My BOOKS
Wishes of an absent father
How does a male child raised by a single mother learn how to be a man? Who teaches that child the responsibility of man and how a man should carry themselves in life?
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Does not being present in the child's life become the vicious cycle that the son carries on? When does the cycle end? In this book, I will shed light on the biggest mistake that I made in my life and take full ownership of my decision.
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This book will tell you the struggles that I had being a parent despite my desire to be the best parent that I could be. My goal was to break the cycle that I was born into but only succeed in continuing it.
My life has been anything but easy, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have experienced hard lessons and have learned from them all.
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I learned that life is what you make it out to be, and no matter what you go through in life, it is the way that you respond to each situation that matters the most.
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Life has taught me that responding in anger will never give you the results you need to make you a better person. Responding in anger starts a pattern of dealing with issues that will lead to other problems you may have to face eventually.
How do larvae become a butterfly? How does a creature who could barely move on earth learn to fly in the sky?
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Don’t the larvae know from birth that their life would not amount to much? So how could their life amount to anything, right?
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The stages that the larvae go through to become the best version of themselves are the same process that we must commit to achieving.
For many of us, our life resembles the larvae. We are born into a world that does not foster or encourage our growth.
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Unlike the larvae, we get caught in one stage of our life. Then, because of our fears and insecurities, we don’t move on.
This book will inspire you to spread your wings and fly to new heights as you move through the stages of your life.
We all wear a mask that we show the world, which becomes the veil that hides and protects us from the eyes and opinions of the judgmental world we live in.
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We become so comfortable wearing the mask that we forget to remove it when we are around people whom we love, cherish and adore because of the fear and insecurities that made us put the mask on in the beginning.
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We get so caught up in pretending that we forget how to live and love at the moment we are in love. As a result, the fantasy of whom we want people to see and admire becomes more accurate than the reality of who we are at our core.
From Major to Minor reveals all the ways that a man should genuinely love a woman. (Completely)This book not only highlights the love, but it sheds light on the pain that genuinely makes love a wonderful thing. In my life, I have composed words of affection from A to Z.
I was always trying to express the inner feelings that I held within.
From Major to Minor reveals all of the love and the passion in my heart. This book says all the things that my mouth needs to speak to the love of my life. She is my friend, my lover & my wife. Both men and women can enjoy this book as it highlights all the things that make a marriage work.
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(Commitment to Each other)
“Between the words here and now, I will place forever as I promise you my heart, my soul & my time.”
This book says all of the things that a person may feel but cannot put it in words
Scholars learning how to start the school year off the right way is essential because it is easier to be successful if they know how to apply themselves in the beginning and not try to catch up at the end.
Anyone who cares for our scholars’ well-being should understand that we must help them develop a foundation that will foster success.
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This book will give all scholars the tools that they will need to succeed in heading back to school.
Before I close my eyes, I want to come to terms with my past and be contemptuous with my life today. I am far from being perfect, but I am stepping towards my salvation.
Before I close my eyes, I need you to know that my heart, love, and prayers were always present, even in my absence.
Sometimes being the father that a man wishes he could be becomes overshadowed by his pride, fears, and anger of the man that he used to be.
I have allowed my pride, fears, and anger to take precious moments away from my life that I will never be able to get back.
So, I am writing this book to give back all the knowledge that a father would want his Goddess to have.
You are what inspires a male to want to become a Man. For your acceptance, I have always tried to become a Better Man.
All the hate and anger that you may have towards me, please allow me to carry those burdens so that your heart and soul can be free.
I pray that this book will be the first step that allows us to be as close as I have always wished that we could be.
To make someone change, you must make them uncomfortable. This book will make you very uncomfortable from the beginning to the end.
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Shaking the Foundation gives the reader a glimpse into things that we take as facts when they are not.
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Shaking the Foundation will shed light on many topics. From religion, politics, education, history & even more. I have struggled with these topics from a child even still as an adult.
This book is not for everyone!
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The information in this book is not facts. The information in this book is only a conversational piece to encourage the reader to study to show thyself approval.
Ask, and you shall know. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and the door shall open. (A.S.K)
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Your journey awaits.
A person will tell you everything you need to know about them within the first few minutes of meeting them. Will you take the time to listen?
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It is not always the verbal cues that reveal a person’s motive. Instead, it is often their actions that speak louder than their words.
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Their words don’t always match their actions, especially when they intend to deceive you. It is not their fault when we do not take the needed percussions to protect our hearts from our deceitful eyes.
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Our deceitful eyes entice us to give in to our wants as we sacrifice what we need.
We focus more on our wants than our needs which always leave us praying on our knees.
We stop asking questions about what we need to know about a person because we are too afraid to mess up what we think we want from that person.
No one can fill a void in your life but you!
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This book will examine the many red flags that people will reveal to us, but we choose to ignore them and paint them white.
