Don't Give Up, Don't Give In - Synopsis Terry Coleman's life never looked promising from the start. Born to alcoholic parents in an abusive relationship, neither parent had the mental wherewithal to care for a newborn infant. Two weeks after his arrival Terry was back in the hospital with a severe bout of the whooping cough. That's when his great-grandmother decided to take matters into her own strong and capable hands. |  | ||
| The
polar opposite of his neglectful parents, his great-grandmother lived by a different
set of standards. The first order of business was mandatory attendance at a local
Church. As Terry grew older though, the pull of the outside world soon overpowered
him. Fighting, drinking, and hanging out with the wrong crowd became his escape.
It was only a natural progression that led to girls and premarital sex and by
the time he had turned eighteen, Terry had fathered his first child who died shortly
after birth. Still, all of these wrong decisions did not set Terry on the right
path. Terry continued to follow the road to destruction, until he met Sebbie, a young woman who became a stabilizing force in his life. Now married, life with Sebbie did not guarantee marital bliss. Like most young couples they struggled to find a way to make ends meets whilst barely escaping the throes of poverty. However, Sebbie did bear him three daughters and kept him a bit closer to the straight and narrow. The turning point came when a co-worker asked Terry to attend service at his church. The church proved to be a much needed anchor. The couple became active members even as Terry continued to battle against his genetic tendency towards alcoholism. At a critical stage of his marriage and faith journey, Terry almost lost his life from a fall. After a slow recuperation, he recovered and regained the ability to walk. With the gift of song, Terry became a member of the choir. Later another goal emerged - to set up a marathon hymn-singing event to bring public attention to the plight of the homeless. With the help of his support group Terry was able to overcome the odds, set a world record and earn mention in Ripley's Believe, or Not. Don't Give Up, Don't Give In is an inspiring story of family, faith, and fortitude that will leave readers gasping for more. | ||