Father's Day

This Father’s Day my father is spending the holiday away from the family. He has been working hard these many months on the oil rigs in North Dakota. The past four years in Spokane have been hard on my family to say the least but my father has done everything in his power to support us. This past December my parents decided that my father should take a job out of state for the better pay and opportunity until we were financially stable again. It was a sacrifice on all our parts but even more so on my him. He is now living alone in what I consider today’s “Wild West.”  North Dakota has attracted men from all over the country and has provided countless jobs and security for most of them. My family has been blessed by this opportunity; we are even more blessed by my father’s example.

I have learned what it means to be a hard worker. My father has also taught me the meaning of sacrifice and humility and how in trusting in God’s sovereignty we are ever assured that God will provide. In scripture Matthew writes about how we need not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry for itself.  This has been so true in my life today! I am so thankful that the Lord blessed me with such a wonderful father, even though he is in North Dakota and we are in Spokane; we send our love to him and honor him this day.

He wrote me a letter the other day that I’ve decided to share with you all….

Let the gospel be your True North

Words from a father to a precious daughter..

My dearest Brianna,

I'm writing you this letter in regards to our recent conversation regarding doctrines and how to communicate biblical truth. As you are about to enter your final year of university, I'm certain you've been bombarded with a plethora of questions from friends and professors regarding truth and biblical interpretation; and most recently regarding hell and moral relativism.  We live in a world where the lines of right and wrong are so blurred that unfortunately there is very little difference between the church and the world. Just look at the national statistics for divorce or premarital relations and you will find an astonishing similarity within the church.  I know you have personally witnessed the devastating effects on the lives of those who have willfully chosen to compromise and ignore their personal relationship with Christ and have allowed feelings to dictate their actions. But this is nothing new, this has been going on for centuries.  Hopefully this can be  the generation that can turn the tide of compromise. But it begins by closely governing your soul and.....not just knowing doctrine....but applying it.

I think the most affective way to approach a biblical truth is to have a sound hermeneutic. Things to consider when studying a text are: authorship, audience, context, history, culture, language, what did the text mean then, how is it to be applied today, how does other scripture inform the text, how does the text fit into the overreaching theme of redemption and the gospel

Take The Gettysburg Address for example. How do we know that it took place in 1863 and that President Lincoln was the won who delivered the speech. Using a basic hermeneutic can shed light on those questions. The text itself indicates "four score and seven years ago,our forefathers bright forth a new nation..." Was the author of this speech referring to the year 1776 or 1789 when the constitution was written. Lincoln was assassinated in 1865. So 87 years ago was referring to the Declaration of Independence and therefore the speech occurred in 1863. There are many historical letters and newspaper articles that indicate Lincoln was at the battlefield of Gettysburg when the speech was given, so history sheds light on that truth. If one says that Lincoln meant in the speech that all "white men" were created equal, they would be in error to the culture of the civil war which main purposes were the preservation of the union and the abolition of slavery.

So when taking a look at if hell actually exists, we can take a similar approach and look at scripture with a sound hermeneutic. So let's shed some light on the subject of hell.

Francis Chan has an excellent publication titled Erasing Hell. I'm borrowing heavily from his writing.  In it he references the following. The Old Testament makes some limited references to hell in Daniel 12 and Ezekiel 32: 17-32.  The concept of hell was a progressively developing theme much like the Holy Spirit, heaven and Jesus were throughout scripture.  Historically first century Jews held the common belief that hell was a place of : punishment after judgement, images of fire, darkness & lament, place of annihilation and a place of never ending punishment.

And Jesus, being a first century Jew, did not challenge this belief system of hell like he did ideas about forgiveness or the Sabbath. In fact, Jesus affirms through many passages that there is punishment, a place of eternal separation and never-ending torment for those who reject the gospel : Matt. 13, Matt. 22, Matt. 25: 31-46.

