Britni Nelson will tell you that she was city-born and country-raised. That combination has served her well, as she can easily connect with others and has a gift for making people laugh.
Born in the big city of Mesa, Arizona, Britni moved with her parents to the small city of Pineville, Missouri, when she was 12. Her parents had decided to become hog farmers. Yes, you read that right. Britni had to quickly become a country girl.
The oldest of four soon found her way, though she hasn’t yet realized her childhood dream of being the first girl to play in the NBA (this was before the WNBA) or a marine biologist (once she realized she couldn’t touch the bottom, she decided that wasn’t the life for her). Today she pours her basketball love into the Duke University Blue Devils.
Along the way, Britni discovered she can “talk teen” and that she loves working with young people. She says, “When I was 17, God spoke in a way that only God could and I felt Him calling me to work not only with my peers at the time but also with teenagers in the future.”
During that time, Britni had a mentor who guided, pushed, and directed her toward God. She set an example that Britni would follow in her relationships with other teenagers—to become a big sister and walk alongside students during this critical time in their lives. “God used her in my life and put the desire in my heart to do the same for others.”
Britni is following God’s leading. Her primary role at Blue Ridge is to come alongside students and help them move forward in their relationship with Christ.
“This keeps me on my toes in my relationship with God and keeps me in His Word and seeking Him for guidance and allowing Him to teach me first,” Britni said. Actually, her favorite thing about Blue Ridge is that “people are willing to walk alongside you on this journey, not in front of or behind, but right beside you.”
Britni's favorite Scripture is from Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
bnelson@blue-ridge.org
434.525.7481 x134