Chapter 4

Dr. King once said that “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” I want to use this quote today in hopes that it will provoke you to conduct an internal examination of your life.

I have found that some individuals become comfortable in their everyday situations. They become complacent with their life. They expect others to take the lead and ensure the equilibrium of the situation remains unchanged. In so many words you can call these people freeloaders who don’t want to exercise their own talents to benefit mankind.

I believe that everyone has a specialized talent that no one is able to replicate. While there may be others who have a similar talent there is something you do differently that makes you unique. This is one reason why I try to surround myself around people who are strong in the areas I am weak, because I know they are weak in the areas where I am strong. This will allow us to combine and be a mighty army instead on individual soldiers.  

However you can’t exercise your talent until you are presented with a situation that challenges you and requires you to step out of your comport zone. The challenges you face will not only with help you polish your talent, but it will broaden your experiences in life. You will be surprised how when you open your mind to different ideas how your position in life can change. As individuals we never stop learning and you will be surprised how you can learn from anyone in your surroundings.

What have you done to challenge yourself today? We are so quick to talk about problems we face as a people, community, and world, but we are not willing to do anything to change our circumstances. We sit back and expect others to fix it while we freeload on their ideas. Furthermore, we have the nerve to complain when other make more money, drive nicer cars, and have more degrees etc. I am saying that everyone has the opportunity to do great things in their life. We have to learn how to pull others up instead of kicking them while they are down. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from others, because someone has a talent that can help you succeed. Whatever you do please don’t expect a handout, because the people who came before you didn’t get a handout so why should you?  

Today I challenge you to stop talking about things you want to do and start using your talents to achieve your goals. Moreover, if you are in a situation and you think you are in over your head I want you to understand it’s not by accident you are in that situation. You are in that situation to make a difference and to use your talents to help someone. The good news is that you are never alone, and there is an instructional manual called the Bible that will lead you through uncharted territories.  

I hope this helped you today.

Chapter 3

Today was a beautiful day, partly cloudy and sunny with a high around 55 degrees. I decided to being my day sightseeing. I have been in the city a total of 4 days and I had to get off campus. As you know I am a busy body. I can’t stay still for too long. I feel like I should be working or or doing something productive! LOL! Sitting in this jail cell they call a room is not cutting it. Furthermore, it seems as if a lot of the students commute to campus, which leaves the campus a ghost town at night. Did I mention no television?

I was talking to one of my friends the other day who told me that it was good that I have to slow down now. She went on to say that maybe now I will take time to see the important things I have been missing. I will be honest, I am not totally sure what she means, but I think this time will allow me to continue to grow and learn. I hope that I will be able to wrap my head around those important things.  I will say that this time will give me time to study, write, and pray. Please don’t forget the Stage plays are still a work in progress!

Anyway I caught the 25 bus service to the city center today. It was approximately 30 minutes from the campus. The campus sits on a very beautiful grassy plane in the country. Once I arrived downtown I began to walk down Princes Street. Princes Street is lined with lots of shops, restaurants, and pubs. Just like the US there is a Starbucks on every corner. I felt right at home when I ordered “Tall cup of coffee please in a grande cup, and a side of cream,” and the price was $2.44 US. I walked around for about 4 hours just looking at the beautiful scenery and of course people watching.

I love to people watch. It allows me to use my psychology degree and try to understand why people behave the way they do in certain environments. I also stopped in a few of the shops. I must say that Cashmere and Polo’s are the style here. I have Polo, but Cashmere is next! I visited the graveyards, the Edinburgh Castle, the divinity church, the Scottish museum, Carlton Hill, and the list goes on. I had a great time. I know you’re asking who did I go with, but it was just me! I didn’t feel rushed and I could stay as long as I wanted. I walked hills and stairs all day, I am so glad I wore my running shoes.

