BRANDON     BREANNA     TOGETHER

Brandon

A relentless and reckless spirit has gotten Brandon into some crazy situations growing up. From being in band, football, wrestling, swim, choir, and track in high school, he is left with an unwavering desire to run around in speedos and singlets whenever he can get away with it. Notorious for a variety of Spiderman clothing, a severe LEGO obsession, and an incurable passion for metal, everyone is attracted to his giant smile and genuine heart.

Brandon has always been marked by joy and light-heartedness, but his heart was not marked by the Spirit until after high school. He grew up in the church, and knew most all the right answers of how he should live, but Brandon had never surrendered his life in exchange for Christ’s. God began stirring in his heart on a backpacking trip with his dad in Northern Arizona.  The desire for deep fellowship with Christ burned fervently in Brandon’s chest and he vowed not to sleep until the camp fire in front of him spilled forth impossible amounts of fire. He wanted to feel the heat of God’s glory, and see it with his own eyes.

Well, he ended up falling asleep. Brandon looked for God in the fire, not realize the Spirit was lighting the fire in his heart.

God immediately lead Brandon down a path of surrender and sacrifice of the things he held onto most dear (the LEGO collection somehow escaped that pruning though…), and it proved to plunge Brandon into a relationship filled with more purpose, passion, vision, and love than he ever experienced before. Recently God is chipping away at the strongholds from abuse in Brandon’s heart to make way for FREEdom, Truth, and Love.

Brandon strives to Love Christ like a bride. He likes to remind his wife that our greatest calling in life is not to build amazing ministries, but to know God and be known by God.

Brandon also doing ministry with his band, Army of Light.

Breanna

Always boy obsessed, 3 year old Breanna would chase neighborhood boys around her yard trying to kiss them. Who know that by Jr. High she would be surrendering all of that to focus on a love relationship with Christ?!

In the midst of all the insecurities that the pre-teen years bring, Breanna accepted Christ as her Savior. But it was not until she realized the intimacy one can have with God that she made Him her LORD, doing everything she could to know Him more and be known by Him. It was through the tremulous times in her parents’ marriage while she was in high school that God took Breanna through a season of setting her apart for Himself. Her walk with Christ was founded in intimacy and every act of service or leadership was born out of an urgency to spread that intimacy to others.

God rose her up to be a leader during this time at church, serving in the Jr High ministry and mentoring many of her friends, and at school with the position of Drum Major in marching band (yes, the ultimate band geek!). That leadership proved many good fruits as the friends Breanna mentored, not only accepted Christ, but have continued similar ministry.

The last couple years have been a refining of Breanna’s faith as she has wrestled with, questioned, and challenged God’s character in the midst of knowing the survivors of heinous injustice. But He is faithful, and is taking her through a journey of learning about and accepting the character of God. That simply who He is, is sufficient for all situations and that Jesus really is the answer to every problem.

Together

We were set up.

Mutual friends devised a sneaky plan in which Breanna was hired at Jared the Galleria of Jewelry for the sole purpose of hooking up with an already employed, Brandon.  We were both very aware of our friends’ scheme and were determined not to like each other.

That did not go so well.

In January ’12 we began to hang out. Then, on a beautiful March afternoon, I (Breanna) was kidnapped and taken on a picnic.  Said picnic was my (Brandon’s) genius idea to confess my undying love.  This confession included a declaration from Brandon to pursue Breanna–intentionally and lovingly tearing down the walls surrounding her heart.

Thus began a journey of being “just friends” with “no promises of a future romantic relationship.”

God blessed us richly during that season, providing the time to intentionally care for each others’ hearts and nurture the relationship, while drawing us closer to Him so as not to depend on each other.

Our season of dating was quite the adventure as we individually balanced work, school, different ministries, church, business, and a healthy relationship.  We dated for a short 4 1/2 months before the big question was popped!  It was an extremely intentional, romantic, significant, and beautiful proposal process that ended with a huge surprise engagement party!

The wedding day was a day of proclamation, of love, of healing, of reunions, and of the Spirit.

With such excitement leading up to it, our marriage has been quite the adventure! We are learning every day what it means to love and be loved. Our friendship has deepened, and our ministries have broadened. We are thankful for the time that God has given us to lay strong foundations. But rest is only for a time, and He is sending us out! Continue reading about our ministries to find out where God is leading now.