What's interesting is the style and language used by Christ to describe hell. It is strong and terrifying. Matt. 10:28 says God has the power to destroy both soul and cast body into hell.  Mark 9 refers to hell as unquenchable. I guess one could argue is it truly a "lake of fire" as referred to in apocalyptic literature....for that there is debate. But make no mistake scripture is clear that there is a place reserved for those who'll be judged....and it is terrifying.

I think the concept of no hell, as referred to by Chan, is simply an extension of Universalism which was purported by Origen in the 2nd century. Universalism is the idea that God will save all and that extreme punishment is inconsistent with his character. Of course these views were deemed  heretical by various councils. I'm reminded of Thomas Jefferson who would physically excise passages of scripture from his bible that offended him and his concept of God. Often people will try to "fit" God into their own rationalization of what seems right. Although we were created in his image, yet he is so unlike us. There is an "otherliness" about him that is hard to grasp in our limited human nature. But it makes me worship him all the more for his terribleness and wrath and his mercy and kindness...because he is so unlike me.

Remember Bree, the concepts of right and wrong cannot be dictated by our feelings. Our theology cannot be influenced by popular cultural trends. Just because election doesn't seem fair does not invalidate it's truthfulness. Our culture calls us bigoted if we say homosexuality is a sin. And yet it has crept into the church where it is considered acceptable. But scripture is clear regarding sexual conduct just as it's clear about hatred, pride and un-forgiveness. I'm not so concerned how these contemporary beliefs affect secular culture. When Rome ruled the world, cruelty,perversion and licentiousness were pervasive and yet Jesus did not address Rome's egregious laws. He did not campaign for the preservation of a Judeo/Christian society.  He never wavered  from what was honoring to God. His life was about doing his Father's will and laboring to change the hearts of men.   He did  however overturn tables at the temple when it perversion affected the "church".

You'll find that many Christians are influenced by heretical teachings because they've become lax in the proper governance of their own souls...Lord knows I've sinfully struggled with governance as well.

To passionately dig into scripture and exegete takes discipline and time. We are a lazy generation where we want it now. If our order at a drive thru takes 3 minutes we're disappointed or frustrated. I submit that those who hold some of these heretical views have most likely read it in just a book or two or have been influenced by a group of peers in brief conversations. The topic of universalism, no hell or moral relativism may seem stimulating and thought provoking, but I find it highly improbable that such individuals have painstakingly researched, prayed, meditated or applied sound hermeneutical principles to arrive at their conclusions.

That's why I want you sweetie to review some excerpts from the statement of faith listed below. These do not reflect the totality of all that I believe but is a cornerstone to how I approach my studies of a particular subject. It can be a great opportunity for you as well, to laboriously and joyfully review and study...and take time to pray and reflect on the gospel. I am truly blessed to have a daughter like you. You have spoken truth into my life on so many different occasions. But continue to workout your own salvation with fear and trembling. I don't want you to accept it just because I am thoroughly convinced of it's truths...allow the principle I've shared to guide you. Ask the Holy Spirit to to give you wisdom and he will do it (James 1:5)

Let me leave you with this. As you converse with others concerning these topics, be sure to convey a spirit of humility just as Jesus did. Don't try and win an argument for argument sake. You can be humble and yet not waiver an inch in what you know is absolute truth.  Let the gospel and the message of the cross be your true north when discussing political rhetoric, philosophies, heresies or doctrine and allow the Holy Spirit to do his job. He will guide those whom he has called into truth.

I Love You !!!!!!!!!!!

~Dad

After months of serious writers block I finally finished another poem. Enjoy!

Transparent

by Brianna Anderson

"For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ." ~2 Corinthians 4:6

This is how I want to be seen,  transparent!

Look right through me and see the light that was

put inside by the one they call Abba Father in every tongue.

That same hallowed name used so often in our prayers

has been replaced with a lower case “g,” god!

No longer given the respect He deserves.

This god no longer has a face or even a name.

Forget Yahweh, he is part of the forms,

the sun, moon and sky, they are one and the same.

He can be found in every religion.

The invisible god has truly become just that…invisible!

Not only has the god we serve disappeared, but we ourselves have faded as well,

so much in fact that we no longer shine with His light.

