Brianna is married to Matt, Pastor of Young Adult Ministries at Beltway Park. They are still newlyweds, married for just under three years. During the day, Brianna teaches Social Studies at a local high school. In her down time, she serves alongside her hubby in the Lifegroup and Young Adult ministries.
As a girl, Brianna didn't really dream that she would be a pastor's wife, but had a desire to become a youth pastor herself. After serving as a youth ministry intern for several years, she felt a call from the Lord to switch gears to youth ministry within the school system. Serving alongside her husband has become a bonus to the ministry call she had already responded to for herself.
Being surprised by the Lord is something that Brianna has learned to expect. During her senior year in college, Brianna became engaged to a man that she had been dating all through school. Soon after the engagement, the relationship ended, leaving Brianna deeply embarrassed. Because of this, she was excited that her time at school was coming to an end and she looked forward to the day when she could drive away, leaving Abilene and the pain of this relationship behind her. Brianna craved a fresh start, but the Lord had other plans in mind. He actually called her to stay in Abilene and attend the 14:12 School of Discipleship. Though she really didn't want to do this, Brianna heard the Lord promise that it would be worth it to obey and stay. He certainly delivered on His promise! It was during this time that Brianna encountered Holy Spirit and began experiencing freedom, joy, peace and love she had never known before. And as an added bonus, shortly after, she met and began dating her future husband. God is good!Learning to walk out this new freedom God had given her did come with its challenges. Brianna had struggled with legalism for years and admits she still struggles with it some to this day. Connecting to the heart of Jesus to hear what He has to say about situations and people is what Brianna credits for walking out the freedom from legalism. Brianna loves to experience freedom in the presence of the Lord somewhere outside where she can experience the beauty and freedom of the creation around us. Having received these gifts of freedom from Holy Spirit, Brianna is using the spiritual gifts He has given to her to minister to others. Currently, she is gifted with hospitality and prophecy and has recently been challenged to press in and ask for the gift of healing.
Brianna also loves to use her passions in everyday life and reach out and try new things as well. History is something that she is very passionate about. She finds it extremely interesting to learn about things and people from the past and how it has affected life today. This love for history and learning also gives Brianna a connection to her favorite past time, traveling. She loves to go to new places and see how life is in that area. Brianna loves to experience new cultures, try different foods and get to know people of different ages and life stages. Experiencing new things is also what led her to go skydiving for her twentieth birthday. Even though she wanted to back out many times, Brianna says this experience became one of the most thrilling adventures of her life!
At home, when life gets a little stressful, Brianna relaxes by shopping and decorating her house. Even if she isn't buying anything, Brianna loves to walk through stores looking at all the things on the shelves. She also loves to be outdoors, especially sitting on her porch in her rocking chair, just enjoying the peace of nature around her.
Brianna is a very real and down to earth person and willing to share even the most embarrassing of moments to let us get to know her better. One story she shared with us was from her first date when she was in high school. After having a crush on a certain young man for many years, she was thrilled when he finally asked her out. Her excitement was also mixed with a lot of nerves, but she tried to push those down by the time he picked her up for dinner and a movie. Things went very well, but as they headed back to Brianna's house, she began to get nervous again. She began to feel a rumbling in her tummy in the car and by the time they were thirty minutes away from her house, she was sweating and fully nauseated. She knew she wouldn't make it back to her house and asked her date to pull off the road. This scene played out three times before they made it back to her house. After such a sour turn of events, Brianna was mortified and never spoke to that boy again!
It's stories like these and the true heart that Brianna has for others and for the Lord that make us happy to share this wonderful woman of God with Beltway Women!
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