Tanner's Journal « First-Year Student Journals

Profile

Tell us about yourself.

I love a challenge. I also absolutely love sports. I have played baseball all my life. However, I don't like Curling and foosball (seeing as it is now and official sport). Foosball is nothing but luck. I love serving in the Church, as I have done back home in Awana, my youth group, musical events, etc. Above all, I have a passion for teaching and expositing the Bible. I enjoy any opportunity to prepare and present a Bible Study. I am a pretty serious and reserved (but this always depends on the situation), have a dry humor and live by a hard work ethic. I love to be used and blessed by my Savior.

What's a word or short phrase that best describes you?

Commitment- to my closest friends and family, my engagements, and above all, my Faith.

What are some of your goals and aspirations?

Growing up, I was one of those kids who panicked because he had no idea what he wanted to be when he grew up. It wasn't until my two years of high school that I began to develop an interest in politics and our government. I had the opportunity to participate in some leadership/government imitation programs such as Boy's State and Capital Focus, which really opened my eyes and heart to the world of serving in our government. However, over the last 4 years, God has placed an ever-increasing burden on my heart to prepare to serve Him full-time as a teacher and pastor. Although Christian leaders are needed in our government, passing legislation to uphold biblical standards seems like putting band-aids on cancer. The true problems is the heart of man. For the short term, I plan on getting involved in student government here at Biola, as well as other leadership positions in intramurals, Ambassadors, and perhaps even SOS or serving at my new local church.

What do you do in your free time?

What free time?! No, there is some of that at Biola. I absolutely love sports, but baseball above all. These days I run, workout, play sports with friends and play music. I have played the trumpet for nine years and guitar for six. Otherwise, I try to keep myself busy with school/church activities. Sometimes there's time for friends (that was a joke...).

Why did you choose Biola?

During the Fall of my senior year, Biola was nowhere near the top of my school lists. What I wanted then was to attend an extremely prestigious, world-renowned university, such as Stanford, Harvard, Cornell, and UCLA. However, after sending out applications and receiving replies (God led me not to apply to any Eastern Ivy leagues... they seemed too boring), God used all of the next spring to transform my heart from looking at my desires to His will for my life. If I wanted to major in both Politics and Bible, I could only a get a truthful education in both if I went to a true Christian school. Later, as my dad and I made the college tour rounds, my stay at Biola made an unforgettable impact. The people at this school, both students and faculty, were different from the others, and slowly, my grip and thirst for prestige loosened and I began to embrace Biola. Now I am sure beyond a doubt that this is where He wants me to be.

Where is your favorite place to hang out?

Now that I am at school... Disneyland would have to be near the top of my hangout list. However, for me, a good scenic jog around the parks of La Mirada or a game on the athletic turf is always an ideal place for me to spend time.

What makes you laugh?

Wit. I can appreciate today's popular random and "stupid" humor, but few things touch me the way a clever comeback or a pun can.

Tell us one random childhood memory.

One afternoon, by best buddy James and I were outside playing imaginary superheroes. James was "Puddle" (guess what his super powers were...), and I was some bow-wielding, leather jacket dude with a cyborg ferret as a sidekick. Anyways, as we were playing, we heard a really disgusting, loud and whiny growl. After circling the house, we looked up and found a raccoon up in a tree, staring down at us, foaming at the mouth. My mom brought us in the house, fearing the little beast might have rabies. Our afternoon continued. After lunch, we took our dirty plates and half eaten taquitos to the sink. I looked out the kitchen window and saw my dog sprinting across the yard, tossing a hissing, foaming, screaming and crazed raccoon in its mouth. The raccoon was scrambling everywhere, and my dog was half attacking, half running from the convulsing creature. At this time, he and I were home alone, so what did we do? I gave my grandpa a call. He drove over to our house, called animal control, and killed the half dead raccoon to put it out of its misery. All in all, it was a pretty exciting day...