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Eventually, the baby went to live
with her great-grandparents, who
called her Thelma Louise Smith and
loved her dearly. They took little
Thelma to church, where she learned
to love the hymns and praise songs.
On those occasions when Thelma was
taken to her grandparents’ home, her
grandmother abused her, just as she
had tormented Thelma’s mother. She
was locked in a dark, smelly,
insect-infested closet until just
before her grandfather came home
when her grandmother would bring her
out of the closet, clean her up, and
act as if all was well. In spite of
her deep fear, little Thelma spent
her time in the closet singing every
hymn and praise song she could
remember. She would sing herself to
sleep in that closet, and the Lord
received this little girl’s innocent
praise and rewarded it with an
abundant life of joy, protecting her
from feelings of anger or
bitterness.
Thelma grew up to become a
trailblazer for black women, a
prominent international speaker and
author, and a wife, mother,
grandmother, and great-grandmother.
As a student at North Texas State
University in Denton, Texas (now the
University of North Texas), she was
a member of the first group of girls
to integrate the school’s
dormitories. She earned her
Bachelor’s degree there and
eventually received a Master’s of
Ministry from Master’s International
School of Divinity in Evansville,
Indiana. In 2002 she became the
school’s first black female
professor.
In 1980 Thelma became the first
black woman in the South to organize
her own international speaking and
consulting corporation. Her natural
talent for public speaking and
storytelling attracted the attention
of the Women of Faith Tour, and in
1996 she became the first black core
speaker for the organization. She
has authored several books,
including her latest God Is Not
Through With Me Yet, an inspiring
examination of her own life
experiences in which she encourages
readers to “sing in the closets of
their lives.” She serves as the
president of The Daughters of Zion
Leadership Mentoring Program, an
organization she founded in 2000
(another first for a black woman).
Through this ministry, “Mama T,” as
she is affectionately called, has
mentored over 100 spiritual
daughters, received an honorary
doctorate degree and was ordained
into the Christian Ministry on
December 16, 2008, from St.
Thomas Christian College and
Theological Seminary and the
Association of Christian Churches in
Jacksonville, Florida. She was also
was named Extraordinary Woman of the
Year 2008 by Mrs. Julie Clinton,
Host of the Extraordinary Women
Conferences an affiliate of the
American Association of Christian
Counselors.
Thelma has been married to George
Wells, her best friend, supporter,
and encourager, for over 45 years.
The couple lives in Dallas, Texas,
and has three children, eight
grandchildren, and two
great-grandchildren.
Visit Thelma's website to learn
more:
www.thelmawells.com |
