My grandma's sister looks like Kit.

This is a post for all my American Girl friends. :)
We were talking about the past, and my family loves Kit.  She lives in Cincinnati (like us) and it is so fun to see the Cincinnati references in her books, like for example the train station, Union Terminal, which was still actually a train station in Kit's day and is a wonderful museum we visit today.  
Mostly, we love it because of the Cincinnati-Eastern Kentucky connections. Kit has family in eastern Kentucky (like us) and she goes to visit down in eastern Kentucky (like us) and so we love her books- especially the ones where Aunt Millie is visiting or where they go to visit Aunt Millie- we love the parts in KY, it's like coming home!
Even Kit's name makes me think of my grandma. Kit's name is Margaret Mildred and my grandma's name is Maggie Marie. Kit was named after her mother and an aunt on her father's side. My grandma was named after her aunt on her father's side too. And both hated their names! LOL.
My grandma's little sister looks like Kit.
Her coloring was the same too....she had the bit of freckles Kit has...she had the same color hair...and the same exact color of her eyes...and she always wore her hair in the same hairstyle as Kit...and one more thing, she is named Grace which is Kit's dog's name, lol.
Here you go:

New York Fashion Week- I booked!

 ....I can finally share something that has been in the works for a little while now...I booked New York Fashion Week! I will fly to NYC on Feb 8th and stay in Manhattan for four days working. I am scheduled to be in two fashion shows for Woke Fashions, and one show for Ametrius Cosmetics. I'm excited to get to walk the runways during New York Fashion Week because I have been acting and modeling but I have never booked anything in New York City before, and I've always wanted to, so this should be really exciting!! I am super pumped to get this opportunity. Unfortunately modeling doesn't really go on IMDB pages but it'll probably show up in the "Other Works" section at some point or another. I will take plenty of pictures for my twitter @BrookeOnFilm and will upload videos to my YouTube Channel.

The Public - film is completed!

Hey everybody. I realize I hardly ever write anymore :( Today I logged in to make a few posts all at once. So, back when I was in The Public (I filmed last February--I'm just in one scene, though) I talked about it on my YouTube Channel- about me and Emilio Estevez chatting- I STILL can't believe that happened- and if you followed my twitter you may have seen me post a pic- during a break in filming, I snapped a pic, lovely apparel courtesy of the costume department on The Public. Well, after waiting forever, post production is done and the film is completed! I can't tell the release date yet. I guess it hasn't really been forever- well, not that long by movie industry standards, but to me it always feels like forever- I shouldn't complain because another movie I did was TWO YEARS between filming and theatrical release. Although with that one, I got an advance copy so I didn't really have to wait to see it. With The Public, I haven't seen it and honestly don't know if I will even have made it into the final cut because you know how stuff gets cut from movies. I hope my scene stays in. We'll see.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)
This verse always confused me. I never had any doubts about the Bible and believed it completely...except for this verse. 
I thought of all the people I knew or had heard of who were raised in Christian homes but turned away from their early teachings. I thought, with so many people on the wrong path, even after their early teachings, how could this verse be true?  
But today something stood out to me about this verse, something I'd never noticed before. It doesn't say "when he's an adult, he will not depart from it". It doesn't say "when he's grown up, he will not depart from it". It specifically uses the word "when he is OLD, he will not depart from it".
So it got me thinking. 
When you instill these early teachings in your children, you have planted a seed inside them. 
Some seeds burst forth with fruit right away...others seeds stay underneath the dirt for a long time.  
But even a plant that grows slowly can still become the tallest tree- because it had strong roots underneath it!
When you plant seeds in your garden, you do all the work you can, but then you must wait patiently for the sun to pull them upward.  Likewise, when you plant seeds in your children, you do all the work you can, but then must wait patiently for the Son to pull them upward. 
This may not happen when they reach adulthood. Sometimes it happens as people enter the middle of their lives and stop finding meaning in the superficial glitters of the world around them. Sometimes it happens as people grow old and wonder what else there is beyond this world. Sometimes it happens on the death bed. 
Wherever and whenever it happens, God is faithful, loving, and forgiving. He never fails and He ALWAYS keeps His word. 
Parents who pour their energy, their hearts, their hopes and prayers and tears have invested in their children's hearts, and that work is never lost. 
Returning to the faith of their youth may happen soon, and you will be able to rejoice in that with them! 
Or, unfortunately, it may not happen until they're much, much older- maybe long after their parents are gone, maybe when they're old and have grandchildren of their own- but you can rest assured that it WILL happen. It WILL happen- because God promises us that it will happen!  "When he is old, he will not depart from it".

What's Coming Up

I'm updating my blog tonight and thought it would be good to sort of review where I've been and where I'm going.

This year began a process of finding a new path.  I've wanted to be a teacher my whole life, and I always felt like all channels were closed to me. It's a long and complicated past so rather than make you read a novel, I'll just skip to the present and say that I got my Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership but have been unhappy in my work situation for quite a while.

This past fall, I began to realize that as long as I don't act, I'll be stuck- if I truly felt my calling was to teach children, then I needed to get serious about pursuing that and figure out another way to make my goal a reality.
So I began looking into grad school.

