The Front Porch Promise

"The Front Porch Promise" is a breathtaking story about one incredible woman's life and her ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Following the tragic loss of her parents, the author, who was then just nine years old, and her three siblings were torn apart. With her older sisters departing on different paths, the author and her five-year-old brother were taken from the only life they had ever known—a rural dairy farm—and moved to the busy metropolis of Buffalo, New York, a city seventy-five miles away. Being forced to reside with their maternal aunt in a tiny five-room flat in the heart of the city, every aspect of their lives had changed. Stripped of confidence, trust, and childhood innocence, the author was forced to embark on an against-all-odds journey of growth and survival. Despite all of the challenges, extraordinary circumstances led her to believe in miracles.

The author's relatives wore two faces, one in public and another in private. While in public, they presented themselves as devout Christians and church leaders who made a God-honoring decision to love and care for two hurting and orphaned children. However, within the walls of the home, they showed their true selves. They were religious hypocrites who abused the author physically, sexually, verbally, and emotionally. Fearing punishment by both God and her caregivers and realizing the possibility of being separated permanently from her little brother, the author hid the secrets of the abuse and told no one—absolutely no one—the full story of what took place. That is until now.

Apart from revealing the raw struggles and heartbreaking secrets of her life following the loss of her parents, in "The Front Porch Promise", the author shares lingering questions that have haunted her in the decades following her parents' deaths: Does God really love me? If He loves me, can He heal my broken heart and restore my family?

Her questions concerning God's love for her lingered for decades—all until August of 2016, when something so remarkable happened that helped her believe.

Debra Runge Meder is a first-time author.

The daughter of Upstate New York dairy farmers, she learned a life lesson at age ten by way of an unexpected tragedy that struck her family. The lesson is this: the most valuable thing we leave behind for those we love is precious memories. It is a mantra by which she lives her life.

Debby is defined by those who know her as an exceptional storyteller with an amazing ability to make written words penetrate the hearts of her readers. Storytelling is her gift and her passion. It is what she is known for by the many who have encouraged her to write her first book, "The Front Porch Promise", a book that she began writing in her retirement years.

Debby enjoyed a lifelong career as both a paralegal and a human resource director. She lives in Chautauqua County, NY with her husband of 35 years and her 10-year-old Belgian Malinois dog named Stormy who keeps her young.