edge of the porch, kicking my feet and watching horses play in the field behind the house. I was extremely happy.

After I was grown Mom and I passed a large white house that was on top of the hill from where I grew up. I told her what I remembered and asked if we ever lived in that house.

She was surprised I remembered because I was only two years old when we lived there. She said we lived there for a few months while she and Daddy built our house on the creek at the bottom of the hill.

She said that was my favorite thing to do when we lived there.

Baptist/Catholic Chickens

We lived on a farm in Buna, Texas about five miles out of town and our nearest neighbors were about two miles away. Needless to say, at the age of three, 1946, I didn’t see other children very often.

I fell in love with Jesus about this time and felt compelled to talk about Him. Since there were no people around, I told our mule, cats, dogs, bull, cows, pigs, goat, ducks, and chickens. After I told them about Jesus, I decided they should be baptized. So, I started baptizing the chickens in a number 3 washtub.

My mom almost had a heart attack when she saw what I was doing. She said I could sprinkle them but no longer could I dunk them. That was fine by me, I was getting all scratched up dunking them. I sprinkled all the animals on our farm in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in Jesus name.

Some of our chickens are Baptist and the rest must be Catholic. I believe that all the animals will be in Heaven.

Since animals don’t put you down or talk back, I had no inhibitions when talking about Jesus and thoroughly enjoyed doing so. It became a habit to season my conversation with Jesus.

In hindsight I realize that God made me a people person and trained me to be a missionary. That’s why I don’t see anything wrong with talking to animals and feel compelled to tell everyone and everything about Jesus. Our Lord works in mysterious ways to train us for his service.

Gen. 9:5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.

Mark 16:15-16 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Isa 64:8 But now, O Lord, You are our father, We are the clay and you our potter; and All we are the work of your hands.

Grandma

My grandmother, Sally Howell, came to stay with us off and on. Such was the case when I was 5 years old, 1948.

Grandma was not a Christian and wanted nothing to do with church or God. She dipped snuff and cursed a lot. She had hated my Mom since she was born and had always made her life miserable whenever possible. Mom was also the child she asked for when she was in need of help.

From what I know of Grandma, she was a heathen. But I was her favorite grandchild and she visited as often as possible.

Our church (Karo Springs Freewill Baptist - consisting of about 25 families) was located on a dirt road in the middle of the Big Thicket forest. It was located about 1/8 mile from a natural spring.

There was a trail where we could walk down to the springs and get a drink of water. Several kinds of huge trees grew all around the church where we often had dinner on the ground.

Since there was no electricity out that far, we used hurricane lamps and had an out door toilet. Wood lift up shutters were hinged over screens. The shutters were closed in the winter and open in the spring, summer and fall.

Reverend Young was our pastor and anyone was allowed to lead the singing, even us kids. For country folks, church was one of the only times we got to see other people. Since I loved people and loved learning about Jesus, I hated to miss church.

When I was five, there was a virus going around that attacked the neck muscles. Almost everyone in Buna had it. I woke up on Sunday morning with the muscles in my neck tight and in really bad pain.

Grandma said I should stay home with her and skip church. I wanted to go to church and started begging. Mom said I probably should stay home. I started crying (unusual for me) and Mom relented, If Frances wants to go that bad, she can go.

Grandma decided that she would go with us to keep an eye on me.

After the services, I went up to Bro. Young tugged on his coattail and asked him to pray for God to heal my neck. He took me over to a chair and we knelt down. He put his hand on my neck and said, Lord Jesus please heal Frances’ neck. I was instantly healed, thanked Jesus and ran outside to play.

What I didn’t realize was that the adults in the church started crying. Some were crying because they hadn’t believed that God was still in the healing business (they did now) and some accepted Jesus, including my grandmother. One of Mom’s friends was crying in her truck. Mom asked her why. She said, I don’t have enough faith to be healed; but a little child does.

From that day on, my grandmother quit cursing, quit dipping snuff and would set me in her lap each day to read the Bible. By the time I was 6, I could read. By the time I was 7, I had the whole word of God in me.

I didn’t understand a whole lot of the Bible. For instance: In the book of John, it says I will be in you and you will be in me and we will be in each other. To a 5-year-old child, that sounded like there was going to be a big gob of people in God in heaven. The picture I had in my brain was a hug ball of people with arms and legs sticking out everywhere, rolling around heaven and all talking at once. I decided that heaven was very noisy.

There was another place where the Bible said no heat will rest on you. I thought that I was going to freeze in Heaven.

After I was older, I understood these verses.

James 5:14 - 15 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Mat 18:2-5 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

Lots Of Pets

Mom raised chickens for eggs and fryers. The chickens that didn’t lay eggs became fryers or roasting hens. She sold milk, butter, buttermilk, eggs and fryers to pay off our land and house.

