Am I My Brother’S Keeper?

By Andrew Stafford

Are we responsible for the well-being of our neighbors and our friends and family?

Obeying the command of God is detrimental in our efforts to reap, eternal life. I have attempted to share my efforts from personal experiences through the power of the Holy Spirit guiding my actions. The Psalm, in 37:25, says, I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread (NKJV).

The author, Andrew Earl Stafford, took years to chronicle his experiences for over seventy years as he interprets how the Holy Spirit guided him to be a leader to his family, community, and nation in sharing the presence of God in our everyday lives.

Andrew became aware of the presence of God at an early age as he observed how God protected and provided for his mother, Maezell, who in the 1940s, turned down welfare because she viewed it as a trap to create dependence, rather than an opportunity to succeed. Four boys and one girl to raise, Maezell was told by the welfare department that she could not own a car because it was considered a luxury. Well, Maezells response was that, she needed a car to transport her children to school, besides, she worked at a laundry until she retired.

Their father, Clifford, after leaving the navy, had no choice but to try and earn a living playing baseball in the, Old Negro Baseball Leagues. His absence from the family created a situation of divorce. Though they face possible economic challenges, Maezells goal was to make sure all of her children finished high school. They all did, and most with honors and all with perfect attendances.

Andrews book covers his struggles in poverty, racism, family, society, and in the realm of spiritual warfare. Although you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, theres no reason to fear evil.

Andrew learned firsthand how God will empower each of us to make this world a better place to live if we are willing to wait on him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781503516151

Andrew Stafford

Andrew had the unique experience to return to his home in Schulenburg, Texas, after twenty-five years and eventually pastor the church he was baptized in, at the age of seven years old. He has presently been pastor there for seventeen years. He spent twenty years and six months in the building trades union, retiring in 1999. He has over eight years of study in pastoral theology, other studies in theology from various institutes, and when he reached the age of sixty-nine years old, received a bachelor of arts degree from, “The Institute for Teaching God’s Word Theological Seminary,” in Rockdale, Texas, and continues his study at that institute to receive his master’s degree in the near future. This book is dedicated to my mother, Maezell Thomas Stafford Townsend, for sacrificing her life to raising four boys and one girl, during an era of time of economic distress and enabling all her siblings to at least graduate from high school, 1920–2001.

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Copyright © 2014 by Andrew Stafford.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Rev. date: 11/11/2014

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CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 My Book My Life

Chapter 2 Life’s Ups And Downs

Chapter 3 Continuing On

Chapter 4 My Family

Chapter 5 My Christianity

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Acknowledgements

INTRODUCTION

A m I My Brother’s Keeper? As I faced circumstances in my life, it began to be clear to me the, omnipotence of God in the world. There seemed to always be a burden that landed on my shoulder, to enlighten me that I could make a difference. As I grew in age the responsibility grew even more profound, and I always seem to feel as if there was an opportunity to make a difference. My oldest brother Robert was injured very seriously in Houston, Texas in 1972. It left him a paraplegic and eventually our family had the responsibility to care for him. He recovered to the point where he could come home and transporting him from place to place was a challenge. One day I realized, with the strength that I possessed it would be easier for me to carry him like a child. No one thought it would be possible but I knew that, he was my brother, and, he wasn’t heavy. From that point on whenever we travelled and it was convenient I would carry him, like a baby. It finally convinced me that I truly was My Brothers Keeper, not just literally, but spiritually also.

Later in life after, I reached the age of about 38 years old there was a change in my life where I thought I had escaped the calling my Mother had reminded me from time to time of God calling me to ministry. It seemed as if God had me in a position to listen to Him and pay attention. I felt the power of the Holy Spirit in me but I tried to ignore it to the point where I was driven to my knees. I lost interest in the things of the world like sports, socializing, fun activities, and my new wife, Celia was changing along with me, and we started attending church together, studying our Bibles together, being excited together of a life together with God. I became ordained as a deacon in the Baptist church, but I knew God wanted me to do more.

I had not shared with anyone where I was headed spiritually, although Celia felt I had a calling to preach the Gospel. Then one day in Houston, Texas in 1986, as I was pondering how to make this decision, I was driving along when a news bulletin came on concerning a captain in the Pacific steered his ship in the direct path of a typhoon. The news man said that the first question to be asked of the captain would be, why did he sail his ship into a storm? That question got my attention as if it was asked of me and the first sermon I preached was from the book of Jonah, entitled, Why Sail Your Ship Into A Storm? Sometimes the wind get a little rough, sometimes the lightning flash, and the thunder roll, but I have learned that God is the peace in the midst of a storm. That is why, I AM MY BROTHERS KEEPER. Very often when we are placed in a position of leadership, being out front attracts criticism, but when one is led by the Spirit, there is no reason to waste time, we must move forward, because we are told in Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." nkjv

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Am I My Brothers Keeper

Andrew in Mothers Lap!

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Dad

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Regina, Angela

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Robert - Chair, Mother with Money, Clifford Gene - Left,

Andrew - Right, Everett - Back, Pearlie - Back, Surprised Birthday for Mother

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Founder of School I Graduated in 1961

J.A. Greene High Julia Booth Adam Greene

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Organized a Civic Club in Schulenburg

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Last Location I worked as a Sheet Metal Worker Bay City South Texas Nuclear Plant

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Church I grew up Andrew in Bow Tie Front Row 1957 Bible School

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Church I Pastor

St. James Missionary Baptist Church

Schulenburg, Texas

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Children of our Church

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Mother’s Poll Tax

1954 Fayette County

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