brittany chew.

Britt and I go back quite a few years. (You never realize how much time has passed until you take a moment to think about it). We met our freshman year of college and were in the same small group at our fellowship. Both of us hit it off with each other, and our heritage helped us bond a bit more. ;) (She's half-Japanese!) Over the years, she's become such a sweet, dear sister of mine and we've shared lots of good laughs, she's been there for me during my tough times, but also during the jubilant peaks of my college career. Britt has such a huge heart, and it was my joy to be able to introduce you to who she is.

"Not what I do, but who I am"

{Brittany Chew. 22. P.A. Grad School Applicant.}

Well, tell me a little bit about yourself.

B: My name is Brittany. I am 22 years old. I graduated, B.A. about, almost a year ago now. Ahhh! (laughs) And I have been at home since then. I work part-time at a pharmacy, and I’m going to school, kind of taking some classes. And then I’m gonna apply for grad school this Spring! So, I am excited! (laughs)

What are you going into grad school for?

B: I’m gonna apply to Physician Assistant programs and yes. That is my dream. (laughs) or my goal.

What do you see yourself doing with that?

B: A physician’s assistants are like assistants to the physicians. (laughs) We work under the supervision of a doctor. Surprisingly enough. So I think I want to, based on my experience so far, work in a hospital, but I’m not sure what kind of specialty. I worked a lot with young kids, but then also with the older generation and I think I’m a little more inclined, or kind of have more of a heart for the older generation, so we’ll see if the Lord leads me to work with that age group.

What lead you to become interested in this thing or P.A.?

B: Mm let’s see. My dad first mentioned the idea to me. (I didn’t really know what a PA was, or that a P.A. even existed. I think it’s more of a rising kind of thing, growing more popular). I think at first since it was my dad’s idea, I was kind of like, ehhh no thanks, I’ll think of something else. But I think I’ve always had an interest more so in the sciences than in the arts, and so it kinda shows that path to start. And then basically all my family is in healthcare, so I don’t know if it was just natural for me to pursue something in that area, or also just something that’s really interesting to me because I have parents that do it, so I can kind of see what it’s like. That was really an appealing profession to me. I think just in general the idea of being able to care for people’s needs, like physical needs -- I know that’s just a piece of the puzzle to the whole person, but I think it’s a very important piece.

Was there a certain point where you were like, this is what I know what I want to do?

B: I don’t think it was like a certain moment. I think it was more of just a progression. ‘Cause at first, it was just an idea, right? It kind of was not something that I practically pursued, but I think when I was getting closer to graduating and needed to start figuring out what I wanted for myself and what I was going to do after college. So I think that pressure, in a sense, kind of motivated me to start learning more about what a P.A. exactly was, and why I would want to do it. Yeah, I just think shadowing different people who are in that profession has kind of confirmed my excitement for it; I see what they do, and I like what they do. I think it’s really interesting and exciting; it’s different on a day-to-day basis. So, I think that’s the thing that helped me on my way.

What else are you passionate about? Or what else excites you?

B: I think one is working with the youth group. I kind of started that recently, and it’s been a very good growing experience just being able to see the kids grow—it hasn’t been that long, so I think it’s hard to see a change in just a few months, but when I hear stories and testimonies of people that have been doing it for awhile, or just getting to see the kids kind of grow and mature not just as people, but children of God, and learn and grow in their faith. That’s something that’s really exciting. I think this younger generation is the future; for our world, and just—they’re such an important piece to what’s gonna happen next? I think just being able to kind of encourage them as they figure out their faith, who they are, and what their identity is is something that brings me a lot of joy, and a lot of, I don’t know if you can call it godly satisfaction, but just satisfaction in that you’re a piece in that.

Is it weird to see them like that when you’ve gone through that like you have?

B: Mhmm! I think it’s helped me to kind of realize how, not immature, but young you can be at that age, and almost naive of how the world is. I think there’s an appealing part to that, ‘cause it plays into the whole childlike faith and I think that’s something that’s really inspiring to me. When I look at these kids, it brings me back to a place of awe and wonder of who God is. I realize, Oh that was me at that age, y’know, but now that I’ve gone through and seen so much more of this world, I think I’m more of like, Ahh this world is so fallen and so sinful; you kind of lose that grip of how sovereign God is. I think when I see these kids, it reminds me (of God's sovereignty). 