This month I began a math course I need to take before I can get into grad school. There are actually 3 course I'll need- college algebra, statistics, and U.S. Government. I'm not worried a bit about the government class, that will be a piece of cake, but I am expecting the math courses to be uphill work. Math has never been my friend.

Nevertheless, I feel a sense of calm and a lightness that I haven't felt in a long time. I don't know when I will finish school and get to be a teacher, but, just knowing that I'm moving steadily in that direction, no matter how slowly it comes, is a positive thing.

We all need direction in our lives.

Speaking of direction, I also have been so grateful lately that I have Jesus. I really don't know how I would do things if I didn't have Him. He is my rock and my fortress, and my constant companion. I lean in Him so much that I can't imagine a life without Him.

I have often asked for His direction in my life.  Of course God's purpose for us, His creation, is that we bring glory to Him.  But in keeping with that, the answer I'd get from God was that His goals for me were twofold- first, cling to Him so that He may work in me and create in me a reflection of Him, and second, that whatever I do- whether it be through being a teacher, or in the role of mother, or through a ministry- that I would be an instrument of God in reaching people.

I think that becoming a teacher will be good in several ways.
First, with a teaching license, I can work in a Christian school and have the opportunity to have a career where I'm using and sharing my faith every day!
If I don't work in a Christian school, I would not be allowed to share my faith in a public school, however, a public school may be a good place to at least be able to plant the seeds of love and faith in precious children who may be coming from more difficult backgrounds.
I have felt the pull from the mission field, and believe that experience as a teacher would help me in missions. With a teaching license, I would be more qualified to be a teacher in a place that needed a teacher- rather than going simply as a missionary but without any teaching credentials.
Third, if I am ever blessed with marriage and children, being a licensed teacher will assist me in teaching my children.
If I don't get to have a marriage and family life raising children, then having a teaching license will be helpful as I will need to have a career for myself when I'm on my own.

So, I'm very excited to see where my life will be going!

There have been lots of wonderful things happening lately. My sister is possibly soon-to-be engaged (there was a trip this weekend to choose rings!) and my best friend and her husband are expecting their first baby in April.

I'm still working both jobs I had before, but I feel more encouraged because I know now that they are just temporary jobs until I begin my career.

Well, I've updated you about the changes coming. But I'm still me, and I haven't changed at all. I still love learning about everything, mostly the Bible but there's almost nothing I'm not interested in learning more about. I still fall asleep to documentaries about the Great Sphinx and ancient civilizations and the moon. I still love going to plays. I still love scary movies...as long as they're not gory!! I still love Thai restaurants and yes, I still order the exact same thing at every new Thai place I try! I still laugh at the silliest things. I still love a good conspiracy theory! I still love animals and even though I know it's totally ridiculous, I still feel worried about the squirrels when it gets cold outside! I still am super close to my family and know I've got the best one in the world.

The important things haven't changed at all.

But, I feel I'm growing closer to God each and every day. And that's the best thing.

I'm posting today because it is Mother's Day and I want to talk about my amazing mom :)

I could say a lot of great things about my mom- her talent in music, her generosity, her devotion to family, etc. She is truly a Proverbs 31 woman.

But what I really want to say about my mother is how selflessly she gave to her children. 

She has always put her children above her own wants. She left her career to stay home and raise her children. 

This was a sacrifice in many ways- loss of another income, not going out to a job every day having a little time to yourself away from home, not getting to have a retirement, or even just the satisfaction of working for yourself. 

She sacrificed things in order to really be there for her kids. 

The thing is though, she desired to be at home being a full time mom raising her kids and getting to teach them and be there for all their "firsts". 

So she made that choice as soon as she could, and we have benefitted from it ever since.

My mother was always there. Any time I have a memory of childhood, she was there. She was my cheerleader, my supporter, my advisor, my example. She was- and still is- a listening ear and a loving hug. 

I cannot thank her enough for the sacrifices she made to really be with us kids every step of the way.

The most important thing she ever did was to teach her children to know and love the Lord. That is truly the most important thing any mother can do. 

My mother prayed with us and for us, and that continues to this day. 
She talked about the Lord with us. 
She read to us from the bible consistently as we were growing up. 
She did daily devotions with us. 
She was an example to us as we saw her having quiet bible time on her own every morning. 
As we got older she shared her struggles and how the Lord brought her through them.

She is such an example to me of a woman of character and faith.
The best mom is a praying mom. My mom did the best things any mother can do for her children. And for that I am so grateful.

And she did make the choice to give up a career to be at home with us, but another way to put it is that she simply found a better job.
Instead of making money, she made an investment in our lives.

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. 

 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." 

Philippians 1:3-5

Two Great Articles

Wanted to update my blog just quickly, with two FANTASTIC articles I discovered on a website called IJustMetMe.com and both articles are about single Christians looking for marriage. 

It's a hard look at your motives and methods. 

What an eye opener!!!

Here is the article for ladies:

http://ijustmetme.com/2014/07/9-reasons-you-may-not-know-why-christian-singles-ladies-cant-find-their-boaz-david-or-joseph/

Here is the article for men:

http://ijustmetme.com/2014/07/11-reasons-you-may-not-know-why-single-christian-men-cant-find-their-ruth-esther-or-mary/