Instead we blend into every ethic code out there,

because we don’t want to seem judgmental or unfair.

We have confused and contorted the meaning of transparency into tolerance.

We are told that all truth is relative.

We suppress God’s light because we don’t want to sound negative.

God is love, don’t hate, these are easy doctrines to repeat.

But when asked hard questions will you stand up for you believe? Or get cold feet.

We don’t want to hear the truth, because sometimes it’s ugly.

Darkness seized the world long ago in the form of sin,

Except we choose to ignore it and forget the problem deep within.

Do not suppress the light!

God sent his own son to die for us,

so that we were made righteous by a legal right,

justified by his blood.

Christ is the only way, the truth and the life.

Don’t be afraid to proclaim what He has done!

If you deny the reality of your sin and damnation,

Then He died for no purpose.

Transparent! transmitting rays of light though its substance so bodies situated beyond or behind can be distinctly seen.

Let God’s light shine within you, because remember you have been made clean.

Feature Poet

I decided this month to dedicate a post to one of my best friends, who is an amazing poet. She finally started up a blog. Her writings can be found at http://wovenhumanity.blogspot.com/
I hope you all enjoy this poem!


Davi
by Mackenzie Evans

You were a breath of fresh air
Bursting through
The stagnant oxygen
My lungs were used to breathing in
As our eyes met
For the first time
In a long time
And my eyes
Filled with light
For the second time
In a long time
As your eyes
Kissed my soul
For the first time
Ever

And it made me feel so alive

Alive as in
Crazy
Stupid
Heart racing
Brain-blanking
Passion
Coursing through my veins
Feeling insane
This feeling of life

And you hugged me
Tightly
Squeezing every attempt
To pretend
From my lungs and
Breathing life
Right back into me
Right where it used to be
Unsteady
Unpredictable yet
Unchanging
Faithfully erasing
My every attempt at creating
A sense of contentment
Amidst the mediocrity
That I called life
Then you called bullshit
Exposing my hypocrisy
And as your lips spoke
Words that meant nothing
Began to mean something
And it wasn't to long
Before
Those somethings
Became everything
And everything
Was an addicting
Exchange of desire

And honestly
The best synonym
For desire is fire
Because
Of its all-consuming
Powerfully engulfing
Intoxicating nature
Along with the
All to real risk
Of getting burned
But
It comes with the promise
That you'll never
Feel the cold

So I inhaled the smoke
Billowing around me
Tasting ashes laced with
Wishful thinking
Knowing I had only dreamt
To feel the way I felt
When our fingertips touched
Dancing
Twisting around each other
Lightly
As if feeling for a foundation
To fall in love from

But as I exhaled the smoke
From with in me
I tasted decay laced with
Guilty feelings
Reminding me
I cant talk your hand
Because someone else
Is holding mine
And I cant give you my love
Because someone else
Has a claim on mine

And that I've lived
Every day
Holding my breath
Waiting
Simply for a moment
To take it away
And that you took it

And I cant take it back
Even if I really wanted to
And I really wanted you
And still want you
Want you to hear
What I've written here

But they're just words
Words to some
Meaning absolutely nothing
Words to others
Holding an intriguing something and
Words to me
That mean everything
They are just words
Words that hold the power
To leave me with
Nothing.

The end

Currency
By Brianna Anderson

Three stories, one family, unable to escape that ever-living demon we call “debt.”
The kind of black hole that sucks away the life of every soul.
The overwhelming load of bills piled too high to ignore or forget.

43 years old, father and head of the household.
He’s awake again in the middle of the night.
The tenants above him are fighting again, their drunken insults piercing through the thin walls of low income apartments.
He changes the TV channels a dozen times, too tired to care if he’ll find something worth watching.
The neighbors are enough entertainment for one night; he just wants to get some sleep.
Sleep needed for a 10 hour shift that starts at 6 AM, earning a paycheck that only brings him closer to bankruptcy.

45 years old, mother and educator of her children.
She can’t fall asleep because the pain in her back is so unbearable,
so she just lies there, praying the pain will go away soon.
Soon enough for her to start her day cleaning other people’s houses while putting away a few dollars she’ll never spend on herself because her children’s needs are more important.