So far I must admit I am having a blast. I do miss the minor things such as TVs, talking and texting on my crackberry, but I am learning that there is so much more to life. We work to hard not to enjoy the finer things. We as a culture need to step outside of the box and experience the world.  Scotland is a beautiful place and because it rains so much the land is beautiful!

I hope you are enjoying the series. Please feel free to pass it along or comment.

Chapter 2

I have acquired a new motto for life “doing what I have to do, so I can do what I want to do.” You might say well you said previously that it’s not up to you, and it’s not, but understand that when I say this I mean that in order to be successful I need an education and diverse experiences. I have dreams and aspirations and while I didn’t want to move thousands of miles away from my family, moving to Scotland was out of my control because there is a calling on my life.  

I deiced to leave my job September 3, 2010 and move home to two weeks to spend time with my family before the big move to Scotland September 20, 2010. I have 9 nieces and nephews and all I could think about was how to tell them Uncle is moving to Scotland. I can’t call you and see how you are performing in school. I can’t attend basketball, football, or cheerleading events. I won’t be home for any birthdays or Sunday dinners. How am I going to deal with not talking to my brother and sister trying to keep them in line? I find it funny I am the baby of the family but the one who they call when they need advice.  How can I go from talking to my mom and dad regularly to not talking to them but maybe once a week (because they are not that technologically advanced)? There answer was simply trust God!

It’s true that when God has his hand on your life, the devil is there to test you, but I know that the devil asked God to let him try me. The devil went to God just like he did when he wanted to tempt Job. God removed to hedge because He knew I would be faithful. My VISA to leave the country didn’t come until 4 hours before I was supposed to leave the country. My grandmother was placed in the hospital and my father couldn’t travel to Europe with me. I had to leave certain items behind because my bags were too heavy at the airport. The phone company didn’t want to program my phone for international service. There was trouble everywhere I looked. I knew that it was nothing but the devil.

I left Little Rock Arkansas September 20^th, 2010 at 1:50pm headed to Chicago. Once I arrived in Chicago I arrived at the terminal for London. The attendant came over the loud speaker and said “we will be delayed due to mechanical concerns with the plan”.  That devil was busy again! Once the plan finally departed for London it was a very smooth flight. I arrived in London (the largest airport I have ever been in) and the security/immigration check points were long. I hadn’t made it through security and they were closing the boarding for my plane. Once I made it through security I made a mad dash to the terminal. I’m glad I lost that weight. I wasn’t tried after running to the terminal. I finally arrived in Scotland Tuesday Morning September 21^st, 2010 despite all the road blocks the devil tried to put in my way. I was safe, but very tired. 

Once I arrived at baggage claim I asked an airport attendant what was the cheapest way to get to campus. It was by bus, but with my 2 oversized bags it was better to take a taxi that didn’t take US currency. As I approached the American Express counter to exchange US currency for the British Pound, the exchange rate and the commission fee was ridiculous (supply and demand at its finest). I walked the long stretch to the taxi and this nice gentleman loaded my belongings in the car. While we were riding he asked me where I was from and I responded the USA, Arkansas to be exact, and he said “Bill Clinton Country.” Once we arrived on campus the taxi driver walked with me inside to get my dorm keys and then took me to my dorm which was about 5 blocks from the main building. Let me add that he didn’t charge me for waiting and helping me. He only charged me the fair from the airport to the school. I shouldn’t have to tell you to shout; by this point I hope you are seeing the favor!

Once I arrived in my room I looked around and tried to wrap my head around the fact that I was thousands of miles away from home. I decided to walk around campus for a while and grab lunch from the Microbyte, which is a café on campus. I didn’t want to go to sleep just yet, because I didn’t want to jetlag to truly set in. After lunch I went back to the room to unpack when I then realized how much stuff I truly left at home. I had the essentials, but there were a few things I didn’t bring. After I unpacked I realized my batteries on all of my electronic devices were low and I needed to charge them, but in case you didn’t know the sockets are not the same as they are in the US. The voltage is much higher in the United Kingdom. I walked down to the student shop to buy an adaptor and when I returned back to my room I blew a circuit in my wall and shorted out my power strip all because I didn’t read the directions. Frustrated and tired I finally charged my equipment and then decided to walk over to the business school and introduced myself. I walked in and it seemed like everyone already knew me. I guess that’s because I was required to send a few million photos before I arrived. I decided after all the introductions I would find a lecture room and read a little before dinner.

