“ABOUT ME”
This is always a fun section to fill out. This is the section that tells you who I am, and if you already know me, it may reveal some things you didn’t already know about me. So without further delay…
My name is Brian Matthew Barnett. I was born in Tyler, Texas in June of 1983. I’m the youngest of all my siblings (including 1/2-brothers & sisters). I was a pretty typical boy, seeking mischief and adventures like Tom or Huck. My best friend in elementary school lived less than a quarter of a mile away, so mischief and adventures came rather conveniently, and while my parents gave me more or less free reign over my decision making throughout my life, they did an excellent job of instilling in me the difference between right and wrong as well as a strong moral foundation.
When I was in the 2nd grade my parents started taking me and my brother out to “the farm” on weekends. This is the acreage they decided to purchase and eventually settle on after craving a more rural lifestyle. I was resistant at first, especially because it seemed like all my father had in store for me was hard labor, but I soon saw the value in having a wild place to roam and play. I also began to develop an exceptional work ethic. My parents taught me the value in hard work, and that there are great rewards for doing such hard work. I should clarify that by great rewards, I’m speaking more in a manner of intrinsic value, of intangible rewards. After a weekend of dragging trees into piles or pulling nails from boards, my hands and back may have hurt, but there was something that made the air more satisfying to breathe.
This work ethic carried through high school when I worked on a hay farm for one of the most generous men I’ve ever met. He has since passed, but his legacy will remain with me. I graduated from Lindale High School in a class of about 175 people. I proceeded to Tyler Junior College followed by the University of Texas at Tyler to obtain both my BBA and MBA in management. Over these years I developed a passion for traveling and took a great number of road trips in my spare time.
I’ve always been exposed to the church, mostly Southern Baptist churches. My mother made sure we attended as children, then when I old enough to make my own decision about it, I began attending a small Baptist church in the community of Mt. Sylvan. The congregation, made up of about 100 people (mostly older folks), encouraged me to seek God on a grander scale. Their support has resonated with me all these years, so it is now that I seek work for God on The World Race.
Most recently, I moved to Austin about a year ago and began working for the appraisal district as a land appraiser. Working for the government has countless rewards, and my environment has been so good it’s made it a very difficult decision to leave my job in order to pursue God’s work for me. So here I am, a 28 year old Christ seeking adventurer telling my story to you and the world.
