HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Hanceville High School’s Brooke Brannan is preparing to start her senior year in August and in this interview, she discussed her faith, starting with a particular Bible verse that helps her stay focused on God.
“I know the role that God plays in my life is always being there for me. When I would be lost in a situation where I needed guidance, or be able to pray and talk to Him, I believe that He’s always had my back. He gives me the courage to be able to be a strong and kindhearted person,” Brannan said. “When I question something, I remember that Jesus is the perfect role model. Even though I am not perfect, I continue to imitate how He treated others and respected them. I try to be like Him in that sense as much as possible. The Bible verse that keeps me focused on Him is Romans 12:3: ‘For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you’. God has always been a constant to look to and want to take in. That verse keeps me focused and humble,” Brannan said. “Romans 12:3 came to me about a month ago when I was sitting in my car and praying to God for guidance on a situation in my life that was going on at the time. The verse popped into my head, and I looked it up and realized that God sent me the right message at the right time. I knew I needed to hear those words, and it is still a reminder to me today.”
Brooke wants to be a light for people of all ages and being a positive role model to younger kids is very important to her.
“My love for God is not forced. I choose to follow and love Him. Humbly being able to reflect God’s love and light through my actions is what I hope others see. Following Christ should be a choice and not forced. I will continue to choose kindness, empathy, and be a presence during other’s struggles and joys. I pray that my genuine love for people will serve as a light to this world. I believe that being a good representative for what you believe in is always an honor,” Brannan said. “Being a positive role model for anyone, especially a kid, is the highest honor. Knowing that my actions and words can and do inspire and guide people of any age is something I take seriously.”
She mentioned a couple of her own Godly role models and talked about her favorite missions as well.
“It is hard not to list Jesus. He is the ultimate role model. My friend Klowy Barrett is the one friend who is truly the kindest, includes people, always has a smile on her face, and a positive word whenever I need one,” she said. “My favorite missions are local needs service missions. I have participated multiple times with Saturday Serve and with the kids’ ministry. At some point, when I am older, I would love to participate in an international mission trip to help kids in another country.”
Brooke gave some advice to anyone that is either struggling or are new when it comes to having a relationship with God. She went through some life-changing events during and after COVID that helped her get closer to God.
“Embrace your unique journey with Jesus. Finding your community of people and a church could be overwhelming at first. I have learned to surround myself with people who want to grow in their faith. I am fortunate to live in a community that supports kids and young people in church. Listening to worship music, reading religious text/Bible and daily prayer helps me mentally stay focused on Jesus. When you can, always find ways to help others in need or by just showing them grace. During and shortly after COVID, the church I attended had several changes from the top to the bottom. All of my peers I had shared my spiritual journey with started attending different churches. I also changed schools around that time. I felt lost. For a short time, I did not attend a church, but I found a youth group that met on weekdays, and things started turning around for the better,” Brooke said. “I listen to contemporary worship music while I’m getting ready, and I listen to Christian podcasts throughout my day. God is a constant presence in my life, and I truly wouldn’t have it any other way.”
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