1. Tell us about you! Who you married, where you live, how long you’ve been married, where did you go on a honeymoon, how many kids and ages if you want.                                                                                                                                                                                 Hello gals! I’m Sarah Swan. I am married to Travis Swan, and we have been married for 21 beautiful (and beautifully challenging sometimes!) years. When we got married, we had no money, but we pooled everything we had to get ourselves travel and lodging in Maui. We got married in February, because to me, a honeymoon is only good if you’re somewhere hot and at a beach. And what better time to truly enjoy that than when it’s cold here? So we got there and we ate McDonald’s and packets of Ramen because that’s just about all we could afford. We have very fond memories of that trip. 😀 We now have three awesome kids: Emery (15), Scout (14), and Tait (12)

2. What are your hobbies? How did you get started on them?

I am not a hobby-loving sort of person. I am practical to a fault, and most hobbies feel like money and effort wasters to me. But I’m not judging you hobby lovers out there! Actually, I wish I were more like you. However, from time to time I might crochet something (if I see a need for the finished product) and I love to read when I have (what I consider to be) truly free time. Mostly my hobby is people. I will drop almost anything to visit with a friend. I’ve even been known to bring a hobby along or join them in their hobby, just to have that time with them. I love getting to know someone, loving them, hearing them, sharing my heart with them, or just being with them. I credit Krista Whitney (thank you roomie!!) with my ability to do that well at all, even though I’m not sure that I match her skill even to this day.

3. Who has been an influential person in your life? Would you tell us about them?

One of the greatest influences in my life has been my mother in law. You guys, I truly scored in this department! I was so intimidated by her when I first met her, but she has become one of my favorite people in the entire world. She was so gracious and kind and gentle while I was becoming a grown-up woman. She taught me how to cook, run a home, host people, and do myriad kinds of art (which I still don’t enjoy), all while having a sense of humor and generosity of both resources and spirit. She has taught me over the years to let go of things that don’t matter, to be flexible about what life may hold, to show grace and have a peaceful spirit in the midst of hard things like raising children. She models every day what it looks like to have the sort of “long obedience in the same direction” that a life with Christ should be (according to Eugene Peterson), and how to love people who think differently about things than I do. We love chatting, cooking, sipping coffee in the morning or wine in the evening, camping, and just being together, and I thank God for her often.

4. What is something the Lord has been teaching you recently? And what can we be praying for you?

So what is the Lord teaching me these days? I think the question for me is: what ISN’T he teaching me? I’m pretty thick-headed. But I read through Daniel recently, and what stuck out to me were these two verses.

Daniel 1:8a But Daniel was determined not to defile himself…

Daniel 6:4b …but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.

I want to be the kind of person who watches for the sneaky (or blatant) ways the world would like to change me or lure me or demand of me that would leave me open to the charge of being unfaithful, irresponsible, or untrustworthy. So that’s what you can pray for me – that as I walk this road of life where God has me, I would live a life “worthy of God, who [called me] into his kingdom and glory,” and that I would be gracious and generous and joyful and non-anxious, and faithful and responsible and trustworthy.