LifeTalk

PCA Legend: Mrs. Pattillo

Guest: Mrs. Beth Pattillo

 

Mrs. Pattillo did an incredible job as the “gatekeeper” for PCA working at the front desk for over a decade (2003-2014). Listen to her tell you about her journey to PCA with her boys Brian (class of 2003) and David (class of 2005). Did you know that Mrs. Pattillo was a substitute teacher at PCA before she started working at the front desk? Did you know what she taught French? Were you one of Mrs. Pattillo’s legendary “office aids?” Do you remember her “Good morning PCA” greeting every morning?! There is so much more to Mrs. Pattillo that you ever imagined!

 

What our alumni have to say about their memories of Mrs. Pattillo:

“Legend”

“Absolutely nobody like her”

“If Larry Taylor was the head, Mrs. Pattillo was the neck”

“Mrs. Pattillo was the beginning and end of our days at PCA”

 

Alumni - update your personal contact information here.

 

PCA alumni - if you would like to connect with Veronica Erickson, you can email her at verickson@prestonwoodchristian.org

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Kenneth Huggins 2011

 

Announcement: PCA Alumni Christmas Party (Family Festive Brunch), Saturday, December 17th at 10:00 am at Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, TX - email Veronica Erickson at verickson@prestonwoodchristian.org for more details or check out the PCA website.

 

Kenneth graduated from PCA in 2011, matriculated to Texas Tech University where he walked on the football team! Kenneth describes himself as “calm and understanding.” Do you agree with him?

 

If you want to reach out to Kenneth - for realty issues or just to catch up, you can call him at 972-313-5518 or email him at Kenneth@huggins-realty.com - his work website is www.Huggins-Realty.com

 

Huggins Realty’s motto is “building generational wealth.” They can help you with residential or commercial real estate and even development concepts.

 

Alumni - update your personal contact information here.

 

PCA alumni - if you would like to connect with Veronica Erickson, you can email her at verickson@prestonwoodchristian.org

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Cesia Rodriguez 2015 [Episode 34]

 

Announcement: PCA Alumni Christmas Party (Family Festive Brunch), Saturday, December 17th at 10:00 am at Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, TX - email Veronica Erickson at verickson@prestonwoodchristian.org for more details or check out the PCA website.

Cesia was born and raised in Cuba - her father was a pastor and got connected with Dr. Larry and Delinda Taylor on a Minimester trip - which resulted in Cesia’s entire family moving to Dallas and her attending PCA!

 

Listen to Cesia tell about the vast differences between her memories of Cuba and their lack of religious freedom to the experiences she had here in America and at PCA.

 

Cesia continues to share her love for the Lord and her passion to help people by doing missions and connecting her degree in nursing with those trips. She attended John Brown University (JBU) and did some medical missions through the college as well! Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a PCA alumni minimester trip - someone needs to work on that!

 

Cesia went on some medical mission trips with a group called Dustin’s Dream - here’s some information from their website:

 

Dustin Chamberlain was a Siloam Springs High School graduate who dreamed of becoming a medical doctor and participating in short term mission trips. In 2011, he was tragically killed during a home invasion while home on Christmas break from Baylor University in Waco, TX, where he was studying pre-medicine.

 

The Dustin Chamberlain Memorial Foundation, an organization established in Dustin's memory, conducts international mission trips, provides scholarships for students entering the field of healthcare, and partners with like-minded organizations to improve the welfare of at-risk families locally and internationally. The organization has specifically focused on building and covering the operating costs of the Heart of Love Clinic in Guatemala City by partnering with Life of Hope Ministries in Joplin, MO.

 

Let’s all be praying for Cesia as she continues to share the Gospel through medical missions - and be praying about how God could use YOU to advance the Kingdom as well!

PCA alumni - if you would like to connect with Veronica Erickson, you can email her at verickson@prestonwoodchristian.org

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Stephen Oehlschlaeger 2006 [Episode 33]

 

Announcement: Alumni Flag Football Thanksgiving Week Tournament - Friday, Nov. 25th - email Veronica Erickson at verickson@prestonwoodchristian.org for more details or check out the PCA website.

 

Stephen was the starting quarterback on the Lion’s first state championship in football in 2005. Stephen played with his older brother, Aaron, in the 2004 state championship game, which they lost…the game in which Aaron got injured. Bryce Hopson claims to this day that he almost single handedly carried the Lions to victory that year! That next year is when the Lion’s football team started singing The Hard Fighting Soldier song. Here are the lyrics to the song that you can still hear PCA Lions singing…

 

Lord, I’m a hard fighting soldier on the battlefield. (3X)

And I’ll be bringing souls to Jesus, by the service that I yield.

 

I’ve got a helmet on my head and in my hand a sword and shield. (3X)

And I’ll be bringing souls to Jesus, by the service that I yield.

 

You’ve gotta walk right and talk right and sing right and pray right on the battlefield. (3X)

And I’ll be bringing souls to Jesus, by the service that I yield.

 

You know that Jesus is my Captain and He fights my battles still;

He has never lost a battle and I know He never will.

I got the word for my sword and I got faith for my shield;

And I’ll be bringing souls to Jesus, by the service that I yield.

 

And when I die, let me die in the service of my Lord. (3X)

And I’ll be bringing souls to Jesus, by the service that I yield.

 

Stephen and his (amazing) wife Rebecca live outside of Boston, MA with their 6 children!