After dinner I slept like a baby! I woke up the next morning and needed to register at the health center. In Scotland there is free healthcare for everyone. If you are a visiting student you also receive this benefit, but you must register when you arrive on campus.  After I left the health center I went to open a bank account with the Royal Bank of Scotland and when the man saw I was from the U.S.A. He wouldn’t stop talking. He had so many questions about the culture, food, and politics to name a few. Once we completed all the paperwork I exchanged more money so I could go grocery shopping. I went to the Scottish version of Wal-Mart called ASDA. How did I get there you may ask? I rode the bus for the 3^rd time in my life. It was great experience considering this is how majority of the people in Scotland travel. The bus goes everywhere and it’s relatively inexpensive to ride. It cost approximately $5 U.S. to ride the bus all day. I could only buy a few things because I had to carry it back, definitely helps your budget. You only get the necessities, which will help me with the diet.

The weather in Scotland is very predictable. It’s cold and rainy every day. Most days you have overcast skies and a high around 50.  It may not rain all day but it will rain at the oddest moments even if the sun is shining bright in the sky. So don’t leave home with your umbrella or you will be walking in the rain.

Majority of the students are international and sometimes they can be very inconsiderate, but I don’t think they mean harm it’s just a different culture. I am on a hall with 3 other students. 1 guy is from Iran. He told me that he came to the UK because he wanted to see what freedom was like. He went into detail about how wants the ability to make decisions for himself and I realized at that point we have it made in the U.S., but we take it for granted.

The dorms are very safe. You have to have your key to get anywhere. Doors automatically lock behind you and there are certain places only the people on your hall can go due to the exclusive access.

Lastly, I attended bible study at the campus chapel. Every Wednesday they provide a free meal, and following the meal they have bible study.  Man can’t live by bread alone. Before bible study I met the Chaplin as I told him my name and he said I remember you. I sent you an email. He has a good memory. I responded to a letter regarding the chapel which I received in my registration packet.  During our conversation we discussed how he was attempting to reach the unsaved and those who doubt the work of Jesus Christ. He told me “there is a lot of work to do, and I can tell you are a believer by the way you talk”. He fist told me about the other churches in the community because of my Baptist affiliation, but He stressed that he would like for me to visit with him on Sunday during the non-denominational service. I have learned that when God is speaking it doesn’t matter what denomination or who it comes from, you can hear His voice.

This weekend I plan on going to town to see the wonderful city of Edinburgh. There have an event where all of the public offices and historical buildings are open to the public for free. I will take pictures and write about this next. I would like to apologize in advance for the length. I am not sure what this biography will turn in to but I need to capture it all and from there I will delete or make edits.

Chapter 1

Everything in life good and bad happens for a reason and these various situations are meant to give you a supernatural experience. The disappointing thing is that people are afraid to tell others about these experiences for the fear of what people might think. Let me just give you a token of advice free of charge, people will always have something to say about you and 50% of the time it will be negative anyway. Your experience may help someone who is struggling with a decision in their life. Every time I have the opportunity I share my experience, and now will be no different.

In 2008 life was good. I was graduating from Davidson College in North Carolina with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and a minor in Education and Pre-Medicine. I had two great roommates who were my best friends.  I would take it a step further and say we were now brothers. Ryan and Jeff I love you guys! You usually hear horror stories about college roommates, but my roommates were a blessing and we helped each other through pretty dramatic times in our lives.