20 years old, sister, student and oldest child.
The neon colored postcard in her hand practically screams “not good enough,” reminding her that tuition payments are late again.
Taking the semester off is not an option; she’ll have to work two jobs.
She refreshes the webpage of her online bank account, making a wish after every click,
waiting for a miracle to happen at the stroke of midnight.
But its 12 AM Thursday morning and payday is still another 24 hours away.

Three stories, one family, all part of a greater plan,
one that started long ago, starting with the fall of man.
Their souls were bought at the highest price; the blood of God’s son used as currency,
paying off their debts in full.

Father, mother and daughter alike have atonement for life.
The transaction of transferred holiness already made;
a kind of bond never to be repaid.

Happy is just an emotion
by Brianna Anderson

Joy. There’s nothing else like it.
It’s something we fight for
and never completely loose.
When your feelings are in an uproar,
joy sometimes gets caught on the emotional rollercoaster
and rides alongside depression and anger.
But when it gets off at its destination,
you find it again, in a higher sphere far above.

Happy is just an emotion,
that changes color quicker than a moodring’s touch can sensor.
Joy is an attitude pursued;
coming from something outside of this inward feud.
I am filled with joy when I am nearest to Him,
just as I feel the heat of the sun the closer I stand next to its rays.

Although troubles surround them, birds sing best in their cages.
giving praises to the glory of our brightest days;
the comfort of our nights.
We too can do the same.
Our souls will rise to see the light.

*I was inspired to write this after reading Charles Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" devotions
http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/morningandevening/morning-and-evening-7-or-2-am-551320.html

Learning to Forget

by Brianna Anderson

Your presence still lingers, a lost limb,
the scar scratches.
You killed what meant most to me.
Didn't know you'd change your mind,
that's now how it’s supposed to be.
You’re my missing puzzle piece.
Now you’ve left me here alone
picking up the pieces, scattered on the floor.
We don’t fit together anymore.

I’m learning to forget, everything you said.
Something greater than you or I
has to put the pieces back together.

He must be your all
before you give a piece of yourself away,
for those you love.
But don’t lose sight of what is true.

Eyes fixed on heaven, all I desire.
Fills my heart with joy
Lord make me whole!

This poem was inspired by various conversations I’ve had with friends about breakups and my friend with the crying heart tattoo ;)

Whitworth's tuition increase

After nearly 7 hours of video editing, our final project for our Interactive Journalism class is done!!



Video story final group project:
Brianna Anderson
Melissa Ross
Cherise Marron

Smoking at Whitworth-Podcast

Podcast project 1:
Brianna Anderson
Melissa Ross
Cherise Marron

Thank you Andy Schwartzmeyer for helping us convert the audio files!

Words Unspoken
by Brianna Anderson

He doesn’t say a word as he takes a seat in the pew in front of hers,
That pretty woman that goes to his same church each week.
He’s looking out into the whole world looking for “the one,”
When all this time she’s sitting right there!
My, that is some technique.

But wait, he’s afraid of affection,
He finally notices her, but is too proud to face objection.
Come on now, don’t be shy, modesty accounts for nothing
If it’s only pretense while the mind runs wild,
Just ask her out and be beguiled.

Women are not mind readers,
A wink or flirtatious glance is not enough.
Speak your mind and be a leader.
Take up your arms men, shoot and fire!
Arm yourselves with words of intent,
Filled with purpose and understandable content.

Words unspoken, hearts never broken.
But where’s the care in that?
How many women must you look at?
Before you decide that she’s “the one”
She’s sitting right there
Behind you in that chair!
Waiting for you to talk to her,
So please…just ask her out!

Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day; it’s the holiday every single dreads. It’s bad enough that couples celebrate anniversaries every other day of the week, but on top of everything else they had to make it a national holiday.

