Who Am I?

My name is Joshua Brown and I am a pretty normal person. I struggle with keeping everything in my life in balance and keeping focused on the important things. I am hoping this blog will help me keep my focus of intentionally living a balanced life. I am a Christian, a husband, a father, a teacher and a union member.

I grew up in a Catholic family, but after my parents were divorced when I was in 8th grade our family became members of the United Methodist Church. As a youth, I was very involved in youth and music ministry. I love being at church and always felt God's love there. As an adult, the church is very important to me. My wife and I were youth leaders for several years at an American Baptist Church in Indianola and we enjoyed sharing God's love with the youth of the church. After we moved to Altoona, we became members of the Altoona United Methodist Church and have gotten involved right away. We really appreciate the focus the church has on children's ministry and helping others in need. We have been involved in a few different small groups, helping with children's ministry and I am currently coordinating a Financial Peace University class at our church. Outside of the church, I have continued to try to grow deeper in my faith by reading/listening to the Bible daily, listening to various podcasts of sermons from around the country and trying to commit time each day to pray. I know one of my top priorities is to focus on God throughout my entire life and is key for me to get achieve the balance I want.

I was married to my beautiful wife, Anna, on June 12, 2004 at Salem United Methodist Church. Like all marriages, we have had our ups-and-downs, but we have worked hard to keep communication open at all times. We are committed to be one and work together to solve any problems. Working through various marriage books and devotionals has helped us strengthen our bond with one another. One of the areas we need to work on is having more date nights to be able to just focus on one another without other distractions.

One of those distractions that we love is our only son, William. He was born in May of 2006. He has always brought joy to our lives. He is very energetic and silly. He loves to play, watch movies and cuddle. He is very caring and understands the importance of helping others in need. William loves his school and is learning a lot. One of the things we have been teaching William at home is how to handle money. He has a few jobs that he does around the house that he gets paid for each day. When he gets paid, he divides his money into three jars: giving, saving, and spending. William enjoys opportunities to spend and give money he has earned.

This is my sixth year teaching at Goodrell Middle School. I currently teach 6th and 7th grade global studies. It has been fun introducing my students to different areas of the world and their cultures. My students continue to amaze me at their ability to work on different projects. I am looking forward to finishing the year strong and helping my students succeed. I love being in a profession that allows me to make a difference everyday!

Another way I try to make a difference in the life of my students is through my involvement in the union. I am currently the Vice-President of the Des Moines Education Association and one of the Iowa Representatives to the NEA Resolutions Committee. I believe that our union is important in order to stand up for the rights of our members, help make sure that our students have access to a quality education and strengthen the education profession. I have built many strong relationships through my involvement in the union and have had the opportunity to stand up for both our members and our students.

In addition to these parts of my life, I also take time to focus on my physical wellness. This year I joined Kosama and it has transformed my life. I have lost 31 pounds since beginning the program and 9.1% of my body-fat. In addition to that, I am feeling great and have a lot more energy. Last December at my yearly physical, I found out I have high cholesterol. I am hopeful that my focus on nutrition and physical activity will result in tremendous improvements at my physical appointment in June. -->