She would go out to the hen house after dark when the chickens were roosting in the overhead rafters and grab the ones to dress out and sell.

I had a pet hen and she always made sure she did not bother my hen. But, after about two years of having chickens squawk around her when Mom would grab them by the legs, my hen had a heart attack and died.

We found a baby raccoon in the woods whose Mom had been killed. Mom let us take it home and bottle-feed it. He was a great pet. We thought.

Our raccoon had the run of the house. Problem was he also would go in the icebox and get whatever he wanted to eat. One day he was raiding the icebox and Mom fussed at him and told him he couldn’t do that any more. He got really mad and started throwing dishes.

By the time Mom got him into a cage outside, she didn’t have many dishes left.

We had a number of dogs and cats during my growing up years. None of the animals were ever allowed in the house after the raccoon incident.

We didn’t have many toys (a doll for me & cap guns for the boys); but, we sure had lots of animals to play with. I didn’t realize until I was grown that I grew up in a petting zoo. We loved it.

I would pop my doll’s head off (rubber) and then we would get a stick and play baseball. When we got through playing ball, I would pop the doll’s head back on.

We had chores to do each day. Gather eggs, help feed and water the animals, help milk the cows, help wash and iron the clothes, help clean the house and help work in the field. We didn’t mind because Mom made it fun. She was always right there working with us and she made a game out of it.

Mom had moved so much when she was a child that she wanted us kids to be able to go to school in the same place. She and Dad decided they would not move until the last child graduated.

Just about the time Mom paid the farm off, she saw Dad walking around with a strange man showing him the farm. She knew he was selling it.

When they came in, she offered them cake and coffee. The man said, Well I guess I just bought me a farm. Mom asked him if he knew what all came with the farm. He named off the house, barn, livestock, etc. Mom said, Did Mac tell you there is a wife and three kids that go with the farm?

The man left and Dad laughed. He never tried to sell the farm again.

Prov 31:26 - 29 She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.

First Surgeries

Recently, my Mom made the comment that I was healthy when I was a child. I reminded her that I had a couple of surgeries when I was very young. I added, All my life Satan keeps trying to kill me but God keeps sending Angels to catch me. Mom remembered back when I was about a year old and said I was right.

She told me that when I was not quite a year old (1944) I became really sick and she took me to Dr. McWright. He said I had Gangrene in my stomach, gave me something and I threw up the foulest green stuff Mom ever saw. He said something I ate got stuck and turned to gangrene.

I had my first surgery when I was 5 ½ (1949). Dr. McWright removed my tonsils but not my adenoids. He felt that adenoids protected against Polio.

During the summer, when I was 7 (1950), I started to complain of a tummy ache. I would sit with my knees pulled up to my chest to ease the pain. Mom took me to the doctor and he put me in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Beaumont, TX. I had surgery that evening. My appendix burst during surgery. I felt like I was falling through a tunnel and it sounded like bees were chasing me. Afterward I was in a ward with several other children for two weeks.

Aunt Margaret and my cousin Marie came to the hospital to visit. They brought me my first paper dolls. I think I wore those dolls out dressing and undressing them. I was 50 miles from home and it was too far for Mom to come every day. Aunt Margaret and Marie were there every day. I loved it when they came to visit. We would play jacks & go fish.

There were other close calls; but I will address them in later chapters.

1 Sam 2:9 He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. "For by strength no man shall prevail.

Psa 116:8-9 For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling. I will walk before the LORD In the land of the living.

Betrayed

Dad’s baby sister was a retired school teacher and her husband was retired from the Post Office. Aunt Lula had a bad heart and they lived on a strict schedule. They had a housekeeper and cook. Everyone got up at 5:30 am, breakfast was served promptly at 6 am, lunch at noon, dinner at 5 PM and bedtime was at 9 PM.

They lived in a nice house with a big front porch. There was a swing on the porch and huge hydrangeas around the porch. They had huge trees all around the house and bee hives in the back yard.

When we went to visit each summer, we were required to wear our best clothes and be on our best behavior.

Uncle Frank taught us how to collect honey, liked to kid around with us kids and he was my favorite uncle. Aunt Lula was a sweet woman. She had a heart condition and my Uncle Frank did not allow her to do much.

During a visit in 1948, when I was 5, my uncle Frank asked if I wanted to see the airport. Of course I thought that was great. It turned out to be a deserted airport and he sexually molested me in the back seat of the car.

While he was on top of me, I felt like I was going to smother. He was heavy and it was hard to breath. I felt confused and knew he had done something horribly wrong.

Somehow (I assume Jesus revealed it to me), I knew it was not my fault. I also knew if I told, I would never see him again. I decided I would never be alone with him again.

