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Don't Tell Me There Ain't No God
A spiritual memoir of one man’s journey from faith lost to faith found again. He suffered survivor’s guilt after escaping death many times and lived to tell the tale. How God pulled him from the brink of suicide and proved to him that there is a God.
Gary is a survivor of a deadly hurricane as a child and many other death-defying moments along the way. He suffered physical abuse, sexual abuse, poverty, racism, emotional trauma, and despair. But with God’s help, he overcame it all. Today, as an independent contractor, he is a Lead Engineer for the National Aeronautics Space Agency (NASA).
Gary is a survivor of a deadly hurricane as a child and many other death-defying moments along the way. He suffered physical abuse, sexual abuse, poverty, racism, emotional trauma, and despair. But with God’s help, he overcame it all. Today, as an independent contractor, he is a Lead Engineer for the National Aeronautics Space Agency (NASA).
- GenresNonfiction
112 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 7, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 21, 2024
It’s been a while since I immersed myself in the pages of a Christian memoir, so Gary McDougall’s heartfelt and immersive story, “Don’t Tell Me There Ain’t No God,” was the first I have read in a few months. I am glad I picked it up. It is a story of resilience, courage, and finding faith in God in our vulnerabilities.
Surviving a devastating hurricane back in Belize and a near crash into the Atlantic Ocean as a young child on his way to Miami, was just the beginning of Gary McDougall narrowly escaping death numerous times. One such instance was when he escaped death by a whisker after a gun misfired when a drug dealer threatened to end his life. With his abusive father abandoning him and their family at the tender age of twelve, Gary lacked a father figure who could teach him how to navigate through life, eventually having to learn everything on his own, often through painful experiences. Out of despair, hopelessness, and frustration, Gary gets to a point where he contemplates suicide. But something unexpected saves him from his morbid thoughts; an experience that leads him to make a complete turnaround of his life and begin a profound journey of faith in Jesus Christ.
A testimony written with passion and verve, “Don’t Tell Me There Ain’t No God” by Gary McDougall is not just one man’s story of survivor’s guilt, but also a life anchor for readers. The book asserts that it is possible to overcome the adversities that life may throw at us through faith in God. The scripture…
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything in all creation will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)
…forms the basis of Gary’s work as he takes us through the progress he began to make after giving his life to Jesus. He writes with heart and is unflinchingly honest about the innocence and adventures of childhood, often exploring complex but necessary topics such as bullying, racism, rape, and domestic violence. The book goes further in-depth on how he eventually fulfilled the American dream, which is often viewed as an illusion by many immigrants, proving that it is within reach of anyone who strives to attain it.
The text is well-written with graceful prose, and its few pages make it a quick read. Readers looking for inspiration and the hope to carry on, despite their circumstances will find a balmy home in “Don’t Tell Me There Ain’t No God” by Gary McDougall. His incisive contemplations about God, religion, and overcoming tribulations make this book a powerful and resonant one. I look forward to more of this author’s works in a similar genre.
Surviving a devastating hurricane back in Belize and a near crash into the Atlantic Ocean as a young child on his way to Miami, was just the beginning of Gary McDougall narrowly escaping death numerous times. One such instance was when he escaped death by a whisker after a gun misfired when a drug dealer threatened to end his life. With his abusive father abandoning him and their family at the tender age of twelve, Gary lacked a father figure who could teach him how to navigate through life, eventually having to learn everything on his own, often through painful experiences. Out of despair, hopelessness, and frustration, Gary gets to a point where he contemplates suicide. But something unexpected saves him from his morbid thoughts; an experience that leads him to make a complete turnaround of his life and begin a profound journey of faith in Jesus Christ.
A testimony written with passion and verve, “Don’t Tell Me There Ain’t No God” by Gary McDougall is not just one man’s story of survivor’s guilt, but also a life anchor for readers. The book asserts that it is possible to overcome the adversities that life may throw at us through faith in God. The scripture…
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything in all creation will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)
…forms the basis of Gary’s work as he takes us through the progress he began to make after giving his life to Jesus. He writes with heart and is unflinchingly honest about the innocence and adventures of childhood, often exploring complex but necessary topics such as bullying, racism, rape, and domestic violence. The book goes further in-depth on how he eventually fulfilled the American dream, which is often viewed as an illusion by many immigrants, proving that it is within reach of anyone who strives to attain it.
The text is well-written with graceful prose, and its few pages make it a quick read. Readers looking for inspiration and the hope to carry on, despite their circumstances will find a balmy home in “Don’t Tell Me There Ain’t No God” by Gary McDougall. His incisive contemplations about God, religion, and overcoming tribulations make this book a powerful and resonant one. I look forward to more of this author’s works in a similar genre.
January 6, 2025
Gary McDougall’s Don’t Tell Me There Ain’t No God is a deeply personal memoir that takes readers on a journey through harrowing childhood struggles, moments of divine intervention, and an inspiring transformation of faith. The book is divided into two parts: McDougall’s life “Before Faith,” where he recounts childhood poverty, racism, and trauma, and “After Faith,” where he shares how spirituality reshaped his life. McDougall’s writing is raw, straightforward, and infused with gratitude for his faith and family, making this book both heart-wrenching and uplifting.
