The Choice To Choose
Date 09/1/13
There comes a time in a teenager’s life when he reaches that fork in the road when you’re unsure about what to do and end up choosing things you wish you didn’t. Well this is my story and fortunately I was guided back into something I devoted my life to, and I feel gratefull today for doing it. So get comfy and I will tell you my story. Before I get too far into it don’t let me forget to tell you my name, its Greg Bradford.
Date 05/15/02
My junior year of high school was the turning point for me, and this is how it starts. (Ring!!) “Hey what’s up Chris”, said “Greg what’s up bro”, said Chris.
“Dude are we going to the party this weekend??” I said
“umm no? I thought we were going to go volunteering this weekend man we made a commitment just come out for a few hours it’ll be fun man”, said Chris.
“Sigh... I guess man I just don’t have the motivation and drive as you do your so motivated and it’s just so hard for me to get into what you’re doing I haven’t been doing it as long as you. But I don’t know I’ll see, do you want to just go out today after school we’ll just go down to the trolley station to see who we can talk to there?” ,I said
“Yeah of course bro let’s do it I’ll see you after school” ,said Chris. After that day, things gotten better for me but it fluctuated. There was my high points and my lows, sometimes I would just completely seeing Chris because he’ll try and guilt trip me into going again. I really just needed someone to help me deep down I really wanted to do more within the organization but I just didn’t have the drive to do it.
Time passed and eventually Chris and I drifted apart. What used to be great times seeing each other during passing period turned into awkward situations which tore at me, but eventually he just came up to me, and just asked
“hey after school im going to do a few hours I don’t have a partner would you like to come?” said Chris.
I wanted to say no, but I kept to my word instead of bailing on him to just go do something else which would of probably gotten me into trouble. So after school that day me and Chris walked to his house which was only about 3 blocks from the school, but for some reason that walk felt like an eternity. Chris and I always talked about our future plans, joking around how we both wanted to become football, baseball, or pro skaters but we both knew it wasn’t a reality for us. But during that time I was really interested in joining the Navy, and so we were just talking so I told him about it, and sure enough when I told him he reacted exactly how I expected him too he went ballistic ranting on and on about all the reasons why I shouldn’t and all this other stuff that went in one ear and out the other. I was getting a headache already from listening to him rant on and on about me not enlisting in the Navy.
So after we got to his house, and changed into our suits we walked down to this trolley station near his house and we preached to some people around there for a little while, well he did ninety percent of the time I just stood by him, and listened. I wished I could speak to those people with the confidence he had. I was shy when it came to talking to people, and being able to just have scriptures pop into my head to share with the people was just something I wasn’t able to do. He amazed me by how happy and enlightened the people were. I asked him jokingly
“How you able to just have scriptures to read to people based off anything you talk about what you got in your head a bible brain?” I said he laughed but just said
“You can too if you come out with me more practice makes perfect right?” said Chris “I honestly just always prepare what I want to share with those I meet and just reading the bible everyday is a big help to”, said Chris.
I shrugged my shoulders and said “I guess.”
But honestly I really did enjoy what I was doing the goals and things Chris said he wanted to do when we graduate peeked my interest as well I just didn’t think I was qualified to do it. I just didn’t think he understood how hard it was for me, I didn’t think anyone did that’s why I just didn’t care as much, and allowed myself to go down this destructive path.
Date 09/1/13
If I could go back in time to tell myself no, wait not tell, force myself to be more involved in the Jehovah’s Witness organization, and save myself from all the unneeded stress I put myself in… boy I sure would, but I don’t think time travel has been invented yet but I guess we all learn from our mistakes for a reason right? But things between me and Chris after that day had gotten a little bit better. I started to come up to him and pounce on him asking hey when we going to go out preaching again? Then at times I started drifting back into my destructive habits. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be good it was just hard for me to break free from all of it. I felt that I never would so eventually I started to get depressed. I never usually prayed I wasn’t the type of person who thought hmm maybe if I pray to God he’ll help me with problems, so I tried it I did every night and sometimes throughout the day thinking to myself what in the world am I doing praying to someone I don’t fully believe in myself hoping I would get myself together. But I didn’t even realize my prayers we’re answered until years later when I figured out I did get my help, until me and Chris took another avenue of our preaching work, visiting the elderly in our congregation.
Date 05/16/02
The following weeks to come me and Chris were regulars down at the trolley station. But as usual I let him take the lead in talking to everyone, and me trying to make myself enjoy what I was doing. It was a lot harder than I expected it to be. But this one particular day we were coming home from school Chris asked if I wanted to go somewhere else instead of just preach down at the trolley. I just told him sure whatever works. So he said cool we’re going to go visit someone who I think you’ll like talking to. I was thinking and thinking trying to figure out where he was taking me I was clueless but a little excited at the same time. So we drove to where he was taking me and we pulled up to this nice looking apartment complex. I asked him who lives here, he said this older sister in our hall so I just said okay, and we walked up to her house and stayed for awhile.
