God's plan
Frankfort man clings to faith in ups and downs
By Denise M. Baran-Unland
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD NEWS
Mike Moss, 41, of Frankfort beat the odds.
Growing up on Chicago's west side, Moss, a high school dropout, rebelled against authority, yet miraculously escaped the traps of drugs and gangs. company, Gold Coast Beepers and Jewelry, then lost everything when the stock market crashed. Moss later rebuilt his financial.
Through his businesses and by attending special events, Moss even met people he never dreamed would be possible to meet, people like Debbie Allen, R. Kelly, Michael Jordan, Bill Clinton, Jesse Jackson and Smokey Robinson.
Moss also has co-authored a book, "While the City Sleeps," with Terri Necci Wiedmyer of Joliet and has told his story on a number of radio and television stations.
He also hosts "The Mike Moss Money Making Minutes," which runs on two radio stations. It is on radio station WYCA 102.3 FM from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. every Thursday and on radio station WGCI 1390 AM from 12:45 to 1 p.m. every Saturday.
Moss said he responds to every e-mail he gets and is continually amazed at how his story inspires other people.
"A 15-year-old teen just e-mailed me and said, "Mike Moss, I just read your book, and it helped me get off drugs,'" said Moss.
God as No. 1
Moss hopes all those who read his book do not view it merely as a guide to success, but realize it is more important to serve God, that worldly success is a secondary gain. "I'm not trying to be a role model. I'm just a regular person. I'm just grateful that people are getting helped from it and not just people like me, but married couples, moms and dads and kids with moms and dads who have their high school diploma and degree, but still don't have a job." Moss attributes all of his successes and the opportunities to share his life with other people to God, who guided and inspired his entire life. "You have to put your faith in motion," Moss said in his book. "Use your energy for prayer instead of worry. Praying gets you somewhere; worry gets you nowhere. All the hardships I had, I always kept my focus on the Lord."
As a boy, Moss's mother, Emma Moss, raised him and his six siblings by herself after she and Moss' father, Scott Moss, divorced. But Emma was a very internally strong woman who made numerous sacrifices to keep her children safe, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Moss grew up knowing the Lord had a plan for his life, and he dreamed two dreams, to own his own business and to make films.
But first, Moss had to test those waters of life. Secretly, Moss dropped out of school and worked for his uncle as a carpet layer.
"At first, my mother did not know I had the job," Moss said. "I acted like I was still going to school."
By the time Moss was 17 years old, he had saved up enough money to buy his dream car, a black and white Cadillac. But after Moss was arrested for loitering around a candy store, he sold that car and vowed to change his life.
Getting his life together
He began listening to motivational tapes about Les Brown, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela and began attending Israel God Church in Chicago, finding even more inspiration in the church's pastor, the Rev. Henry Wilson.
One day, Emma brought Wilson home to talk with Moss. Wilson, Moss said, reaffirmed Moss' conviction that God had a plan for his life. Wilson encouraged Moss to lean on God and promised to help Moss as much as he could.
Moss believed Wilson and blossomed under his spiritual leadership. He got a steady job at a Jewel Food store and met and married his wife, Angie. They set a goal to raise their children, Itanza Moss, 19; Tela Moss, 15; Ashley Moss, 13; Michael (deceased); Michael, 9; and Isaiah, 8, in a godly manner.
But with minimal education under his belt, Moss found it difficult to provide properly for his growing family. Then Moss learned the city of Chicago was hiring garbage truck drivers. There was only one catch: All drivers had to have a CDL license, and the application deadline was in a couple of days.
So Moss called up a truck driving school and explained his predicament. A school representative created a crash course for Moss. He and Angie stayed up late into the night until both were satisfied that Moss knew the world of truck driving inside and out.
"I passed the driving test and began working for the city," said Moss. "God worked everything out for me. Through all the trials and tribulations I had, I always had that peace of mind, that clear vision of what I needed to do."
It was on that job, on a slippery, winter day that a miracle happened in Moss' life. One moment Moss was assisting with snow removal and the next moment a van struck him and lifted him the air. Moss landed on his back with the van pinned on top of him.
Moss felt only peace as he sensed angels surrounding him. He asked God to spare his life for his family's sake.
"Someone called 911 for the paramedics and the fire department. They were able to lift the van off me," said Moss in his book. "By the grace of God I wasn't hurt. No broken bones. ... The only part of my body that wasn't in pain was my thumb."
Clinging to God in tragedy
But in 1997, tragedy struck the Moss family that gave Moss even more reason to cling to God. Their youngest child, Michael, was ill one day with chicken pox and suddenly dead the next. Doctors never could find a concrete reason for young Michael's death, said Moss.
"It was very hard to face," said Moss in his book. "He was just a baby. His life never got started."
But Moss continued to work and to dream. A friend, knowing how badly Moss longed for his own business, asked him to sell beepers for him. Moss succeeded as a salesman beyond his wildest dreams and, against the advice of his friends, quit working for the city and opened Gold Coast Beepers and Jewelry.
The company grew quite large, Moss said, and he felt confidently successful until the stock market crashed. Moss' stockbroker reassured Moss that everything would be fine, and Moss relaxed. Then the tragedies of Sept. 11, 2001, occurred, and many people lost their financial security, including Moss.
"I lost 80 percent of everything I worked so hard for all my life, but I kept the faith," said Moss in his book. "I was a millionaire one day and broke the next. I was depressed and cried a lot. My friends never saw the difference in me. I kept to myself. I was dying inside.
"I knew God had a plan for me. This was something I had to go through. I said I wasn't going to let anything or anyone get me down."
Another friend suggested to Moss that he might enjoy buying and selling real estate. Moss and Angie prayed on the matter, sold their business and invested in real estate. They were not disappointed.
Within two years, Moss had rebuilt his wealth, and he continues in the real estate business to this day.
But he never underestimates just where true wealth lies — with Angie, whom Moss views as his partner and life's love, and with his children.
"One of the most important assets you can have is your precious children, to take care of them and teach them the values in life," said Moss in his book. "I tell my five children they can make it. I want them to be proud of me and I want to be an example of where you can go in life with hard work and dedication and always keeping the faith.
"The Lord will provide all you need. It's up to you what to do with your life. Be responsible for yourself and always have respect for people."FYI
To order copies of "While the City Sleeps," send $9.95 for orders of five books or less (add $.05 shipping and handling per book for orders of six or more books) to Michael Moss, P.O. Box 141, Frankfort, IL, 60423. You also may order copies from www.5starpc.com. To contact Mike Moss, e-mail him at mikemoss@5starpc.com
03/25/05
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