The Ugly Man At The Beautiful Gate

Wayland Bonnie Strong is the name that was given me at birth. I remember growing up resenting this unique, unusual name and even asking why I was not given a familiar name as many of my piers like Rodney, Derrick or even a common name like John or Paul. Wayland? Where did you get that from? Where did this name come from? But to think I could have been named after my father ＂Bonnie Sea-Borne Strong,＂ Thank you mamma! Yet through the years I have come to appreciate and even celebrate my name, after signing it so many times it began to speak and even now speaks to me, I know it was God, my mother, or somebody, everybody is trying to tell me something... Wayland B. Strong. Born in the heart of the city of Waukegan Illinois at St. Theresa Hospital in the heat of a hot summer day of July 22nd 1959 at 11:14 am. At an early age I came to know the love of the Lord, my family and friends. My earliest memories were of my Great grandmother Julia Clinkscales, I loved and we affectionately called granny. I can still remember walking down 11th street to the little white church ＂St. James C.O.G.I.C.＂ A sanctified church that had a lot of power. Granny was the mother of the church and what a praying woman. I would that I could tell you that my journey with Jesus had been without detours or but what I can tell you is that God is the God of another chance. While pastoring the One Accord church the Lord gave me this wonderful word. This is my responsibility and I take this awesome opportunity to share with you my readers the reason for this writing in these pages you will find what began as the message I shared with the congregation addition notes and thoughts and testimony. It is my prayer and deepest desire that you be blessed by what the Lord has given me. As a minister of music and minister of the gospel I am so glad that my history does not negatively effect my destiny. I was the ugly at the beautiful gate.