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    In Search of Higher Grounds
    In Search of Higher Grounds
    In Search of Higher Grounds
    Ebook75 pages52 minutes

    In Search of Higher Grounds

    By JoyAnn

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    About this ebook

    Thisdocument detailsmany ofthe tragic yet emotional encounters experiencedby some of Hurricane Katrina's evacuees. Some of the drama unfoldedherein depictsfrustration, confusion and total desperation.Theauthor theorizes,reflects and encourages perserverance as well as offers praise and testimony to God's Holy Hand.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAuthorHouse
    Release dateMay 4, 2009
    ISBN9781467055413
    In Search of Higher Grounds
    Author

    JoyAnn

    JoyAnn isa resident of New Orleans, Louisiana; she hastemporarily relocated to Bryant, Arkansas via the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.After dropping out of high school and working numerousminimum wagejobs, Joy returned to school; She enrolled innight classesandreceived a General Education Diploma.Later, she joined the Army Reserves to help financeand continue her education. She receiveda Business Diplomafroma localTech School,went to Delgado Community College andnexttransferred to the University of New Orleans. Shecontinuedworking while attending college at night. After earningover 400 hours of credit,she was advised to switch to day classesin order to receive a degree. Night classes, it turned out, wasstrictly aconvenience; it did not offerfull curriculawhich wouldnet a degree.This was upsetting, however, lifewent on--jobs and lifestyleimproved. After twenty years of military service,Joyretired from the Louisiana Army National Guard at the rank ofSergeant First Class. Currently, she has more thantwenty-six years of federal service and is lookingforward toretirement from the US Postal Service. Although a novicewriter, shespends many hoursinaundating and entertainingfriends and familywith letters, poems, and short stories. Over the years, JoyAnn has entered numerous literary and playwriting contests. She has not won, butreceived some recognization. One of her entries was read at the Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans;she also received anotation from Terry Meagan, aplaywriting judge. Ms. Meagan commendeded Joy's strong writingabilities and meticulous sense fordetails. While living in New Orleans, Joyparticipated incountlessdrama activities hosted by her church, Beecher Memorial, UCC.Moreover, one of JoyAnn's favorite pastime isto share comments and swapcritiques pertainingtopopularmovies and plays.

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      Book preview

      In Search of Higher Grounds - JoyAnn

      CHAPTER 1

      11898460.jpg

      You, no doubt, will agree that Hurricane Katrina was one of the most devastating events to occur in our country’s history. In the beginning, the focus was on the despair and anguish suffered by Katrina’s victims. Immediately thereafter, many Americans watched, in horror, media coverage that depicted the ignorance and disorganization of government officials as they slowly began to offer relief to hurricane survivors. However, once this initial shock wore off, the finger pointing began.

      Mental duress, physical exhaustion, loss of lives, and destruction of property are a few examples of what victims suffered. I am Jane Nelson, a New Orleans native. I have lived there all my life; suffice it to say, I am well past fifty years old. I consider myself modern-minded and physically capable—with the exception of a recent hip replacement. Up until Katrina, I also judged my character to be independent, selectively stubborn, and occasionally risqué. Moreover, I am a homeowner, strategically courteous, and a law-abiding citizen. I am also Afro-American, single, retired military, and employed by the U.S. Postal Service.

      Moreover, although I strive to maintain an independent yet realistic lifestyle, my struggle with Christianity has always been problematic. Perhaps it was my childhood, but more than likely, it was my heritage. My family has always been dysfunctional, even before the term became popular. As a small child, I was shy and sometimes mistrusting of others. I was confused and often frightened by signs of open affection. Nonetheless, from an early age, I was able to deduce that our family was somewhat unorthodox. Our biological mother was never an intricate part of our lives. My dad, an immigrant, was not very affectionate. His English was barely comprehensible, his temper was fierce, and his practice of Christianity did not exist. However, in order to fit into the American lifestyle that he’d chosen, he felt it necessary to ensure that his offspring attended school and church regularly. The school thing I understood, but the necessity of church eluded me.

      Further, the lesson being taught in church did not carry over into my life. For in my world, I felt abandoned—alone. If God exists, I challenged, what are the criteria for His love? Still, there could be no denying that there was a greater power at hand, for there were numerous unexplained occurrences. Nonetheless, I maintained, If there is a God, why is there so much unhappiness? I concluded that God was intangible idealism.

      As I grew older, I learned to accept good and bad, without explanation, as they occurred. I told myself that I was mature and therefore responsible for my own fate. I could discern between good and evil, and I tried to conduct myself accordingly. I gave up attending church, because I just didn’t get it. But eventually this crisis-filled world got me. As such, I came full circle to where my journey had begun: running toward the unknown. My life was heavily burdened, there were numerous unanswered developments, and I was filled with emotional despair. Although I was nowhere near atonement, I stretched out my hands in desperation. I invited Jesus into my world because I was overwhelmed by the stress of everyday living. I needed purpose and direction. Although my reason for accepting Christ may not have been idealistic, He heard my plea and gave me the peace I desired. Nonetheless, I continued to struggle with theology, but having Jesus at the helm made it a more comfortable voyage.

      But things were about to get rough. I had no idea that my mustard-seed leap of faith was about to be tested. Although I had invited Him into my life, my spirit remained inactive. I considered my tithes, church attendance, and prayers to be proof of reclaimed Christianity, yet my life had no significant variation; I was still calculative and unconcerned. However, Katrina put a different spin on my world. Surviving the perils of Katrina and its wake not only reemphasized God’s powers, but it also armored me with patience, humbleness, and quiet acceptance. Moreover, when evacuated from my roof, taken to the Convention Center in New Orleans, and later flown to Arkansas, I also experienced the joy of being blessed!

      CHAPTER 2

      It has been a little over two years since Katrina blew into my life, and since that time, I’ve been

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