Velma's Story

As World War II looms ahead, Velma and Jack Gooding's joy of welcoming a healthy son into the world is soon overshadowed when Jack falls gravely ill with Tubercular Pneumonia. To aid his recovery, the family moves to a small farm, where Jack slowly recovers and eventually takes on part-time work. The attack on Pearl Harbor, a turning point for all Americans, propels the Goodings to California. There Jack builds B-17s, while Velma manages their home life with now two young sons. After the war, they welcome a third son and plan to stay in California, but urgent news from Iowa pulls them back to care for Velma's injured mother, Alice Steele. Eventually, Jack's job back in Iowa demands yet another move-to Peoria, Illinois. There, a fateful encounter with a little girl changes everything, pushing Velma's courage, resilience, and strength to the edge of heartbreak. The Long Journey is a moving story of resilience, sacrifice, and the enduring power of family ties that transcend time and distance. A lasting tribute to American families who bravely faced the challenges of the Great Depression and then World War Two, The Long Journey is Book 3 in the heartwarming series that mirrors the struggles of a generation, shining a special light on the Midwestern love for God, the land, hard work, family, and friendship.

A blizzard rages outside a ramshackle Iowa farmhouse in February of 1921. Five-year-old Velma and her older sister stand near a glowing Isinglass stove charged with minding their two younger brothers. Velma senses that her father is dying in the nearby living room, and she wonders if her mother can possibly survive the raging snowstorm in her brave effort to get help. Based on the early life of author G. L. Gooding's mother, Where Courage Began tells the story of Velma, her three siblings, and her widowed mother Alice Steele. Life for the young family in Woodward, Iowa, requires courage, tenacity, and ingenuity. Through setbacks, tragedies, and triumphs the Steeles forge a meaningful life in their adopted community during the difficult days leading up to The Great Depression. And it is young Velma, wise beyond her years, who plays a pivotal role in the family's survival. Verified for local historical accuracy, Where Courage Began shines light on Depression-era communities and their values for God, the land, hard work, family, and friendship.

Based on the life of author G. L. Gooding's mother, Velma Steele, The Road to Resilience continues the saga first introduced in Where Courage Began. There, the audience met five-year-old Velma, her young siblings, and her suddenly widowed mother Alice. Now, it's Christmas Day 1924, and young Velma is still breathless from the dramatic events of the previous night. She remembers with joy participating along with many of her community in rallying around an isolated family in a moment of great need. As years pass, Velma continues working hard at school and putting in endless hours helping her widowed mother and older sister. Together they support the family during the economic hardships in rural America that foreshadowed the Great Depression of the 1930s. Uprooted yet again by this national tragedy, the family's indomitable spirit and endless spunk help sustain them. Along the way, Velma begins to envision a brighter future in spite of continuing hardship. Then, as a young woman, Velma meets handsome Jack Gooding and in the briefest of time, realizes she has found her one true love. Now equipped with hard earned life skills, she feels confident in facing the vagaries of life with Jack at her side. Together they begin pursuit of shared dreams amid a turbulent world. All too soon, however, her resilience and courage must endure the greatest challenge yet.