Interview With Brian Nicklaus
March 6th, 2007 at 7:22 am by Dee O'Neil Andrews
It's Tuesday, so time for another weekly interview with a fellow blogger. This week's interview is with Brian Nicklaus of "...the Blog Prophet hath spoken..." and he is a fellow patron of the "TheoBloggers" with me as well. Brian and his family live in the renowned (for what I'm not saying except that it has to do with some Sopranos) state of New Jersey, where he is a minister.
Brian was also one of the talented winners in the 2nd Annual Finding Direction Winter Desktop Photo Contest with his wintry New Jersey snow storm photo.
Enjoy Brian's interview and comment on it, please, to encourage him. Commenting positively on someone's life is very encouraging and this is one of those ministries for you to act on in your own life today, as I've been writing about. I've been talking about looking for ways to step up and be aware of what is going on around us and who might need our kindnesses and commenting here today for Brian is one big way you can bring joy to his life and to let him know you appreciate his ministry for the Lord, because it usually comes with great sacrifices.
That's my commentary for the day. Here's Brian's interview:
Part I - Basic Interview Questions
1. What's your favorite scripture.
Philippians 4:4-14--God's prescription for mental health, beautiful stuff--Peace and Joy from God, contentment, God's presence, prayer
2. Vital Statistics: - Month, Day, (Year Optional) & Place you were born
June 4th, 1976, Paducah, KY (I like the color blue and wear a large, but cash is fine)
3. Names of spouse & Children (and their dates of birth, optional, too):
Marisa (July 9); Samuel (March 15); Evangeline (Oct 25)
4. What brought you to where (the location) you are now?â€
Ministry/Work
5. Where all have you lived in your life?
Kevil, KY 1976-1994; Henderson, TN 1994-1998 (college-FHU)
Italy 1999-2000 (Florence and Rome); Searcy, AR 2001-2003 (college-HU);
Westfield, NJ-October,2003-present
6. What kind of work do you do?
Ministry--long story, I question often what God wants me to be doing, but felt lead in this direction over a long period of time and have to remind myself of that occasionally; I am more of a Moses than a Paul.
7. What do you love most about your work:
Helping People and seeing them grow, overcome obstacles. Learning about God, me, humanity.
8. What do you like least about your work:
Emotional burden. Administrative stuff. Isolation.
9. Who has been the most influential person in your life& briefly why: my biological mother
10. Any hidden talents:
11. Little known fact about me:
I was in the senior play two years in a row in high school. and that effectively ended my career in acting.
Part 2 - Favorite Things
1. Favorite Book (other than the Bible!):
Moby Dick--chapter entitled Symphony is good stuff
2. Favorite Movie:
Drama-A Perfect World; Comedy-Holy Grail
3. Favorite Food:
Italian
4. Favorite Kind of Music:
Bluegrass (currently, but I like most genres)
5. Favorite musical group or performer:
Bob Dylan or Sam Cooke
6. Favorite song:
Dvorak's New World Symphony
7. Favorite junk food:
KC Masterpiece BBQ Chips
8. Favorite childhood memory:
playing in/near the creek and woods near our neighborhood with childhood friend Bryan Butler
Part 3 - Thought Questions
1. What is the best meal you have ever eaten?
How about a top 5: Chong's Chinese Buffet (Paducah, KY) haven't found an eggroll I like as much, sweet and sour chicken, ham fried rice, etc.; Gallo trattoria in Italy--i mainly ordered the pizza named after the place but w/o mushrooms, it was 4-5 cheeses with prosciutto on top, plus their penne were great, a pink sauce; Pork Chops and fresh bread at Patti's near KY Lake (they serve the bread in flowerpots with strawberry butter); My mom's hamburger patty in cracker crumb, garden corn and lima beans; Catfish place (buffet) on southside of Searcy, AR
2. Where would you most like to visit that you have never been to before?
Jerusalem-I have been to Athens, Rome, Paris, London, Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna, Belo Horizonte, and a couple other places; no interest in Africa or Asia for some reason.
3. What is your proudest moment?
Being interviewed by Dee Ann O'Neil Andrews for her blog.
4. What do you most regret?
effectively blocked them out or not willing to share. Or I wouldn't change anything.
