Читать книгу Raising Champions: Coaching Children Into Responsible Adulthood (Spiritual Edition) - Rufus Jr. Curry Jr. - Страница 2
ОглавлениеRAISING CHAMPIONS
Coaching Children into
Responsible Adulthood
by
Rufus Curry, Jr.
http://Twitter.com/RufusCurryJr
Copyright © 2012
by Rufus Curry, Jr.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Published in eBook format by Be Reel Productions, LLC
Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-9822-8112-3
Other books by Rufus Curry, Jr.: One Week Gig
Acknowledgements
I give great thanks to the Creator for selecting me for such an awesome position in this world as an example of what a man can be and should strive to be…No dogma…pure, non-judgmental love.
I acknowledge Doris Morley Curry (mother), Rufus Curry, Sr. (father) and Lucille McSmith Morley (maternal Grandmother), friends, family, Florida A&M University, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc, Parks and Crump PA (Darryl Parks and Benjamin Crump) and anyone who has ever taken the time to assist me, correct me, guide me, encourage me, uplift me and love me as I continue to grow as a man seeking to leave this universe in a better condition than it was when I was born into it. I tip my hat to the many men and women who have stepped up to the task of RAISING CHAMPIONS as they have loved and helped a boy or girl along life’s way. Thank you.
To my God Children, Tierrah, Jordan and Bryce Turner, Masai and Asante Jenkins, Nicholas McFadden and any student or youth I have ever come in contact with…my aim is to be a Bridge Builder as you grow forward into your lives. I am honored to have been divinely selected to have touched each of your lives.
To my champions/children Micah R. Curry (son), my love for you inspired me to write Raising Champions. I hope you don’t mind me hanging with you as you grow up and I grow up again. You are my twin brother. My big brother! I am excited about the man you are becoming. To Brianna V. Curry (daughter), the feminine side of my reason to be a child forever, I am excited about where you are and where you are headed as a beautiful, creative and entrepreneurial force. Micah and Brianna I am honored that God assigned me to be your father.
To my Friend and Wife; Valarie Wanton-Curry, my Muse! It is said that the right woman (not just any woman) has the power to turn a pauper into a prince. Keep doing your thing…It’s working for me. Your support, cheering, correction, promotion, and presence, is irreplaceable and invaluable. I know I am blessed when I look at you and our two children. As Frankie Beverly and Maze put it in the song Happy Feelings, “…I have myself to remind me of love…”, but I am glad I partnered up with you for what is turning out to be one exciting journey. You bless me daily.
Harry, you were correct when you said, “Most people will tell you that nobody will help you. But all you have to do is start and people will come out of nowhere to help you.” Bro. Harrell, Tom Jenkins’ Bar-B-Que, co-owner, friend, mentor and brother of Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity, Inc.
Foreword
Mr. Curry reminds us that dreams can, and often do, come true - and that effort and courage, purpose and direction, fueled by determination of will and the conviction that we may not be given tasks equal to our strength, but that we will receive strength equal to the task, resulting in the following example of how the choice one makes in selecting the direction of their life, can influence present and future generations:
Two families from the state of New York were studied very carefully. One was the Max Jukes family, and the other was the Jonathan Edwards family. The thing that they discovered in this study is remarkable: like begets like. Max Jukes was an unbelieving man and he married a woman of like character who lacked principle. And among the known descendants, over 1,200 were studied:
310 became professional vagrants (homeless wanderers living
on the streets).
440 physically wrecked their lives by a debauched
(unrestrained and immorally self-indulgent) lifestyle.
130 were sent to the penitentiary for an average of 13 years each, 7 for murder.
100+ became alcoholics
60 became habitual thieves
190 were public prostitutes
20 learned a trade, 10 of them learned the trade in state prison.
It cost the state about $1,500,000 and they made no
contribution whatsoever to society.
