Meet Cheryl & Hubby (& Sheila )

Hi, my name is Cheryl.  I’m James Jr. and Adelina’s daughter.  James Sr. and Lougenia’s granddaughter.  I was raised by both my parents and my grandparents but it was my grandparents who laid the foundation on which I first came to know Jesus, and my introduction to the gospel, which happened even before I could read. 

I fell in love with Jesus Christ and was baptized for the first time at the age of eight  ( the number of new beginnings.) 

 Despite the influence of my Christian upbringing and the love I most assuredly had for Christ Jesus, the road that I chose to travel, starting at the age of ten, was rocky to say the least. 

It was replete with bad decisions, wrong turns, self-damning words, jealousy, envy, fornication, adultery, drugs, lying, cheating, stealing, and sexual promiscuity; need I keep going?  All I can say is, “But God who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us” Ephesians 2:4.  

By the time I got married (for the 1st time) in June of 1983 I had already had a two-year old beautiful little girl named Kendra who was my doll. When she was born, her father and I were no longer together. I always thought it would just be me & her.  But one year after I got married,I gave birth to La'Cher who was her daddy's pride and joy. She had 2 of the most beautiful dimples and one lazy eye. Then finally, in 1987 I had my son, Lj, my pride & joy!  

During one of the most tumultuous seasons in my marriage, I up-rooted my three young children and left New York, leaving a well-paying job and all that I was familiar with to go to the unfamiliar, a place called Baltimore Maryland.  I had made a mess of my life and was in search of a brand new start. 

It was there where I met the two most Influential people who hands down have had THE greatest impact in my adult life. First, it was a beautiful godly woman named Sheila Peterkin, just a few years my elder, she was my worker at the local social services office in Baltimore, who until this day is my sister and my VBEF, (very best earthly friend) and she re-introduced me to the one I now seek to live for each moment of every day, the one who has given His life so that I can live eternally with Him, the one who I thought I fell in love with many years ago, but who I found out I didn’t REALLY know, and of course that is none other than Jesus Christ!

At a small store front church in downtown Baltimore, Canaan Missionary Baptist Church by the hands of Pastor MJ Murphy, I was re-baptised.  I laid myself at the feet of Jesus and He forgave me of all of my sins. He delivered me from the guilt, shame, and condemnation of my past that was buried so deep, that I thought it would be a part of me forever. 

He cleansed me, He changed me and gave me a whole new life!  God showed me who I was born to be and made clear the purpose for which I am here.  I know that my story is not unique and if it resonates with you, even a little, then you are who I’m here for.  

After a few years, it was time for me to go home; back to NY. Although I didn't understand why, I knew God had a plan for me.

Proverbs 18:22 says, " He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." so in December of 1999, Anthony Braxton found me and we were married 1 year later. 

After a period of denial, I finally answered the call to ministry (2004) and enrolled into New York Theological Seminary.

At more than 40 years of age and under the leadership of my Pastor at that time, Bishop Lionel Harvey, Sr.Pastor of the First Baptist Cathedral of Westbury, I preached my initial sermon.  The very same church I was baptized at as a child more than 40 years earlier and while I have since relocated to Augusta Ga, in my heart FBC will always be my home. the place where I also taught Sunday School to some of the very same adults who as a kid, taught me!

I served as co-superintendent of Sunday School, and was the visionary for the Film Ministry as well as the Domestic Violence awareness ministry called “A Balm in Gilead” 

Having had the privilege of being a part of a ministerial staff of about twelve, six of which were women, I quickly found out that many of the relationship challenges that exist in the world amongst women, exist in the pulpit as well but the major difference is the source of advice to whom we run ( the throne not the phone.) must always be the Lord.

Helping women realize their God-given potential in the golden years of their lives is what I’m called to do today. To also help my sisters to understand that the missteps of their past are part of an intricate tapestry woven especially to create the beautiful daughters of God who we are today.   

 Time  seemed to have sped up and as the golden years began to come upon me, I began to witness firsthand a societal trend to disregard women my age as if we were irrelevant in several areas of society and in different relationships in our lives. Our years of wisdom oftentimes does not seem to count with this current generation.

How I wish I had the opportunity to go back in time and glean from the elders who knew far more than I did. 

Through my experiences and the lessons learned, I can teach a thing or two and therein lies my purpose.  This is why I’m here. I am aging gracefully and as ageism knocks on my door I am determined to slam that door in its face every time. 

Yes, my sisters, aging brings on challenges, but we will turn them into opportunities for growth, increased wisdom, self-acceptance and fulfillment.  We will provide practical strategies to help one another to emerge stronger and more self-assured because of He who lives within us. 

  As a Tranquil Essence subscriber you become part of a growing group of women who want to live for God and experience the life that only he can give!  We are not perfect, we are not without faults, we are just women who strive to be the best that we can be despite the UGLY-NESS of our past while we keep our lord and savior first!  

As we read, study, and pray his word we will watch God do what only HE can do! 

Let's do this together 

Love,

Cheryl J Braxton