Brianne Henry

You may have seen some strange sightings of a Flat Bri on Facebook. I've had people comment, message and speak to me in person about this phenomenon. There's some fun friends at First Baptist Fairview Heights. If you are wondering what in tarnation Flat Bri is - here is some background info. So, I do these video announcements at church. It's relatively new, been doing them a couple months. Basically, Luke and I film me welcoming everyone to church and then I go through a few important announcements. It saves time and prevents someone from having to walk up to the stage, read straight from the bulletin, and then awkwardly walk off stage. It's fun. Or at least I think it is! After the first video, one of my friend's sons wondered where I was filming. He really wanted to know where I was! A few of us joked about this - we thought it could be fun for me to film in various places around the church and then have a contest to see who could guess where I was. We then cr...

In just a few short days, I will celebrate being unemployed for one year. This year has been so different than I expected, so much harder and so very joyful all at the same time. Staying home with a kid isn't for the faint of heart - I don't even know how you mommies of multiple children do it. God called me to be at home this year. I know it's not a calendar year - but our big life events seem to circle a school year, so roll with it. And I am so very thankful He did. What did this year accomplish? REST. Now, don't mistake me here - chasing a toddler around and keep up with my husband's ministry work does not equal physical rest. In fact, I may have been busier than ever this past year. I didn't spend my days lounging on the couch or sleeping in past 6:30am. However, the type of rest I experienced over the past 12 months was so much deeper and so much better than simply a physical rest. I woke up most mornings to the sounds of Cooper - now my body knows 6:3...

I serve on the Early Childhood Committee at our church. One of our biggest challenges in our latest meetings is our very real need for more adults to work in the church nursery. A few friends from my Sunday School class can remember just a couple years ago when there were only two couples who regularly attended what is now my Sunday School class. My class recently went from one class to two classes, due to growth. When we moved here in June, Cooper was the only baby in the nursery during Sunday School and many times, it was just him and another little girl in the nursery on Sunday and Wednesday nights. Lately, we have regularly been having at least five kiddos on Sunday and Wednesday nights and many more than that on Sunday mornings. So our plea has been real. We've taken cute pictures of kids and written bubbles above their heads with funny comments. We've made "Help Wanted" signs and had kids hold them up after church. But it's not really working. So I got to ...

In the past few days I have seen multiple people sharing multiple articles about all the things the Church is doing wrong. From the top ten reasons visitors don’t come back to the newest trends for 2015. Studying church is a good thing – keeping visitors is a great thing – change is hard, but typically good. I’ve also noticed people who used to be pastors or individuals I once knew as the church-going type to have completely dropped off the pulpit and the pews. What’s the deal? Each of us will never find a church that does exactly what we want it to. The pastor will never preach the exact sermon each member wants to hear each week. The Women’s Ministry leader will never be able to find a Bible study that each woman in the group loves. The Youth Pastor will not choose events that are each student's favorite things to do each month. The song leader may *gasp* throw a hymn into the song service every once in a while. Church is doing life together. Doing life together is hard. It ...

What a good time of year to sit and reflect over the past twelve months. My life is pretty normal – to me. But I really do believe that other people view it as…not quite so normal. Just in the past twelve months I have had three addresses, moved to a different state, sold a house, and bought a house. Luke and I strive to follow where God leads us and that isn’t always easy. Today I would like to share the toughest thing that happened in 2014. I do know that our biggest blessing piggybacks on my toughest situation. Isn’t that how it usually works? Hard. Tearful. Embarrassing. Mortifying actually. That is how I would sum up 2014’s toughest situation.   This is difficult for me to type and I know will be even more difficult to actually post, but I believe it’s all part of the healing process. Let’s just rip the Band-Aid off here – In April, I was told my contract at the school I was teaching at would not be renewed. Whew, glad that’s over. I’m swallowing my pride and there’s a bi...

My Facebook feed is filled with hate - mostly about people. Ranging from articles bashing the Ferguson protestors (and no, I'm not on their side) to articles bashing the Duggar's for the number of kids they have (and yes, I secretly love the Duggar's) to posts ranting about a teacher or coach to someone complaining about their significant other. Some may see it as sharing a viewpoint or voicing their opinion, maybe even sharing a funny story. But, let's be real. It's hate. Plain and simple. If I had the courage, I would remove the Facebook app from my phone. But the withdrawal may just kill me. I would unfollow people who spread hate like wildfire, but then I wouldn't know it was happening. And my heart wouldn't break for it. Someone's heart needs to break for it, may as well be mine. 1 John 4:16..."so we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him....

I have had an old prayer journal sitting on my nightstand for weeks. I think we came across it when unpacking boxes and it’s precious to me so I put it there. Today, I cracked it open and skimmed over it quickly. It covered from early 2012 until about the time Cooper was born. It’s full, but apparently I got busy with a baby and didn't start a new one. It’s time to start journaling my prayers again. Want to know why? Because as I read through that book filled with my handwriting, I noticed it. Over and over again. Answered prayer. Answered prayer. Answered prayer. They weren’t answered at that moment. But in God’s timing, they were made perfect and complete. Here’s one entry that I wanted to share… 4/7/13: “I yearn to stay home with my baby…Lord, I asked that you please provide me with this opportunity. I know it may not be now, but you know my heart and how much I want this.” I would have been about six(ish) months pregnant here. Even then, I “yearned” to be h...