Maurice’s harrowing experiences in the US Army and the death of his young son made him reckless and violent. He struggled with relationships, and became alcoholic and suicidal. But when he asked God to make him a better man, he underwent a life-change. Now Maurice uses his stories and poetry to turn hearts toward Jesus Christ .
Maurice’s Life-Change
My name is Maurice Wisdom Bishop and I am 28 years old currently serving in the US Army. I deployed in Iraq for 13 months. While I was there, a soldier in my unit shot himself with an M-16 and the 5.56mm round hit him in the heart and he died. I felt so much guilt because I was one of the soldiers who had made fun of him. I also blamed myself. I was very affected but I hid my emotions inside.
Dark Times
After my 13 month deployment, my ex-wife and baby’s mama called me unexpectedly after six months of not contacting me. She told me then that my one-year-old son had died, and she never even told me about the funeral.
I became angry and my heart grew cold. I had nightmares from my deployment and about my dead son. I couldn’t sleep so I started smoking a lot more and drinking a lot of beer, brown liquor, and wine just to go to sleep. Although I was a smoker since age 12, that night I became an alcoholic. I became reckless and violent.
Trouble , Trouble, Trouble
Emotionally, I couldn’t function.
My relationships always failed. I was married and ended up in a bad divorce. I didn’t communicate with my family because I felt like they couldn’t help me and I didn’t get along with them.
I felt alone and I was suicidal many times. I stabbed myself in the leg, tried cutting my chest, and cut my arm.
I even mixed a few Percocets in my glass of Hennessy. I became homeless and had to survive in the streets.
Because of my bad reputation for mistreating women, a woman who I used to sleep with sent three of her cousins (who had just gotten out of jail for attempted murder) to kill me. I was chased and shot at, but I’ve managed to survive.
I moved from Philly to Lindenwold, New Jersey to try starting my life over, but trouble always found me.
A Chance to Change
I remember asking God to change my life and make me the man he wanted me to be. Nothing miraculous happened, but I kept reading and studying the Bible and I was going to church. Before I knew it, I had stopped smoking, drinking, fighting, mistreating women, and hating people!
My life took a 360 degree turn: God has changed my life completely. Now I’m in great relationship with my parents and family. I have a home, a career, I sleep well, and I’m free from alcoholism and smoking. I even received a second chance in life and remarried my beautiful wife, Jakerra, and have a step-son, Amari.
I’m a published poet and the author of Blood on Paper and Pain Living in My Pen . I use my stories and poetry to change lives.
If anybody reading this doesn’t know Jesus, please get to know him for yourself.
motivatedandfree 
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