What stands out most is McDougall’s ability to recount his turbulent childhood with vivid detail. The opening chapter about surviving Hurricane Hattie is gripping. His family’s struggle against the violent storm and subsequent near-death experiences immediately plunge readers into the chaos of his early life. This intense opening sets the stage for a memoir filled with extraordinary events, making it impossible to put the book down. McDougall’s courage as a young boy, witnessed during this and other traumatic events, is both admirable and heartbreaking.
The second part of the book, detailing his journey “After Faith,” is equally compelling but with a different tone. McDougall candidly describes his skepticism of religion, particularly after experiencing abuse by a figure of the Church. This struggle to reconcile faith with personal pain feels genuine and relatable. His eventual embrace of God is not a miraculous overnight event but a gradual process filled with internal battles and realizations. His discovery of faith feels earned and deeply sincere, making it a pivotal moment for both the author and the reader.
McDougall’s writing style is conversational and direct, which adds to the authenticity of his story. His warmth and earnestness shine through, making the reading experience feel personal. The anecdotes, particularly those about his mother’s resilience and his siblings’ shared hardships, inject the memoir with humanity and strength.
Don’t Tell Me There Ain’t No God is a compelling read for anyone interested in stories of perseverance, faith, and redemption. McDougall’s testimony is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of faith. This book is perfect for readers seeking inspiration, especially those grappling with their spiritual journeys or overcoming personal hardships.
What stands out most is McDougall’s ability to recount his turbulent childhood with vivid detail. The opening chapter about surviving Hurricane Hattie is gripping. His family’s struggle against the violent storm and subsequent near-death experiences immediately plunge readers into the chaos of his early life. This intense opening sets the stage for a memoir filled with extraordinary events, making it impossible to put the book down. McDougall’s courage as a young boy, witnessed during this and other traumatic events, is both admirable and heartbreaking.
The second part of the book, detailing his journey “After Faith,” is equally compelling but with a different tone. McDougall candidly describes his skepticism of religion, particularly after experiencing abuse by a figure of the Church. This struggle to reconcile faith with personal pain feels genuine and relatable. His eventual embrace of God is not a miraculous overnight event but a gradual process filled with internal battles and realizations. His discovery of faith feels earned and deeply sincere, making it a pivotal moment for both the author and the reader.
McDougall’s writing style is conversational and direct, which adds to the authenticity of his story. His warmth and earnestness shine through, making the reading experience feel personal. The anecdotes, particularly those about his mother’s resilience and his siblings’ shared hardships, inject the memoir with humanity and strength.
Don’t Tell Me There Ain’t No God is a compelling read for anyone interested in stories of perseverance, faith, and redemption. McDougall’s testimony is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of faith. This book is perfect for readers seeking inspiration, especially those grappling with their spiritual journeys or overcoming personal hardships.
October 1, 2020
A new life
A passionate story written that demonstrates God's love and mercy. Knowing the end before the beginning, God orchestrates the life of this author. Escaping poverty, abuse and several near death experiences, He develops an insurmountable relationship with God. Even when he turned his back on Him. This book is a true example of the scripture found in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, " plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. "
I give This book 5 stars and highly recommend it to be added to you reading library.
A passionate story written that demonstrates God's love and mercy. Knowing the end before the beginning, God orchestrates the life of this author. Escaping poverty, abuse and several near death experiences, He develops an insurmountable relationship with God. Even when he turned his back on Him. This book is a true example of the scripture found in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, " plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. "
I give This book 5 stars and highly recommend it to be added to you reading library.
September 15, 2019
Excellent book!!!
September 15, 2020
Great read! What a terrific life.
October 24, 2025
Gary's spiritual memoir is a raw, unflinching account of a life marked by repeated brushes with death and profound suffering—and the faith that ultimately saved him. The title itself is a defiant declaration, and the book delivers on that bold promise with a story that challenges readers to reconsider the role of divine intervention in human survival.
March 2, 2025
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway winner. I enjoyed hearing the testimony and the life story of the author. He’s had a very interesting life and has overcome challenges. Overall, I thought the book was just ok- I just felt like it was missing some big revelatory moment.
December 3, 2024
Mr. McDougall shares some amazing and inspirational experiences.
March 13, 2026
Dual-Category Award Winner and Finalist for Author of the Year 2026
Best Survivor Story & Faith-Based Inspirational Book of the Year
Honoring Gary McDougall
There are stories that inspire—and then there are stories that leave you silent, humbled, and changed. Gary McDougall’s story is the latter.
I have never, in my life, read a journey like this.
Gary was not meant to survive once—yet he survived again and again, pulled back from death time after time. From childhood onward, his life reads like a series of moments where breath itself seemed borrowed. And still, with the help of God, he is here—so that he can tell the story he was spared to tell.