What Are You Doing Tonight?
Valentine's Day at MOVIECLIPS.com

“It’s a corporate holiday that encourages me to empty my bank account for my significant other. I'm not celebrating it per se, but will be taking my significant other out for dinner the weekend before for funsies,” said Whitworth senior John Hawkins.

“It’s the holiday you don’t want to be alone on…and there’s always the expectation of having to get something,” says transfer Student Brie Geffre.

Geffre’s Valentine’s was saved however, when she received a care package from her friend filled with cupcake making goodies. Forget having a “ring by spring”, what could possibly be better than chocolate?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with traditions at Whitworth, the term “ring by spring” holds a certain importance on campus. Like any private school Whitworth has its traditions. The “Little Three” are specific tasks students need to complete before graduation:

1) Drop a tray in “Saga” a.k.a. the dining hall

2) Catch a virgin pinecone (before it hits the ground)

3) “Ring by Spring”-get engaged

These are of course unwritten rules and not taken very seriously.

“Ring by spring is actually not a very popular tradition at Whitworth, as most people don't allow themselves to get pressured into marriage, although we think others will. It's for those who've been in a long term relationship at Whitworth,” said Hawkins.

Thankfully Whitworth is providing a fun alternative event for those of us who would rather not put too much emphasis on celebrating the holiday. The dormitories Mac and Ballard are putting together an “Awkward Middle School Dance” in McMillan Hall.

According to the Facebook invite students will dress up in flavorful middle-school attire and “dine on root-beer floats and dance the night away to your favorite heart-throbbing boy-bands…When else will you get to sport that Abercrombie polo, or sparkle smuckers again?”

“Overall, Valentine’s Day is what you make it,” said junior Chris Frick.

For more info please visit:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=185867381447428
http://www.whitworthian.com/special-features/women/ring-by-spring-culture-limits-identity-1.1737720

Why the Fries Taste Good

This JanTerm at Whitworth I took “Biology of NW Agriculture”. The class covered the biological concepts that underline current topics in agriculture of the Northwest. And popular views of the biological factors thought to play a role in agriculturally related issues.

We went through a book called Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. “Schlosser's incisive history of the development of American fast food indicts the industry for some shocking crimes against humanity, including systematically destroying the American diet and landscape, and undermining our values and our economy,” says Publisher’s Weekly.

For our final presentation my friend Heather Moir and I talked about French Fries and all of the following aspects: production, agriculture, controversies, and health related issues. We even researched the biology of it too!
Hope you like it!

Why the fries taste good

View more presentations from Breelenee.

So this is the New Year

This year didn't go according to plan; we said things we can't take back. But time heals all, and this New Year will bring on better days. So let's start at the beginning. And remember that the ones who know you the best, are the ones you can count on in hard times. And will be there with you through it all.

Tis the Season

Check out Pomplamoose this holiday season for a unique twist on music!



Pomplamoose is an Indie jazz rock band. The band members consist of Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn; together they create a distinctive combination of vocals and multiple instruments. Since joining YouTube in 2009, Pomplamoose has over 212,00 subscribers on their channel as of this December. Their video posts are fun and silly; with weird camera angles and added affects. The duo definitely personify the random.

A poem about this thing we call gravity...

I wrote this for my mom and dad. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Gravity

by Brianna Anderson

What if things don’t get better?
It would be easier to just give up hope
and write my suicide letter.

No, this isn’t how things should be!
I know the truth, but I can’t live my life in theory;
Reality’s gravity is too strong a pull.
It’s bringing me down and I’m weary.
I can’t do this on my own.
I’m falling again, into the fear of the unknown.

The truth is only He can defy this gravity.
He is the one who will pull me up
And save me from my depravity.

Teach me again Lord, help me believe
that your grace is unending;
Even if I fail again in all that I try to achieve.
I don’t know how much more of this I can take.
I have tried to do your will
And I keep making the same mistakes.

The way life is now, isn’t something I would have chosen.
My heart feels like it’s broken.
But gravity can’t keep me down when your love overflows;
And takes me high off the ground from all my worldly cares.
They are gone now, thrown into the air.