What are qualities that you’ve heard people describe you as? Or words that you would describe yourself as?

B: Well, joyful (laughs) is a word often used to describe me, which is interesting, ‘cause given my history, I guess, I feel that was something I kind of grew into; not something I just learned. As a kid, I think I was very temperamental and whatnot. But I think as I grew, people would be more like, Oh you have a certain bubbliness to you, or joyfulness to you.

So how do you think that happened?

B: Well (laughs) firstly God. By God’s grace. ... Maybe realizing that cliché, that the world isn’t revolving around you, and it’s not all about you. I think I had that mentality when I was small. Especially being the youngest, too, it was all about me. But I think when I broadened my horizons and opened my eyes.

How else would you describe yourself? Besides joyful, maybe just in general?

B: How would I describe myself? I guess words that have been shared with me, but sometimes I haven't shared and is very descriptive of who I am, is a woman of strength, and  obviously not physically, but y’know. I think sometimes just given certain things that I’ve gone through in my life, I think that has strengthened me as a person and strengthened my character.

What are some major struggles that you’ve had, or what have been some obstacles you’ve overcome in your life? 

B: I think one was comparing myself a lot to other people and feeling inadequate. I mean of course I can’t say I’m fully beyond that, but I think that was something that was tough for me growing up. Especially with my sister and feeling like I was always in her shadow, or never quite as good as she was. I think when you start to realize your individuality, your uniqueness, and the gifts you have, even though they’re not the same as someone else's, they’re still gifts that you have and something that you’re blessed with. So, I think that’s kind of helped me to put things in a different light instead of being like, Oh I’m not the way she is, or, I’m not as good in that as she is. You start to see that, I have a gift for this, or I’m blessed in this, or I have a talent for this. I think that was one of the things that helped me be come healthy in that area.

 

What are some gifts or talents that you feel are gifted with? Since you said it.
B: Ahhh not too many. (laughs)

Britt. (laughs)

B: I think maybe an ease with meeting new people, or striking up conversation at times. Yeah. I think that’s one of them. I think listening, too. Sometimes I feel I don’t really have the ability to speak really eloquently, or say the right words when people need to hear it, but I could always be there to like listen and I’m okay with that.

What do you do in your free time? 

B: I like to play guitar. It’s something I’m still learning, but I’m enjoying it a lot. And I guess, to a certain extent, being active; I like to play basketball, I like to snowboard, but I don’t really like to run. (laughs) Even though I try to, but yeah. And on the other hand, I like to be a couch potato sometimes and just relax.

What are dreams or aspirations that you have?

B: I think one of them is to become a person of prayer. I feel that’s the thing that you can carry throughout your whole life, and that can be very encouraging to others, but also important for yourself. So I think that’s one thing I’d really love to see happen in my life is to become a person of prayer. And very grounded in my identity, and in who God is and praying from that place.

What motivates you?

B: I think something that motivates me is definitely love and that commandment to love. I think it’s something that is the backbone of a lot of who I am, why I’ll do things, pursue certain things, and in an attempt to love people and share with them God’s love. 

Can you think of examples of that when you decided to pursue that?

B: Well I think just in choosing  P.A. school and choosing the healthcare field, it’s a very practical way to love people, to care for people, and to show them that you do.

Who are people that you look up to?

B: Well, of course my parents. Especially having moved home now after college, I think I  have a different, in a sense, relationship with my parents and that’s helped me to see them as people in a different way. Not so much as parents and someone who tells me what to do, tells me to clean my room, or gives me chores, and stuff like that, but it’s more like seeing them as people and almost as equals. I think being able to view them in that different light, has shown me how much strength they have, and how great they are as people. That motivates me to be more like them, or to be more like them in character.

What characteristics?

B: Their perseverance is one thing I see in both of them. In raising a family, but also caring more about their upbringing, and how they got to where they are today. I think when you’re a kid, you don’t realize how much your parents struggle, whether it’s financially. On a day-to-day basis; raising kids is hard. So I think when you get the bigger picture and are able to see that, and then seeing where they are now, I think is very inspiring.

What are characteristics your parents have that you want to be?

