The story behind this book started when I found myself alone after the funeral of my wife, Chief. We had been together almost fifty years. My wife, Annie Jewel "Chief" Banks, was held a funeral on Monday, January 5, 2015, at Ben Hill United Methodist Church, located in the heart of the Ben Hill Community. After a forty-plus miles drive to our birth home of Griffin, Georgia, she was laid to rest. Three days after her funeral, I took my original manuscript from a storage area in the house that we had made our home and had raised our family and went out into the backyards and destroyed all twenty-six thousand pages. I did not see the need nor did I desire to continue writing or to live. But that was January 8, 2015. I looked up into the heavens and asked the Lord what did He want me to do. I said, Lord, I have pulled myself up from a small starting place in Griffin, Georgia, completed high school, accepted to pursue my education at Clark College [now Clark Atlanta University].

From 1966""1970, I completed my degree in sociology and psychology. During my senior year at Clark, I married the love of my life, Miss Annie Jewel Hosely, my high school sweetheart, also from Griffin, Georgia. We set up housekeeping in Atlanta, Georgia. But in January 1971, I was drafted into the Army and I served a tour of duty in the Republic of South Vietnam, as a squad leader, in a military police unit. I worked very hard, and I was promoted to the rank of Sergeant E5. I survived Vietnam and many other situations, but Chief's death took a toll upon the very essence of my soul. But on February 12, 2016, I started back writing, and after my talk with the Lord, on September 17, 2018, I had handwritten about three thousand pages. At that point, I asked the Lord, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" A soft but firm voice came to me. "Warren, my son, I want you to publish your story, which you have written, in the form of a continued prayer. I will send you the name of a publisher." Well, looking back upon my life and the Lord has always been there for me, even when I thought my life was over.

About seven days later, I was listening to my favorite Gospel radio station and I heard this message, "If you are considering publishing your manuscript, call this number or go to this Web site." I was not quick enough to get the information down; therefore, I missed out on get that information that I needed to make my contact. But a few days later, as I was again listening to the same radio station, the message came again; this time, I was ready, and I wrote down the information. Within the next few minutes, I had contacted the publisher and I spoke to the agent and she directed me to mail my manuscript to the address that she had given me. I mailed my manuscript to the address, and within a week, I received a phone call from an agent, telling me that the company had accepted my manuscript for publication. I was really beside myself. I have been in constant prayer with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He saw so much more in me than I saw in myself. He said that He would never leave me nor forsake me, and He never has.

There are so many people who have been instrumental and positive impacts upon my life. I would like to thank the followings people: Jesus Christ, my lovely heavenly residence, my wife Chief, my children, Tonya Tameka (BeBe), Anwar Jamaal (Man), grandchildren Aliyah (Alex), Ali, Ava Jewel Marie, Jabari, daughter-in-law, Amesha, sisters Jenny and Jana, brother John E. Banks (BeBo), brother-in-law Timp, cousins Nita, Lorette, and her daughter Lola, Gwen, Betsy, many nieces and nephews, and so many more family members and friends. I love you all. I will always keep you all very close to my heart. Amen.

--Warren S. Banks

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