Since I’ve been blessed enough to see the 4th anniversary of my 30th birthday, I thought it would be fitting to devote a blog post to God and to anyone would be blessed by reading it. So, here goes. These are 34 things that I am thankful for!
1. God; I was called from an early age. No way I could be half the man I am without the love and direction of God.
2. My wife; A Godsend. She has my back in every situation; favorable or not. I’ve never met anyone with this kind of dedication to a person.
3. Isaiah; Guiding you into a God-fearing life has changed mine. I’m so careful with what I say so that I can continue to be impactful with my words and how they affect your life.
4. Arianna; My firstborn. You changed my entire life. It stopped becoming about “self” a long time ago.
5. Mayah; My sassy lil’ butterfly. You make me laugh daily. Your smile lights up every dark day.
6. Aniyah; To see a little girl be so much like her Mom is insane at times; but there is never a dull day with you.
7. Josiah; The son I thought I’d never have. I dreamt of you as a child and promised God that if you were delievered to me, I’d take good care of you.
8. My parents; for every mistake, setback, overdrawn bank account, and every other imaginable mistake; you were there. I became the man I am because of your love, patience, and guidance.
9. My extended family; I love my family. Nothing can replace the joy I have when we’re all together.
10. My ministry; I love the fact that God has called me to be a Youth Pastor. I truly enjoy watching my students arrive at the point of understanding.
11. My business; I’ve met so many interesting people through this business. My gift has made room for me and put me before great men.
12. Foiled plans; I thank God for everytime I knew I was right and never went to Him in prayer. For every mistake I made, God knew it and kept me on the right path. There is wisdom in making mistakes.
13. Being cut from the Varsity Basketball team as a Freshman; I was so angry because my Dad cut me because of my grades… not the coach. But to be in that position, you have to take care of home. As a husband and father, that’s one of my biggest motivations.
14. Bishop Randy B. Royal; Recreating a sermon you preached on your birthday changed my life. I’ll never be the same. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me while you were here.
15. Faith N’ Fire; Teenagers need an outlet! This group of people provided me with that and more!
16. Burger King; My first job. Hard work at it’s finest. I grew there in 2 years and I keep those experiences close to my heart.
17. NC Central University; Adulthood happened. Real responsibilities and real mistakes. But I loved every minute of it.
18. My Degree; I am educated. And thankful!
19. My Office; My home office is my place of silence. Where I can drift off to the vibe of bass-filled music and reconnect with myself.
20. Bright Horizons at Blue Cross Blue Shield; My 1st real job. I learned about networking, professional speech, and overseeing. Thank you Rachel and Tracey for the opportunity!
21. My sensitivity (a gift from my Mom); I can cry at the drop of the hat. Happiness or sadness. But I’m thankful that no one ever has to try and figure out how I feel.
22. My home; A place where all of us call home. My kids have their own spaces and my wife and I enjoy our space. Words can’t express how successful I feel when I turn the keys ever afternoon.
23. Tonia, my childhood barber; My big sister. You were such an inspiration to me and you always kept it real with me.
24. Pizza; Because, who doesn’t love pizza?
25. My Aunt Denise Winbush; My BEST friend ever. I miss you every single day of my life. I wish you could’ve lived long enough to meet my wife and my kids and see how successful I would eventually be. The thought of you being proud of me keeps me going.
26. My Grandma Sarah; When I leaned in, I didn’t know if I should expect a kiss or a bite. You were so sweet to me and as I held your hand for the last time in that hospital room, you looked me in my eyes and nodded when asked if “everything is gonna be okay”… even thought I knew you were leaving, I knew it actually would be okay. I’ll see you in heaven Granny!
27. My Grandma Numpy; The perfect balance of love and respect. You were the backbone of our family and I miss you so very much!
28. Photography; my view of the world has changed dramatically. I see colors and images so much more vividly.
29. Life Coaching; Being a blessing to someone else is a great reward. When you see them live “on purpose”, it makes you feel good.
30. The Fall Season; I mean, the artistry that is God on display. I love it!
31. The New York Giants; You knew they would make the list.
32. Gaining control of my anger; My wife said to me after an argument, “Sometimes, ‘I’m sorry’ is like putting a bandaid on a gun shoot wound.” I’m much more careful about how things affect me and how I respond these days.
33. My hunger to be successful; I’m going to make it. My family is coming with me and they shall want for nothing.
34. The opportunity to add to this list next year. God willing. God is good!