There is Purpose in Your Valley: Understanding Life's Struggles (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780972226912)

Dr. Arlene Kearns Dowdy lives her life with this motto: "If I can help somebody, my living is not in vain." Her own life experiences have been the rich soil that nurtures her writing, from her childhood, her education and her world-wide travels. Throughout her life, she has been helping others. Growing up in Eastwood, NC, a small, southern, rural community, Dr. Dowdy had fertile soil for the mysterious! There were wooded areas, three graveyards, and a father, grandfather and uncle who were great storytellers! There were also those who could see and hear the unknown, thus, the background for her first published book, Tales of Eastwood. An educator in public schools for more than 27 years, Dr. Dowdy earned National Certification in 2005. She has enriched the lives of thousands of students, parents, co-workers and community members, simultaneously serving as an evangelist for 30 years. Her work has helped to change lives of gang members, the homeless, depressed, fatherless, elderly, abused, lepers and so many more. She has served and inspired people across America and abroad. She lived and ministered in Alaska and the Middle East, with repeated visits to African and European countries. Her journeys are illustrated with photos that she uses in her books. She finally married at the age of 50: Christmas night, 2012 to Clay Liston Dowdy, a childhood sweetheart, who found her after more than 30 years! Dr. Dowdy now enjoys a quiet life in Central New Jersey, writing the stories-prose, poetry, and theatre- that have been preserved inside her. Dr. Dowdy's understanding of culture and people is phenomenal! She has ministered to people from all walks of life, along streets, on public transportation, in parks, coffee shops, prisons, hospitals, villages, and a leper colony, to name a few. She learned that people are basically the same wherever you go. In addition to basic needs, we need love, support, and a source of trust, hope, and faith. These needs are often neglected. Dr. Dowdy's purpose for writing is to inspire the fulfillment of these needs, bringing joy to all.