I grew up in a single parent home while my father spent 10 years of my life incarcerated at a federal penitentiary. My mother had to grow up fast being that she was only 17 years old and still in high school when I was born. My mother wanted nothing but the best for me, but was unsure on how to give it to me. One thing I know for sure is momma loved me. I spent the majority of my youth going from neighborhood to neighborhood and grew up around a lot of different types of gang members. I was a straight “a” student until the 8^th grade. I remember that year because that was also the year my father came home from prison. I spent most of that year smoking weed, stealing, fighting, and running away from home. I believed I had found my place on the streets because I could pretty much do as I pleased and at that time I could care less about the consequences. I didn’t graduate from junior high school that year, but with the help of summer school I did make it to 9^th grade. In high school I didn’t fit in with the “in crowd.” I found my home with the thugs. I had a solid reputation as a fighter and spent most of my time stealing cars, robbing stores, breaking and entering homes, and getting high. In 10^th grade I was so well known that the “in crowd” became my crowd even though I wasn’t even looking for it. The ladies embraced me and it was no stopping me then. I found myself involved with the early stages of pimping and I was only 16 years old. Life was moving way too fast. Truancy began to be a daily routine as well as multiple court appearances.

   By the grace of God I managed to graduate high school after my mother decided to move to the suburbs. After high school I did what most young men I knew were trying to do. I tried holding down a steady job and attended  community college. Sadly, I met the fate most young men meet. I didn’t believe in myself, nor did I see the purpose of community college. I saw people going to USC and UCLA and I grew ashamed of community college. So I dropped out several times. I spent over 3 years fornicating, hustling, sever alcohol abuse, massive partying, fighting, gambling, and a really bad attempt at becoming a rap mogul. In 2004 reality struck most of my friends. I watched them become losers because they had all lost hope. I saw a lot of them get long term prison sentences, and even some that I loved became deceased. My best friend joined the navy so I decided to try one more option. I was blessed with an opportunity to attend Grambling State University in Louisiana that fall. This was always a personal dream of mine to attend college at Grambling, I just never thought it was possible. My life was about to change more than I really expected. I met a girl in 2004 who became my first real girlfriend, and I really liked her a lot. I liked her so much I stole her social security card so I could always find her when I came home from Grambling. I really loved this girl. We seemed to fit each other like a puzzle. The things I lacked in my personal life she had and what she lacked I had.

                Nonetheless, I went to college and I had the best time of my life. I look back on those days and envy the man I was there because I never saw him again. I can still remember him being full of choices and goals, not really knowing whether to go left or right but free to make a decision. He had the freedom to roam the countryside and write about all its beauty. I received a phone call 2 months into my journey of personal change, a phone call I really knew was coming. The girl on the phone said she was pregnant. I grew up in a single parent household so my mind was made up. My conscience fought me for weeks but finally I rode that greyhound bus from Louisiana back to Los Angeles. Almost 3 days on that bus armed with a pen, Jay-Z’s black album, Dr. Dre the Chronic Album, luggage, and a pack of black and mild cigars. The problem was that just two small months of college had changed me and the girl who was my girlfriend wasn’t real receptive to the new me. I really was searching for her to be different and we had problems. I never doubted my love for her and before I left I had promised to marry her. So that December of the same year I had met her, our families joined together as Aneisha and I tied the knot. It was a train wreck. We spent 1 year fighting daily, and everyday I wanted more and more to return to Grambling. I had no idea how to live with a woman, or how to have a relationship with a woman. I didn’t even have a good relationship with my mother so marriage and fatherhood became a living nightmare. I just wanted out and back to Grambling I wanted to go. To make a long story short I partied all day, drunk heavily until I burned a hole between my throat and stomach, and I cheated on her. We separated in 2005 barely making a year of marriage. I really was happy for her that she was free of a monster like me. I really didn’t understand her logic of hoping I would change. I knew I couldn’t change and I had no idea why she thought I could. January 1, 2006 I woke up with a strong desire to go to church. I knew of a church my mother had invited me to once and it only cost her $20.00 to get me there. I attended that church and heard a beautiful message called “Get it fixed in 06” and that’s exactly what happened to me. I gave my life to the Lord and the Holy Spirit began to deliver me from pornography, alcohol, adultery, violence, and I even wanted to fix my marriage. With the help of my Pastor Ervin Smith who preached that dynamic message and his wife, my marriage was salvaged. God had a plan for me and my wife. All we had to do was put our personal feelings to the side and trust in him.

                We now have two beautiful children and I am currently a deacon at The Chapel of Peace located at 5529 S. Vermont in Los Angeles, Ca. I have been involved with youth gang counseling at youth correctional facilities an also with homeless ministries. I am often called upon to preach and I have also started a home based bible study group. God has been good to my family and we have really dedicated our lives to try and help others repair their lives through Jesus Christ. Myself and my brother in Christ Ivan Hamm started a Christian social network www.weserve.ning.com and I recently published my first book “The Great Invitation” available at www.blurb.com Trust in God and remember you are not just a testimony but a servant of the most high God.-Glory Be to God