BRENDA W MCCULLERS ARTIST-ART EDUCATOR-PODCASTER
  • Blog/Home
  • About Me
    • Bio
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
    • Media Kit
  • Testimony
  • Artist Portfolio
  • Online Art Camp Sign-up
  • Lesson Plans
    • Kindergarten Lessons
    • Elementary Lessons
    • Upper Grade Lessons
  • UF Classwork
    • Art Education in Alternative Settings >
      • Clay Habit Studio
      • Annotated Bibliography
      • The Treasure Coast Art Project
    • Art & Global Diversity >
      • Annotated Bibliography Art & Global Diversity
    • Contemporary Issues in Art Education >
      • Telling Your Story Through Art
      • A letter to the Editor
      • Annotated Bibliography
      • Expressive Art Workshop
    • Curriculum in Teaching Art >
      • Identity Unit - A Group Project by Holly Berndt, Brenda McCullers, Joseph Moore, and Deena Scarborough
      • Art & Place
    • The Digital Image >
      • A Self Portrait in Photos
      • Variations
      • The Mass Mediated Image
      • Animated Memes
      • The Counterfeit Image
      • A Human Hybrid--McEYEborg
    • Digital Studio: Mapping & Place >
      • Mapping Experiments
      • Symbolic Mapping
      • Online Mapping
      • Derives
      • Labyrinths
      • Mapping the Routine
    • Globalization, Art, & Education >
      • My Family Migration
      • Gateway to the Arts, Executive Summary
      • Globalization & Me--Data Portraits
      • Photo Manipulations
      • Pecha Kucha
    • History of Teaching Art >
      • Froebel and the 1st Kindergarten Class
      • My Personal Art History
      • Victor D'Amico
      • Art Carnival Victor D'Amico Style
    • Independent Study & Capstone >
      • Capstone Paper
      • Art20/20 Website
    • Research Methods >
      • Concept Map
      • Research Idea
      • Research Proposal
    • Sketchbook >
      • Drawing Assignments
      • Loggerhead SketchBook
  • Contact Me
  • Links
Lesson Plans
Let's Hear Your Story Podcast
Online Art Camp Sign-Up

Inspired by Seattle Artist Liz Tran

7/24/2020

 
So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you, as the Father has sent me, I also send you." John 20:10

I’m just going to put this out there…

7/23/2020

 
Picture
This week my friend, Brad Singleton, or as some of you know him, Brad Lee Saint, took his own life. I don’t have answers as to why. But I do know he was loved, and he will be missed. You see, Brad was a very special young man who underwent hardship like many of us never endure. And the Brad I knew was always positive. He had a huge heart and always wanted to encourage others. 

The other thing I know about Brad is he loved Jesus. How do I know? I was with him the night he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. And last night it was like God replayed that evening in my mind. We were at a youth event at a church in Stuart, maybe the Methodist church on Kanner Highway. The speaker (sorry I can't remember his name) talked about the story in Numbers where venomous snakes were everywhere biting the Israelites and killing them. The people were terrified. Moses prayed to the Lord who told him, “Make a snake and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 
​
The speaker continued that he was sure there were those who doubted that looking up at the snake on the pole could heal them. Others would be telling them, begging them, please go to the pole. He said if his family had been bitten, he would do whatever he could to get his family to the pole so they could live. He would beg them, carry them, and hold them up to see the pole. But, in the end, they had to open their eyes and look up. 

He went on to say, in the same way, the Israelites were dying from venomous snakes, we are also snake bitten. And the poisonous venom, which is sin, is running through our veins. The only way we can live is to make our way to the cross, look up, and believe. Others may beg us to believe but we have to make the decision for ourselves. Then he asked, “Will you believe? Will you believe that Jesus Christ bore your sins on the cross? Will you believe that He rose from the dead?”

And Brad said, "I believe." And not only did Brad say I believe, he jumped up and down, crying I believe. And I could see this transformation happening in him right before my eyes. Then we both cried. And we talked about Jesus and what it meant to be a follower of Christ for a really long time. 

So, what do I do with all of this? I have so many questions. How do I deal with the conflict between Christianity and suicide? How can I tell if someone is at the point of suicide? How do I deal with the pain? I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t have a clue. 

With that said, I do know that to get to the point of suicide someone has to be in a deep depression. I’ve struggled with depression before and know what it’s like. It’s like being in a hole and you can’t find your way out. You want to talk to someone, but you don’t know how. And you are afraid if you start to talk you will fall apart and lose control. Do you know that according to the World Health Organization, close to 800,000 people die to suicide every year? That’s one person every 40 seconds. Do you know that for approximately every adult who dies by suicide, there are more than 20 others attempting suicide? 
​
All I can do with all of this is lay it at the feet of Jesus. And ask Him to ease the pain for me, for Brad’s family, and his friends. And thank Him that I know that Brad is with Him. And please, if you are struggling with depression, if you have thoughts of suicide running through your head, call someone. Call me. Ask for help. Know that there are people out there that love you and care about you. You are not alone.

    Author

    Brenda McCullers
    ​thoughts on life, learning, & teaching...