After that, I was afraid of being alone with a man, felt like I was going to suffocate if I sat in the middle of the car seat or slept in the middle of the bed between two of my girl cousins. I had a hard time going to sleep if the covers were too high up and covered any part of my head. That made me feel like I was going to smother.

During a visit in 1949, Mom and Dad left me with uncle Frank There was a young boy there too. They went to see Aunt Lula in the hospital. I figured that since I was not alone with him, it was safe. I was wrong. He took us in the guest bedroom, closed the door and made us have sex with each other while he watched. The boy was age 5 and I was age 6.

After that, I could not sleep with the door closed. In fact I did not like closed doors. I still don’t. I don’t have true claustrophobia. It’s more like a dislike – I don’t panic or get nervous. I have more energy during the day if the main doors to the house are open. The storm door can be closed and locked; so it seems to be that just seeing out keeps me feeling safe and energized.

During the summer of 1950, when I was 7, Aunt Lula was in the hospital in Pensacola, Fla. We made our annual visit at that time.

Mom and Dad wanted to visit Aunt Lula. Since children weren’t allowed in the hospital back then, I would have to sit in the car.

When we got to the hospital, Uncle Frank decided to sit in the car with me. I figured that would work because it was a public place. I had no idea it would get dark soon. He forced me to have oral sex with him. He made me swallow his cum.

I started gagging and felt like I was going to throw up. He took me across the street and gave me a glass of orange juice to kill the taste. As much as I loved orange juice, I could not drink it again without triggering the memory and gagging.

God helped me to forgive him and I never stopped loving him; but I made sure I was only with him if my Mom was there also. When Mom and Dad said I would have to stay with Uncle Frank, I would cry and beg them to not leave me with him (something I never did).

Thank God I had a Mom who was smart enough to realize something was wrong by my acting out of character. My Uncle never had the opportunity to be along with me again. Mom would leave me with one of my other Aunts instead.

I never told anyone what happened until I was 21. I told my husband right after we got married because I found out I had some sexual hang-ups. Over the years I have overcome them with God’s help and a very patient, loving husband.

I told my Mom when I was 23 on the way to Uncle Frank’s funeral. She said I was right. I would have never seen him again because my Dad would have killed him.

I realized after I was grown that such things should be reported. But a child only knows what their heart tells them. They don’t know they aren’t the only one who might be hurt.

I had been outgoing - I became shy.

I loved going places with men or women - now I only went with women.

I was carefree - now I was careful.

I loved orange juice - now I could not drink it.

I loved to snuggle - now I felt like I was smothering when held too long.

Now I could not stand to be behind a closed door.

I got nervous when someone stood over me.

I was afraid of losing control. I learned to maintain extreme emotional self-control.

I have found that some women become promiscuous and others can’t stand to be touched. I had promiscuous thoughts that plagued me until God set me free.

It is different with each person. Women who are molested have a lot of problems and deal with them in different ways. I forgave my Uncle and that helped make it easier for me.

I was not free until Jesus led me to Hosea when I was 35 years old. God’s word set me free. My Lord showed me that he did not hold women accountable for sexual immorality because the men taught them how. I could finally drink orange juice again.

John 8:31-32 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Hosea 4:14 "I will not punish your daughters when they turn to prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, because the men themselves consort with harlots and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes— a people without understanding will come to ruin!

John 8:3-11 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say? They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? No one, sir, she said. Then neither do I condemn you,

Dreams

I started having dreams that came true when I was quite young. When I was in 1st grade, I dreamed we jumped over candles in school. The next day Ms Polk had us sing Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jumped over the candle stick. When we said the last part, we jumped over a candle stick. She made learning fun.

One that stands out is that my 2nd grade teacher asked me to teach another girl how to read. The following day in school, Mrs. Woods did exactly that.

Ms. Woods asked me to tutor one of my classmates during recess. I had just had an appendectomy and could not go out and play anyway. My classmate was a little slower than the others in reading and I could already read because my Grandmother had taught me how.

When I was in 3rd grade, I dreamed every night that my little brother Sam fell in the well and drowned. I watched him closely and did not let him get close to the well for about a year. The dreams stopped and he never fell in the well. I believe the dream was a warning about something that could be prevented.

I have had so many dreams happen the very next day that I came to know that the dreams I could remember were from God. There was always peace in these dreams no matter how bad the dreams were. If there was fear or turmoil in a dream, I knew it was not from God.

Later in life God would use dreams to teach me things or tell me what he was doing or going to do. If the dream was in symbols, I would ask Him what it meant and He would reveal the meaning to me. I have also had a lot of déjà vu days.

Gen 41:12-13 Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream. And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us…

Dan 1:17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

Joel 2:28-29 "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Acts 2:17-18 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

Baptized

Just before Dad died, we started attending 1st Baptist (SBC) downtown. It was