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You will notice many situations within this book that you have encountered dealing with other people and a few situations that will prepare you for future encounters.
This book will give you the tools to make sure that you are not sacrificing your needs because of your wants.
Most successful people can tell you how to overcome failure in life in the following way. Failure only comes to those who refuse to keep fighting for what they want. Success belongs to those few people who understand that failure is not an option but only a lack of action. Learn to say less and do more.
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In my life, I have had many repeats of day one's in my pursuit of success. Day one's was when I had to start from scratch to get back to where I left off on my journey. It was my stubbornness that allowed me to accept going through my day ones. I had to learn to make my effort match up with my desire and sacrifices.
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Failure taught me the need to eliminate any and everything that did not align with my success goals. When you learn to eliminate the option of failure, you only have success as a destination. Being a visual creature, I had to view my success and know the route I had to take to get there. I had to learn how to turn the visions in my head into the vision board I saw every morning I woke-up.
When I feel misunderstood, scrutinized, betrayed, overwhelmed, and all of those things God did not create me to be: I pray
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When my mind won’t stop overthinking, and my fears and worries are getting the best of me: I pray
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I give all of my problems to God and trust what he has consistently shown me in the past. He will always deliver. This is why I pray
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This book is me giving thanks to my creator and all of the things he has done in my life. (Hopefully, you can relate)
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My creator has delivered me from the valley to the mountain tops just so that I can go down on my knees and say thank you.
Prayer Changes Things
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Father, thank you for the blessings that I can see in my life.
Thank you for all the prayers that have yet to manifest into my life.
I want to say thank you for giving my life purpose and meaning.
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I may have struggled to get back on the path that you had for me in my life, but you have never left my side.
This is why I still pray
This book will reveal and explain the graduation requirements for High Schools in the State of Florida. This book will also break-down how graduating from High School is not enough to prepare many scholars for their future.
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I wrote this book because it was in my heart to speak knowledge and wisdom to those who need to know that someone cares about their future and is willing to make their voice heard.
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I wrote this book for many scholars to learn that graduation is the starting line and not the finishing line for their future.
Life begins after graduation, which is why you must plan your life before you graduate.
I wrote this book for all overworked, underpaid, and never appreciated teachers and staff members.
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This book is my way to say thank you to those teachers and staff members who still manage to touch the lives of their students beyond education and into learning new and exciting things using their unique learning style.
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Dedicated educators and staff members are why scholars learn to stop dreaming and become dream chasers in reality.
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Thank you to those educators and staff members who still work as hard as they did when they first started working with adolescents.
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Hopefully, your continued passion and effort will inspire your colleagues to re-examine their current methods and philosophy regarding dealing with young and impressionable minds
There will come a time in your life that you realize that you can't fit a big dream in a small bag. The greatness within you will overpower the fears and doubts used to hold it down for far too long.
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No more hiding in the shadows being afraid to shine bright because others may feel intimidated by your light that shines; let it shine.
No one else is supposed to understand your calling or know your next move but you. Make sure your calling and your next move is the best move for you and your future.
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Be afraid of failure but be terrified of not living up to your potential and your standards for living your best life. Failure comes with pursuing success, so don't let it stop you from trying.
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Nothing in life is permanent, so one bad chapter in your life will never tell your whole life story. Dare to be great even if you end up only being good.
Success is achieved in the effort and not the lack thereof…
There are times in my life where I stood up, but my mind wanted me to sit back down. Fear makes cowards of us all, but courage gives us the strength to endure.
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Silence is a form of agreeance, and I can’t entirely agree or choose to remain silent in the presence of wrongdoing.
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When you have a mindset like this, you will surely put yourself on the radar of those who don’t share your same feelings.
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I knew that you would be considered a threat to those who do not share the same feelings as you if you care about what you do.
Those people will twist your words and use their version of the truth to represent the facts improperly.
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Standing for what is right or needed will mostly bring you discomfort, ridicule, and pain. (Colin Kaepernick)
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When you’re tempted to quit, remember why you started
This book is dedicated to all educators, administrators, support specialists, and people who go above and beyond their duties.
These special people go out of their way daily to ensure that the scholars they are entrusted with guiding, educating, and mentoring are safe and free to become the best versions of themselves.
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This book tells my story, my journey, and my testimony of why I choose to become a Certified Teacher. I want my students to read this book and better understand the purpose that drives me to want to be in their service.
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I want my students to learn how to ask their other teachers, administrators, support specialists why they decided to work for students and better understand them as people who care beyond their paycheck.
You can spend a lifetime looking inside the mirror and not truly recognize or understand the image staring back at you.
Regrettably, the reflection in the mirror you see is the image that other people may feel about you instead of how you feel about yourself.