Just when I thought my life couldn’t get any better it felt like I lost everything in a matter of minutes. I had to move away from my brothers to a different city where I didn’t know anyone. I lost my girlfriend who I truly loved, but didn’t fully appreciate due to my immaturity. Due to the economic down turn many job opportunities which were previously offered to me were removed due to a hiring freeze. I only had a few options so I moved to Nashville, Tennessee to work for Dell Incorporated. I felt as if this was punishment. I asked myself and God, why do I have to leave my comfort zone and my found family?

Once I arrived in Nashville, I started visiting a local mega church Mt. Zion Baptist Church where Bishop Joseph W. Walker III is the pastor. I begin to enhance my relationship with God and He began speaking to me like never before. I found myself hungry for the work. I was at church whenever the doors were open, but there was one problem I didn’t want to go to a church where I was just another member. I wanted to feel like I offered something to the church. I joined several ministry groups at the church, but I still felt as if the church was too big. One Sunday Bishop walker said I know some of you say “you can’t go to a church with thousands of members, but if you’re receiving a rhema word (relevant word) every time you are here and it speaks directly to your situation then you are in the right place. Plus you have to realize when Jesus preached thousands joined in one day” I couldn’t question his logic because I was being fed and growing closer to God. I also realized that once I joined the minsitires the church became smaller, because not everyone will participate in ministry groups. I still had one concern and that was that I didn’t know the pastor. I felt as if I needed to know this man of God in order to continue my growth. Keep reading and I will touch on this too!

 On a mini vacation from work I went back to Charlotte, North Carolina to visit. While I was at the Hubbard house, Daddy Hubbard told me “I have a friend in Nashville who you need to call and she will take care of you.” He gave me her number and told me to call her as soon as I got back to Nashville. I was disobedient and I didn’t call her as soon as I got back to Nashville. He called me about a week later and said “I talked to Peggy and she said you didn’t call her.” I didn’t have a good excuse to why I didn’t call, but I called her as soon as we hung up.

The first time I called, I received her voicemail and I left a message. She called me back and said lets have dinner later this week. At this point I didn’t really think anything of this dinner, but as time went on Ms. Peggy and I became very good friends. She didn’t have any family in Nashville and she soon adopted me as her nephew. Ms. Peggy and I hung out all the time.

For my birthday Ms. Peggy took me to a Tennessee Titians game and I thought we were going to sit with the regular people, but when we arrived we were in a sky box. The Who’s Who of Nashville was present in the box. I should have known we wouldn’t just sit in the stands, because Ms. Peggy was very prominent in Nashville. As I looked around I saw the President of Tennessee State University, doctors and lawyers, and you guessed it Bishop Walker. I talked to Bishop Walked and he remembered me joining church a few weeks back. I joined the church after we had a week fast where we asking God to move us to the next level. I remember like it was yesterday it was Thursday night and I was sitting in my home office in Nashville and God put it on my heart to join this church.

After this I knew I was walking in favor and there was a plan for my life, but God was still about to blow my mind. One afternoon while I was in Atlanta with Ms. Peggy we were sitting with her best friend Dr. Allen who is the Dean of Accounting at Morehouse College in Atlanta. The question on their mind was “what is your 3-5 life plan, Richard?” I said well I want to obtain my Masters in Business Administration and I want to do an international program.  I went on to talk about how I regretted not traveling abroad while during my undergraduate studies. Dr. Allen said well I have the perfect program and it’s in Edinburgh, Scotland. I know the Dean there and we are going to Edinburgh in a few months. Before we left Atlanta Dr. Allen gave me instructions to fill out the application and she would take it with her when she went to Edinburgh.   

I think I can be real with you here. I thought she was joking. Once again I didn’t follow instructions. I didn’t fill out the application and honestly put the whole conversation in the back of my mind. I went back to Nashville and continued living life. I began to like Nashville a little more, but I know that God wasn’t through with me, but He was then I could leave Nashville.

One evening in March, I received a call from Ms. Peggy “Richard, where is the application, you know we are leaving next month ”? What can I say, once again I didn’t have a valid excuse. It wasn’t like I was busy or anything. I told her I would have it completed before she left which was approximately a month away. Now I was scrambling to gather all the components of the application such as recommendations, transcripts, and test scores.

