College Admissions Essay: The Person Who Changed My Life

All little sisters look up to their big brothers, and I was no exception to the rule. I remember watching my brother Brandon, cheering him on at his high school football games, golf matches, and basketball tournaments. I was only six or seven at the time, so of course I wanted to be just like him. I proudly yelled his name in the bleachers, dressed in his big cotton sweatshirts. My little eyes saw Brandon as a superhero out there, on the courts, fields, and everywhere I saw him. I have forever held that notion in my mind, ultimately holding him on a high pedestal. Even though I regarded him as my utmost favorite human on earth, something happened that changed me and him.

I am a fortunate soul. I have two loving parents who raised me in a Christian home. We went to church every Sunday, both my parents worked, and they gave me everything I needed. My mother and father both gave me everything that I wanted, or better yet everything I asked for they tried to get. They didn’t just give me anything, no questions asked, there was discipline, respect, love, and humility. They thought I deserved the world and they tried to provide it. Was that so bad?

“I can do it.” Although it may seem like a simple phrase, these four words comprise the root and core of my character. It makes me smile that the strength behind these four words came from a three-year old boy, my older brother Anthony. Anthony was born with a double right outlet and ventricular septal defect, meaning that he had twice the difficulty performing the same activities as any other three year old. He never let this ailment get in the way of enjoying the pleasures of childhood. He would say “I can do it” and sure enough conquer any task that was presented to him. He even uttered his saying before open-heart surgery and ultimately survived the procedure. Although Anthony passed away a year later from cardiac arrest, it is the strength of those words and the confidence embedded in his character that allow me to understand the wisdom in his

“You know Kwesi, I only came to this country with forty bucks in my pocket and the clothes on my back and look where I am today.” -- words from my father I thought to myself the first time I saw a rifle plummet down to my head.

“Be strong, banish fear and doubt, and remember the lord is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 New International Version). Next month on September 28th, will be my 30th birthday, another milestone will be met. As I look forward to celebrate this milestone, I have also taken the time to reflect on who I am today. Throughout the years, I have experienced many obstacles that have influenced me into becoming the person I am currently. Moving to Columbia, South Carolina had great, if not the greatest, influence on me.

Throughout my youth I was surrounded by people that influenced me to be the best I can be at anything.  My biggest influential people were my parents they pushed me to always be on top of my school work and extra-curricular activities.  Such as times I wanted to give up on something my parents would always encourage me to keep trying but to never up on a dream that I’ve wanted to accomplish since I was a young kid.  With their help they continue to support me through every aspect of both my education and my passion for sports.

On October 30th 2008, my father died in my arms. He had succumbed to a short, but painful fight with lung cancer. It was the defining turning point in my life, Leading me down the path to become the man that I am today. It was the first, of many hard lessons. None of which I regret experiencing. Yes many of these moments have been incredibly painful, and seemingly unsurvivable at times. They have however made me a strong and diligent young man.

I wanted everyone to experience the peace, love, and value that Jesus gives us. Thankfully, I’ve been able to bring a couple of my cross country friends closer to Jesus… it took much time, effort, prayer, and frustration, but it was incredibly worth it. Now this brings us to the main question I will be addressing today: What can Christian adolescents (or any-aged Christian, for that matter) do to bring the younger generation closer to God? Well, from much study and prayer, as well as from my personal experience, I’ve developed a couple steps that can help bring youth closer to

When you are young, you start out as a carefree spirit, not burdened with any type of sinful emotion. As this blissfully happy child, you see the world revolve around only you, thinking that real pain is only a story that will never come true. Some have the luxury of easing into the ocean of pain, while others are thrown in and drown. Life is a maze of twisted paths that decide your final fate and determine where you end up. The paths that I have explored, led me to the point where I am now in my journey.

In the summer of 2015 my friend Bethany asked me to be her Student Representative for our schools Associated Student Body (ASB). Bethany has been a part of ASB since seventh grade and had always tried to get me involved; finally this time when she asked I said yes. I had always thought ASB would be boring but throughout the course of the school year I liked it more and more. I enjoyed the feeling it gave me of helping my school, it made me feel a part of something bigger.

I never thought of turning back even though I knew that re-entering society to start a new life and living life well seemed very challenging then. On the other hand that watershed brought hope of a new beginning that became my inspirational impetus. It endowed me with true courage to take on and pursue that intimidating endeavour. When I re-entered society I had nothing else except a promise to myself that I must be determined and disciplined in whatever I do in my life. Then I was poor (monetary), had no qualification, poor in the English language and had a contaminated mind-set with warped attitudes. I had to put in place a strategy to guide me in my learning and growing in order to achieve a distinct transformation of me.

College!? Yeah you may get scared when you hear that word. I know I did, but now that I got to see a very important person in my life, a leader, my hero, and also my favorite cousin go away to Iowa on a full ride scholarship makes me very convivial to try and get into a good college and leave out of state to study. I want to follow his footsteps to a great career, achieve all the goals I have set for myself. It was one of the hardest times of my life, but I became stronger and knew it was all for the best. I’m just so proud that he gets to do what makes him happy, and get away from California, and begin studying for the most important things in life. He’s been the biggest influence on me my whole life seeing him achieve his goals pushes me more and more to do the same.

It was the first week of my freshman year in high school. Walking through the hallways I thought I was the only person in the world. As if other circumstances around me did not exist nor matter. I had a large group of friends and drama consumed my life. My grades had suffered because I was too busy talking during class. I thought the difficulties I faced were a big deal. I was so blind to what other people could possibly be going through. Until one Wednesday night that changed my life forever.

In the past eight years, post my high school graduation, I have completed a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, worked in the Communication's Industry as an Editorial Assistant in a fashion magazine, progressed in the same Company becoming a Training and Recruitment Coordinator, later commenced working in the Hospitality business, and started my blog at www.CosechandoVida.com, as a hobby.

Again there needs to be growth within the youth leaders as well as the teens. Parents are not exempt from this need either. Growth can be encouraged in a number of ways, but one that is critical for the believer is through the Word of God. 1 Peter 2:2 says that “As newborn babes[we ought to], desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” The Bible needs to be the main source of where we draw our teaching and instruction for righteous living. We cannot rely completely on what we feel about our walk with God or else we fall in danger of heresy or incorrect thinking about the faith we possess. Doctrine from God’s Word is what gives us the reason for why we do what we do and why we believe in what we believe. Therefore we must show our teens that God’s Word is a perfect source for growth. Charles Spurgeon’s comments fit perfectly the first two values I believe should be focused on in youth ministry. He has been recorded having said that “Bread is a second cause; the LORD Himself is the first source of our sustenance. He can work without the second cause as well as with it; and we must not tie Him down to one mode of operation.”