Inside My Kaleidoscope Mind

By Sam Johnson, Dr. Benjamin Stephens III DMin and Rev. Emanuel Cleaver II

I am passion.
I am church.
I am faith.
I am worship.
I am praise.
I am more than a conqueror.
I am a believer.
I am a miracle.

Sam Johnson has a heart for Jesus and a mind for Christ. No matter what his challenges in life, he has learned, through his steadfast faith in God, that it is possible to view everyday life from a Christian perspective and then successfully use that perspective to cope with any challenging circumstances that arise.

In a collection of poetry and other writings inspired by the gospel and his spiritual journey in Los Angeles over the past ten years, Johnson shares an introspective glimpse into his dreams, his faith in God, and the wisdom he has gained from his life lessons. Included are opportunities for others to connect to Christ, and be uplifted and entertained, while learning what truly lies within Johnson’s kaleidoscope mind.

Inside My Kaleidoscope Mind is a collection of gospel-themed poetry, plays, and written works shared to inspire and encourage believers, especially in times of tragedy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Feb 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664222236

Sam Johnson

Sam Johnson (he/him) is a Portland, Oregon, native who traveled the world during 7 years of active duty military service. He returned home with 1 mission: help people get stronger mentally and physically. Sam believes strength is for everyone and is the founder of StrengthFarm and StrengthApp. Sam Johnson (he/him) is a professional strength coach and entrepreneur who is passionate about leading people of all ages and backgrounds to live a healthy, purposeful, and sustainable lifestyle. His 10+ years of coaching experience, as well as personally competing in the CrossFit Games, USA Weightlifting Nationals, and numerous sports help him to inspire sports athletes to reach their goals. Sam's prior experience as a Staff Sergeant Combat Engineer in the United States Air Force gives him a unique perspective on strength when helping prospective military members train to be mentally and physically prepared for service. When he's not coaching, Sam loves to spend time with his wife and son, especially in the sun.

Book preview

Inside

My Kaleidoscope

Mind

SAM JOHNSON

Foreword by Dr. Benjamin Stephens III, DMin

Introduction by Rev. Emanuel Cleaver II

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Copyright © 2021 Sam Johnson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Interior Image Credit: Sam Johnson aka Paulzel

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2224-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2225-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-2223-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021902112

WestBow Press rev. date: 02/17/2021

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

I Am Paulzel

Chasing Wisdom

Pray, Praise, Worship

Music

Anointed by Association

No Limit

In a Good Woman’s Eyes

And Then in Steps Jesus

A Minute to Pray

Boss or Savior

Our Daily Death

Gospel under the Stars

Hungry

The Blood

Who Am I?

Just Amazing

Money

Cost of a Man

The Church

The Breakthrough Moment

Inside My Kaleidoscope Mind

Don’t Treat Her like a Prostitute

Gone Fishing

Philadelphia

Sow in Tears

Give You My Heart

God Called Me

My Father’s Hope

Rock ’n’ Roll

Every Woman Needs Love

Polaroid Life

It Won’t Leave

Graffiti Artist

Carbon Copy

Me and God against the World

Great Jesus

Sum Total

Bury Me

Flashbacks

Overnight Sensation

God’s Voice

Rain Can’t Stop the Praise

Yes, Ma’am

I Simply Thank You

Second Breakthrough Moment

The End

Guilty by Inebriation

Characters

Scriptures

You Know What Love Is

Characters

Scriptures

Change for a Diamond

Characters

I Never Knew You

God Called Me, but I Pressed the Ignore Button

Acknowledgments

Recognition

This book is dedicated to my family and friends, Rev. Emanuel Cleaver II, Dr. Ben Stephens III, Bishop Charles E. Blake of West Angeles, Clark Atlanta University, and the Fly Alpha Phi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Foreword

It is very clear that Inside My Kaleidoscope Mind will take each reader on a voyage to encounter life through the lens of faith in God. The kingdom concepts implied make it transparent that the goal is for all to experience an authentic exchange with Jesus Christ through practical portrayals of everyday life scenarios. The power of God spills out on almost every line! This masterpiece invokes the reader to seek and desire God from so many wonderful perspectives and vantage points. By reading this Christian composition, I have been empowered as a believer in a plethora of ways to be more committed in my faith and on a quest for more intimacy with God. Inside My Kaleidoscope Mind can be positioned as a daily devotional or evangelistic tool to nonbelievers. I honestly believe that this is a multigenerational tool that will evoke connection and conversation among all. From urban colloquialisms to theological interpretation, it covers all aspects of life. One of my favorite poems is Chasing Wisdom, a true classic in my opinion. This conglomeration of proverbial nuggets propels you to take a true introspective look at life while making sure every decision is marinated with wisdom.

