A Step Back, A Step Forward

Luella Jones Buttram spent her childhood in the back hills of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, living in a very primitive environment, but with a large, loving family. She ran away from home to escape marriage at 15, but was caught and sent back. She was then kidnapped, almost murdered, escaped, and was married at 16 against her will. Her husband was murdered a few months after their marriage and eventually she was the one who killed his murderer to save her in-laws. She moved from the hills to the nearest town and lived with her aunt and completed high school GED classes, then left the Ozarks and moved to Wichita, Kansas. On the way there, her bus was hijacked, and she managed to shoot the hijacker. In Wichita, she lived with another aunt, worked in a law office, took college courses on-line and attended church. Again she was kidnapped, almost killed, escaped, and helped to catch her kidnapper. During her year in Wichita she was almost raped and testified against her attacker. She finally found a real and lasting love with the sheriff from her home town. She learned many life lessons during these events of her life, especially that God loved her and was there for her always, that love requires sacrifice to be real and lasting, and that family is more important than self. She learned the value of prayer and survival and life. She learned that dreams will carry you a long way to a better life, but that love is even more important.