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Unfortunately, the principle of knowing thyself does not register with a person who never had a chance to get to see the beauty they have within because of the horror the world has shown them.
I learned to think about these three questions before deciding to speak or say anything that could affect other people.
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(Is it true; is it necessary; Is it fair)
Is it true that at-risk students are negatively affected by their “Entitled” teachers? Both personally & professionally, for me, the answer is yes.
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Is it necessary to write about an important topic happening to our kids at school? This book is needed because it sheds light on a subject/ topic that many educators know is a big problem in our school but chooses to ignore it because of the fear of losing their job or being labeled a troublemaker/ difficult to work with at their facility.
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Finally, is it okay to blow the whistle on practices that I have first-hand knowledge of because of my position? Yes, because it is not okay for the victims to be victimized by someone who was supposed to help develop them into becoming a better version of themselves.
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This book will give a voice to the voiceless while allowing them to tell their story to those who choose to listen. Will you decide to listen and learn how it feels to be an at-risk student dealing with “Entitled” teachers?
There are no elevators on the path to success! It does not take the money of a rich dad or the knowledge of a poor dad to tell their children about how hard it is to achieve success.
Although it may be challenging to achieve success, it is not impossible for those who are willing to put in the needed work.
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Nothing in life that you view as success is easy. With this understanding, you will need to apply the following wisdom:
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“If you do what is easy, your life will be hard. But, if you are willing to work hard now, your life will be easy.”
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This book will explain the steps along the way to the path of success. I will give you examples and personal stories that I had to overcome with each step along my path to success.
I will share the tests that have become my testimony to others about traveling the path to success. I had to learn that if I failed or succeeded in life depended on my mindset and my ability to turn my dreams into reality.
No, I am not the best writer!
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I struggle with my reading, spelling, grammar, and all of the other things that an English/ Language Arts teacher would cringe about from their students.
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My books are filled with many errors, mainly because I am a self-published author, editor, and illustrator.
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I had put my writing and my talent on the shelf because I knew that I had many things that I needed to work on within myself.
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Who would want to hear a message from a former at-risk student, now an at-risk adult wanting to make the many tests that he has encountered in his life a testimony that others can use to fulfill their lives?
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Can a man with many flaws still speak the breath of life into others who need air? Is it possible he could help others despite his limitations and shortcomings?
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This book will reveal how anything is possible with both faith and hard work as your foundation. In addition, this book will inspire you to face all of your weaknesses and shortcomings head-on.
If you don’t want to learn, no one can help you, but if you are determined to learn, no one can stop you!
Men marry their mother, and women marry their father or lack thereof. (In most cases)
If a wife wants to know how her husband will treat her, she should examine his relationship with his mother.
His mother was the first woman in his life and should have laid the foundation on how to treat a woman.
This book will reveal the many lessons I was blessed to learn and how a boy became a man by shifting blame inwards instead of outwards to other people.
This book is not to shed a bad light on my mother because I would only succeed in showing you my faults as a man.
This book explains the growth that I had to endure to become a better version of myself.
I love my mom. I can honestly say this because we had gone full circle repeatedly before I was brave enough to realize that I can control how I react to what happens to me.
Relationships are hard!
There is nothing easy about dealing with someone that thinks and acts differently than you.
Expectations often bring hesitation when one person feels that their wants or needs are not being satisfied by the other person.
This book will discuss the essential things women need from their mate (Love) and what their mate wants in return (Respect).
How can each party get what they need from each other to feel secure, loved & respected?
You may not find all the answers in this book, but you will discover what it takes to put you both on the right track.
A conversation that makes you feel the other person is truly listening to how you feel inside.
The strongest people you know face many battles and obstacles that you don’t know they are dealing with each day.
Behind their smile hides a pain that has left a stain on their soul over the years.
This book will bring the reader one step closer to understanding the pain behind the smile of our strongest soldiers and the battles they face each day.
This book will say with words all the things that their pride, fear, and pain won’t let them share with other people because they feel that they would never understand.
We are all one struggle away from our breaking point. One setback away from not being able to continue the path that we were destined to take.
Sometimes the hardest thing to face is the one thing we need to address to reclaim our peace of mind.
Hard lessons help us understand that certain things in our lives must fall apart so everything else can come together the way it is supposed to.
We may not like to face this truth, but running from our fears will eventually bring us face-to-face with our most profound agony. We can’t run from ourselves.
The pain, struggles, heartaches, and losses that we face in our life are part of the bigger plan to make us stronger to overcome the obstacles that we will face in life.
(Writing the chapters in your life)
Where you are currently at in your life does not have to be where you end up in your life. Your life is a novel filled with chapters.
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How many chapters will be in your novel? That is a question that only you can answer. We get trapped reading or reliving the same chapter in our life, unwilling to turn the page and move on to a new beginning.