I have to tell this brief story about how I obtained one of my recommendations. I emailed the chair of the Psychology department at Davidson College for a recommendation and she politely declined, because I didn’t have her in enough courses. I found that funny because she knew me very well. I begin to worry, but I heard a voice say email the Dean of Students who I also knew very well. He responded to my email in a matter of minutes and said “I would be happy to write a recommendation for you”. I find it fascinating that when God has plans for you it always manifest. Honestly now that I look back at the situation a letter from the Dean of Students trumps the Dean of the Psychology department any day.

I completed the application and Ms. Peggy left for Edinburgh.  She returned excited about what transpired while she was there. She asked me “Richard, how do you plan on paying for your M.B.A.”? I politely responded, “I don’t know, but I will worry about that if I get in”.  Ms. Peggy was adamant about me determining how I was going to pay for it. Little did she know if all else failed I was going to ask her to pay for it and I would pay her back once I graduated.  I think it would have been a great investment for her. Two weeks later I received an acceptance email from the Edinburgh Business School in Scotland. I began making calls to try and find the funding, but it was already worked out. The U.S. Financial Aid was recognized by this school and I was able to obtain U.S. Funding to attend. I can’t tell you when to give God praise, but I think you should be shouting now.  

During all of this I am still working for Dell and moving up the corporate ladder. I worked on various projects for Dell.  I worked as a business analyst conducting Cost Compensation Research that increased transition rates by 13% in 6 weeks and reduced Excess and Obsolescent inventory by 600 units in 6 weeks. I also launched a Dell eBay sales model generating $5.2Million in Revenue in 8 months. Worked for Dell Canada and launched a virtual store sales model to provide a better customer experience and increase profitability in the Canadian region. I won the most valuable contribution award at Dell in September for my efforts in Canada and was recognized by several executive leaders. Before I left Dell I moved from Nashville to Austin, Texas to accept a position as the Executive Assistant to the Sr. VP of Global Consumer Small & Medium Business.  I will give you just a few additional minutes for another praise break.

I knew there was only one reason that doors were opening. It all started when God moved me from Charlotte away from my buddies to Nashville where I didn’t know anyone. He was telling me I am tired of you putting everyone and everything before me. I was making decision based on how I felt and not consulting God and asking Him to lead me. The entire time I was in Nashville God was speaking to me “You need to renew your commitment to me and I will keep you in solitude until you realize that I am in control.” God always wanted me to succeed and do great things, but He wanted the credit He deserved and I was taking the credit as if I really did something.

This testimony is just to say stop trusting yourself to get you where you want to be. Turn it over to a higher power that already has a plan for your life which is greater than anything you could imagine. Who would have thought I would be in Scotland right now? If you told me this a few years ago I might have laughed in your face. I also know that when God tells you to do something, He will give you several chances to follow His command. I dare you to trust God and watch Him blow your mind away. Just remember this when you plan God laughs. He will supply all of your needs. I can’t stress this enough, but I am a witness that when you stop putting Him first he will rearrange your life so that all you can do is trust Him. The good news is that when you start to trust Him, He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all you could ever ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.

Introduction

Dear Lord,

            Thank you for saving a sinner like me. I have done nothing to deserve all the blessings you have given me. I am so grateful that you have placed your hand on me and my life. I know for a fact that when we as Christians put you first and turn away from our wicked ways you will pour out a blessing. Lord, now I am asking you for more room because I don’t have enough room to store what you have given me. I have also learned that the trails we face in life are a test of our faith and if we pass the test that’s when you begin to enlarge our territory and give us increase. Lord, I am so grateful that I have experienced your power and I don’t have to result in a cookie-cutter testimony. Now as I continue to follow you and your plan for my life let my actions be pleasing and acceptable unto you. In the name of Jesus I pray!

            Amen

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