Persevere: Never Give Up, Never Quit

By Sherman Wilfred Franklin Jr.

This book involves stories of overcoming P.O.O.R. (Passing over Opportunities Repeatedly) thinking and overcoming feelings of F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real). It teaches lessons on the truth of the bumblebee theory and how you can prove others wrong that do not have your faith or belieflike the faith and belief a bumblebee has every day when it flies. This book will inspire you to stop thinking about doing things and get up to do all the things you dream of doing but are tricked into believing are too hard or impossible to do. With God all things are possible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 5, 2015
• ISBN: 9781512704952

Sherman Wilfred Franklin Jr.

As a lifelong athlete, the author was trained to get the most out of his abilities and persevere through pain, injury, adversity, and exhaustion. As a lifelong believer in the teachings of Jesus, the author was trained to always know there was a greater power in the universe and that even when it seemed like he was alone, he was never alone. Even when things were at their darkest and most difficult, victory was just over the horizon, merely requiring a small amount of faith and belief to persevere to reach the other side. He holds a degree in psychology, a certification in lay ministry, a certification in health and fitness, and has competed in many triathlons and marathons. Even after suffering a traumatic brain injury that doctors said would leave him either dead or paralyzed for the rest of his life, confined to a wheelchair and living in a nursing home unable to care for himself, he persevered. He became a male mentor to many young people in his area and ran a successful tennis and basketball training business. He has the unique voice of someone who was counted out and beaten down but while on his back decided that rather than giving in and giving up, he would lean on the training he grew up with—relying on God and His promises to never leave him nor forsake him. He decided to get up and persevere, never giving up and never quitting no matter how many obstacles and adversities he faced. His mind was set on the answer not the problem, all the while knowing that God was the answer to any problem.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Slow Down

You will never walk again. You will never use the left side of your body again…. you will be a vegetable the rest of your life. You will live the remainder of your life in a nursing home waiting for someone else to care for you.

I went to Boise, Idaho for what I thought would be a short trip. I’d planned to get my mind right, prepare for the next stage of my life, and get some extra training for basketball. Well, if you want to hear God laugh just tell him your plans, or so the saying goes. What happened changed the course of my life and put it back on track all at the same time.

At an early age, I learned that if I had time to sit, I had time to work! So naturally, I instantly sought ways to make extra money. Someone I considered a friend sarcastically suggested that I get certified as a personal health and fitness coach. I knew I was a great athlete. I was very proud of my ability to coach and train others to reach their full athletic potential. So I did as he suggested and searched around for a fitness club that would help me get certified. A fitness club in downtown Boise hired me as a personal trainer. I knew quite a few athletes, so I was able to reel in business for the company. Collegiate and professional athletes began to flood in because of my influence. I trained athletes at the club and even trained myself when my basketball team did not have practice. Around this time, my team was in preparation for a basketball tournament. For whatever reason, we were not gelling like we needed to win this event. I had been in Boise for a little over a month and a half. I was pleased with how my plans were unfolding, but something bothered me. My mind was uneasy; my spirit was not at peace. I began to feel as though I was running in circles. My grandmother Leona often came to mind, because this was something she had always warned me about as a child.

As a child. I spent a lot of time with my grandmothers. They did their best to instill in me the knowledge and wisdom they attained from all of their years on this earth. Both of them had experienced so much and were able to give me similar advice from different perspectives. My grandmother Leona believed that we should not allow ourselves to get so busy in our desires that we get off the course in which God created us. My father’s mother, Elvina, would tell me the exact same thing. She warned me that if I moved around too fast to hear God’s voice, that He would eventually slow me down in His way, and I might not like it! In the midst of everything going on, I remembered that I was in Boise to clear my mind and hear God’s voice and direction. Sadly, that was the opposite of what I did. As soon as I stepped off that plane, I‘d gone right back to the things that I tried to leave behind in Houston. I filled my plate with everything but God.

One day, I completed my training rather quickly. I felt God tugging me, but I ignored it completely. I decided to go to the gym downtown and play for a couple of hours. Once I got there, a team of guys was just getting ready to play a game. I got there just in time to join in. Of course, I felt like this was fate! We played hard. I remember it like it was yesterday. Even though I had just left training, I was in beast mode! My adrenaline was at an all-time high. My team set up a play, and I felt confident about it. I came down the court full speed to build enough acceleration to dunk on the defender that guarded me. I smoothly crossed him over and took off for the dunk. Of course, the bystanders went wild! They looked on with high anticipation of what was about to happen. My defender’s teammate quickly caught on and tried to play defense. In an attempt to extend his arm and block me, his elbow hit me in the right temple of my head. A hit to the temple was nothing to me. I’d played basketball on all levels. As a youngster, I learned to play rough street ball at Hammerly Park in Houston, so this was nothing – or so I thought. After successfully making the shot, I ran back down the court.

Hey, man, are you alright? You are stumbling all over the place, one of my teammates said.

Yea, man. I’m good. I feel great! I replied.

I ran back down the court, confused about what he meant. I felt fine. Suddenly, one of the facility employees came to the court. Apparently someone on the sideline had run to inform them of what had happened. By this point, I was puzzled. Why was everyone making such a big fuss? I wondered. The employee asked if I was okay. Even after I responded that I was fine, he stayed and watched me for a while. After seconds of watching me play, the employee ran to call the paramedics. They were a private facility and would be liable if anything happened to me. Maybe, he just wants to be on the safe side, I thought. I continued to play until the paramedics showed up. We stopped the game so I could get checked.

What’s your name? one of the paramedics asked.

Sherman, I responded.

Well, Sherman, what happened? he said with a concerned look.

Nothing. I’m okay. I just got bumped in the head. It wasn’t anything major. I snapped. By this point, I was frustrated and just wanted to get back to the game.

It doesn’t seem like ‘just a bump to the head,’, the paramedic said sarcastically. You’re running in zig-zags. You look a little woozy. Why don’t you let us take you to the hospital? We just want to make sure that everything is alright.

No, I will be okay, I replied hastily.

Since they could not force me to go, they left the facility. We finished our game, and I continued to play until I had my fill of basketball for the day. When I got in my car, I began to feel the adverse effects of the blow to my temple. I didn’t quite understand it. In all my years as an athlete, I had been hit in the head or face with an elbow several times. Why was this blow causing so much pain?

For a second, I thought about stopping by the hospital. I undermined the intense throbbing and decided to go to bed. That next day, I flew out to Las Vegas. An old girlfriend lived there and desired to see me. While I was in Las Vegas, I began to experience massive headaches. The headaches shocked me because I’d never in my life had a headache to this extent. Again, I shook it off and enjoyed my trip. When I returned to Boise, the headaches only got worse. This particular summer, it was 115 degrees at nighttime. The intense heat only made my headaches worse! That changed nothing, I continued to run around and busy myself. My conscience, however, had returned stronger than ever. I began to feel guilty about my illicit behavior. I guess what my grandfather said was true – sometimes, you have to have your sense knocked back into you!

CHAPTER 2

Joseph Green

Hey, hey! Come get your bananas! Get your watermelons! Get your onions and potatoes! Come and get’em today!

Joseph Green was my mother’s father. He was a smart, hardworking man. My grandfather raised five children without graduating from high school. My grandfather was a lay minister and evangelist; he was also an elder in his church. He helped build the church to what it was at the time. Joseph Green was also an entrepreneur who made a living selling produce to lower income neighborhoods in New Orleans. Families that didn’t have transportation to get to grocery stores were able to buy fruits and vegetables from the back of his old