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When it comes to your book, you are the author, editor, and illustrator. If you don’t like something in your book, rewrite the story or improve your next chapter.
This too shall pass...
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I have experienced things in my life that I thought would end my life, but I am still here.
I have gone through things in life that made me question my life, but I am still here.
I’m still standing despite all the adversity I had faced in my life because I was strong enough to go down on both knees and pray to the one person who could make way for me even when I did not think it was possible.
Learning to love yourself
There will come a time in your life when you finally decide to laugh, smile, and dance even when you are facing adversity in your life.
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Despite all the pain, heartaches, fears, and insecurities that we have held onto for far too long, there will come a time in our life when we decide to accept the fact that the Most High did not create us to keep those negative feelings inside ourselves.
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There will come a time in your life when you see yourself through the eyes of your creator, and you will know that you are more than enough! Most importantly!
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This book will remind you that you can't love someone else more than you love yourself!
Mending Your Broken Heart
I can tell you a lot about love because I know a lot about pain. I struggled with loving myself, which led me to be in relationships with people who found it easier to use me instead of helping me discover my inner self.
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I was caught in a vicious cycle that haunted me for years. A broken heart and a lifetime of scars are all I have to show for my heartache and years of pain.
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I wanted more when it came to love, so I had to learn to do more to get the desired results. But, unfortunately for me, my way of doing things was not working in my best interest.
So, I needed to make a change.
Whether we are trying to love ourselves or love someone else, there is one thing for sure; it will take everything we have inside to get everything we want out of love.
Let me tell you what I know about setbacks and failures.
Our frustration in life comes from what we think and not always what is. When we are not where we want to be in our life mentally or physically, we become frustrated.
Our frustration with ourselves causes us to blame everyone around us simply because it is always easier to blame others for our mistakes instead of taking ownership of our current situation.
Becoming resilient does not happen overnight. Neither does achieving triumph when failure is always lurking.
How many times are you willing to start from scratch to achieve the success you are looking for in your life?
Hopefully, by the time you finish reading this book, your answer will be as many times as it takes to be successful!
Obstacles and challenges surround every goal and dream in life. However, you must be willing to overcome those obstacles to become successful.
A wise person knows what a fool will eventually learn is that the closer you get to accomplishing your goals, the greater the adversity you will face in your life.
It would help if you were motivated to start and become determined to finish what you have started
Can a person who has been afraid and timid most of their life find the courage to face their fears? When the reward is more significant than your fears, you will move mountains and part seas despite your fears.
The courage to change is the most challenging battle most people will ever face in their life because it involves them changing themselves.
I learned many lessons in life the hard way, but I eventually learned & came to understand that every new step or level in my life would require a new version of myself.
They say you can't teach an "old dog" new tricks. But, life will teach us all lessons even when we are not prepared to learn.
This book will teach you that what you know is not more important than what you demonstrate.
Show me your friends, and I will tell you about your future.
The people in our lives should be put in a category of either reason, season, or lifetime.
If this is the first time hearing about putting people in categories, I authored this book for you.
In this book, I will talk about the importance of learning to put people in categories of reason, season, or a lifetime in our lives, to help you improve your life.
Even a fool will eventually learn; the more friends you have, the greater the chance of being hurt, betrayed and disappointed.
Dear Future Wife,
I never thought I would meet someone I could love, open and honest, who did not judge me or keep score of what I did wrong.
I never thought I would meet someone who would appreciate my effort to change over the time it took me to change, simply because they knew I was worth the wait.
The way you love me makes me want to love you even more because you have proven with actions what others could only deliver with words. (Commitment)
When it comes to you, I do not have to speak in parables or code, nor am I aloof with my feelings and emotions.
You bring out the best in me because you accept the parts of me that I am trying to change. My past is complicated, but my future is bright and clear with you in it.
I am not always strong, but I know I am not always weak. I have days where it seems like the days will never end. But I also have days when I do not want my days to finish.
I am tired of holding things inside I was never meant to hold onto. I am through trying to be the version of a man I would not want my children to look up to.
How do you let go of something that makes you feel something, even though all you feel is pain?
My grandmother once told me something that made the tears that I fought back for years okay inside my brain.
Jesus wept!
So, I cried a river to release the pain and emotions I held onto like a badge of courage that became a scarlet letter on my soul.
Reading this book, you will discover lessons that I had to learn the hard way, but I eventually learned the only way I know how to learn.
We pray for better days but are unwilling to go through the lonely nights that will lead us to our desired destination.
We pray for strength but are unwilling to face the situations that will require us to develop the strength to endure.
I have learned the fear of change is often more significant than the power to change, despite it being the only certainty in life.
We become comfortable with situations that do not serve our purpose because we are afraid to be uncomfortable and make the needed changes in our lives.
I had to be willing to modify everything within me that needed to be transformed in my pursuit of change.
