Released on: February 27, 2008, 11:39 pm

Press Release Author: Terry Dwight Coleman

Industry: Media

Press Release Summary:


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
the local Catholic 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 in a drunken stupor almost
lost his life. After a slow recuperation, he recovered and regained the ability to
walk.
With the gift of song, Terry became a member of the choir. Soon 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.


Press Release Body:



http://www.blacknews.com/pr/dont_give_up101.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Terry Dwight Coleman
303-321-3248
303-585-0647
coleman_2679@msn.com
www.myspace.com/worldrecordhymnsinger



From Despair to Ripley's Believe It or Not
Singing hymns brings glory to God and sets a world record

Denver, CO-"No matter what your background or the problems you face in life, God can
use you to His glory." That is the central message Terry Dwight Coleman extends to
readers in his book Don't Give Up-Don't Give In: A True Story of the Struggles of a
World-Record Hymn Singer ($17.99, paperback, 978-1-60477-465-8). "With God all
things are possible," he reminds us.

The fifty-six year old African American author believes his book will inspire those
who seek a way out of life's struggles. Having overcome a troubled background and
passed through many "danger, toils and snares," as the words of a hymn say, Coleman
believes his testimony will help readers look to God for solutions to their
problems. He believes it is "a story that needs to be told."

The author was abandoned by his mother and raised by his grandmother and aunts and
grew into an adult with no sense of purpose. Despite being married and a father he
turned to alcoholism. But, as he relates in his book, a friend invited him to attend
church, rekindling his childhood religious inclinations. His conversion gave his
life new meaning and direction. It was then he realized his voice was a gift and
desired to use his singing to glorify God.

Coleman, who in 2005, sang a record-breaking 849 church hymns for 40 hours 17
minuets, to bring awareness to the plight of the homeless, has vowed to donate
twenty percent of his royalties to four different charities that help the homeless.

Terry Dwight Coleman and his wife, Sebbie, have three children and eight
grandchildren. He graduated from the University of Colorado in 2000, and is a
paralegal.

Xulon Press, a part of Salem Communications Corporation, is the Christian publisher
of his book. You contact Terry Dwight Coleman for interviews.

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