Date 09/1/13
Well before I get further with this let me just say like I said I was excited but I just said to myself I hope this really helps me get my life together and sure enough it did people tell me all the time that this was the true turning point in my life and im soo thankfull it happened at this time.
Date 05/16/02
When we got there I was at first a little I don’t know how this is going to go I hardly know her what am I supposed to talk about with her all these things were running through my mind but of course Chris took the lead in keeping conversation going, but for the most part she did ninety percent of the talking we just listened to her stories of when she grew up and I was taken back to hear how similar her life story is to mines. I mean it was almost unreal like if she was told to say specific things that she knew about me to make me feel like I’m not alone with my problems. I was in awe by all the things she said she just encouraged me even more to not give up. The woman’s name was Gina Scott but we just called her Ms. Scott. I loved listening to her talk and sometimes we’d end up staying at her house for over two hours just and listening to her stories and experiences. This eventually became something regular for us and I loved it I didn’t realize the effects but more and more I started to change myself and clean my life up she gave me the strength and drive to serve God faithfully as long as she did, and to this day I still can’t believe I did it. There would be times I would go back to see Ms. Scott and it would be just me and her talking at times and Chris smiling and listening to us. It was something enjoyable for me I never wanted to stop preaching and spending time with elderly in our congregation. Soon though our visits with Ms. Scott gotten shorter and shorter me and Chris could tell she was getting very sick, she was eighty years old and had severe heart problems things were not looking so good for her but we came back and made sure she was okay and our visits turned into just coming to check on her to make sure she’s okay and always asked if there was anything she needed for us to pick up from the store for her.
Date 09/1/13
If my life had commentary and was being tracked haha, my goodness it would show some drastic changes. Everyone noticed things were different about me and I could feel it as well. I wish things were different, but it was probably was meant to be this way. I now have a story to tell and I can learn from my mistakes and share it with people.This way they know they’re not alone in this world and even though its hard, it can be done.
Date 06/2/02
Eventually after a few years Ms. Scott passed away. It tore me up inside to know that she passed away. She played such a pivotal role in my life so became my motivation, drive and, my encouragement to never stop and I didn’t. When I graduated high school I devoted seventy hours a month to preaching to people in my community, and when I turned nineteen I moved to Patterson New York to help be a volunteer at one of our main headquarters for Jehovah’s Witnesses. It was the best decision I made in my life. I stayed there for over twenty years. The time I spent there was some of the happiest times of my life. Devoting myself to doing things to help others freely was something I cherished and I wouldn’t trade it in for anything.
There comes a time in a teenager’s life when he reaches that fork in the road when you’re unsure about what to do and end up choosing things you wish you didn’t. Well this is my story and fortunately I was guided back into something I devoted my life to, and I feel gratefull today for doing it. So get comfy and I will tell you my story. Before I get too far into it don’t let me forget to tell you my name, its Greg Bradford.
Date 05/15/02
My junior year of high school was the turning point for me, and this is how it starts. (Ring!!) “Hey what’s up Chris”, said “Greg what’s up bro”, said Chris.
“Dude are we going to the party this weekend??” I said
“umm no? I thought we were going to go volunteering this weekend man we made a commitment just come out for a few hours it’ll be fun man”, said Chris.
“Sigh... I guess man I just don’t have the motivation and drive as you do your so motivated and it’s just so hard for me to get into what you’re doing I haven’t been doing it as long as you. But I don’t know I’ll see, do you want to just go out today after school we’ll just go down to the trolley station to see who we can talk to there?” ,I said
“Yeah of course bro let’s do it I’ll see you after school” ,said Chris. After that day, things gotten better for me but it fluctuated. There was my high points and my lows, sometimes I would just completely seeing Chris because he’ll try and guilt trip me into going again. I really just needed someone to help me deep down I really wanted to do more within the organization but I just didn’t have the drive to do it.
Time passed and eventually Chris and I drifted apart. What used to be great times seeing each other during passing period turned into awkward situations which tore at me, but eventually he just came up to me, and just asked
“hey after school im going to do a few hours I don’t have a partner would you like to come?” said Chris.
I wanted to say no, but I kept to my word instead of bailing on him to just go do something else which would of probably gotten me into trouble. So after school that day me and Chris walked to his house which was only about 3 blocks from the school, but for some reason that walk felt like an eternity. Chris and I always talked about our future plans, joking around how we both wanted to become football, baseball, or pro skaters but we both knew it wasn’t a reality for us. But during that time I was really interested in joining the Navy, and so we were just talking so I told him about it, and sure enough when I told him he reacted exactly how I expected him too he went ballistic ranting on and on about all the reasons why I shouldn’t and all this other stuff that went in one ear and out the other. I was getting a headache already from listening to him rant on and on about me not enlisting in the Navy.