    Podcast Links

    Spotify
    Apple Podcast
    Google Podcast
    iHeart Radio

    Archives

    November 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Categories

    All
    501c3
    Adobe Spark
    A. E. Backus
    Air Dry Clay
    Alechinsky
    An Art Dream
    Andre Gide
    Art And Place
    Art Carnival
    Art Club
    Art & Community
    Art & Education
    Art Exhibition
    Art Gala
    Art & Global Diversity
    Art Heritage
    Art Room Aid
    Art Sho
    Art Show
    Arts In Medicine
    Art Supplies
    Art Walk
    Asheville
    Autumn
    Background
    Batik
    Batiks
    Bible Study
    Bible Study Coloring Codes
    Birds
    Black Light Painting
    Blind Contour Drawing
    Bob Ross
    Books For The Art Room
    Building Houses
    California
    Cats
    Chihuly
    Christmas
    Cityscapes
    Clab Habit Studio & Supplies
    Class Notes
    Clay
    Clay Fish
    Clay Looms
    Clay Pots
    Clay Roosters
    Collages
    Color Mixing
    Color Wheel
    Color Wheels
    Community Art
    Community Statues
    Curicyn
    Curriculum
    Curriculum In Teaching Art
    Diarama
    Dick Blick Art Supplies
    Digital Image
    Drawing
    Drawing Challenge
    Draw It Live
    Dream Bedrooms
    Dre Urhahn
    Edible Art
    Elements Of Art
    Encaustic Art
    Eric Carle
    E's & P's Of Art
    Explore
    Fashion Show
    Finger Knitting
    Florida Landscapes
    Foreground
    Frank Bates
    Free Art Programs
    French Bulldogs
    Gateway To The Arts
    Geometric Tape Murals
    George Rodrigue
    GIFs
    Globalization
    Graduation
    Grateful List
    Harlem Horizon Art Studio
    History Of Teaching Art
    Hot Dogs & Cool Cats
    Houses
    Hurricanes
    Igor Stravinsky
    Insects
    Irma
    ISSUU
    It's Not A Box
    Jeroen Koolhass
    Joe Castillo
    Journal
    Kindergarten
    Kindergarten Graduation
    Ladybugs
    Landscapes
    Last Day Of School
    Lesson Plans
    Let's Hear Your Story
    Let's Hear Your Story Podcast
    Lisa Phillips
    Loggerhead Sea Turtles
    Mammals
    Mandalas
    Mapping
    Mapping And Place
    Mapping Experiment
    Maria Fabrizio
    MD Anderson Children's Art Program
    Mentorship Program
    Metropolitan Museum Of Art
    Michelangelo
    Middle Ground
    Middle School
    Military Cards
    Missions
    Moving
    Mrs. Granville
    Name Art
    Name Designs
    Nativities
    Nativity Drawings
    NC
    Neighborhood Mailboxes
    New Orleans
    NJAHS
    NJAHS Prayer Walk
    Open House
    Origami
    Painting
    Painting Outside
    Paper Mache
    Patriotism
    Pattern
    Peel Projection
    Personal Art History
    Photoshop
    Pinterest
    Podcast
    Prayer Hands
    Principles Of Art
    Printmaking
    Puffy Paint
    Pumpkins
    Puppies
    Pyrography
    Radial Symmetry
    Rain Barrels
    Rainbow Fish
    Reading The Bible
    Recycled Art
    Recycled Materials
    Reindeer
    Research
    Research Methods
    Roxy
    Rubbings
    Rural Communities Toolkit
    Salvadore Dali
    Sand Art
    San Diego
    Seascapes
    Sketchbook
    Slummer
    Snowmen
    Spring Break
    St. Petersburg
    Student Spotlight
    Stuffed Animal Crayon Resist
    Stuffed Animal Portraits
    Summer
    SYATP
    Talent Show
    #tapepoetry
    Teaching
    Ted Talks
    Thanksgiving Bulletin Boards
    Thanksgiving Feast
    The ARTS In Education
    The Treasure Coast Art Project
    Type
    UFHealth Arts In Medicine
    Under The Sea Drawings
    Underwater Coral Paintings
    UNF Painting Class
    University Of Florida
    Upside Down Drawing
    Urban Sketching
    Victor D'Amico
    Virtual Derive
    Visual Journaling
    Watercolor
    Water Conservation
    Water Fest Posteres
    Weaving
    Winter Showcase
    Wood Burning
    Wordless Art

    RSS Feed

Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.
Pablo Picasso
  • Blog/Home
  • About Me
    • Bio
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
    • Media Kit
  • Testimony
  • Artist Portfolio
  • Online Art Camp Sign-up
  • Lesson Plans
    • Kindergarten Lessons
    • Elementary Lessons
    • Upper Grade Lessons
  • UF Classwork
    • Art Education in Alternative Settings >
      • Clay Habit Studio
      • Annotated Bibliography
      • The Treasure Coast Art Project
    • Art & Global Diversity >
      • Annotated Bibliography Art & Global Diversity
    • Contemporary Issues in Art Education >
      • Telling Your Story Through Art
      • A letter to the Editor
      • Annotated Bibliography
      • Expressive Art Workshop
    • Curriculum in Teaching Art >
      • Identity Unit - A Group Project by Holly Berndt, Brenda McCullers, Joseph Moore, and Deena Scarborough
      • Art & Place
    • The Digital Image >
      • A Self Portrait in Photos
      • Variations
      • The Mass Mediated Image
      • Animated Memes
      • The Counterfeit Image
      • A Human Hybrid--McEYEborg
    • Digital Studio: Mapping & Place >
      • Mapping Experiments
      • Symbolic Mapping
      • Online Mapping
      • Derives
      • Labyrinths
      • Mapping the Routine
    • Globalization, Art, & Education >
      • My Family Migration
      • Gateway to the Arts, Executive Summary
      • Globalization & Me--Data Portraits
      • Photo Manipulations
      • Pecha Kucha
    • History of Teaching Art >
      • Froebel and the 1st Kindergarten Class
      • My Personal Art History
      • Victor D'Amico
      • Art Carnival Victor D'Amico Style
    • Independent Study & Capstone >
      • Capstone Paper
      • Art20/20 Website
    • Research Methods >
      • Concept Map
      • Research Idea
      • Research Proposal
    • Sketchbook >
      • Drawing Assignments
      • Loggerhead SketchBook
  • Contact Me
  • Links