2024 Local Authors Expo Spotlight: Charlena Bray

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Charlena Bray, author of "To Live...To Die... To Life: Stories of Eternal Connections"


The 2024 Birmingham Public Library Local Authors Expo is this Saturday, November 2. Presented by the Tri-County Alabama Chapter of the Links, Inc., this year's expo featuring nearly 30 authors is happening from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday at the Central Library, 2100 Park Place in downtown Birmingham.

BPL is spotlighting several participating authors, including two who happen to be members of our 2024 Local Authors Expo sponsor, the Tri-County Alabama Chapter of the Links - Charlena Bray and Dr. Idrissa N. Snider. 


Charlena Bray is a minister and elder at The Guiding Light Church in Birmingham, where she has been a member since 1989. Over these 30 plus years, she has served families who have experienced loss through the death of their loved ones in making final arrangements, through grief counseling, and with other ministry support. Charlena's experiences led to her to write a monologue, “On Death and Dying: To Eternal Life or Eternal Punishment,” that is shared with families. 

 Widowed at age 26, buried both parents who died within six weeks of each other. Bray understands the devastation of loss of a loved one, having dealt with the death of five of her eight siblings. Charlena firmly believes Philippians 4:13 – “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.” 

In a Q & A with BPL PR Director Roy Williams, Charlena talked about how she uses her  personal experiences with death of family members to be caring, compassionate, sympathetic, and helpful to others in dealing with their losses. 

BPL: Tell about your book: To Live … To Die … To Live: Stories of Eternal Connections 

Charlena: Sixteen storytellers share their personal experiences with the loss of loved ones through these 14 stories. The reader may find answers to a range of questions: When I die, will I live again? After life on earth, then what? Is there really life after death? Will I live forever? 

Could it be that death is but a stepping stone to life? While the stories have some similarities, each is unique and distinctly different. Ages at death span the gamut from pre-birth to two 95 year old matriarchs to a centenarian of 103. 

Circumstances at death include parents who died within six weeks of each other, 16 and 21-year-old car accident victims, two women who battled the same very rare disease - scleroderma, and a woman who took a quick peep into heaven. 

BPL: What inspired you to write your book? 

Charlena:  I have served and ministered to countless families at my church for the past 35 years who have lost loved ones through death. I have listened to their stories while using the Scriptures to encourage and assist their understanding. I have personally dealt with the loss of many family members.

Seeking biblical understanding and answers to my own questions and more from these others, I have searched and diligently studied God’s Word. I came to realize the need for making this information available to a broader audience. 

BPL: What do your hope readers get out of this book?

Charlena: There is life after death. Since life is choice driven, we must choose where we will spend eternity. 

BPL: Anything else on to add for those interested in writing a book? 

Charlena: Make the commitment, develop an action plan, then work the plan — one step at a time, one day at a time.

By Roy L. Williams, Public Relations Director|Birmingham Public Library



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