THE TIME WE FIND OURSELVES...

-In particular, the consideration or lack thereof, at the highest level of Leadership in America.

“A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation”. {Isaiah 60:22} Thus: Suffering Before The Glory...

After that being said, Patience is a Virtue. At the right time, the Lord God Almighty will make it happen. When we read the foretelling of the promises in the biblical context, we who are believers long for their fulfillment. However, we must be careful and patient to wait for God’s timing. Because He is in control. Therefore, we must weave all our lives together to be complicit in His plans.

“For the Lord, love justice; hate robbery and wrong. I will faithfully reward my people for their ‘suffering’ and make an everlasting covenant with them” {Isaiah 61:8}. Know that as believers, we suffer for an enormity of reasons:

• Our own mistakes-someone else’s mistakes

• Though when we suffer from personal mistakes, we are deserving

• General overall mistakes

• Know that when we suffer from mistakes of others or injustices, God is angry

• Therefore, in His mercy, He says that His people have suffered enough. 

• God will reward those who suffer because of injustice. 

• He will settle all accounts. 

In conclusion, the day of reckoning is at hand. As promised, God will settle all accounts. So it’s imperative for leaders at the top echelon of World Leadership to be civil, considerate, fair, and strive to portray and exhibit some level of empathy and compassion for We The People.  Know that God is watching to see who is obeying, and helping others with  His preordained Purposes, His Plans, His Provisions, and His Protection, that He intends. All For His Glory...

Steve Braxton, President/Founder & CEO of Marketplace Ministries,  Inc., Freelance/Critical Writer, Storyteller, Narrator & Orator, Author of Non-Fiction Books

 THE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS OF THE NEW POPE 

1975, Robert Prevost was at the top of his game.

A math teacher in Chicago.

Accepted into Harvard Law.

But he chose a different path — he became a priest.

He joined a missionary order and moved to Peru.

Not to the cities.

To the remote villages, where children die from treatable diseases,

And families walk miles just for clean water.

Robert didn’t just live among the people —

He became one of them.

He learned Quechua, the sacred Incan language.

Carried food for days on foot.

Slept on dirt floors.

Taught math under broken rooftops.

Carried the sick on donkeys.

Prayed under the stars.

His acts were not broadcast,

but they echoed through the Andes.

Bishops noticed.

The Vatican noticed.

They called him back to lead the Augustinian order across 40 countries.

He kept his sandals.

He walked with the poor.

He rejected luxury.

Rome brought him closer:

• Archbishop (2020)

• Cardinal (2023)

• Pope Leo XIV (2025)

Even then, each year he returned to those same villages.

Sat on dirt floors.

Held hands of the elderly and sick.

Because for him, leadership is about presence, not position.

The Vatican didn’t just see a priest.

They saw a leader with soul.

The rest is now history. 😇🙏

Structured & Edited by Steve Braxton Freelance/Critical Writer, Contributing BloggerIn 

 Steve Braxton

Being Spiritual or Religious: A very interesting and often discussed subject matter. There are a plethora of differing values and opinions. The religious approach often involves restrictions on what can or cannot be done. As it unfolds, an enormity of doctrines, rituals, and communal frameworks of beliefs and practices. Such as fashion, the type of dress, clothing, jewelry to wear, manners, mannerisms, attributes, and traits. In addition to many other 'Do's & Don'ts'. On the other hand, being Spiritual is void of many of the bygone era of restriction and mannerism, regarding doctrines and rituals. It dotes on more of an individualistic approach with a focus on growth & development, inner being, self-discovery, with a greater focus on a "Source of Higher Power" of the Creator God of the Universe. Thus, this brings forth a Quotient Component for a more open-minded thought of consciousness.

Steve Braxton, President/Founder & CEO, Marketplace Ministries, Inc,. Freelance/Critical Writer, Contributing Social Media Blogger.

 THE FOCUS ON LIFESTYLE

`Knowledge Is Power

 The Key  Points: 

• Health &Talk

• Learning & Achieving

• The Resulting Outcome is “Happiness.” Strive to grasp and identify the “purpose” of life

BONUS: 

• Vibrant Relations {involve giving & receiving

• Improving Outcome: a focus on persistence  & productive Ideas

80/20 Rule

Health: involves eating 80% and exercising 20% 

Talk: involves listening 80% and speaking 20%

Learning involves understanding, comprehending 80%, and reading and copying 20%

Achieving involves doing 80% and dreaming 20%

Happiness involves Pursuit 80% and Purpose, Fun 20% 

Improving Outcome: involves Persistence 80% and Ideas 20%

THE CONCLUSIVE RESULTS:

All is not in vain when you consistently reach and achieve the 80th % percentile levels 

The Quotient Component for success is that the Rest Will Fall in Place

Desired Results: INSPIRE# LAUGH# LEARN# WISDOM/KNOWLEDGE# and Most of all #Comprehension & #Understanding

Steve Braxton, Life Style Change Participant-The National Diabetes Prevention Program, W/University Chicago & Hospitals, Contributing Social Media Blogger, Storyteller, Narrator & Orator, a compilation collaborative with The Chicago History Museum and The North Lawndale Stories, the 40 Blocks Organizations 

 FYI, with all of Trump's insane antics, the bottom line is, he is stuffing his pockets and enriching himself and his immediate family-in an effort to become the first American Trillionaire. Will he make it? certainly remains to be seen. I hasten to add, A Trillionaire family does exist, But Of Course, not in America. Any ideas as to who it is and what country it is?. Why not attempt to guess if not the name, at least what country do you think it is?

