Dr. Verna Foster Harvey

EDUCATION
​​Born in Poverty,
Living by Faith

My home town is located in the Black Belt region of Sumter County, Alabama. My first three jobs were a fieldworker--I picked cotton, cucumbers, squash and other marketable items--a maid and a dishwasher, all before the age of seventeen when I dropped out of high school. I left the house of secrets shortly afterwards.
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Today, because of God's grace, I am the recipient of a GED and three college degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Assistant Studies, and a Masters and Doctorate in Public Administration with a concentration in sociology.
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My heart's desire is to minister to others by sharing a few of God's triumphant achievements in my life. Suggested venues are those with

• high school students who may need a boost of encouragement and straight talk;
• adults pursuing his/her GED;​
• groups studying poverty and/or other gatherings addressing social issues; and
• other events such as graduations, conferences, talks, etc.

To schedule an event please use the contact form to start the process!

MARRIAGE
​Covered by Grace:
My Marriage,
Husband's Military Career,
and Mothering Adventures

In 1979, at the age of seventeen I married the man of my dreams, Len. A few months later, I traveled via airplane (my very first time flying!) to Germany to join Len at his first military base assignment.
As the wife of an enlisted member of the USAF, I endured many challenges, none of which I were prepared to face. Raising our three children added to the challenges. I made many mistakes.
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Now that I'm reflecting on those precious moments, I can tell you that God's grace in my marriage, motherhood, and all those military challenges was amazing! So incomprehensible that additional layers of that grace are still unfolding! I love to share a few of those abundant grace moments with an audience who desires to experience their own grace moments!
To learn more about God's grace and these adventures please use the contact form to start the process!

SICKNESS/CAREGIVER
Till Death Do Us Part:
Loving the Husband You Have,
Not the One You Don't!

In 2007, my husband, Len, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. This season of our lives came with many challenges. After Len's surgeries, and somewhere in the midst of many physical therapy sessions, we knew we needed help in adjusting to our new 'normal' life. We especially needed help with our new 'relationship' with one another--in other words, our 'new' marriage. Realizing these needs, we sought help from The Sontag Foundation Brain Tumor Support Group.
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Partnering with Caregivers: How to Help Those Who Helps Others, is the book God birthed out of this extremely difficult season in our lives. There are many other joyful blessings that came out of this painful brain tumor journey!
​To hear about more blessings please use the contact form to start the process!
In the midst of praising God and settling in our new norm, we have been told to start preparing for yet another brain tumor removal surgery. Even in this, we know that God is with us; He's for us!