All the members of the S Squad are filling out this questionnaire in order to learn more about each other! It has taken me about…oh, FIVE (5!) DAYS to complete it. I tried to write down the first things that popped into my head. However, that didn't always happen. I had to really think about some of my answers. I actually learned a few things about my myself in the process. As you read this, just know that you have my permission to laugh.
What was your favorite food when you were a child? A hard question right off the bat! You guys don't understand. I was rather large when I was a kid, so I'd eat anything. If I had to choose, I would say my family's signature Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish – Broccoli Surprise!
What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod? At this exact moment, "Still" by Hillsong.
What is one of your favorite quotes? Can I type one of my favorite verses instead? Okay. Great! One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is 1 Corinthians 10:13: "And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."
What’s your favorite indoor/outdoor activity? My favorite indoor activity is watching a movie in the theaters. My favorite outdoor activity is swimming and relaxing by the pool.
What chore do you absolutely hate doing? Folding laundry! I have baskets of clean clothes all over the place.
What is your favorite form of exercise? Weighlifting.
What is your favorite time of day/day of the week/month of the year? My favorite time of the day is the morning. My favorite day of the week is Friday because that is the only day I find the time to go to my Mom's house and see the dogs. My favorite month of year is November. I love, love, love Thanksgiving, cooler weather, and when Starbucks puts out their Christmas stuff.
What’s your least favorite mode of transportation? Bicycle…mainly because I never learned how to ride one.
What sound do you love? I love the sound of rain. I'm listening to it tap my windows as I type this!
If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like and what would it be for? I would like to throw a party before I embark on The World Race. The food would include my favorite things since I probably won't have them for a year. I would have each person who attends write a note or prayer on a piece of paper and have them stick it in an envelope with a date on it. I would take the envelopes on The World Race with me and open them on the date that is written on them. It would be a good way to hear from family and friends each day while on this adventure!
If you could paint a picture of any scenery you’ve seen before, what would you paint? Unfortunately, I haven't been to a lot of picturesque places. I'm grateful for the opportunity to change that by going on The World Race! But, I'd say that I'd like to paint the scenery I saw looking down at the Royal Gourge from the Bridge of the same name in Colorado. It was breathtaking.
If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be? I would say 24. Don't ask me why because I'm not sure.
If you knew the world was ending in 2012, what would you do differently? I would've signed up for The World Race a LOT sooner!
If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor? Pastor Steven Furtick from Elevation Church
If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be? I would have absolutely loved to be at the London 2012 Olympics. Of course, I watched it on TV, but I am sure that it just doesn't do it justice. I'm seriously thinking about finding out what it would take to volunteer at the Rio De Janeiro Olympics in 2016.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? I want to learn how to knit sock monsters. I'm being serious by the way.
If you had to work on only one project for the next year, what would it be? I'd want to strictly dedicate my time to preparing for The World Race and helping my Squad mates do the same. Our time together doesn't start at Training Camp. It starts now.
If you were immortal for a day, what would you do? I don't think I'd live it any differently. This pretty much reveals just how unadventurous I am.
If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to? Peter! I've always liked that name. I want to name my son that. Yes, I WILL have a son!
If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? I'd want to meet Elisha. We don't hear about him enough. I guess that is part of the reason why he was so great.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? As selfish as it may seem, I'd pay off my student loans.
If you could know the answer to any question, besides “What is the meaning of life?”, what would it be? I would like the answer to this mind-boggling question, "God, were cats really necessary?"
If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? Samwise Gamgee from "The Lord of the Rings"
Which celebrity do you get mistaken for? I don't get mistaken for him, thank goodness, but I have been told by numerous people that I strike an uncanny resemblance to Jim Carrey as the Grinch.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I'm not going to lie. I would like to be an actor. Sometimes, when I'm driving by myself, I quote movie scenes. Don't judge.
When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? I sit at Starbucks and read…or play games on my iPad.
What would you name the autobiography of your life? Thank You For Being A Friend
What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life? At this point in my life, "Proof of Your Love" by For King and Country, "The Church" by Elevation Worship, "I Will Follow" by Chris Tomlin, and "The Power of Your Name" by Lincoln Brewster.
Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad but it turned out to be for the best? When I realized that my GPA wasn't good enough to get into a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, I figured that I had failed. I thought I probably wouldn't amount to anythng. However, if I had spent three years in one of those programs, God couldn't have given me the opportunity to work in Children's Ministry at my church. I wouldn't trade in my time doing that for anything.
What was the last movie, TV show, or book that made you cry or tear up? I just finished reading the book "Greater" by Steven Furtick. Some of the stories he shared about people in his church who God took from great to greater made me get teary-eyed while on the stairstepper at the gym.
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done? My brother was an alcholic. It got so bad that we had to enlist him in a 14-month rehabilitiation program called Teen Challenge. Sending him there was absoutely awful but had to be done. He is currently on his way in becoming a new creation in Christ. We are so proud of him. We will have three months together between the time he graduates and the day I leave for The World Race!
What was the last experience that made you a stronger person? Through reading the book "Not A Fan" by Kyle Idleman, God has completely changed the way I view my relationship with Him and others. It challenged me to become a stronger follower of Christ.
What did you do growing up that got you into trouble? I don't remember getting in trouble very often, but I remember I ran away once. (Sidenote: By "run away", I mean that I managed to get one street over from the one I lived on.) My mom was pretty upset.
When was the last time you had an amazing meal? I'd say that everytime I eat at Chipotle, I have an amazing meal. With that said, it was sixteen days ago!
What’s the best/worst gift you’ve ever received? The best gift I've RECEIVED was my first dog, Charlotte. I got her when I was 10. The worst was probably when my aunt gave me a rock polisher for Christmas. Seriously?
What do you miss most about being a kid? I miss having almost 3-month long Summer breaks and 2-week long Christmas vacations from school. When you start working, you don't get those things anymore!
What is your first memory of being really excited? I can't remember one specific memory, but I'd say the night before Christmas was always the most excting times for me. I just love Christmas.
What was the first thing you bought with your own money? I bought a Power Ranger action figure!
When was the last time you were nervous? The last time I was really nervous was…well, when Steve from The World Race called me at 1:00 on a Thursday afternoon for my interview.
What is something you learned in the last week? I saw a quote from Jeanne Mayo. It said, "Silence is never misquoted." If what you're going to say even has the POSSIBILITY of hurting someone, don't say it. Perhaps you think of a "clever" way to say it. Even then, just zip it up. Words are like toothpaste in a tube of toothpaste. They're easy to squeeze out but nearly impossible to put back in. It's best just to say silent.
What story does your family always tell about you? For some reason, the fact that I played with My Little Ponies when I was younger always ends up into conversations.
At what age did you become an adult? At age 25 when I moved out of my Mom's House.
What is the coolest place you’ve ever been to? The coolest place I've been to was probably the Dream Center in LA!
What is one word that you would use to describe yourself? Relentless.
If you knew you could not fail, what would you do? I would like to jump from building to building like Spider-man.