One of his earliest brushes with death came when he was just a little boy, trapped in the terror of a deadly hurricane. As floodwaters rose higher and higher, his mother made an impossible choice to save her children—tying them to land poles so they would not be swept away. In that moment, survival was not theory or faith-by-phrase; it was faith by action. And Gary lived. When you read that chapter, it is impossible not to ask yourself—how could anyone say there is no God?
But the trials did not end there.
Gary later recounts moving to New York, where another brush with death awaited—nearly drowning while swimming the Hudson River with a friend. That near loss joins a staggering list of escapes that would leave most people broken: surviving a deadly hurricane as a child, enduring physical abuse, sexual abuse, poverty, racism, emotional trauma, despair, and the heavy burden of survivor’s guilt after escaping death nine times.
This is not a story polished for comfort. It is a spiritual memoir of a man who lost his faith—and then found it again, deeper and truer than before. Gary writes with honesty about the darkness, including how close he came to ending his life, and how God reached into that abyss and pulled him back. Not with condemnation, but with purpose.
And purpose is where this story lands.
Because the same boy who was tied to poles to survive a storm, the same man who escaped death repeatedly, now stands as a testament to redemption and resilience. Today, Gary McDougall serves as an independent contractor and Lead Engineer for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)—a living reminder that where you begin does not determine where you are called to go.
His life answers a powerful question: Why was I saved?
The answer is clear—so others might believe survival is possible, healing is real, and God does not abandon His children, even in the fiercest storms.
This is why Gary McDougall is the Dual-Category Award Winner for Best Survivor Story and Faith-Based Inspirational Book of the Year.
Because his story captures the very journey of survival—again and again.
Because it offers hope to those who feel marked by trauma.
Because it proves that faith can be lost, questioned, and still found again.
And because it shows, unmistakably, that God is with us—when we need Him most.
Gary’s story does not merely inspire—it testifies. It tells readers that no matter how many times you’ve fallen, how many storms you’ve endured, or how close the darkness has come, your life can still carry meaning, purpose, and light.
Gary McDougall survived so that others might live with hope.
And that is why this honor is not only deserved—it is sacred.
https://prestigious-international-hop...
CEO and Founder of PIHBA
Johanna Vendel
Best Survivor Story & Faith-Based Inspirational Book of the Year
Honoring Gary McDougall
There are stories that inspire—and then there are stories that leave you silent, humbled, and changed. Gary McDougall’s story is the latter.
I have never, in my life, read a journey like this.
Gary was not meant to survive once—yet he survived again and again, pulled back from death time after time. From childhood onward, his life reads like a series of moments where breath itself seemed borrowed. And still, with the help of God, he is here—so that he can tell the story he was spared to tell.
One of his earliest brushes with death came when he was just a little boy, trapped in the terror of a deadly hurricane. As floodwaters rose higher and higher, his mother made an impossible choice to save her children—tying them to land poles so they would not be swept away. In that moment, survival was not theory or faith-by-phrase; it was faith by action. And Gary lived. When you read that chapter, it is impossible not to ask yourself—how could anyone say there is no God?
But the trials did not end there.
Gary later recounts moving to New York, where another brush with death awaited—nearly drowning while swimming the Hudson River with a friend. That near loss joins a staggering list of escapes that would leave most people broken: surviving a deadly hurricane as a child, enduring physical abuse, sexual abuse, poverty, racism, emotional trauma, despair, and the heavy burden of survivor’s guilt after escaping death nine times.
This is not a story polished for comfort. It is a spiritual memoir of a man who lost his faith—and then found it again, deeper and truer than before. Gary writes with honesty about the darkness, including how close he came to ending his life, and how God reached into that abyss and pulled him back. Not with condemnation, but with purpose.
And purpose is where this story lands.
Because the same boy who was tied to poles to survive a storm, the same man who escaped death repeatedly, now stands as a testament to redemption and resilience. Today, Gary McDougall serves as an independent contractor and Lead Engineer for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)—a living reminder that where you begin does not determine where you are called to go.
His life answers a powerful question: Why was I saved?
The answer is clear—so others might believe survival is possible, healing is real, and God does not abandon His children, even in the fiercest storms.
This is why Gary McDougall is the Dual-Category Award Winner for Best Survivor Story and Faith-Based Inspirational Book of the Year.
Because his story captures the very journey of survival—again and again.
Because it offers hope to those who feel marked by trauma.
Because it proves that faith can be lost, questioned, and still found again.
And because it shows, unmistakably, that God is with us—when we need Him most.
Gary’s story does not merely inspire—it testifies. It tells readers that no matter how many times you’ve fallen, how many storms you’ve endured, or how close the darkness has come, your life can still carry meaning, purpose, and light.
Gary McDougall survived so that others might live with hope.
And that is why this honor is not only deserved—it is sacred.
https://prestigious-international-hop...
CEO and Founder of PIHBA
Johanna Vendel
August 14, 2019
This story is unbelievable. Literally. It’s the story of the first black American to hold his Lead Engineer position at NASA.
Think that was tough for him? Think again. Compared to what he went through — and survived! — that was a walk in the park.
Think that was tough for him? Think again. Compared to what he went through — and survived! — that was a walk in the park.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews