Three Part Process To Breaking The Recidivism Cycle

The mere fact that you are holding this book in your hands is proof that being an addict and having an X on your back isnt a life sentence to failure. I was both an addict and prisoner for thirty years, yet today I live life as a clean, sober, and productive member of societyas a published writer and motivational speaker. I am living proof, and you can become proof also that a thing men did, a man may do again. I wrote this book because I saw everybody dedicating their time, effort, and money to try to solve every problem of society except answer the question What is going to get the brothers off the corner and keep them out of prison? Since I was once one of the brothers on the corner and in prison, I figured that it might help if I shared with those still on them and in prison how I broke the cycle of going in and out of rehab, prison, and the mental hospital. My experience has shown me that there is a way out of the revolving door of recidivism, but it requires work and commitment to change. There was a three-stage process to me ending my involvement in the penal system and addiction. It included (1) admitting the problem, (2) accepting responsibility for my role in it, and (3) surrendering to a higher power that could get me out of it. I believe this is a viable formula for anybody who wants to go from brokenness to wholeness. I encourage you to try it if you are tired of going around and around in the vicious cycle of addiction, prison, and purposelessness.

“Freedom is not free,” it took me nearly forty-years to realize this fact about freedom. It was not until I fully embraced the grace and love of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, that I experienced true freedom. This book gives a concise description of the byways and highways I took in order to arrive at the point in my life where I could honestly say, “FREE AT LAST, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, I AM FREE AT LAST!” In the course of me going from a man who spent 3/5th of his life behind prison bars and insane asylum fences. I can tell you that freedom was wasted on me as long as I took it for granted. I was delivered from all the mental, emotional and spiritual shackles that held me bound, the day I gave my life over to God. Now I can declare that I not only talk about the joy of being free, but can also testify that there is no more liberating freedom than that which comes with Christs’ blood bought Salvation, and the peace of mind that the Father gives all those “whose mind is stayed on Him.” It is my belief that none of us can get the full benefit out of freedom in its true form until we understand that, “The One we serve determines the rewards we get for our servitude.” The reality is, that as long as we live on this earth, we are going to serve either God and Jesus, or Satan and our flesh. Trust me when I tell you, “Your life will be a hundred times better off if you commit yourself to being in the will of God.” I hope that you will read my testimony as it is summed up in this small book, and know that what Jesus did for me, once I accepted the freedom he purchased for me on the Cross of Calvary, he will do the same thing for you.

Reversing, Willie Lynch’s (a white slave owner from Jamaica) prescribed methodology for making an ideal slave, outlined in the manual he gave to white slave owners in 1712, on the banks of the James River, (Jamestown Virginia), titled, “Let’s Make A Slave,” is the motive for me writing this treaties. There usually is more than one reason why we succeed at our individual as well as collective goals. Likewise, there are several factors involved in our struggles. Therefore, this small book is not meant to be a cure all for what ails our family and community (African Americans). It is a partial solution to what I believe to be the primary cause of our difficulties, namely, the ramenets of the traumatic experience of four-hundred years of enslavement here in America, that have been passed down through our DNA. This Treaties is meant to address what has been too long ignored concerning why there is an epidemic of violence, addiction, sucide and crime in our homes and community. Our community is not only being devastated by these social-ills, but the gains we have made over the last hundred years through sacrifice and protests, are also being decimated. (dec·i·mate /desmt/ verb 1. Kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of. "the project would decimate the fragile wetland wilderness" 2. HISTORICAL kills one in every ten of (a group of soldiers or others) as a punishment for the whole group. "the man who is to determine whether it be necessary to decimate a large body of mutineers''). I note the definition of ‘decimate’ because I want to emphasize the point that we are literally dying by the tens-of-thousands at both our own hands as well as at those of police officers, who deem Black lives as expendable.

I wrote this workbook because it disturbs me that a lot of individuals and communities are constantly living their lives in “Crisis Mode'' with little or no time and opportunity to realize their dreams. I believe a certain stigma is attached to those who are deemed by society (others) as always needing someone to rescue them from one crisis after another. Without naming names, I will say that for some this trend grows more prevalent with each passing generation. I want my family and peers to realize that we do not have to live on the edge as though we lack a foundation (culture) to stand on. There inevitably is more to all of us than our struggles but until we get past having our finger on the “Panic Button” we will not get a chance to display our audaciousness. I am confident that this “Crisis Counseling Workbook” can aid anyone whose life has gotten off track or who simply wants to succeed at creating a better life for themselves and their family, as well as improve the community they live in. “In the darkest hour, a pinprick of light is all that's needed to guide the lost home.” That said, please feel free to tweak this crisis counseling program to meet the particular needs and circumstances of those you are counseling.

The two most powerful words in the world are, “I AM,” for anything we say after, I AM, we will believe and make come true, as we truly are whatever we say we are. If we say we are victors over this virus, we will prove it by conquering it with the faith and wisdom God gives us. Four other words that are as powerful as “I AM,” are, “I believe in you.” These four words have helped shepherd boys bring down giants and dreamers to shape history. What we believe about ourselves and each other is what is going to get us through this crisis. We have been commanded by God to speak to the mountain we want moved out of our way. This is a book that speaks to the warrior in every man, woman and child that is threatened by the Coronavirus or any other stealer of life. In times of trouble and darkness a standard must always be raised up to lead the people in battle. I perceive this book as being a beacon to guide us safely through this storm. No enemy prevails over the wall of our faith, for as he tries to scale its walls, we raise our faith to a higher level, forever determined to not let him supersede it. For every attack of the enemy we have a defense under the cover of God’s wing, which holds us as close to Him as He is to us. The right words at the right time can always spark a new hope and outlook for anyone who is being tried by adversity. This book may not stop this pandemic but I believe it can give us a reason to believe that it will be brought to an end soon enough. Just as we have gathered around the camp fire and fireplace in the past while the vigil candle burned in the window, we can gather around the words of this book to draw comfort and encouragement from people who know what it is to be tried by fire without being consumed. This is a small book but the inspiring quotes and mediations in it are big, they can do the soul good like a medicine if we take them with a little a faith in the strength they offer.

“Wounded humans and feelings of victimization are more common than the common cold.” The abuse and betrayal of our trust takes many forms, it happens in the form of sexual and emotional abuse, molestation, infidelity, neglect, abandonment, four-hundred years of systemic racism, and other crimes, just to name a few examples of the ravishing of our most sacred possession -- our trust. There probably is not a person on this earth who has not been wounded in some form. If you have not been wounded, I am sure you know someone who has. Therefore, this book can be helpful to everyone who wants to get past being wounded, and begin the process of healing. If this sounds like something you want to undertake, I encourage you to take out some time for yourself to do for you, what only you can, namely, “Heal thy self.” There are as many families, communities, nations, and races as there are individuals who need healing from the abuse and betrayal of their trust. Thus, this book can be used as a tool for treating individual and collective wounds, as well as erasing generational curses. Danny has been certified by Toastmasters International as a competent Public Speaker (1991 East Moline). He received his GED from the Chicago City Colleges (1981) and obtained a certificate in Graphic Arts from Southeastern Illinois College (1987). He is a former member of the Pan-African Revolutionary Socialist Party. He spent twenty years in prison and ten in Elgin Mental Health Center. While in the hospital he wrote over eight-hundred poems, three books of daily meditations, and numerous speeches and Afro-centric anecdotes. He also acted as a mentor for younger consumers while there, leading his own peer-support groups and chairing GROW for four years (2003-07). You can contact him at [email protected], for an appearance at your venue.

“God is Bigger than all your problems and the world’s problems combined” Whether we want to admit it or not, many of us are just too dramatic when it comes to talking about our challenges and troubles. We always discover after we have gone through the storms of life, that they weren’t that bad after all. We find that we worry ourselves to death for no reason. The Psalmist tells us in Psalms 121:1, “A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help,” (KJV). Where our focus goes, so goes our trust and confidence, thus if we are focusing on our problems instead of on God and the Promises of His Word, we will inevitably be discouraged when faced with adversity. This book is about doing better as we learn better concerning what it means to trust God and walk by faith. I know that we can conquer all the obstacles in our lives if we follow the example of King David, and look up at the Savior Jesus Christ and Heaven, and not at the mud and mire at our feet (our problems). “No matter how big your problems or the world’s problems, GOD IS INFINITELY BIGGER!” Along with talking about the awesomeness of God in this book, I also share my thoughts about His Grace and the meaning of Faith. Overall the crux of all the spiritual issues addressed herein, is the fact that life is much better when you have a personal relationship and awareness of God the Father and Christ the Savior.

The Miracle of Belief Occurs Before The Miracle of Transformation” I wrote this book with all the mothers and fathers who are sometimes at a lost as to how to best guide their children through the difficult experiences of childhood and young adulthood in mind. Parenting is one of those assignments that is worth doing poorly at first, until you get better at the awesome privilege it is to nurture the souls, Jesus said, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14 (KJV). Parenting is the one job we do not want to get wrong, yet the reality is that we usually are not aware of our mistakes with our children until after we have made them. God knows I am probably the last person who should be offering anyone advice on parenting , because of all the mistakes I made as a father. I nevertheless persist in this endeavour because of what the former Prime Minister of Great Britain said about the benefits of mistakes -- “No man ever became great or good except through many and great mistakes.” Only what we put into raising our children can we expect to see them manifest. It is my hope that this small book, which features just a few of the lessons I have learned from the mistakes I have made and continue to make as a father, will help other parents become better at the job of nurturing the next generation of leaders and achievers