Award-winning Gathering Courage author, T. A. "Terry" McMullin, 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. As a child in the 1960s, hardly anyone recognized the learning issues related to dyslexia. Because 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. The struggle to learn continued through high school. From deep within, Terry developed an internal desire to excel, no matter the obstacle, no mater the situation. Pushing adversity and a reading disability aside, Terry gathered the courage to enroll in college. While 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. Step 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&M University. Terry's life transformed from a broken-hearted child who could barely make out words in elementary school to a distinguished educator who encourages young people to work hard and achieve their greatest aspirations. The author's memoir is simply breathtaking and honest 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 life of victory. Readers will become inspired to follow in Terry's footsteps and "gather the courage" to overcome their own personal struggles. The writing of Gathering Courage: A Life-Changing Journey through Adoption, Adversity, and a Reading Disability was a three-year project of reminiscing from the heart and hurts of the past for the sole purpose of encouraging others. What started as a thought, then words on a napkin, set the dream in motion to form sentences on paper. The dream grew and the formation of a book developed into a purpose, a mission - "To Make Life Better." In 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. 2015 North American Book Award 1st place winner - Animals/Pets 1st place winner - Biographies, Autobiographies, and Memoirs 2016 Readers' Favorite 5 STAR Award Readers' Favorite International Book Award - Honorable Mention - Non-Fiction - Autobiography Best Book Award - Finalist - Young Adult - Non Fiction The 2017 Illumination Book Awards honored Gathering Courage: A Life-Changing Journey Through Adoption, Adversity, and a Reading Disability, with the SILVER, Enduring Light Medals Award, for Christian Thought. The spotlight is shining on this exemplary Christian book, Gathering Courage, 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. "Gathering Courage to make life better, to