Howdy! I’m a senior at Texas A&M – yep, another obnoxious and overly-proud Texan to deal with – and I’m getting my BA in History in May. College football is one of the great joys in my life, and there is nothing quite like being surrounded by thousands of screaming fans on a Saturday. I’m an only child (bring on those stereotypes!!) and my amazing parents both teach at Klein High School in the Houston suburbs. I love being active, so I’ll play any sport and do just about anything outdoors, from sand volleyball to backpacking. When it comes to sports, I’m very competitive (sometimes to my detriment) … always have been. I’ve always had a desire to travel, but unfortunately have not had much of a chance so far…something that will drastically change come October!!! Reading is one of my favorite pastimes, be it fiction, religious, or historical, and I have a love for all things ancient and unknown (hence the history major). I like to think of myself as an aspiring author and poet, writing simply for the enjoyment of it. Over the past couple years, I’ve been significantly influenced by the writings of Shane Claiborne, Brian McLaren, and N.T. Wright; the music of Derek Webb, Thrice, and the Psalters; and the speeches and sermons of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I’m finally starting to understand the radical peace and love and hope Jesus was about. I see how much Jesus aligned himself with the poor and the outcast, and how we are called to do the same, ushering in the Kingdom through an active love for all creation.
Not through political power, aggression, or wealth.
Not through apathy, passivity, or conformity.
But through creative nonviolence, loving subversion, and a gospel of peace …the third way of Jesus, the Suffering Servant, the Slaughtered Lamb.
And while I know man does not live by bread alone, I could come darn close with chicken fried steak and sweet tea.