Steve Braxton, Freelance Writer, Contributing Global Blogger, Hall Of Fame Storyteller, Narrator & Orator, Enshrined in The Chicago History Museum, Author, Non-Fiction Books, and Award Winning Poetry Contest Winner: "Best Poets of 2022, Volume 3, a compilation, with w/Library Of Congress Cataloging Publication Data-ISBN 978-1-60880-746-8

 

FORWARD

THE NON-FICTION BOOK: CREOLE SOUP

TOUCHING THE MEANING OF THE ECCLESIOLOGY OF LIFE

FOR THE HERE AND NOW FOR SUCH A TIME AS WE FIND SELF

In the pursuit of penning this manuscript, I dare to hold the potential, promise, and possibility that it has the ability to become a must-read non-fiction book. My focus is an indomitable attitude, one that is not to be  tamed, constrained, subdued,/or cherished 

Instead, the focus is to proceed ahead with more of a strident, tenacious, and obstinate approach with a narrative utterance which proclaims the encounters of troubled waters, while overcoming stumbling blocks, thereby ultimately to reach the glory in telling the stories.

Such an attitude shall serve to put forth the most genuine, authentic, and exploratory path of the journey consisting of:

• Life circumstances and travails encountered 

• Lessening the obstacles and the inevitable life challenges

• Possessing the propensity, attitudes, and  attributes to rise up, walk around, jump over, go through, and even experience unpleasant situations 

• In spite of the fact of being in the ‘eye-of-the-storm’, steadfastly enduring the disaster of the wind, the rain to get through the obstacles along the wayward landscape 

Poetic Stanza Reflections of the Struggles Encountered

“While yet enduring the pain

  Still yet we had to make it through the rain

  Albeit we were uncomfortable-but still good and  okay 

 The reason was that it was just another task of the day. 

 Understandably, as it were, the travail is what one endures to go through 

  It serves as a heightened awareness that we surely knew as we grew 

 Winding through the hardships, challenges, and tribulations

 Such wounds of life to touch and agree, just mere interpretations 

When amid such situational encounters, seeking ways  to cope

There should be a faithful, fervent, and persistent quest to reach and grasp the vicissitudes of hope.”

Steve Braxton, Author of non-fiction books, Storyteller, Narrator & Orator, Contributing Blogger & Top Impressions Post writer on LinkedIn 

 THE SPIRITUAL DNA OF GOD

What does that consist of?
What is the totality of the meaning within the genre of insights & Intel regarding The Spiritual DNA of God?
Let's explore the biblical exegesis of the matter.
Know that before the existence of humans in the earthly realm, the question is, where were they? The Book of Genesis reveals that:
~God created the first man in His image after His Likeness
~He formed man out of the dust of the ground
He then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul
~ He then gave man dominion over the land, sea, and the air
~God blessed man with the divine qualities of external potential
The overall key quotient component is to comprehend the essence of the deeper meaning of the actualized order of happening events
The Focus must be on the quest to discover our external
origin such as:
~What divine qualities we have and truly possess
~We must be on the track of divine order to know what's inherited from God
~A great deal has much to do with the purpose of life for our true potential to love God and exercise empathy and compassion for all others
The Essential Questions To Ponder:
~Are we all becoming increasingly aware of our 'purpose', and 'potential' that God created us for and meant for us to ultimately become in life?
Therefore, the focus toward the 'greater good ' must be aligned, consistent, and complicit with being:
~Reflective on God's light to shine bright
~Strive to consistently walk in His Power
~Be on the quest to fulfill the divine order and purpose of God's intrinsic "Spiritual DNA"
Because He placed within us the propensity to grasp, embrace, and to be complicit in locked step with Him, as we Go Forth on the path of the journey. Remember, what we do in the earthly realm, Does Matter in The Afterlife.. Amen...
Steve Braxton, Founder/President of Marketplace Ministries, Inc. & National Clergy Fellowship Initiative

 THE PROCESS FOR A GOOD LIFE:

They consist of 3-F, 3-Hs, and 3-S

The 3-F's are Family, Faith & Friends

The 3-H are Health, Hygiene & Hobby

The 3-S are Soul, Smile & Service …

Stay Safe, Be Protected as you Go Forth. God Bless

Steve Braxton, Founder/CEO of Marketplace Ministries, Inc

 

Scriptural Discernment of His Grace"

We are all aware of the hymn "Amazing Grace". But are we complicit and really aware of the changing powers within the song itself?

There are 4 Life-Changing Powers of Grace within the lyrics

That being said, Grace is not to be earned, since it is not considered to be an award or a trophy. God deserves the right to the totality of its manifestation. He alone decides to whom he pleases to give it as a divine blessing.

The Changing Powers of Grace are

As follows:

~ Resurrection-Christ's victory over death

~ Redemption- freedom from sin through Jesus Christ

~Healing-Grace is bestowed on mend hearts &lives

~ Strengthening Power to overcome daily struggles on the journey of life., We give narrative utterance proclamation to God's Glory, Because, He is our only Hope, only Choice, and our only "Source." Amen.. Bishop Steve Braxton, Founder/CEO, Marketplace Ministries, Inc. & National Clergy Fellowship Initiatives