A FOCUS ON RESILIENCE:

Life On The Path Of The Journey

While being a steadfast journeyman in the quest to survive and thrive, like most travelers, I have had the encounters of:

>Bereavement-separation-Illinesses

>Medical emergencies-disruptive financial issues and catastrophic situations, i.e., Hurricane Katrina, where my roots began in Southern Louisiana, Covid-19, and the US Navy Ship where I served on experienced a collision-at-Sea, which cut the ship in half, and the exposure to Agent Orange while in the throes of the Vietnam War.

The above situations...rare as life's lived and encountered, that escapes hurt from one to another who travels the path-of-the-journey. I hasten to add that one develops a survivor's mentality in the midst of such catastrophic encounters.

This ushers in what I refer to as "STOPA," which translates as follows:

S, Sit Down

T, Take a deep breath and relax to plan the next approach to attack

O, Observe your emotional & cognitive mindful thoughts, i.e., stress, anxiety & depression

P, Planning, brought to the forefront for the next move.

A, Action begins on strategic planning to cope with unexpected encounters

Bishop Steve Braxton, Founder/President & CEO, Marketplace Ministries, Inc & National Clergy Fellowship Initiative National Poetry Contest Winner: 'BEST POETS OF 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025