It was a chilly Thursday night in late October; I was laying on my bed with the window open. The cold wind with droplets of water met my skin which made me shiver, the curtains were moving and the rain was getting heavier, and the thunder got louder. I sat up, closed my window, and put my white Sony headphones on. I plugged the cord inside my phone, when I looked at the screen it was so bright that my eyes started tearing up. I played the playlist which I had named “Tumblr” some people who read this might not understand why I did that, because it is a teenage conception. If anything is Tumblr themed it has to do with cold weather, flannels, black nail polish, artistic photographs, and such. It was a night like any other night where I was lost in thought, spaced out. What is the true religion? I know that God exists, I know one of the three main monotheistic religions is the true one, but which one? I took my headphones off and paused the music, I sat up and prayed to God. My request this time was to be lead in the right direction, I was sobbing, I was lost, I was afraid. “Dear God, I know that you exist I know that one of the three main monotheistic religions is the true one, I’m just totally lost right now and need your guidance”

“The day I got arrested was the day I faced my parents and said “No””

  All my friends are out having fun on a Friday night and I have to go this stupid youth class, I thought to myself as I was getting ready. My parents were making me go to Friday night class where you learn about temptation, peer pressure, and Islam (since I was born in a Muslim family, however I was unsure which was the right path). I get there and everyone there are adolescents which was great, I love being with my peers, it makes me feel like I’m not alone. Today was different, our teacher told us there was going to be a guest speaker which got me excited because we’re not doing something different. The guest speaker walks in he is tall, African-American, and looked middle aged. “I’m going to tell you guys a story, I spent twenty-two years in prison, and the day that I got arrested was the day I faced my parents and told them no!” I was 18, my parents were going out that night and they told me stay at home and I told them No, usually I would say no behind their backs, or just shake my head to them and really not do what they told me to do. I got out that night disobeying my parents, I was doing drugs with my friends who back in the day would call “home boys” we got caught and I got arrested. I would always sagg my pants down and think getting high is cool, I didn’t care what my parents had to say, I was part of a gang and only cared about my home boys. When I was in prison the only people who would visit me and buy me clothes were my parents. Before I got arrested, I’ve been aimed at, and shot at more than once, I told my friend “God is trying to keep me alive for some reason” It was at that moment that I realized God has answered my prayers. He is leading me in the right direction by showing me this man’s story. God kept Andrew alive so that he could be lead in the right direction, and fall into the right path. Like most people say, God works in mysterious ways.