I was raised on the streets of Chicago, Illinois. I always knew about God but I chose to turn my back on Him and walk away. At the age of 12, I started getting involved in gangs, the gang bangers. You know, they always talked to me and would try to get me to believe that I could be rich or make lots of money, in the gangs. They told me that they were my brothers, that they were my family. When it really came down to it, I believed that lie. They said that they loved me and this and that, but more things became attached to that involvement. I found myself being pressured into selling dope. I found myself being pressured into hanging with them doing "drive bys". I found myself being pressured into doing things that I knew were wrong and that could get me a lot of time in jail.
 
Danger, death and dope money

 

One day, at the age of 13 years, I was on the streets wearing my gang colors. The police in Chicago will lock you up for wearing gang colors. They grabbed me and took me to jail. My parents came to the jail to get me. There was a youth worker there who told my parents, "you know your son isn't going to make it to the age of 17." I was still rebelling but I went home with my parents anyway. My Dad was angry with me and he took my key to the house and threw it on the roof. I just changed my clothes, got out of the house and went back on the strip. As I was approaching the strip, I saw a couple of my home boys and we did our hand shakes and threw our gang signals to each other and then a friend of mine called me over to the corner. As I was stepping to the corner, a car drove by. It was about 2 feet away from me and pulled right behind me as I was still in the street. I heard someone call out their gang name and then all of a sudden a dude started shooting. I got shot in my upper left hand and in the shoulder about a couple of inches away from my heart. The doctor that treated me told me later that if the bullet had landed a couple more inches into my chest, I would've been dead! I knew that I could've been killed. Following this, I just kept on rebelling. I knew that I needed to change, but I just kept on rebelling. I kept getting deeper into selling dope and into the gang life. Getting closer to those who were higher in command in the gangs. During this time I witnessed about five of my friend's murders. I want to share all of this with you so that you can know that no matter how deep you are into the gang life, God can pull you out. While I was in the gang a "hit" was put out on my life for something that I did with my homeboys. I was about 17 at the time. That night, I was on a porch and I was high and drunk. I guess I always knew that there was a God and this night I needed His help. I looked up into the sky and said: "God, if you can save me, save me, take me out of this hell." I was tired of always watching my back. Watching who was coming around the corner. I had a .357 Magnum on me and I was ready to take down anyone who would try to come after me. All of a sudden I looked up from where I was sitting and I saw my mother coming out of a car. So I took my gun and handed it to one of my friends. My mom looked at me and said: "Freddy come on , let's go , we're leaving." I knew that I was going to die anytime, so I decided to jump into the car. While I was in the car, I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was in a different place outside of Chicago, an entirely different place. My parents had driven me far away from Chicago.
 
God made the way for my new life

 

From that day forward God began working in my life, although I was still hard headed and wanted to hang around trouble. The enemy had me like a magnet attracting drug dealers and attracting the gang bangers. God was also attracting Christians to come and speak to me about the Lord, trying to pull me into the right way. In the process, I chose to keep going the wrong way. I was getting deeper into trouble with the law. I kept getting locked up, so many times. I had warrants for my arrest. I sold drugs all of my life and I thought that I couldn't do anything else. Honchos would also come with big drug deals. I was bound by the lies of the enemy that told me you're not going to make it any other way! One day the Lord began to speak to me and said: "Freddie, just give me a chance, if you just believe me, I will prove myself to you." I told the Lord that I would try to let Him in. I was so tired of getting locked up and having warrants on me. I had also been running from the law in different states and I was tired. I was in trouble my whole life and only God Almighty Himself pulled me out! One day, I finally decided that I wanted to stop selling drugs. Many of my friends had been killed because of this type of life and other friends were serving time in prison. God saved me from that. 

 

You still have time to move towards God

 

I want to offer you the opportunity that I had. We're not dead yet, but the enemy has a hit on your life. He wants to kill you! He wants to keep you away from knowing Christ. The minute that you know the reality of the power of God, then the enemy won't have power over you. I want to encourage you. Don't give up! Give your heart to God and if you still have issues with drugs, pornography, gangs or whatever it may be, just come to God with it. He'll help you deal with the problems. He'll clean you up. Don't quit. Don't give up. God bless you!

Your friend, Freddy

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"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me." Psalm 23:4