In about the same era the family of Jonathan Edwards came on the scene. And Jonathan Edwards, a man filled with divine faith, married a woman of like character. And their family began and they became a part of this study that was made:
300 became clergymen, missionaries, and theological professors;
100+ became college professors
100+ became attorneys, 30 of them judges
60 became physicians
60+ became authors of good classics, good books
14 became presidents of universities
There were numerous giants in American industry that emerged from this family:
3 became United States congressmen
1 became the Vice President of the United States.
*Adapted from A Spiritual Clinic, by J. Oswald Sanders
Each of us who have been divinely appointed to shepherd the lives of others can see, from this sampling, how far-reaching and productive our efforts can be, making a difference in the lives of many, by impacting the life of just one ‘sheep.’ Mr. Curry has given us tools that will allow us to work smart, not hard. May the good that he does in the lives of others, be multiplied in his life, a thousand-fold.
Rev. Benjamin Franklin, Jr
Pastor, Counselor
African Methodist Episcopal Church
Introduction
Coaching Children Into Responsible Adulthood
“Raising Champions” is the result of years of experience, heartache, victory, and searching for answers to quench the inquisitive thirst of a hungry mind. As a man, I stand before you and boldly confess that all of the advice I provide for my son and daughter in this book, are the very words I strive to live by every day. As I weaved this heartfelt message to my son and daughter, I recognized that it also has great benefit for me as a man on a continuous search to implement the gifts that God has entrusted me with.
While watching an inspirational video of a young man who grew up in a disadvantaged situation stand on the stage at his high school graduation and deliver a testimony so powerful, I had to ensure that my son Micah Rufus Curry (ten years old) bore witness to this young man. I needed my son to recognize what he was able to accomplish via faith and the awesome power of realizing that God has embedded tools and skills in each of us that (if employed with faith) will yield to us anything we ask it. I write this letter to my many students who have assisted in confirming my present spiritual position and fervent faith that we are as scripture has told us, “Made in His image and likeness”, and have been imbued with the power to create the lives we desire to live.
The thought of us (human beings) wielding the awesome power of expectant, faithful focus is a mind-boggling thing. I want to open your eyes to what you can achieve, when you decide what you want, then focus on making your dreams come true every day. One step at a time my son and you will be the Great Man that I know you were born to be. Raising Champions is ultimately designed to have a positive impact on the boys and girls of the world, which equals Our Future! I have great hope for our future. Our future means not just focusing on the state of the youth in the United States of America. I know that in order for the benefits of faith, perfect health, abundant wealth, Divine intelligence, Divine wisdom, along with individual and collective creativity culminating with access to the zone of prosperity to mean something, the world must know that the above mentioned gifts are available to ALL. Yes, I want God to bless the world for all of us and I have plans to see as much of the world as I can before I transition to my next level of existence. The North Pole and South Pole, and all stops in between are on the travel itinerary for me, my wife, children, friends and family.
With the above desires in the deepest reservoir of my heart, I pray that this book will be read by boys and girls who are hungry for a brighter future. Many of them may find themselves in the position where they may have to chart their own course out of their not-so-ideal circumstances. To the boys and girls, and the men and women who are responsible for the important task of raising them, I am writing this book for you. I also aim the words in this book toward the men and women who find themselves in the same predicament as these boys and girls. Many of you have unattended dreams and ideas locked away in the cellars of your minds. Devour the words I have been divinely led to write. Allow them to fill your hearts and fuel your spirit as you prepare to make your next move. Go forth and prosper.
I know there are mothers, fathers, guardians, foster parents, step-parents, youth church workers, mentors, teachers, coaches, next door neighbors, fraternity and sorority youth group leaders who are just as interested in ensuring that our world’s future is as bright as it can be. I also believe that everybody who wants to and is willing to work, should have the opportunity to exercise their freedom to access the global marketplace with confidence. Don’t underestimate the power of a strong work ethic. Your willingness to produce focused work toward the life you desire to live is a tool that will serve you on your quest to a greater life and show it to be one of your most valuable tools as you craft the life you are dreaming of. So, to each of you who are Shepherds for boys and girls as they travel the path of maturation . . . take and eat of the message that I have been assigned to convey to you and share it with as many as you can. Your example is more powerful than water and food to a starving land.
