Mary Frances Moore grew up in Brooklyn, the third of six kids. She graduated from Columbia Central High School in 1972, and received her bachelors in 1998.

Her family attended the Episcopal Church every Sunday and her parents taught her many things about the Lord. One of those early lessons was when she was four and her dad pointed out to her the tiniest little flower she had ever seen. He picked it and opened each little petal, exposing the stamens and different colors inside. He explained that God loves us so much that He made all things for our use and/or enjoyment, including that tiny flower. “Most of the time we don’t even notice His beautiful gifts,” he said.

Mary’s parents bought The Brooklyn Exponent newspaper when she was six and life seemed to change overnight. Her mom began working during the days and often into the nights, and her two older brothers began working there after school. This left Mary to manage many household chores as well as care for her younger siblings (or tattle on them, depending on who was telling the story!).

At nine, her dad handed her a pad of unlined paper and a pencil and told her to go door-to-door through town and ask whoever answered if they had any news for the next week’s paper. ‘News’ back then were things like who came to Sunday dinner; who traveled to Jackson and why, and who had company during the week.

While there were many good and light-hearted aspects of her growing up years, being unattended left Mary open and vulnerable to a neighborhood predator for several years. The ramifications were devastating, and though she knew that Christ was with her, she chose to go down the wrong road.

“Even before I was a teen, I was on the wrong road; the hard road,” Mary said. “I made bad decisions and hurt many people I loved. I had no idea how to stop the craziness; the insanity, the thoughts and compulsions that constantly bombarded my mind. But I tell you sincerely, the Lord is always good and is always there for us. He never leaves us. And in spite of it all, I knew He was with me.”

Mary and Carl married in 1999 and the Lord has blessed their marriage despite their history, using the hard times to teach many valuable lessons; lessons she was unable or unwilling to learn while young.

She had three children; two boys and a girl. In 2011, her oldest son died at the age of 40 from drug abuse. She says the pain itself was almost unbearable, but again, she testifies that the Lord is always faithful and was there even then every step of the way.

“God truly restores and He has healed and reestablished many of the broken relationships that I created,” she said. “My prayer is for continued healing and I have no doubt that God will always be working to reconcile. He is the God of Reconciliation. That’s what He does. That’s who He is.”

Mary & Carl joined Grace Church in 2005. She has been serving as Church Receptionist since the fall of 2018, and this position has been a source of great satisfaction and joy. Together they have five kids and 11 grandchildren.

•  EMAIL MARY mmoore@lifeatgrace.org

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