I have learned the hard way, but I eventually realized that we would never become whom God meant us to be by holding onto the parts of us God predestined us to outgrow.
In this book, you will discover the power to change anything begins with the willingness to change everything in your life.
As a father, my job is to raise young princes and princesses to one day become future Kings and Queens of their Kingdom.
I know that my job will not be easy, but I am committed to completing the task. Of course, I have made many mistakes along the way. But, the one mistake I will not make is not teaching you all I know. Instead, my desire is for you to grow and develop into the best version of yourself.
When it comes to being a father, there is no right or wrong way of helping your child maneuver to adulthood. So, I hope you are willing to be patient with me as I guide you to the point where you can take your path.
In this book, you will learn the knowledge I have gained over time, including the mistakes I made along the way.
I am not perfect! But, the God I serve is!
My job is to lead you back to God through his words, teaching, and love!
One day, I asked myself one simple question.
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What if God's need for me was different from my wants?
Would I be okay with following God's plans over my desires? That question changed my life because it made me think about the direction of my life.
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I learned the hard way, but I eventually learned.
Holding myself accountable helped change my life. So, from the depth of my soul, I confess that my past may be cloudy, but my future is clear because I accept you, Lord, as my savior.
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In this book, you will discover what can happen to your life when you learn to accept God's needs over your desires. Even with the gift of free will, I desire to serve you, Lord.
Chess is not checkers, and checkers is not chess.
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Chess is not just learning to think moves ahead; checkers are not just about clearing the board.
Both games have subtle differences, but they both have a lesson to teach those willing to learn.
For those who are willing to learn
There are games within the game that are not games; there are life lessons to be learned.
In this book, you will learn about the games within the game, not about the games themselves.
This book will allow you to understand how we view ourselves and why it is essential. In addition, you will learn to understand the following better.
The most dangerous person is the one who listens, thinks, and observes before acting.
One of the most valuable lessons life has taught me was that my dreams are my responsibility.
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Before making myself accountable for the good and not-so-good moments in my life, I blamed everyone for me not having or being where I wanted to be in my life.
During my storms, I forgot who I was, but more importantly, I forgot to whom I belonged.
Once my mind came to grips with what my soul knew, I was determined to use everything others meant to break me to make me stronger.
With pen in hand, I began to write. I wrote about the good, the bad, and even those indifferences that made me pause and think.
These short notes gave me something to think about and reminded me that God is always in control, even when it feels like my life is out of control.
I had to learn and accept that if it's big enough to worry about, it's big enough to pray about. So, I combined my faith and hard work into a book I present to you.
From the moment we met, my mind started to accept things only my heart truly understood. (I am in love with you)
I knew I wanted everything with you and nothing without you from the moment I met you.
The only way this dream of mine would be possible was if I changed my life, so I changed my life. There wasn't, is, or will ever be any sacrifice I won't make to one day have you as my wife.
I speak from my lips to your soul when I say; I want to make the rest of my life the best with you. It will always be us against the many; you, him, and I.
When times get tough, I promise - promise I will only turn to you and him because I am so into you.
You move me in ways that I need to be shaken. Your presence in my life has reawakened something within me I thought my past had taken. So, imagine how your absence is affecting me.
I'm not looking for easy because I understand that difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations. That is why I am longing to be standing by your side.
I have no grand explanation or no expectation when it comes to us. What's meant to be will be by the grace & favor of God. So, I close my eyes and open my heart because I trust where he and our love will take us.
I'm not afraid to admit what loving you has made apparent. You weigh heavy on my heart because you have touched my soul. So, keeping you in my life has become my goal.
You deserve better than me, but when it comes to loving you, there's only God who is better than me.
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Let it be known that I did not build my faith in the shallow waters. Instead, I forged my belief in the Most High within the deep waters. Therefore, I had to apply hard work and sacrifice to get to where I am currently in my life.
Going through every obstacle and roadblock is what it took to get me where I can honestly say I am happy with my life.
No, I am nowhere near my final destination, but every day I am getting closer than I was the day before because I finally understood the assignment from God.
Let me go on record and say that when it comes to doing the right thing for my life, the word "easy" and I will never be on the best of terms.
Let me tell you how we came to have an understanding.
I stopped praying for better days and started renewing my faith during the "reality check" nights, which had broken me but did not stop me from continuing my fight.
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Hurricane Ian was a significant event for a lot of people. Millions of people were affected by the storm. Unfortunately, many lives were lost.
As adults, we face many obstacles and challenges every day of our lives. Therefore, we realize that we must be the solution to the problems we face.
Dealing with issues every day makes adults numb to the challenges they face. But unfortunately, it is not the same for kids who sometimes feel helpless when problems come into their lives. Unfortunately, children often have trouble processing the things they should not have been exposed to at an early age.
