UNBELIEVABLY AMAZING, UNVEILED | BY P ANNE BATTISTE | DECEMBER 5, 2021

(GAZETTE PUBLISHING COMPANY LLC) | Sidney H. Smith, III, author of "Unbelievably Amazing," self-published this year on November 16th, is making strides every day towards perfection in Christ, Jesus.
If you knew nothing more about this man, Sidney's self-decribed journey from "crack to conviction" and "Christ to college" would be sufficient for anyone to surmise that this man must have encountered God at some point in his life! For the record, there was no way to talk about the new release without disclosing his spiritual relationship.

Today the author lives a quiet, yet comfortable life with Judy who is his wife of 27-years in South Mississippi. It’s no small feat that this former-inmate had his rights restored by the Mississippi legislature without, then, Gov. Phil Bryant’s signature and that he is now employed as a social worker where it is his job to counsel veterans who have loss their way.

Sidney acknowledges that the demons of his past in no way compares to what Vets have survived but he believes still that his life-long clash with illicit drug binges, homelessness and incarceration has given him uncanny qualifications to help the veterans of America who are in despair. "It's a drug for me," Sidney wrote "to be able to look someone else in the face and speak to their desperation, to know where they are and what they're feeling at that moment."

Since his post-release from Mississippi Department of Corrections nearly 7-years ago wherein he served 10-years, Sidney has gained ground and credits God alone for directing his steps. It's unbelievably amazing that he found himself years later back in the same courtroom where he received a 20-year sentence as an intern for USM'S School of Social Work!

In reading about the laborers that the Lord, God used to provide relief to Sidney when he was far from submission — for me as the writer of this report — was like watching the man dangling from the lowest of low places with just one hand on a ladder constructed from rope. Each individual sent to his aid represented a single bar on that ladder for a brief moment and for a specific purpose.

In my weekend interview with Sidney that took place at the "12-Days of Christmas, Open House" hosted by Dorothy Roberts at Robin’s Nest In The Pass, Sidney communicated that his desire to help others is what motivated him to move from Christ to college. The causal connection between Dorothy and Sidney was revealed, however, when she shared that he had been twice the recipient of the “Lawrence & Lucimarian Roberts Scholarship" named in honor of her parents by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, which serves as administrator of the educational fund.

“I try to wear my faith on my sleeve" Sidney wrote. "I want others to know what God has done for me, because [then] they will know if God can perform miracles in my life then surely that can happen in their life as well."

Sidney is graphically clear in the book about when and what went wrong in his life. He does not side step his own personal responsibility for the selfimposed traumatic events that nearly destroyed him from youth.

The road back from 'crack to conviction' and "Christ to college' can only be understood and appreciated by reading his book, "Unbelievably Amazing."