Nathan Branson
Whatever you read here is a way for me to hash out ideas until I can talk about them in real-time with whoever is willing to join in.
Why Freshman Composition Teachers Should Encourage Students to Write About Their Anxiety
Freshman Composition As a Space for Self-Reflection
“Hey Mr. Branson. Is it OK if I write my essay about the effects of divorce on children? My parents are divorced, and I want to write about the impact that divorce has on a child."
For my freshman composition class, I let students write about whatever they want to write about as long as they provide me with a realistic outline. . . .
4 Reasons to Visit a L'Abri House: Summer Camp For Burnt-Out Christians
Are you in your twenties or thirties on the verge of a quarter-life crisis? Are you tired of touristy vacation experiences and looking for something different? If you are a Christian (or interested in Christianity)-----a place called L'Abri might be for you.
I want to give you 4 reasons why you should consider visiting a L’Abri . . .
Reading "Every Moment Holy": A Step Towards Seeing Monday to Friday as Sacred
Liturgy for Busy 21st Century Americans
When the topic of “reading liturgy” comes up among Christians it is often associated with corporate worship (“Does that church read liturgy during the service?”) rather than personal reading (“Do you read liturgy?”) I haven’t attended a church that regularly reads liturgy since I was 15 years old. I spend my early years in a Methodist church . . .
Posted in: anxietybecoming christ-likeburnt-out christianshead vs. heartjesuspeace of mindprayerquestions about my faith
Millennials: Addicted to the iPhone but Wanting to Know How to Live Without It
Are Millennials really in love with technology?
About 3-4 years ago my dad told me that some of guys who worked at his auto shop were so distracted by their IPhones that it was affecting their productivity. The "tire guys," who put new tires on cars and do the oil changes, were the ones he was concerned about. As a high schooler, I was a tire guy every summer, where, like NASCAR . . .
Posted in: david foster wallaceeveryday survivalfighting distractionludditesmillennialspeace of mindself-control
5 Digital Sermons That Have Shaped My Life
What shapes you as a person? What shapes your moods, character, thought processes, personality?
Friends, coworkers and family play a large role in shaping who a person becomes. But besides people, there are a multiple influences that shape who you are, how you think and how you respond to the world.
Sermons I've heard . . .
Do college students need church?
We should not underestimate the mentoring that churches provide to the stressed out college student.
As a community college English instructor, I often hear conversations about what we can do to help students graduate. We want students to complete their degrees as efficiently as possible so they can move on to a four-year university or immediately into their career path. Educators today are skilled at helping students gain work ethic, . . .
Posted in: christiancommunity collegeeveryday survivalintellect vs. emotionsmillennialspeace of mind
The North Carolina State Motto: One Reason I Became a Christian
During my senior year of high school that I achieved the goal of becoming semi-popular. High school is more like a hierarchy than a democracy. My senior year I had tasted what it felt like to be near the top of that hierarchy. Some of it conscious and some of it unconscious, I had struggled for three years of high school to be admired by . . .
