Personal Narrative: Brother Antoine Hollings

We all have had people of influence in our lives that have touched us in a powerful way to bring about a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They are not characters found on the cover of a Wheaties box, but world changers as hero/heroines of the faith, the entrusted ones to move the Word of God from the pages of the Bible to the hearts of men, women, boys, and girls. We have been exposed to the good news because they have been faithful servants to encamp about us with care and tenderness that prompts the utmost respect for their lifestyle and their belief. Although it would be more resourceful to pick a hero found in the Old Covenant to expound the goodness of God, it is more joyful to have my own bloodline

My youth pastors Justin and Bob are people that I have always looked up to and wanted to be like. They worked for the middle school and high school groups so I spent a lot of time learning from them. I have gone on many trips with them such as backpacking in Yosemite, mission trips to Mexico, houseboating at the Sacramento Delta, and Snowboarding trips to Tahoe. They taught me so much from a young age about respect, and most importantly being a man of god. I feel like being around Justin and Bob as well as the rest of the church as helped keep me from getting into trouble and given me morals to live by. I still go to Carmel Presbyterian Church when I am visiting home and still really enjoy it even though I am back to sitting in the Sanctuary.

am going through harsh struggles in life and his struggles helped me understand everyone has

*disclaimer: bare with me... the next 5 chapters are crap because i wrote them over a year ago...chapter 19 will be the start of some great shit*

I am an enslaved African American bought by an army surgeon. My owner’s name is John Emerson. Emerson bought me in Missouri, but took me and his family with him to an army base in Illinois. Illinois is above the North latitude 36 degrees 30’N, so it is a free state. We did not stay very long in Illinois because Emerson was called to Wisconsin Territory which is also a free slave state. I can’t believe that I have been in TWO free states, yet I am still be counted as a slave. Once Emerson was done in Wisconsin he packed up his family and me, and went back to Missouri. Soon after we returned Emerson passed away. Emerson was a loyal owner. Since I am property of Emerson and he is now deceased what am I? Free? Still a slave? So back in 1846, I sued for my freedom from Emerson’s wife-Irene.

It was a normal night for the Briceland family, moms doing laundry and dad's downstairs watching T.V. I step out into the hallway and sit on the floor with my mom as she folds clothes.I had been thinking alot about my parents and how they act and thinking to myself they don't act like a normal husband and wife.I never really thought a lot about how they acted until that day and it made me realize alot.So as my mom and I sat on the floor I asked “why dont you guys acted like a normal husband and wife.At first she was confused and didint know what to say, she wanted me to explain more and tell her why I think that so I did.After I told her she called my dad upstairs to have a family discussion in her room, and thats where it all began.

This day today is a hard one for all of us. Losing a loved one is the saddest event in our lives. When you lose a loved one, your heart feels heavy and sad. And that’s what I am going through right now.

My eyes opened and all I saw was black, a strong rhythmic knocking noise echoed in the room. Isaac, my best friend and dorm mate was having a seizure and I watched as his body banged against the bedroom wall. It was terrifying. I was in shock and had no idea what was wrong with him, but suddenly I remembered reading about seizures in my old lifeguard manual and realized there was nothing I could really do. The optimal method was to wait and maintain his airway. I felt powerless, but eventually the seizure passed and Isaac returned to his old self. Soon after, I learned that for as long as I had known him, Isaac had been harboring a secret: epilepsy. Three years later, I saw Isaac‘s body on a gurney under the fluorescent lights of a hospital. He had another seizure, but this time, there was no one there to help. All that I have left of him are memories of who he used to be, his laughter and generous smile. My best friend lived with his illness, and he never once let it control his life. In him I saw firsthand the complexity of human health, the fragility of mortality and I’ve been inspired to pursue medicine ever since.

Tommy Read came in today and he was mad. He wanted to but a pack of air-o-cells, but his card did not go through. I called Kathleen Squares, and tried to get her to run the card, but it did not go through again. I managed to get another card from him, and he was finally able to pay for his order. Obviously, he was very irritated when he left the lab. He said that he would call Sheryl (his sales rep) because of what happened today. I let him know that it was fine to do that. Thirty minutes later Sheryl calls saying that Tommy was complaining about us. I clarified the situation, and she said that from now on he would call her, and she would process his air-o-cell orders. She will then send us an email to let us know that he is picking

"Patrick! Wake up!" Best way to wake up of course is, with your best friend yelling beside your head.

Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ, are the perfect friends. I know they live and are watching over me with a desire to help. They heal and guide me whenever I trust and put my faith in

Looking back on your life, everyone has that one person or couple of people who have impacted their lives in one way or another. Whether they impacted your life for the best or for the worst an impact is still an impact. The person who I hold near and dear to my is my very own mother as well as my big brother and sister, Tom and Jerri. Together we have been through rough times and smooth sailing. No matter what it was I was going through I could talk to either one of them and hope to get an insight on life and guidance as to what my next step should be. Not only was my life impacted my people but by events as well including, when I was in 5th grade, when I met my big brother and sister, when i realized how much helping people means to me. I’m grateful to all the blessing I was able to receive in my life.

After several years his family and mine became close and Pastor Travis always made sure to look out for my sister and I. He became a positive male role model in our lives and made sure that we did well in school and hung out with people who would also make positive impacts in our lives. Due to his involvement in my life I became heavily involved in my church and took on many responsibilities by the time I was in 8th grade. I also went on numerous trips with him and fellow youth group student's to places like Ocean City, Orlando, Rocky Mount,and Honduras. On each trip I evolved into a better version of myself and that was due to the expectations and values that Travis had taught me to hold myself to.

The reality of this quote is ringing loud and clear. I have come to the conclusion that my "friend" who told me they were interested in helping me with Men Of Many Shades is not someone I can rely on . . . for anything. Never. Ever. Again. I am terribly disappointed, but as I stated before, I knew what I was getting into and I went in with my eyes wide open to this possibility. Still, it is distressing. I wanted so much to treat them fairly, with compassion, and give them the benefit of the doubt.

My dad, around five feet five inches, lean body, tan skin tone, with little hair. My dad had a very serious personality, he laughed at times but he was very serious, he always liked being on time to places, he was very responsible, also very intelligent. He knew how to fix cars but also do home repairs like renovate a basement, install lights in a house, he was overall an amazing role model for me as a kid he could do anything. My role model being my father encouraged me to always be with my dad, to always follow him wherever he went, if we went to the hardware store to buy 2x4 blocks of wood or go to church with him I was there. Now talking about church. Church was my favorite place to go on the weekend. I