I Am Wilshire – Lindsay Bruehl.
Hometown: Norman, Oklahoma
Education: Bachelor’s in finance, Oklahoma State University; in final semester at Perkins School of Theology at SMU working towards Master of Divinity
Profession: Bookkeeper, Perkins Baptist House of Studies assistant and Wilshire intern
Present city: Sachse
Tell us about your family.
I have been married for 20 years to my life partner, Jake Bruehl. We have two kids: Kimberlyn, 16, a sophomore at Sachse High, and Blake, 13, an eighth grader at Hudson Middle School. Jake teaches math at Sachse High School and is the head varsity boys soccer coach.
What brought you to Wilshire and when?
I found Wilshire in October 2017 at the Moxie Matters Tour at SMU. Wilshire was a co-sponsor of this event, and I was desperately looking for a church home within an hour’s drive. I had heard a great story when I thought I was leaving church, and I was desperately wanting to come back to church. Wilshire was the hope I needed to come back.
Where are you engaged at Wilshire?
Right now I’m a pastoral intern at Wilshire doing various things. I really love teaching Bible classes.
What has surprised you most about Wilshire?
That coming here would lead me to seminary (Perkins at SMU — ironically). This was not on my agenda, and it happened so fast. I got here in 2017 and was in seminary by 2019. It has been a wild ride, to say the least.
What do you think God is up to in your life right now?
Holy trouble — I live for it.
Tell us about your faith journey.
I grew up in a Complementarian church, Church of Christ. I realized in 2016 how excluded I was, and that is why we made the move to Wilshire. I value my past, but I pray for the day when no church will discriminate against anyone for any reason. Wilshire has been a beacon of hope to me in so many ways. I was not even looking for Wilshire to be that. I just wanted to breathe.
What’s something interesting most people wouldn’t know about you?
Becoming Elsa, from Frozen, taught me how to be me. I love telling this story.
What adjectives describe you?
My spiritual formation director at Perkins gave me the title “Spicy Baptist” my first semester. I have successfully lived into his belief in me all three years.
- If you’d like to be featured in “I Am Wilshire,” email Carolyn Murray at cmurray@wilshirebc.org.