On the first day back to school, October 4, 2022, I conducted an exercise that allowed the scholars in my class to talk about the experiences they faced.
Our bell work exercise was simply a wellness check for those who have and are still experiencing the aftermath of hurricane Ian.
I hope their story shows you that no matter what obstacles you will face in your life, you can and will survive them if you're willing to keep fighting!
My scholars and I decided to write a book based on the following quote.
"I was raised to show respect. I was taught to knock before I opened a door. Say hello when I enter a room. Say please and thank you, and have respect for my elders. I'd let another person have my seat if they needed it. Say 'yes sir' and 'no sir,' and help others when they need me to, not stand on the sidelines and watch. Hold the door for the person behind me, say 'excuse me when needed, and love people for who they are and not for what I can get from them. Most importantly, I was also raised to treat people exactly how I would like to be treated by others. It's called respect."
We wanted to share with you the values our parents/ guardians instilled in us that are helping us become the best version of ourselves.
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Before we can figure out all the things we love about ourselves, we have people telling us what is wrong with us.
We have imperfect people telling us ways to become better than what God intended us to be. (Ourselves)
Judging others has become a bad habit that we keep passing on to the next generation continuing a cycle that is hard to break but destroys others.
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I allowed other people to break me in my youth which caused me to use my adulthood to repair myself.
As I am still working on becoming the best version of myself, I am trying to help everyone I can, one person at a time.
In this book, my co-authors and I will tell you what it took to reclaim the positive image we now see of ourselves when we look in the mirror and why we decided to fight to reclaim it.
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I had to lose myself to find myself finally. It took me being totally by myself to discover and accept that my happiness depended on me and no one else.
I was tired of being tired. I was ready to change, but I needed to change everything and anything that was not helping me to be the change I needed for my life.
To change my life, I had to become intentional with my actions so they would match my words.
I had to release everything that was holding me back. My pride, anger, my fears, doubts, and insecurities that cost me years of my life I can never get back.
What I lost in the process could never compare to what I gained by being willing to endure.
This book will tell you what it took to begin my journey by removing the anchors I allowed to hold me back in my life. I hope you find something in it you can apply to yours.
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Dear Beautiful,
I need you to know that the next time you look into my eyes, I promise I won't look away. Also, the next time we are together, I promise to tell you why I need you to stay, In my life forever.
Being with you makes me feel like I am living a lifetime in a day.
I confess I have been in love before but finding you have made me sure it was your love I should have waited for.
I can't change my past, but luckily It has taught me lessons. Those lessons were a blessing because they assured me that I would not need to be second-guessing when the right woman entered my life. So I plan to spend each day convincing you why you should do me the honor of being my wife.
I need you by my side regardless of the weather. But ultimately, I want our love to be what keeps us together.
I digress.
I don't want to rush to the end. Instead, I want to take my time and tell you how my love for you all began.
In this book, you will discover what makes a man change, even when changing is the last thing on his mind. You are why I left my past behind to focus on the woman God ordained to be mine.
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Our schools have many students failing classes, but it is not always the fault of the students.
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Our education system is failing students on many levels. (S.E.L & Academic). A child will only learn what an Educator is trying to teach them if they are teaching them in a learning style that helps them grasp the information.
Teaching a student in a way that does not register in their brain is like trying to tell a fish why it should learn how to climb a tree. Why would any educated individual expect a child to learn anything if the Educator did not teach them in the style they learned?
In this book, I will give you the perspective of an Educator, Behavior Specialist, 21st Century Site Coordinator, Equity Campion, Teacher Mentor, & parent of a child labeled with a learning disability.
You will also get the perspective of several of my scholars from my classroom.
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Catch & Release / Letting go of the negative things
I wanted remarkable things for my life, but my words and my actions could not agree on how to make my dreams manifest into reality.
To be impactful, you must be intentional with your actions. I knew I wanted to change, so I needed to commit to being the change my life needed.
I needed to prepare myself for the race of my life if I was going to have the outcome I desired. I needed to fix the disconnect between my words and actions because the impact I was hoping for would only manifest once I became more intentional with my actions.
Until our words match our actions, no peace in our life will ever be found by us.
Learning to stop blaming others for what I was allowing my life to become because I lacked discipline and self-control allowed me to mold and shape myself into the person I felt worthy to behold. I wanted to be a better man.
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Impact
To be successful, I had to have a plan for the naysayers, or I would have never reached my desired destination/ place in my life to change it properly.
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Focusing on myself was challenging because I knew the people around me would not understand.
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I have learned that you must be willing to journey alone, having the companionship of God and the purpose in your heart to reach the desired destination you are in pursuit of reaching.
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What they say about me will never touch what God put in me.
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Single Not Lonely
Being alone should never make you feel lonely.
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Who you are when you’re by yourself is the real you.
