Raised by his maternal grandmother and mama, Stephen prays at 12 but fear of peer rejection leads him to backslide. A fast runner, he excels at track in high school. But he steals and is caught; then racial tension and prejudice keep him unnerved. He hears the gospel but refuses to accept Christ. He goes to college but quits the track team, smokes pot and drinks too much. A man shares the gospel with him and he prays for salvation. He reads the Bible but still waffles. The first part ends as he makes a commitment to follow Christ.