So after we got to his house, and changed into our suits we walked down to this trolley station near his house and we preached to some people around there for a little while, well he did ninety percent of the time I just stood by him, and listened. I wished I could speak to those people with the confidence he had. I was shy when it came to talking to people, and being able to just have scriptures pop into my head to share with the people was just something I wasn’t able to do. He amazed me by how happy and enlightened the people were. I asked him jokingly
“How you able to just have scriptures to read to people based off anything you talk about what you got in your head a bible brain?” I said he laughed but just said
“You can too if you come out with me more practice makes perfect right?” said Chris “I honestly just always prepare what I want to share with those I meet and just reading the bible everyday is a big help to”, said Chris.
I shrugged my shoulders and said “I guess.”
But honestly I really did enjoy what I was doing the goals and things Chris said he wanted to do when we graduate peeked my interest as well I just didn’t think I was qualified to do it. I just didn’t think he understood how hard it was for me, I didn’t think anyone did that’s why I just didn’t care as much, and allowed myself to go down this destructive path.
Date 09/1/13
If I could go back in time to tell myself no, wait not tell, force myself to be more involved in the Jehovah’s Witness organization, and save myself from all the unneeded stress I put myself in… boy I sure would, but I don’t think time travel has been invented yet but I guess we all learn from our mistakes for a reason right? But things between me and Chris after that day had gotten a little bit better. I started to come up to him and pounce on him asking hey when we going to go out preaching again? Then at times I started drifting back into my destructive habits. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be good it was just hard for me to break free from all of it. I felt that I never would so eventually I started to get depressed. I never usually prayed I wasn’t the type of person who thought hmm maybe if I pray to God he’ll help me with problems, so I tried it I did every night and sometimes throughout the day thinking to myself what in the world am I doing praying to someone I don’t fully believe in myself hoping I would get myself together. But I didn’t even realize my prayers we’re answered until years later when I figured out I did get my help, until me and Chris took another avenue of our preaching work, visiting the elderly in our congregation.
Date 05/16/02
The following weeks to come me and Chris were regulars down at the trolley station. But as usual I let him take the lead in talking to everyone, and me trying to make myself enjoy what I was doing. It was a lot harder than I expected it to be. But this one particular day we were coming home from school Chris asked if I wanted to go somewhere else instead of just preach down at the trolley. I just told him sure whatever works. So he said cool we’re going to go visit someone who I think you’ll like talking to. I was thinking and thinking trying to figure out where he was taking me I was clueless but a little excited at the same time. So we drove to where he was taking me and we pulled up to this nice looking apartment complex. I asked him who lives here, he said this older sister in our hall so I just said okay, and we walked up to her house and stayed for awhile.
Date 09/1/13
Well before I get further with this let me just say like I said I was excited but I just said to myself I hope this really helps me get my life together and sure enough it did people tell me all the time that this was the true turning point in my life and im soo thankfull it happened at this time.
Date 05/16/02
When we got there I was at first a little I don’t know how this is going to go I hardly know her what am I supposed to talk about with her all these things were running through my mind but of course Chris took the lead in keeping conversation going, but for the most part she did ninety percent of the talking we just listened to her stories of when she grew up and I was taken back to hear how similar her life story is to mines. I mean it was almost unreal like if she was told to say specific things that she knew about me to make me feel like I’m not alone with my problems. I was in awe by all the things she said she just encouraged me even more to not give up. The woman’s name was Gina Scott but we just called her Ms. Scott. I loved listening to her talk and sometimes we’d end up staying at her house for over two hours just and listening to her stories and experiences. This eventually became something regular for us and I loved it I didn’t realize the effects but more and more I started to change myself and clean my life up she gave me the strength and drive to serve God faithfully as long as she did, and to this day I still can’t believe I did it. There would be times I would go back to see Ms. Scott and it would be just me and her talking at times and Chris smiling and listening to us. It was something enjoyable for me I never wanted to stop preaching and spending time with elderly in our congregation. Soon though our visits with Ms. Scott gotten shorter and shorter me and Chris could tell she was getting very sick, she was eighty years old and had severe heart problems things were not looking so good for her but we came back and made sure she was okay and our visits turned into just coming to check on her to make sure she’s okay and always asked if there was anything she needed for us to pick up from the store for her.
Date 09/1/13
If my life had commentary and was being tracked haha, my goodness it would show some drastic changes. Everyone noticed things were different about me and I could feel it as well. I wish things were different, but it was probably was meant to be this way. I now have a story to tell and I can learn from my mistakes and share it with people.This way they know they’re not alone in this world and even though its hard, it can be done.
Date 06/2/02
Eventually after a few years Ms. Scott passed away. It tore me up inside to know that she passed away. She played such a pivotal role in my life so became my motivation, drive and, my encouragement to never stop and I didn’t. When I graduated high school I devoted seventy hours a month to preaching to people in my community, and when I turned nineteen I moved to Patterson New York to help be a volunteer at one of our main headquarters for Jehovah’s Witnesses. It was the best decision I made in my life. I stayed there for over twenty years. The time I spent there was some of the happiest times of my life. Devoting myself to doing things to help others freely was something I cherished and I wouldn’t trade it in for anything.
