This Is My Testimony

Well, ladies and gentleman, I am excited and humbly grateful for you all to read my first blog post! Over the past 6 months or so, God has really been brewing something in me to glorify His name and share the good news among my peers and the younger generations to come. This past Friday, I was brainstorming what steps can I take to further share God’s message and then suddenly, it came to me to create a blog and this website. In case you were wondering, the name “The Shepherd’s Way” is referring to Jesus as being The Good Shepherd and we as believers are all his sheep, which is elaborated upon in the gospel according to John in the tenth chapter of The Bible. Before I delve directly into the content of my blog, it is fair for you all to know just a little bit more about myself.

Since a child, I have always felt a little different from many of my peers. While most young boys were a bit mischievous, getting into a little trouble (some more than others) and chasing girls during teenage years, for some reason that was never my thing. Growing up, I was a bit on the quiet and shy side, as I was determined to excel academically, play sports, and have a good time spending time with family and friends. By no means and I proclaiming that I was the perfect child, I had a smart mouth that occasionally got me in trouble with my Mom, particularly during my younger teenage years. My younger brother and I were raised by a wonderful, single mother who provided for all of our needs and beyond, doing a fantastic job of caring for us. It was not until I got older that I truly appreciated and recognized the many sacrifices she made as she always put Mason and I before herself. During my childhood, I am very blessed that my Dad remained active and present in the lives of my brother and I despite my parents being divorced. We spent most weekends with my Dad in Lansing, having fun and just hanging out with our old man. A few weeks before my 13th birthday, my Dad remarried my stepmom, which initially took a little getting used to, but I do love and care for her. She has always been good to Mason and I. Anyway, I remember on the weekends my Dad, stepmom, Mason and I used to attend church regularly on Sundays and that is where I truly began to learn more about God and I was fascinated. Most kids did not look forward to attending church, but as for me, I can say that I enjoyed it for the most part. Those days were the humble beginnings of my relationship with Jesus Christ, and at the tender age of 10, I remember telling my Dad one day after service that I want to be baptized. Mason, being a couple years younger than I, followed my lead, and a few weeks later, we were baptized at a special service in the name of The Father, Son, and The Holy Ghost at Union Missionary Baptist Church in Lansing, MI. The book of Acts 2:38-39 says “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” On that day, we received a new life in Jesus Christ and the power of The Holy Ghost. I can confidently say that this was the best decision I ever made in my soon to be 25 years of life.

Fast forward to the year 2010, I began my collegiate career at the one and only Michigan State University, one of the best and biggest blessings in my life. During my college years, I decided that I was going to make an effort to branch out of my element and become more social while taking advantage of the newfound freedoms in college. My freshman year, everything was brand new and I was a bit too focused on having fun, as my friends and I walked Grand River Ave almost every Friday and Saturday evening (occasionally on Thursdays) in search of the fraternity parties until the wee hours of the morning. Very seldom did I consume alcohol and I never got into smoking, but we used to have a good time dancing with the girls at the crowded parties and loud music. My party habits slowed down quite a bit during my sophomore year, and that is when I was in a relationship during this time. Overall, it was a great experience for me. We had a fun time together, she became my best friend but after about two years, I decided to call it quits, mainly because I was young and still figuring myself out pondering what I wanted out of life. After engaging in an on/off again relationship following our initial breakup, we eventually decided to bring that chapter to an end, and eventually we were able to rekindle the friendship. She is a great young woman who is doing amazing things, and to this very day I highly respect and honor her. My fourth year of college is truly when I started to befriend more women and had new experiences with them. Without getting into too much detail, I was doing what the majority of college age students were doing. Eventually, I had the privilege to join the best fraternity in existence in my opinion, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., that definitely helped develop and mold me into the man I am today. I joined for the intentions of bonding with other black men who are leaders and exemplary individuals not only on campus, but also throughout the entire country and world. I received everything I was looking for and more. I have been privileged to meet and form genuine relationships with various brothers throughout the country for a lifetime. In addition to that, it provided me a platform to become more social and build connections with more people while at MSU. Aforementioned, I went through a season of my life of promiscuity with the ladies, particularly during my upperclassmen years. During my college years, I was an occasional attendee of a great church in Lansing named the Epicenter of Worship. Deep down I knew that the things I were doing were wrong, but I got caught up in the lusts of my flesh. James 4:17 states “Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.” I knew good and well I was sinning. I would feel convicted after leaving church knowing that how I was living was not righteous, but for the longest time I was living a hypocritical lifestyle. Finally, during my fifth year of college, I was at a point of confusion and uncertainty regarding my career plans after graduation and feeling unmotivated academically in school. I reached a low point where I genuinely wanted to make a change in my life and serve God fully. Enough was enough. I started attending bible study, attending church more regularly, getting more connected with other Christians, praying more and putting forth effort to get certain areas of my life right with The Lord.

Things started to shift for me in a positive direction, although I made plenty of mistakes on the way, The Holy Spirit was working in me, teaching me and guiding me in truth. I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in an amazing study abroad trip to Ecuador for 8 weeks, and the following semester I graduated from MSU in 2015 with my B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies of Social Sciences with a minor in Spanish. Following graduation, I continued to be dedicated in strengthening my relationship with Christ. I had some setbacks, as most of us do when it comes to breaking a pleasurable desire, but God has been very patient with me in the process. 1 Corinthians 10:13 assures us that "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." Moving back home to Farmington Hills after graduation and enduring over 2 months of unemployment was a very humbling experience. Car issues, a low bank account, and no job was a bruise to my ego, but in the midst of this difficult season, I grew so much closer to Christ, which is exactly what I needed at that time. I was eventually able to obtain a part-time job in while looking for career-oriented positions, but in the meantime, my 2001 Chrysler 300M with almost 230,000 miles on it finally gave out on me. My mother was also having car issues, but she was able to take me to and from work during this time of no transportation. Side note, I love my mom so much, did I mention that already? Anyway, about a month or so later after working, I was able to purchase a newer used vehicle and received my first “big boy” job offer from the amazing Kent State University, my current place of employment. God answered my prayers because it was exactly what I was asking for. He brought me to a low point in where I was humbled and he increased my faith during that season of unemployment before pouring out the blessings upon me. God was strengthening my endurance and building my character. Paul wrote in Romans 5:3-5 “…we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” I am a witness that this is 100 percent true.

On my 24th birthday, I made a big personal decision that I will remain celibate until I marry my queen, (whoever and whenever that will occur) and that I will trust and follow Jesus Christ completely. I am not fully where I want to be but what I can say is that God has brought me a long way from where I used to be. It has been a remarkable journey thus far since I made the conscious decision to fully give my life for Jesus, and I am extremely excited what God is doing in me this season and what more he has in store for me in the future. However, at the end of the day, it is not about me at all, it is about glorifying God and allowing Him to use me as a vessel to be a light to the world, show love and serve others just as Jesus did. Micah 6:8 says “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” This is what The Lord instructs us while here on this earth. Join together with me brothers and sisters as we live this life not for ourselves, but rather to glorify God and walk humbly before Him through our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

I sincerely thank you for reading my testimony. God bless you.

Michael A. Storay II