{"product_id":"9780996711319","title":"Gathering Courage: A Life-Changing Journey Through Adoption, Adversity, and A Reading Disability","description":"\u003cp\u003eT.A. “Terry” McMullin is a multi-award winning author, a distinguished educator, and a gifted inspirational speaker. Terry’s simple ‘\u003cstrong\u003edown to earth’\u003c\/strong\u003e personality with an enduring Christian message is a testament to the endurance of the human spirit to survive setbacks and fulfill their own dreams despite all odds. Terry answers the question, “\u003cstrong\u003eHow do some people find success despite hardships\u003c\/strong\u003e?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe author knows as well as anyone that hard times are a part of the journey of life. During Terry’s journey, she was an orphan, an adopted child, and then made a foster child by her parents. Terry’s struggles with rejection, failure, and a reading disability are up-lifted by her faith, hard work, and compassion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBecause Terry struggled with reading, comprehension, and spelling, she was placed in a foster home at the age of nine. Terry was failing in school and no one knew how to help her. As a child in the 1960s, hardly anyone recognized the learning issues related to dyslexia. The struggle to learn continued through high school. From deep within, Terry developed an internal desire to excel, no matter the obstacle, no matter the situation. Pushing adversity and a reading disability aside, Terry gathered the courage to enroll in college.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile attending college, Terry taught herself how to read and study while working nights and weekends to pay her tuition and living expenses. Because of dyslexia, Terry worked much harder than most students. For ten years, she remained diligent and focused on the goal of achieving a college education and a teaching certificate.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStep by step and class by class, Terry succeeded, and walked across the stage to receive a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Texas A\u0026amp;M University. Terry’s life transformed from a broken-hearted child who could barely make out words in elementary school to \u003cstrong\u003ea distinguished educator and a dynamic speaker\u003c\/strong\u003e who encourages young people to work hard and achieve their greatest aspirations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe author’s \u003cstrong\u003ememoir is simply breathtaking and honest\u003c\/strong\u003e as she opens her arms and draws the reader into her heart-felt journey so they too, can learn to survive setbacks and painful experiences while striving to live a \u003cstrong\u003elife of victory\u003c\/strong\u003e. Readers will become inspired to follow in Terry’s footsteps and “gather the courage” to overcome their own personal struggles and develop the desire to “\u003cstrong\u003emake life better”\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn less than 30 days after printing the proof copies, Gathering Courage became an award-winning book and T.A. McMullin became an award-winning author.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2015 North American Book Award 1st place winner – Animals\/Pets 1st place winner – Biographies, Autobiographies, and Memoirs\u003cbr\u003e 2016 Readers’ Favorite 5 STAR Award\u003cbr\u003e Readers’ Favorite International Book Award - Honorable Mention - Non-Fiction – Autobiography\u003cbr\u003e Best Book Award - Finalist - Young Adult - Non-Fiction\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 2017 Illumination Book Awards honored \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGathering Courage: A Life-Changing Journey Through Adoption, Adversity, and a Reading Disability\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, with the \u003cstrong\u003esilver,\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eEnduring Light Medals Award\u003c\/strong\u003e, for Christian Thought.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe spotlight is shining on this \u003cstrong\u003eexemplary Christian book\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cem\u003eGathering\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eCourage\u003c\/em\u003e, with an enduring message because it is a testament to the endurance of the human spirit to survive setbacks and fulfill their own dreams despite all odds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gathering Courage Media","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47118993195248,"sku":"9780996711319","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780996711319_p0.jpg?v=1763902906","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780996711319","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}