The Jonathan Daniels Youth Award has got to be my most prized possession as of now. I am honored to call it mine. I’ll give you a short synopsis of my story.
I am the son of a recovering alcoholic and a no-show dad. Pretty sad, huh? Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here today. But I don’t love the method of parenting they used to raise my siblings and me.
Due to my mother’s alcoholism and her poor choice in husbands, my family grew up in poverty. But that’s not completely bad in itself. Being poor has a way of humbling one (the glass half full).
Over the years that passed I found myself struggling severely. It was partly because of the poverty and the lack of guidance I received from parents, but also because of the lack of spiritual guidance I received. This all changed in the fall of 2007. I transferred to a new school and met a really cool teacher I’ll call “Sylvia McIntyre.”
Sylvia was an angel. She connected me with her church (now OUR church) and got me that spiritual guidance I desperately needed. Soon I found new confidence and freedom I never knew existed inside of me. The Lord really touched me over time and moved in ways that astounded me such as getting into the college of my choice (miracle!).
And then I found myself at Martin Luther King program sponsored by the volunteer organization I am a part of (the Freedom Foundation). I thought I was simply giving a speech to encourage the youth, but I learned that there was an award to be presented with my name on it!
Once again, I’m honored to own the Jonathan Daniels Youth Award. It represents the change that God has done in me. The character that he’s growing in me. And it looks cool! Come on, people, I’m eighteen, I had to throw in the word “cool” to let you know just how hip I am!
Welcome!
Welcome to the Freedom Foundation “blog” – a place to read everyday stories from everyday people who volunteer for the Freedom Foundation. These are the stories that are the life of the events, programs and efforts of the Foundation.
Some people criticize us for the faith we have that makes us believe we can make a difference. Others ridicule the idea that change is possible. But it is stories like these that you read below and then thousands of others that remind us that making a difference in just one person’s life is worth it.
The Starfish Story
Original Story by: Loren Eisley
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”
The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out.
If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down,
picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…
“I made a difference for that one.”
These are our “Starfish Stories”.
Some people criticize us for the faith we have that makes us believe we can make a difference. Others ridicule the idea that change is possible. But it is stories like these that you read below and then thousands of others that remind us that making a difference in just one person’s life is worth it.
The Starfish Story
Original Story by: Loren Eisley
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”
The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out.
If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down,
picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…
“I made a difference for that one.”
These are our “Starfish Stories”.