5. If money, health, etc. were no concern, what would you do with your time?
Live in Italy, work with local church and write.
6. What is your favorite book in the Bible and why?
I have a hard time choosing one book or verse. Philippians is up there. John's Gospel is my fav gospel, but I will have to go old-school, as in OT and choose my fav OT book--Deuteronomy--too many beautiful passages about God, maybe only Isaiah can compare.
"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deut. 31:8; see also, 10:12-22.
very nice interview~~~~
Great interview! Brian and his wife and my heroes because they moved TO New Jersey. I pray many blessings on their ministry there. It’s not an easy place to live, but then good ministers are needed everywhere, aren’t they?
Oh, shoot. That was supposed to be “Brian and his wife ARE my heroes …”
Rocky Top may also be a favorite song. And I keep finding beautiful passages in Deuteronomoy. I am going to preach from Ch 4:32ff soon.
thanks guys,
Lisa, glad to be someone’s hero.
this is cool
I am both excited and a little bit sad–Brian was born just two years before I graduated from high school (boy do I feel old) But, beleive it or not, I have always wanted to go to Italy–I worked with Bobbie Paden who was a missionary there for seventeen years and some of my good friends Guiseppe and Jennifer DeMarco are currently in Naples.
And
Ned and I have eaten the porkchops and bread at Pattis along with the fried potato nachos. I spoke at a Ladies Day in Paducah when Mike and Charlotte Tanaro and Paul and Dana Phelps were there.
And
I’ve heard of New Jersey.
Good interview,
Thanks Dee for helping us get to know the blogprophet.
Peace
Neva
NEVA!!!
I have to email you, but
i have heard of all the padens, met one of them
I attended lone oak church from about age 15, Mike Tanaro is one of my favorite preachers ever!
and…
GIUSEPPE DE MARCO PERFORMED OUR WEDDING CEREMONY!!!
it was only his second wedding, so he was almost as nervous as we were…you’ll have to ask them abou it.
they are awesome and those kids are precious. we last saw them in 2003 when we took a Harding campaign group over to Italy and stayed a few days in naples.
cool, we have to talk
I’ve seen your comments on many blogs and enjoyed getting to know who you are through this interview.
Dee, thanks for interviewing Brian. He is from my neck of the woods, albeit a little east (I’m from SE Missouri). Alway nice to meet new people!
I am interested in hearing Brian’s sister fill in the question about little known facts. I am sure she could contribute a few, even the friends he had at FHU could do the trick.
Greta interview and good questions.
Thank you for sharing yourself with us. That’s a special thing to do.
What I need to know is can Brian play golf with a name like “Nicklaus?”
cecil,
define “play”
I go swing a club for 18 holes about twice a year. I get my money’s worth when it comes to strokes.
one of the siblings of a bunch of nicklauses ran off a few generations ago, that is the only way I might be related to the Golden Bear.
Gallagher
Be Quiet!
My estimation of the Blog Prophet was already high. But now it has gone astronomical … what a great man to put Deuteronomy down as his favorite book in the Hebrew Bible. Shows a touch of wisdom
and an appreciation for good theology.
Thanks for the interview Dee. You are doing a great thing.
Shalom,
Bobby Valentine
Hi Brian.
You sound like the kind of golfer that would fit into our group of what we like to refer to as “landscapers.” Our philosophy is:
Fairways and greens are for (as Arnold would say) “girlie-men.†Real men play in the trees and woods where we help to landscape the course as well as perform our “green†like duties.
Great Interview. Loved it. Need more posts like this one.
Brian is a funny guy. If I lived close enough … he’d be my preacher…!
I’m catching up on your blog, Dee… where do the days go? This was a great interview, Brian. Margaret and I have eaten pork chops at Pattis. Let no one be deceived. This is a two-inch thick pork chop that is one fabulous meal. I also got coconut cake for dessert. Everyone laughed at me when it came … it was a HUGE 1/4 OF A CAKE … which didnt bother me at all. I keep trying to teach myself that eating is not an event, just a necessity. But at Patti’s it is an event.
I just sent in my interview. It’s kind of boring next to yours.
Love your idea, Dee…you are a special friend.