We currently live in a world where common sense, spiritual disciplines, morality, and Christian principles are often refuted, ignored, or abandoned. Inside My Kaleidoscope Mind presents a refreshing and revealing snapshot of what every Christian should know, practice, and proclaim. I challenge every reader to look beyond the words of rhythm and rhyme and hear the prophetic utterances supported by strong biblical reference. This is a fresh and innovative exposé of poems and stanzas, all inspired by the Holy Spirit. Every believer will appreciate the Pentecostal infusions, complemented with great poetic and artistic expression pushing all to the cross of Christ. From start to finish, there is no stone left unturned, from reconciliation to romance, from music to ministry.

I am so godly proud of Sam and the ministry that God has given him. Sam has embraced his call, and his work confirms his commit. I served Sam as a youth adult pastor at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ, under the profound leadership of Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. in Los Angeles, California. Sam was one of the leading playwrights for our DRAMA Ministry. To see how God has elevated him and anointed him is incredible. I pray that you are as blessed by Inside My Kaleidoscope Mind as I have been.

Your servant in ministry,

Supt. Dr. Benjamin Stephens III, DMin

senior pastor, Trinity Temple COGIC

president, COGIC International Youth Department

YPWW

Introduction

These are very troubled times for the world’s flagship democracy. At the time of this writing, the United States has just registered more than one hundred thousand deaths brought about by the most lethal novel virus to visit North America in more than a century. The coronavirus has decimated the US economy: more than one quarter has ground to an almost complete recess. Record-breaking job losses have practically destroyed consumer confidence as COVID-19 rips through every region of the country.

As Americans came to terms with the vicious pandemic, the death of forty-two-year-old African American George Floyd on an urban street of Minneapolis sent the nation into weeks of race-based violence that once again flashed an embarrassingly bright international light on America’s original sin, slavery, and its continuing racial ugliness. There is, according author Sam Johnson in his book Inside My Kaleidoscope Mind, one group that managed to escape all the pain experienced by most of the country’s 340 million citizens: the 1 percent elites.

When I think about the present state of this country, my heart cries, my mind is often overwhelmed with concern, and my emotions are consistently on a never-ending roller coaster ride. The critically acclaimed poet Langston Hughes once asked, What happens to a dream deferred? Today I ask, What has become of the American dream? For some people, dreams have become nightmares, but for others society has brainwashed them with vivid, harsh realities of life that have whipped them in such a brutal manner that now their nightmare has become their dream. Unemployment has caused many people to lose hope; foreclosures are leaving more than just the homes empty and let us not forget about the subliminal number of individuals who are living without health insurance. Times are tough, and we are facing arguably some of the worst times in history. American journalists have even gone as far as to claim that this present state of America is worse than the Great Depression and that things will not and cannot get better any time soon. But I beg to differ. Somewhere in the United States among the millions of people, there’s a group of individuals who refuse to give up, will not quit, and have a faith that stretches to the heavens solely responsible for their will to press forward. These individuals are not allowing anything the world puts before them to interfere with their vision and the purpose that God has for their lives. They are the elite.

The elite are not just those identified as the most powerful, wealthy, educated, or gifted apples in the bunch. They are defined as those with the will to persevere, with a strong belief in God and a strong belief in themselves. They are those who maintain mustard seed faith and who say anything is possible. Yes, there are a tremendous number of stories about loss and struggle in this pandemic. However, we do not hear as much about the success stories that occurred. Why are they overlooked so often? For every story about a man who lost everything, there is a story about a man who was laid off, started his own business, and became a remarkably successful. How about the woman who was an after-school tutor and invested in the lives of others, giving them a wealth of knowledge that she never knew she had? Or the person who organized fundraisers, and the proceeds were a benefit to those diagnosed with breast cancer? What I respect most about the elite is that they never allow excuses to stop them from achieving their goals. Better yet, they do