Change Lyrics

I told him I gotta go and get my life right So long to the nightlife

I realized that this was not quite working for me

So I left my wicked ways and now I'm offering the insight

As a testimony that just might provoke change For them folk that don't want the same old

Same But a short story about my life, my struggles

And my strife Less about the pain, rather it's about the

Power of his name And moving toward the light

Also, my aim is to set forth a strategy that says there is a good and bad place to fight

That is, if you don't want to be a casualty Now tell me, how are you gonna change if your

Friends stay the same? Searching for a difference, where only the

Same outcome remains There's a difference in the day and yet the

Same opinions hold sway And by the way, how are you gonna grow if

It's self you don't know? Surrounded by those that don't want you to

Go Don't want you to shine and don't want you

To glow Furthermore, how are you gonna succeed while

At the same time ignore that you may need to seriously consider changing your team

Now let me tell you what happened with me, see

After the Lord corrected me, then delivered me, literally from a correctional facility

And I didn't have to do 16 years in a penitentiary, I was on five for Christ

Though I backslid once or twice, I still managed to hold on

But then I fell off completely Now I think I know what was wrong, yes, discreetly

And little by little I allowed compromise and my company to deceive me

Honestly, it's not like it was all together their fault

However it did not make it all together that easy to change, believe me

When depravity is the default, doing right seems strange

Believe it or not, my downward spiral began with a harmless exchange

Or lack of worship and heavenly relationship that was estranged

Surely following a breakup with my virgin freak of a Christian ex-girlfriend

Didn't think sex should just be pretend This repent then rationalize cycle would mark

The beginning of my end Now follow me as my narrative continues to

Descend

While at work one evening I met a young lady whom I found to be quite appealing

Then she smiled and I said hi Not long after we was sexing, drinking and

Doing our best to get high Spiritually it was a defeat, some say man that

Was weak Yes, yes, but the flesh wants to creep

And I gave it every opportunity to do so Matter of fact, I put my sin on repeat

Which subsequently led me to meet the negative influences of which I speak

So now I'm kicking it with some cats that can't go 40 minutes without having a blunt

Roller Uh oh, I just spent half the day doing who

Knows what What was I saying

Never mind, never mind It probably wasn't that important

You know how it goes Memory fails, motor skills foreclosed

Paranoia comes and speech slows While cotton mouth, hunger and drowsiness

Impose their will Who was I to oppose

I just sat back and enjoyed the thrill There we were at the apartment, casually spewing

Nonsense Sending up more smoke than a barrel of incense

And if security came then we hit the fence Jordans, video games and Kobe is how we were

Impressed Add a slice of skullduggery and at best we

Were unproductive, unemployed and unaffected by our situation

Convinced everybody else was hating And with a particular strand of ignorance

We were infected like patients Standing in line outside of the weed house

Waiting For some purple, a swisher, some Skittles

And our lives to pass us by Going in circles, by, by, by

By the wayside, drunk with pride Running in packs, ignoring the facts

That's just how we roll And it didn't really matter why

Why did I adopt such a toxic frame of mind

Where corrupt thoughts would be the norm Collectively influencing mine all the more

Worst of all, they thought not having a bright future was cool

And that's fine, but not for me And just in time, by the grace of God

I suddenly realized I needed to go back to school

Wise men hang out with wise men and I had no intentions of remaining a fool

Now, it was that very decision that would later become the tool that I'd use to build

A new life I was focused, packed and ready for my flight

Although I wanted to study English I had to humble embrace myself for the pre-reqs

Like math, bio and astronomy No matter how tenuous, unnecessary or strenuous

They seem to be But unfortunately, life also had some pre-requisites

Around the corner waiting on me First, I got a job at McDonald's

Nice, not really Second, I got a penny saver and rented a room

Told my friends y'all ain't gon' see me for a while

Never might be too soon Next, I got blessed with a better job and

My own little house Was delivered from drinking, smoking and

Wilding out The Lord took away the desire

Cause on my own it was like a wildfire I just couldn't put out

The only problem was now I surrounded myself with women

Sending and doing more than just kissing Getting separated from seduction, scandal

And stumbling was my new mission Listen, it wasn't quick nor was it convenient

But I had to get by myself and alone to a place I could repent

That meant and still means change Turn around and go the other direction

I needed to grow and do some personal reflection This is not who I want to be, no, this is

Not how I'm going to succeed Jesus, yes, that's who I need

Watch out now From my past I've been freed

And on top of that, I was blessed with some godly friends

To help keep me straight and in the seat Hold me accountable

Show me that living right was manageable Indeed

They were going places And it was good for me

At a local community college to see Black faces at different phases of success

It was almost contagious, see One was on the road to becoming a master

The other an electrician And the last a PhD

Unfortunately in the beginning I failed to realize how much influence is directly affecting

Me Now you tell me

Hypothetically, can a little boy jump up and into a trash bin

Then roll around and when he gets out not stink

Personally I doubt it Today there's me

Praising the Lord on my way to the university Two years into getting my PhD

I went from special ed in elementary Running the streets, locked up in county

Then backsliding Sleeping on my friend's floor proudly

To UCR A beautiful wife, couple of kids, record expunged

And a three bedroom house that's paid for Now that's change

Thank you Lord