 

PCA alumni - if you would like to connect with Veronica Erickson, you can email her at verickson@prestonwoodchristian.org

 

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Djery Baptiste 2015 [Episode 32]

Djery Baptiste has a pretty incredible journey - not only how he got to PCA, but where he’s been since he graduated from PCA in 2015. Djery matriculated to Vanderbilt University, played basketball for the Commodores, graduated in three and a half years, went on to earn his first masters degree from the University of Massachusetts and then has been playing professional basketball in Europe for the past few years.

 

Djery speaks four languages - French, Spanish, English and Creole. He didn’t come to the United States until he was 15 years old. It is a pretty amazing journey that brought Djery to PCA…so many incredible individuals have invested their time and energies into his life - and he continues to work hard to improve himself as an individual. Djery is now working on improving his basketball skills to try to make it into the NBA as a professional basketball player!

 

One of Djery’s favorite verses is Matthew 6:33 which reads, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

PCA alumni - if you would like to connect with Veronica Erickson, you can email her at verickson@prestonwoodchristian.org

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Brittni Beeson 2006 [Episode 31]

Listen as Brittni Beeson, class of 2006, shares how a PCA Minimester trip turned into a 10-year journey as a missionary to Hungary. Brittni’s episode is a huge encouragement and challenge to go on a mission trip, even if it’s just a short-term trip, to share the love of Christ with those who have not heard the good news of Jesus Christ!

 

Brittni’s challenge - God loves you, no matter what path you’ve been on or even if you’ve strayed off the path, God desires to know you and for you to know Him better - now is the time to refocus your heart and mind on those important issues of life - who is God and who am I?

 

If you’d like to financially support Brittni, visit her page on the CRU website.

 

From Brittni’s CRU page:

I dream of a day when people from every nation are worshipping Jesus! Until that day comes, I want to live my life reaching the unreached with the gospel and mobilizing people to go.

I joined staff with Cru in 2010 and served in Hungary for 10 years, casting vision to and mobilizing Hungarians to go the nations.In 2021, I felt God leading me to transition to into a new role at Cru's World Headquarters in Orlando, Florida.  Currently, I am serving on the International Missions Team with Cru. I will focus on American high school students across the country, influencing them, casting vision, and sending them around the world.

What a joy it is to be a part of mobilizing the next generation to reach the nations with the Good News!

 

PCA alumni - if you would like to connect with Veronica Erickson, you can email her at verickson@prestonwoodchristian.org

 

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Sabeen Toranian 2019 [Episode 30]

Sabeen Toranian is currently a senior at The University of Texas at Austin. She is studying neuroscience with a minor in Spanish, and she is planning on attending medical school after graduation. She is involved at Austin Stone, an incredible church in Austin, and IGNITE, a ministry to connect incoming freshmen at UT.

Sabeen’s father is an incredible jeweler and if you’re looking for a special piece, make sure you visit L’unique Jewelry, 18208 Preston Rd., Suite D4, Dallas, TX 75252. Email lunique1@aol.com or call 972-312-9229. Visit their Instagram page @LuniqueJewelry.

Sabeen shares her grounded perspective on life - education is important, but it’s not the most important thing - your spiritual walk and growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ should be your main priority in life. She shares the importance of Scripture memorization in her life - a great spiritual discipline for the Christian walk!

Resource Recommendation:

• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer
• Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

Sabeen’s word of advice - get rid of comparison, because comparison is the thief of joy. Be thankful for how God has designed you - special, unique, for His glory!

PCA alumni - if you would like to connect with Veronica Erickson, you can email her at verickson@prestonwoodchristian.org

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

 

Ty Robinson 2005 [Episode 29]

Ty Robinson, PCA class of 2005, joins us for a great discussion about the journey that God has taken him on - from his days at PCA, then on to the University of Oklahoma, the break-up of his family, his time as a whitewater raft guide in Colorado, his marriage to Fraley and most recently his continuing educational experience getting his Executive MBA at Harvard.

October 2009 was when Ty recommitted his life to Christ!

Ty literally broke his back while playing football during the third game of his senior year at PCA.

Ty was challenged to form a MasterMind group - and he highly recommends that you think about being a part of one as well.

Ty’s thoughts:

• Removing the ego - get rid of your pride so that true growth can take place!
• Making the effort to reflect - self-reflection and authentic self-awareness is so important to see those areas where you need growth and maturity

The Godly Man’s Picture by Thomas Watson

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Megan Rogers [Episode 28]

Guest: Megan Rogers, Director of Development Relations, PCA North

In this episode, we “give honor to whom honor is due” - thank you, Megan Rogers, for building the PCA Alumni network, council, connections, and podcast! While Megan wasn’t an “official” PCA alumni, she is an “adopted Lion” and proud to be part of the pride of Lions Leaving Legacies!

Megan has a little “side job” - she bakes incredible cookies - to find out more about these, visit her Instagram page @grayscookiejar. For orders, visit the website: Grays Cookie Jar

Mallory Scottow Goerk 2009 [Episode 27]

Mallory Scottow Goerk 2009 joined us for a fun LifeTalk podcast! Mallory is an Art teacher at the Plano campus. We got the opportunity to hear how Mallory grew so much in her faith over the years from the time she came to PCA as a Freshman. Mallory gave such wonderful words of wisdom of how to read your Bible and what she wished she had known when she was younger. We got to hear so much of her story and I encourage you to listen to what the Lord has done in her life. You don’t want to miss her amazing episode.