The person you try to be around others or in a relationship is not the real you.
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Highlight reels on social media is not the real you. The person you are offline, away from everyone else, is the real version of you.
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We hide in crowds, becoming the expectations of others while ignoring the expectations of ourselves because we never take the time to learn about ourselves when we are by ourselves.
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I spent many years of my life jumping in and out of relationships trying to find someone to make me happy, not realizing the happiness I wanted and needed was always within me.
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Unbecoming Who You Are Not
(To Become Whom, You Were Meant to Be)
I sometimes struggle to control my feelings and emotions, so they become what others see instead of the gentle person I truly am.
The rage, anger, and foolish pride I hold onto like a prized trophy did not manifest overnight, but one night when I finally decided to look in the mirror, I found the courage to subdue my emotions and bring my demons to the light.
You can never change the things you are unwilling to admit to or address.
It took some time, but I decided to take the time to ask myself why I was contempt living a miserable life and not enjoying mine.
Before deciding the type of person, I wanted to be; I had to dive deep within myself to address the parts of me that did not allow my desires to be.
I wanted to be the best version of myself, but for that to happen, I needed to stop running and lying to myself!
In this book, you will discover what happens when a person decides to face the one thing stopping them from living the life they desire; being cuffed to their past indiscretions.
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Dear God, Keep Working on Me
Some chapters of my life brought me sorrow. There are also chapters of my life that brought me pain. Through it all, every chapter of my life assured me I could survive the rain.
If one quote could summarize every chapter in my life, it would be the following.
“No one will ever know the violence it took to become this gentle.”
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God, please keep working on me until my mind, heart, and soul becomes a reflection of you.
In this book, allow me to show how great you are when a man is willing to swallow his pride before it swallows him.
I have learned the hard way, but I have learned that sometimes you must make decisions that hurt your heart but eventually heal your soul.
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This Version of Me
(Lessons I Learned the Hard Way)
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I have been through many stages in my life that required me to grow in different areas of my life like never before.
I was forced to make many decisions and sacrifices in my life that required me to adjust to my core.
The broken version of me humbled me in ways that required me to disconnect from anything and everyone until I reconnected with myself and God because only he could reveal the many cracks in my façade.
The healing version of me required me to be open, honest, and transparent with the two people. I could never be dishonest with God and myself. I had to admit, submit, and repent every transgression to improve myself.
In this book, you will discover how this version of me is okay with you judging, doubting, misunderstanding, and gossiping about me because what it took to get myself here made me face all my fears.
I hope that reading this book allows you the courage to face yours.
Changing Circles
How do you know when to leave the people you have become comfortable around? The answer to that question is when you decide to ask yourself that vital question.
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“Even Loyalty has an expiration date.”
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Being loyal can destroy your life when your loyalty to others drains you, leaving you empty. Everyone is not as solid as they claim to be. That is why I decided to reevaluate the people I allow to stand next to me.
It hurts being betrayed by people you wished would have stayed solid.
Most people are opportunists/users. A user can always spot a giver, so you should be mindful of who you are giving your time and energy to.
Who are you giving your energy to?
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The circle meant to support and nurture you can quickly turn into the walls that imprison you to a life sentence of regret or, even worse, your death.
In this book, you will discover why I felt the need to disconnect with people I have known most of my life, for the chance to reconnect with someone who could help change my life. (Myself)
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Doing what is best for you will disappoint a lot of people. Could you be sure that you are not one of them?
Walk A Mile in My Shoes
On the outside, looking in or seeing me at certain milestones in my life, most people would assume I have always had a wonderful life. Your opinion deems the reality of what it takes to live my life.
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I have had to climb many mountains and hills, including sacrificing things I did not want to give up just for the motivation to push me past the hesitations that would have prevented me from taking the next step on my way up.
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I have walked miles that most people would not bother taking the first step simply because of the dangers that come with each one. I sacrificed time and energy to work rather than for fun.
I fought hard to stand where I am, but this is not my destination. Although I do not look like everything I have been through, I have been through making excuses that I find to be useless when it comes to achieving my dreams.
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People ask me why I push so hard to pursue my dreams. The answer is simple. What I fear more than death are the things that die within you while you are alive.
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When it comes to success, I am built for it!
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I constantly had to remind myself not to allow my comfort to be the discomfort stopping the blessings God had planned for my life.
So, I kept moving forward. I did it mad, sad, angry, upset, and even with indifferent feelings because it did not make a difference.
I am built for this!
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In this book, you will discover what happens when you are willing to make being uncomfortable the one thing you find comfort in when it comes to achieving your goals.
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Nothing will change your life until you change.
Dad's Matter
Not all fathers can be a dad, and not all mothers have what it takes to be a mom. We are often given titles in hopes that we will, with time, fulfill them.
