Change is Possible: I Never Gave Up

by Eddie Ellis

Change is Possible is a powerful story about Eddie, a 16-year-old boy from Washington, D.C., who once dreamed of playing in the NBA or NFL. However, his life took a dark turn as he got caught up in the streets and eventually found himself arrested for murder.

Despite the challenges he faced, Eddie refused to give up. While serving time in prison, he dedicated himself to turning his life around. He took full responsibility for his actions and made the decision to use his experiences to create positive change both in himself and in the world around him.

Since his release in 2006, Eddie has become an inspiration to many in his community. He continues to give back, using his own story as a powerful tool to encourage others to overcome their own struggles and make positive changes in their lives.

Through Change is Possible, readers are reminded that it's never too late to turn your life around. Eddie's story is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions. It's an inspiring reminder that, with hard work and dedication, anyone can create positive change in their lives and the lives of those around them.

Kindle Edition

Published June 13, 2023

About the author

Eddie Ellis is a life-long dog lover who grew up in the orange groves of central Florida. He is an ordained United Methodist minister and a professor of New Testament. Ellis earned a BA in English from Stetson University and an MDiv from Asbury Theological Seminary. After serving as a pastor for several years, he felt called to a ministry of teaching and returned to school for the necessary training. After earning a ThM from Candler School of Theology and a PhD in religious studies from Baylor University, he accepted a teaching position at Olivet Nazarene University. Ellis enjoys fishing, hunting, and camping. He and his wife live in Bradley, IL, with their two sons.

Reviews

[Samaria Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, I think it has become one of my favorite memoirs! Eddie shared a very traumatic part of his life in an effort as a way to reiterate that change IS possible, as we see in his life. I am so inspired to have met him and having read his book, I am ignited to continue this path--which maintains that we all have the capacity for change, no matter what we have done. This book reminds me how easy it is to take for granted things like taking the Metro and getting a job when there are unlimited barriers for others to achieve these things, so their paths may look a little different than mine. He reminds us all to stay optimistic about our lives, but to fight to accomplish and reach our goals, no matter how hard.

Many times memoirs and autobiographies that are related to people's lives surrounding the criminal legal system are told from the perspective of someone who has never lived it. I am not discrediting these stories of course, but I mean that to say that it is a grave disparity between stories told by people who have experienced the "inside," and those who have not. This was something I hadn't read much of. In addition to this, to see Eddie as an advocate for youth justice, considering the pain he experienced, is so powerful. I hold him in such high regard because he continues to tell his story in many different rooms, and fights the good fight.