Sharon’s story is one of complicated chapters, and she has faced unusual challenges with the tasks of everyday living. Struck by lightning when she was eight years old, she has never fully recovered. She said the lightning “scrambled her brain,” and for a while she wrote backwards, had a stuttering problem (which she cured by singing), and still suffers from poor memory. She also says she has endured physical abuse of all kinds along the way, been in several wrecks, and now, at age 52, suffers from asthma, emphysema, and COPD. She was finally approved for disability in May of this year.

        Sharon was married at one time, and has two adult daughters and three grandchildren. Their own complicated circumstances have kept them from being able to be much help. For a while Sharon ran her own cleaning and lawn care businesses, but because she “can’t think straight” the businesses did not work out.

        Having been homeless for many years, Sharon says she learned to depend on God completely. She loves “what God has been doing” in her life and wants to be a witness for Him. She loves Haywood Street Congregation and expressed an interest in singing or speaking during the worship service sometime, and she is also interested in the prayer ministry. Her dream is to build a safe and loving home where needy children could live on one end and needy “old folks” on the other, with a big common area in the middle where they could interact and enjoy a peaceful life together.

        Sharon appears to have finally landed on her feet, at least for now. She recently was able to move in with her mother, Myrtle, who is suffering from cancer. Sharon is elated that they are getting along better than they ever have, and says she is very happy.