Great Quote

In a secret place she kept hidden “the shadow of Some one who had gone by long before... Some one who had gone on far away quite out of reach, never, never to come back. It was bright to look at…she was proud of it with all her heart, as a great, great treasure…no one so good and kind had ever passed that way...or ever has since.” ~Little Dorrit

Waiting
by Brianna Anderson

Until he comes I will stay true.
Until he comes Lord I wait with you.
Until he comes to take me as his own,
I’ll stay here at your throne

My heart is secure in your hands.
My kiss is hidden till we make plans
And I can be pursued.
For now I can only dream, until this story can conclude
With a love worth waiting for.

I don’t know who he is and where he will be.
My patience is wearing thin as I slowly give away the pieces of me.
All these feelings are hard to ignore,
And these constant distractions are tempting to explore.

My heart aches with longing; I could give in
With hopes I’ll find something more,
But a romance has no purpose
without a promise worth holding out for.

Until he comes I will stay strong.
Until he comes I will search for a sweeter song.
Until he comes to take me as his own,
I’ll stay here at your throne.

recent musings…

Momentary Afflictions
by Brianna Anderson

My cares today are but a whisper in the days to come,
Hard times come to an end, this is true for some.
I know I’ll get through this somehow.
But how have I fallen from your grace?
I no longer see your face.

I know not what tomorrow brings.
Joyful praises are harder to sing.
What is the key? The release from this trial?
Free me now so that I can learn to laugh again and smile.

I have no more strength, nothing left to give.
Make me new again so that I may live.
Bring me through these momentary afflictions,
Supplied with sufficient means of grace;
Closer to the end when I shall see your face
When trials will pass,
Into nothingness at last.

They Say Home Is Where the Heart Is, But What If Your Heart's Not In One Place?

It’s been four years today since my family and I moved to Brazil. I didn’t think we would end up moving back to the States so soon; let alone Spokane, WA…but here we are and God is still faithful. Ergo I was inspired to write this dreadfully long post on the subject.
................................................................................

“Home” is such a comforting word. For some, the word refers to a location. For others, it refers to a place where they believe their heart dwells. But the general image “home” presents us with is the picture of a place where we belong. However, I have come to understand the concept of “feeling at home” as something very different.

In the past eighteen years I’ve moved fourteen times. In the past sixteen months I have moved four times. Growing up, my family lived in various rentals, staying in some for two years, and others only months at a time. After living in California for nearly eight years, my parents were finally able to buy a home. It was an exciting experience for me. I began to allow myself the certain attachments I hadn’t given the other houses, after all, this house was ours. But after two short years God had another plan.

My parents decided to move to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil to follow a life time dream of theirs to work on the mission field. My father lived in Brazil as a teenager and always dreamed of returning to continue working in the missionary field. I, however, was devastated at the thought of having to move again. I was frustrated with God.

Moving to Brazil was unlike any move I had ever experienced; this was not just a short trip with cardboard boxes and a moving van. This was a trip to the bottom of the world, with the painstaking process of labeling boxes in accordance to numbers and having to load our belongings into a large metal container that would be placed on a large ship. The next few weeks we prayed that nothing was lost or damaged in the process. I cannot begin to express how painful it was for me to say goodbye to my family and friends. I remember at the time I tried to put a good face on, but deep down I was heartbroken. Just as I was beginning to feel at home in California, I was moving again, and this time to a foreign place.

This foreign place, my new home, took me on a journey I never expected to have. A journey, of discovering who Christ really was in my life and who I was in Him. I started to realize my tendency to depend on myself rather than Him. One night I was reading through a passage in Exodus when the Lord speaks to Moses in the burning bush: “The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” I realized that I was questioning God because I felt that His plan for my life was ineloquent. I wasn’t trusting him for help to face my uncertainties. I repented of my unbelief and the Lord gave me a sense of peace. It soon felt very right to be in Brazil. I came to realize the value of our time in Brazil. God had us in Brazil for the purpose of helping those in need-a reason beyond my need for a “home” of my own. Soon my life was being shaped by God’s grace as He gave me a new perspective on life and the mission field.