B: I think being able to love in the unseen. I think there’s a lot of things they do that they never get credit for, but they still do it just because it’s who they are and it’s the way they  love. Whether it’s us or other people, I think that’s something that’s hard for everyone, right? You always want to get the credit for the things that you do, but just being able to be satisfied in what you do because you know that either it was the right thing to do,  or you know it was out of a place of love and then not needing to get a reward for it. I think that’s something I see in them, too, that is something I admire and respect a lot.

If you were to write a letter to yourself—to your past self, what kind of advice would you give to her?

B: I think one of the things I would tell that self is to be confident in yourself and to trust in yourself and the decisions that you make. And to know that for certain things, there is no wrong path; there is no wrong decision. So don’t get caught up in the what-if’s. Just have that confidence in yourself. I think, too, to not be afraid to be an individual. Growing up, especially in high school, it was very important to me to fit the mold, to have friends, and to be into what your friends are into. I think I was afraid to let myself be myself. And maybe that’s why that whole joyful thing didn’t come ‘til later, just ‘cause I was either afraid, or maybe even not quite certain of who I was and what my identity was, because I was so focused on being what other people thought who I was. I think that was a good thing to have that attitude of abandonment. I don’t know need to be what the world wants, but I can be who I was created to be. I think that would have helped me a lot, going through that time of my life, unsure of who I was, and (if I knew that), I could have just had that freedom.

Who do you feel you were created to be? What kind of person?

B: (Someone who is) independent, but dependent at the same time. Independent in terms of set apart and, I guess like I said before, made unique in my own kind of mold. But being dependent in the sense that I am still in need of His direction and in need of Him to be filling me up and depending on Him in order to be able to be confident in being my own self.

 

What’s a motto that you live by?

B:One I thought of was, “Be yourself, ‘cause everyone else is taken”. I think that’s something important for me to remember, even just on a daily basis. You are not like your sister, you are not your parents, or you’re not the friends you hang out with. You are yourself.
Is that hard to remember sometimes?

B: Definitely. I think that’s something that I’m learning, too; is like each day—it’s not like a one time thing to surrender these things, these fears, these inadequacies, or these doubts; it’s a daily thing you have to start your day off with; the idea of being surrendered.

What is the legacy you want to leave behind?

B: I think it’d be awesome to have made a lasting impact and a real impression in even one person’s life. To have invested them to a point where it’s like you’re a part of their story, and you’re someone that they mention when they talk about someone that impacted their life, or  changed their direction. I think it’d be cool to walk with someone as they journey and to be able to speak into their life throughout the whole process. I think for me, it seems like things always tend to run in seasons so I feel like there are people that are there for certain seasons, and then gone for the next. And I think that’s okay, I think that’s sometimes how it’s supposed to be. But I think it’d be really neat too, if for the duration of someone’s story, someone’s journey, I was able to be there and to pour into it. 

What is the story you feel like you have to tell from your life?

B: I think one would be that you are always at the right place at the right time. Along the lines of everything happens for a reason. I believe you’re put in the situations that you’re in and you go through—whether it’s the pains or the struggles and the joys--because you were meant to. Because that’s what God has intended for your life, for your growth, and for your betterment as a person. So I guess to not doubt—doubt that, to doubt your circumstances, or think that you should have chosen something different. 'Cause I think in all –or, in most big situations, or big things that have happened in my life, I can honestly look back on them and be able to see the Lord’s purpose and His plan through it all and say that even though it was either rough or whatnot during that time, it was the right place and the right time for me to be there then.

What is something that most people don’t know about you. It could be something silly; random. Deep if you want it to be.

B: I was a very temper tantrum, very rough, and out-of-control child. Most people are usually like, What?! No way! Can’t really believe that, but then if I show you home videos—ugh! (laughs) It’s actually a lot of pictures, too, where I’m all swollen-eyed, and my eyes are red ‘cause I’ve been crying, like in family reunion pictures. It’s like really? The evidence is right there. Most people say, “No, I don’t believe that,” but ask my parents, it was very true.

How would you want to be described? Or how would you want people to know you?

B: Someone who did everything out of love. Not for personal gain, not for money, not for fame, notoriety, but because I loved.

{Brittany Chew. Someone Who Loves.}