Harvesting Hope

How Green Is My Valley

De: Robbie Shugart

Narrado por: Valerie Gilbert

In sharing Opal’s story, I gathered facts by journaling down things told to me from family members recalling facts about her life, and a cousin’s ancestral tree he researched from the Barnhill side and by finding information about her journey in a spiral bound paperback book written by a cousin living in Oklahoma. This book was more like a historical one, which had marriage records, death certificates, and other legal documents.

My grandmother, Opal Rachel Barnhill Freeman, was a woman of tremendous faith, perseverance, and a tenacious fighting frontier spirit. In sharing her hindsight, witty wisdom, and true stories of bravery, Opal is an amazing woman. She fought to live. Opal’s family had a quest to find hope in a new frontier, called, “Texas.” Opal lived to tell of a horrific tornado that wreaked havoc on her young life whenever she was around 2 years old. She was a naturally talented musician learning to play the piano by ear. Opal wanted to share her love of playing the piano. As a young girl, I remember sitting beside her on the piano bench watching as my Grannie would play by ear. I sat listening to the beautiful chords and melody coming from the piano. Due to her being blind, this was miracle music. She smiled and sang gospel music and other favorites.

By the end of her late twenties, she was blind by obtaining scarlet fever, which scared her eyes. Later in life, she developed congestive heart failure which added breathing problems requiring her to use oxygen. Grandmother never stopped believing the Lord had healed her. Grandmother fought a hard physical battle. and continued carrying a positive outlook doing as much as possible with the days God gave. Her mission was to share the story of Jesus’s love because that is what brought her hope in tough times. I admired Opal’s fiery zest for life. I saw her as a frontier legend of sorts. I was her biggest fan. She was my best friend and mentor. By listening to her life story, I believe you will be in her fan club.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2025 Robbie F Shugart (P)2026 Robbie F Shugart