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From my perspective, a child needs both parents in their lives. We do not need the father trying to play the part of the mother, and we do not need the mother trying to be the child's father.
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When we become parents, we do not realize the impact our absence will have on a child's life and how their future becomes their sacrifice because many of them are still dealing with their trauma from childhood.
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Far too often, we pass on generational pain because many of us still suffer subconsciously from the trauma of our past that remains.
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Unknowingly, we continue the same pattern we learned as children that maybe our parents were taught that if we do not break the cycle, our children will cause the same pain and hurt to their children.
From my experience, hurt people hurt others.
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Admittedly, I do not have all the answers, but I know that the changes we are unwilling to make will cause us to make irreversible mistakes in our children's lives.
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The intention of this book is not to discuss why you should learn how to choose a suitable mate before having children. The purpose of this book is to address the importance of a dad in a child's life from a male's perspective.
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You do not need to be the perfect dad. It would help your children if you were willing to invest the time to deserve the title.
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Dad's Matter in a child's life.
Different Level, Different Devil
There came a point in my life when I realized I was on what seemed to be the fast track to reaching my goals. What ultimately changed my life was when I realized what it would take to achieve them.
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Every new level brought forth a new devil to remind me that if I were ever going to reach the top level, I would need to transform myself into a daredevil.
In that moment, I realized that the higher you get, the more significant the adversity you will face, be it people or other things. Experience taught me what no book or teacher ever could.
When God favors you, you are also selected by the devil. I had to understand that as I faced adversity in my life. The Devil does not attack his own, so I learned to accept the adversity I face as a blessing.
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Before that acceptance, I often returned to the lower levels instead of moving on to the next level because I was unwilling to face the Devil waiting at the next level on my journey. I was running from myself because I lacked the courage to face myself and the changes it would take to reinvent myself at the next level of my life.
My fears kept me from moving forward for a very long time.
Our fear of failure makes us fail, but we fail because we fail to change. I eventually learned that if you want to change, you must change, or everything will remain the same.
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In this book, you will discover what I had to uncover that was buried within myself and finally gave me the courage to encourage myself to keep moving forward.
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I learned the hard way but eventually realized that facing opposition lets you know you’re headed in the right direction.
Heavenly Father, it’s me again. On my knees, head bowed, holding my heart in my hands. I come to you with one request. Please help me navigate this crazy dating mess.
I am way over my head and drowning from the stress!
There was a time when dating, getting to know someone, falling in love, and staying in love was easy / more manageable.
As it relates to staying in love, once you have found that one person, it was not easy because it was easy; it was easy because there was a time when people valued each other instead of trying to use one another for their benefit.
Times and people have changed drastically regarding the importance of morals and values. People now focus on judging each other instead of trying to love one another. I blame most of the change in people based on their lack of authentic communication with each other.
Most people know communication is the key to a relationship, but nowadays, people post about communication's importance instead of living it.
In this book, I will discuss my journey into the dating world and navigating through the dreadful abyss to find the one, and if not the one, just someone to have an adult conversation with.
I will share how keeping an open mind and heart throughout my journey was tested at every step of the way.
The Fear of changing
If change is the only certainty in life, why do many people fight against it? For too long, I allowed my emotions to take me on a rollercoaster ride that brought me close to my demise.
For me to survive and thrive, I could no longer hide. I had to stop showing emotions toward the things God meant for me to be numb to. Who do you run to when you’re supposed to be the hero in your survival?
Running has never given me peace, so I decided to rest my feet until God instructed me to move.
I had to understand and accept that God won’t provide you peace in something he never meant for you to settle in.
So, I had to stop settling on chasing my wants and take time to focus on my needs. I needed to trust God's purpose for my life if I was ever going to have a life worth living for.
We are where we are supposed to be to grow into who God intended us to become.
In this book, I will share with you the things I learned that will help carry you on your journey when you decide to no longer hide from discovering the version of yourself that is unique to everyone else.
Watering you takes as long as it takes. Don’t rush the process.
The Fear of changing
If change is the only certainty in life, why do many people fight against it? For too long, I allowed my emotions to take me on a rollercoaster ride that brought me close to my demise.
For me to survive and thrive, I could no longer hide. I had to stop showing emotions toward the things God meant for me to be numb to. Who do you run to when you’re supposed to be the hero in your survival?
Running has never given me peace, so I decided to rest my feet until God instructed me to move.
I had to understand and accept that God won’t provide you peace in something he never meant for you to settle in.
So, I had to stop settling on chasing my wants and take time to focus on my needs. I needed to trust God's purpose for my life if I was ever going to have a life worth living for.
We are where we are supposed to be to grow into who God intended us to become.
In this book, I will share with you the things I learned that will help carry you on your journey when you decide to no longer hide from discovering the version of yourself that is unique to everyone else.
Watering you takes as long as it takes. Don’t rush the process.