Salvation Collection: One Man's Journey from a Wretched Soul to the Gates of Heaven and Salvation

by Bill Stokes

I am documenting my journey, an inspired poem at a time, from baby steps to a wonderous understanding of the precepts of my salvation. I truly pray that the poetry will guide your understanding of God's grace and promise of eternal salvation. The miracle of knowing that this journey is with your family for all time brings joy beyond description. The poems are not scripture but a documentation of the truth surrounding my soul with grace and love. Using my poetry as a path by following my footsteps will help you to your salvation. My environmental work has spanned the globe and has saved and enhanced many thousands of lives, which uniquely prepared me to convey my journey in a way for you to understand and hopefully emulate.

306 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2023

About the author

Born in Barron, Wisconsin, on September 11, 1931, Bill Stokes grew up on a small dairy farm between Barron and Rice Lake. He began his official writing career as an outdoor writer and general reporter for the Stevens Point Daily Journal, where he served as columnist, reporter and outdoor writer. In 1961 he moved to the Wisconsin State Journal, in Madison, where he wrote outdoor and personal columns, some of which were collected in a book "Ship The Kids On Ahead." (added by Bill Stokes). In 1969, the Milwaukee Journal became his venue and as a feature writer and columnist, and he found new ground to cover in 1982 at the Chicago Tribune. After 11 years there, Bill retired to pursue free-lance projects.

During his long journalism career, Bill won many conservation awards, including the Ernie Pyle Memorial Award from Scripps-Howard News Service in 1972. His work has appeared in many national publications, among them Readers Digest, Outdoor Life and Sports Afield. He has compiled three anthologies of his newspaper writing and authored two children's books.

Bill has lived on Madison's west side since 1959, a home he shares with his wife, Betty. They have a 45-acre "back 40" on a trout stream near Westfield, where Bill engages in his hobbies of trout fishing, photography, bicycling and grandfathering. They have five grown children and 12 grandchildren. Bill and Betty also enjoy traveling.