A State of Grace

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines grace as a virtue coming from God or a state of sanctification.

“I have met grace in the eyes of countless beholders. You don’t have to look far to find it. The awesome presence of grace doesn’t have a scent, sound or color, but its power is purely infinite.

Survivors understand what it means to be triumphant. There are no awards, blue ribbons or stipends. The grand prize is life.”
. . . Celeste Reichert Friedman

Building a path of tranquility and inner peace, author Celeste Reichert Friedman shares stories of hope and healing. A State of Grace is now available on Amazon, Kindle and Nook Books. The extraordinary individuals who were interviewed for this eBook reveal life altering experiences of courage and tenacity. Of her own personal hardship and management of a crippling disease, Celeste illuminates triumph over tragedy in this remarkable novelette.

Dear Friends,
As we celebrate our freedom in the USA on this Fourth of July, here is a sampling from my latest eBook A State of Grace.  For many, this is an untold story of hope and freedom.

The Moses of Her People

Harriet Tubman was born into slavery on a Maryland plantation in 1820. History documents that she risked her life to rescue countless other slaves. Her acts of courage laid the groundwork that freed thousands. Born Araminta Harriet Ross, she was beaten, abused and witnessed the selling and trading of slaves most of her young life. Harriet already had the physical and emotional scars.

Harriet was in a store buying supplies one day, when another slave tried to run away. The storeowner demanded that she run after the slave and bring him back. When Harriet refused, the storeowner grabbed a two-pound weight and slammed it into Harriet’s head, breaking her skull. Miraculously, she survived her injuries, but throughout her life, she suffered from seizures and headaches. Harriet claimed to be a devout Christian and began to experience visions of which she believed were from God, sending her on a mission to end slavery.

At the age of twenty-four, she married John Tubman, a free black man. Five years later, in 1849, she escaped from her slave owner’s mansion in an attempt to free herself and settled in Philadelphia. From her home base, she traveled on several missions back to Maryland and elsewhere to free more slaves. Networking with other abolitionists, Harriet became very active in the Underground Railroad, assisting numerous others into a life of freedom.

From 1861 to 1865, Harriet Tubman forged on with her mission working for the Union Army as a nurse, teacher, scout and even a spy. Several months after the Civil War came to an end, she nursed injured soldiers in Virginia while still caring for her aging parents. On one of her train trips back north, the conductor forced her to move to the smoking car because of the color of her skin. Harriet informed him of her service to the U.S. government, but the conductor threw her into the smoking car, causing several injuries. White passengers on the train cursed at her and demanded that she be thrown off the train.

On March 10, 1913, Harriet passed away from pneumonia at the age of ninety-three. Known as The Moses of Her People, Harriet Tubman captured the hearts and respect of people around the world for her courage and compassion, in addition to her ability to forgive.

The Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn, New York, is a National Landmark, administered by the AME Zion Church. As a museum and education center, it welcomes visitors from all over the globe.

You’ll find A State of Grace on Kindle at- https://www.amazon.com/State-Grace-Celeste-Reichert-Friedman-ebook/dp/B01HOTE320/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467217447&sr=8-1&keywords=a+state+of+grace+celeste

In Nook Books, follow this link- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-state-of-grace-celeste-reichert-friedman/1124022365;jsessionid=FF0A6D5BBD4E69E799485AE19E465469.prodny_store02-atgap04?ean=2940158377556#productInfoTabs

“I am at peace with God and all mankind.”
. . . Harriet Tubman