Brandon J. Bridges

Coaching & Encouragement  

WELCOME to our humble website! We are still rather new in operation and design. Here are some things you may need to know:

Our BLOG page includes generalized C&E for anyone who can read. Productive and positive mindsets are discussed, sometimes within the context of some of my own story and values. Most of these are hard earned lessons learned through personal failure and success.

As a undergraduate I majored in theology. Now as a graduate student with Newburgh Theological Seminary I am working on a Master's in Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth, with a minor in coaching. On our MEDITATIONS page we begin every piece with a Scripture passage. Then I share some of my own reflections concerning it.

POSTS & SERVICES highlight a more specialized coaching practice where I enter into a professional and productive relationship with a client who is seeking some type of change, clarity or motivation. As shown on the EDUCATION & REHABILITATION page, I am a lifelong student who has had plenty of time to read, as well as motivation to become a better version of myself. This is mostly about understanding who one is and asking the right questions. If you see that I have some experience in a particular area you might wish to learn more about I encourage you to reach out.

ESSAYS are usually products of my work towards my Master's, or a particular topic I may feel passionate about. This may tell you more about me, as well as IMAGES.

ENJOY!

To begin, I'd like to extend my sincere gratitude for spending a portion of your precious time on my website. I aim for your experience here to generate lasting value. 

My name is Brandon Bridges. I was arrested nearly twelve years ago, on the night of November 1, 2012, when I was just eighteen years old. Having grown up between the systems of social services and juvenile justice, I had already lived in more homes than my age. For multifaceted reasons and from personal experience, I grew distrustful of that system and its ability to protect. 

Therefore, when Samantha Kern told me her unborn baby’s father, Ivan Poe, posed a threat to her safety, myself and two others wrongly took justice into our own hands. This lead to a 3-county police chase, which occured in the dark and resulted in shots fired out of the window, with no intention to aim at flesh and bones. Despite no one being injured, from my heart, I do sincerely apologize for any psychological damage (no physical damage was done) I have caused anyone involved. 

When compared and analyzed with other situations, such as people getting 10 years for premeditated murder, the charges of Attempted First Degree Murder against officers, who weren’t injured, and a plea deal of 20-29 years appears to be inaccurate and excessive. In the grand scheme of things, I was told that was the smart option, considering I was facing 227 years and ten months if I took the case to trial. It was a different time then, I was younger and uneducated; and police brutality was a big deal. I was not killed by them, but they certainly had me buried under the prison. 

Despite the numerous mistakes I made in an effort to survive and adapt to my new life within the confines of prison (a challenging environment at best)- I have dedicated over 4,121 days working to improve myself. This commitment to improvement stems from a sincere desire to make positive contributions to society and to seek reconciliation with those adversely impacted by my past actions. 

I am currently enrolled with three separate institutions of higher education: UNC- Chapel Hill, Nash Community College, and Newburgh Theological Seminary where I will be obtaining a Master of Arts in Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth in June 2025. 

Along the way, I have learned many valuable lessons which I hope to impart through this blog; lessons that you do not have to learn the hard way as I did. Some lessons among many include:

1.) The good or bad is not in the circumstances, but only in the mind of the person encountering it.

2.) Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, but about learning to dance in the rain. 

It is my sincerest hope that, by investing your time on this site, reading my words penned from a prison cell, you will walk away feeling encouraged in your own life- that you might find strength for YOUR own journey. 

I don’t have all the answers. But I know the thoughts and concepts that have made me into who I am today. I am stronger. I am smarter; And I’m making a difference, not in spite of my mistakes, but because of them, right where I am. 

Be Encouraged,

Brandon Bridges

February 13, 2024

I don't know how you came across this site, maybe you or someone you know is having a difficult day, maybe not but you can still relate to other times in your life when you or others did. Maybe everything is just beginning to feel too overwhelming, and you are afraid you might quit your job or school, go crazy on someone, or give up on your dreams. First off, I want you to know that I get it. I was told I would never make it out of prison. I was sentenced to longer than I'd been alive. Sometimes, life can get pretty hard. 

I also know that it is best to just take a deep breath in at times, recalibrate- then get back to it, take it one day at a time. Sometimes even just one breath at a time. While you are taking your deep breath, maybe you can find a blog post title or devotional that resonates with you and your situation, read it, and be encouraged? Remember: You got this! You're stronger than you think, I promise you that. :) 

QUOTE OF THE DAY "A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right." —Thomas Paine, 1776  

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

—Thomas Edison