After two years of living in Brazil my father suffered a great financial crisis because of the crashing housing markets in California and was unable to support our family any longer on the mission field. Although Rio Grande never truly felt like home it was odd returning to the States. I always dreamed about returning home but I was finally content to stay in Brazil. And yet we had to move all over again.

Our destination was uncertain as we faced the new challenge of coming back to the United States to a failing economy. I was afraid of wanting to unpack all of my boxes because I knew that if I had to move one more time, I wouldn’t be able to pack them up again. But a friend of mine told me that I should live today for that day; the day when our Savior returns. This got me to thinking and made me take a deeper look at how I was living my life and where I was placing my value.

My gaze is continually drawn to the uncertainties tomorrow brings. Doubt sinks in and makes it harder to trust God. But the Bible clearly states that I needn’t worry about tomorrow “for tomorrow will worry about itself.” I have no idea where I will be ten years from now, or even tomorrow. This world is a constant pattern of changing events and uncertainties. But I know that my Savior is never changing and that no matter where I am He will always be there for me. My mind has been so fixated on the future that I forgot about the now. So instead of worrying about where I am going to move next, or how many more times I will have to change addresses; I want to be grateful for each house God provides. I want to be grateful most of all for my family. I want to make the best of my relationships with my new friends.

The concept of feeling at home has come to mean something very different for me. It means being at peace with where God has me. I have heard it said that “home is where your heart is”, but what if your heart’s not in one place? For so long the idea of moving has shaken my faith because I struggle with the idea of letting go. I grow so attached to this world that I forget that this is not my true home. After so many years of struggling I finally realized that it is He who I need to seek; not friends, a time, or a place to be. Whatever paths God leads me on in the future, I am continually learning that if my heart is in Him, the next move may not be so difficult. And that my true home, in is Him.

“For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11

Walking in Love

"The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”(i)

Hollywood stresses the importance of falling in love, but it fails to provide a proper example of what love is. The secular world view of love is insecure in that it has no foundation to build upon. In the world's eyes love can mean any number of things; it can be found in a committed relationship or sometimes just for the night. When love is based solely on romance and whimsical feelings, it fades with the change of emotions.

One of my favorite descriptions of love says: “Love never gives up. Love cares for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have…love puts up with anything, trusts God always, always kooks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.”(ii). That kind of love just described can only be experienced by modeling Christ’s example.

Hollywood tells us that we need to fall in love, but God tells us that we need walk in love. Walking in love means putting your needs aside for the other person. Do unto others as you would have them do to you.(iii) “It’s simple and yet it encompasses every facet of a relationship.”(iv) Showing someone you love them means walking out your life in love. Love is not just something we feel; it is so much more; it is imitating Christ’s perfect example.

John Keats said “I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart's affections...” I am just as certain of nothing but the steadfast love of the Lord; a love that never looks back and keeps going to the end.

(i) Moulin Rouge
(ii) Paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
(iii) Luke 6:31
(iv) Boy Meets Girl-Joshua Harris

This is my favorite photo shoot from Teen Vogue...its from an old issue I got last year...

Project University

Supplies:
* Application Fee
* Application Form
* Academic Reference Letter
* Admission essay
* High School Transcripts
* S.A.T. Scores

Object: to stress out students trying to get into the right college.

Procedure: Fill out the applications, file for financial aid, make your deadlines and hope for the best!

Result: This Fall Brianna Anderson will be attending:
INSERT NAME OF UNIVERSITY HERE


This New Year has brought on new decisions. Applying to college is overwhelming sometimes but thankfully I narrowed down my options to two. Both have excellent academic programs and will encourage me to glorify God through my vocation. My dilemma: one of the universities is in Virginia…one is in Washington…and if I get accepted to both, I don't know which one to choose; I also don't know how I can afford either or what to do if I don't get accepted at all. I try to push these thoughts away but every time I pray, I grow more anxious. I am excited for this new season of my life but at the same time I stress too much about the future. The result of Project University will end in the Lord’s perfect timing. I can only lift my desires to Him and wait and see what happens!