One morning at work my stomach was in knots and I was having a hard time concentrating. My mind was on my husband and I was praying that he would find strength for the day in the Lord. The more I thought of him the more my stomach churned and I felt I should ask my co-worker to pray with me for him. “Be bold!,” were the words that I heard and so I did. I shared our situation with her and asked if she would pray with me and she did. As the prayers began the churning ceased and was replaced with calmness as the peace of God began…

Earlier this week my husband shared a very powerful moment that he had experienced. For quite some time he has known that he needed to change certain areas of his life, give them up and obey God’s leading. He has been blessed with a strong will and at times we joke about the stubborn Swed in him. One day while watching a message by Billy Graham’s grandson he was very convicted and knew it was time to change. In the message the comment was made that if God asks us to change and if we choose to listen to the world which says it’s okay to remain, at some point…

While shopping the Saturday before Christmas I came across a woman in the sporting goods department while I was looking for a gift for my son; she was buying a fishing rod for her husband. She was obviously dealing with the effects of chemotherapy and wore a cancer fighting t-shirt along with a beautiful smile. We visited a few moments about picking just the right gift for our loved ones and then wished each other a Merry Christmas and went our separate ways. As I finished shopping I thought of her beautiful smile and joyful attitude as she tested each fishing poles’ flexibility and examined every little detail. It was…

Who knew that leaving late for my lunch break was really a Divine Encounter in the making. On Friday I arrived home for lunch about 45 minutes later than I usually do. The doorbell rang and two young LDS Missionaries were waiting for a response. As soon as I saw them I prayed that God would give me the words to say and then I invited them inside. Introductions were made and they said they were going through the neighborhood wanting to get to know about the residents. That was the open door to share about what I believe and what it’s like to have a relationship with Christ for…

On Tuesday evenings I attend a prayer group at church. It has become a part of my week that I look forward to with excitement and anticipation. One of the women that attends is named Gwen. I met her the first day that went to The Rock Church and have since found her to be a beautiful gift and mentor from God. As God would have it, on Tuesday it was just Gwen and I at the meeting. That gave us time to talk with each other on a personal level and share in a way that we wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. When she began to pray she…

Yesterday my doorbell rang and I opened the door to find two nice ladies who said they were Jehovah Witnesses and would like to share an encouraging word. I invited them in and they asked how I felt about the current world events, the school shootings and the natural tragedies that are taking place. They wanted to know if those events made me fearful and in need of encouragement. I told them that I am a believer in Jesus Christ and shared how He told His disciples that these things would happen and that they were signs of the end times. But….He also said fear not, for I have overcome…

In the last few months I have witnessed some of the most beautiful love moments between a precious couple. My co-worker is currently going through treatment for stage IV ovarian cancer. When she was first diagnosed she and her husband stopped by the office and gave me an update on the treatment plan and to train me to fill in for her when she would occasionally be out of the office. Often you would see the two them wink at each other and cast loving glances and smiles at one another as they stood together to face the challenges that were ahead. Yesterday, four months later, they were both back…