Page 121 - From the Outhouse 4 -21

121 | P A T R I C I A R A E M E R R I T T W H A T L E Y

CHAPTER 5

TEENAGE STRENGTHS AND STRONGHOLDS

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14 (KJV)

S
trongholds were the mental roadblocks that I was experiencing that could have kept me from progressing successfully. As
early as I can remember, I sucked my two fingers (pinky and ring finger), and I had no respect of places. I sucked my fingers

th

as much at home as I did at school. Thank God I had an epiphany in the 10 grade! My insecurities were:
• My weight – I felt too fat to dance.

• My skin color – My classmates would call me high yellow or the fellows would call me red bone. Both names really
infuriated me.

• My legs – My knees knocked when I walked.

Although I had friends, in my mind I needed to be thin, a darker hue, and have perfect legs. What changed my insecurity? I began to

feel differently about myself when I became a member of several school organizations and received special recognition as follows:

• Member of the Honor Society

• Member of the Student Council