My front door.

Sunnie Leigh and Pierce came to visit us this summer.
We had the best time and Pierce loved to swim!

My precious grand baby, Ridge Daley Swafford. He turns one on Sept. 30, 2011.

The weather in Austin this summer was record breaking heat and drought! On this particular day it was 108 degrees. We still need rain. We have lost over 1600 homes due to wildfires in our area. Would you pray for God to have mercy on us and send rain?

Nathan Emert
Executive Director of One Chapel College

My Connect group took a mission trip to
Joplin after the devastating tornado that
struck the eastern part of the US

Jenny, a disciple of Jesus,
is a young woman in
my connect group (Bible Study)
and is now a trained Precept Leader!

It's been 9 months since we moved to Austin Texas to help with the church plant ONE Chapel. Life has been one adventure after another and we have seen the Hand of God guiding us every step of the way. Many times I would try to write about the adventure here but something would hinder me. This adventure in God has been both exciting and extremely trying. However, today I feel the freedom to briefly write about all we have seen the Lord do.

When we arrived, we lived in a campground in a refurbished 1973 camper. It happened to be one of the coldest winters on record. God does have a way of testing our obedience!

About 2 months after we camped in BEE CAVE, the Lord provided a house in a neighborhood called Plum Creek, 30 minutes south of the church office in a town called Kyle. We liked this neighborhood because they had trees and picket fences, and it was in our price range. This is where we are today.

When we arrived our Pastor, Ross Parsley, told us to take our time getting settled. First order of business was to meet our new church family and assess where the Lord would have us serve. The people of One Chapel welcomed us with open arms and the adventure began.

One of the first test we faced was the difficulty of Dale getting a job. Somehow, someway the Lord continued to provide for all of our needs. He still does! We walk by faith and not by sight! We know that God is with us and He will never forsake us or leave us . . .including providing for our every need. However, as of this month, Dale has a job! AND not your ordinary job--he is now working part time at an inner city mission in Austin called Mission Possible. What a joy to know that God has honored his desired (that God put within) and has provided something that he loves to do. We continue to depend on God for our provision--as you know, gas it expensive!

I continue to minister in pastoral care (counsel, disciple, etc), lead a connect group, and teach at One Chapel college. Our church plant of one year has grown to 660 (attendance last Sunday-- 9-18-2011)! We are amazed at what God is doing and want to make sure that the church goers are discipled and become spirit-filled followers of Jesus. Recently, the movie theater where we meet for services has become too small, so we are moving out to a new place. Grass doesn't grow under our feet yet.

My role at the college is Academic Director, however, I have made sure that the students are involved in outreach. The guys are volunteering one day a week at Mission Possible, and the girls are volunteering with me at the South Austin Pregnancy Resource Center. We are also taking an afternoon every week and prayer walking in key places in Austin. We call it Treasure Hunt, asking the Lord to lead us to the places that He desires. These students are a wonderful group of young adults and I am excited and blessed to see them grow in Christ, in His word, and in boldness for His glory. I am blessed to be able to walk along side them. Would you pray for them? They have a rigorous schedule and much to learn.

Jesus is moving in and among us. We are amazed at the work He is doing among the people here. Many times I feel like I am hanging on to the back of a truck flying down the road--flapping in the wind :). I remind myself everyday--One day at a time and Jesus is alive in me through His Spirit. His word is true and there is no better place to live than where He leads . . .this is true stewardship! And that it the Point!!

We made it!!

Dale and I on our way to Austin Texas. We keep hearing over and over again, It's an adventure, and that it is!

We left our home in good hands with Mom and Dad and Benjamin on January 15, 2011 . . .

My great family (Sunnie Leigh is taking the pic)

Benjamin, Sunnie Leigh, and our neighbor Ashleigh as we leave


We are pulling out of 109 Lake street--our home and all!

We are traveling down the road to Austin Texas . . .You might be a red-neck if you can pull your home down the road!!

It's been 3 weeks since we arrived in Austin, Texas. We arrived when the church, ONE Chapel, was having 21 days of prayer and fasting. This quote speaks to me:

Without prayer, the Christian life, robbed of its sweetness and its beauty, becomes cold and formal and dead; but when rooted in the secret place where God meets and walks and talks with His own, it will grow into such a testimony of divine power that all men will feel its influence and be touched by the warmth of is love. Thus, resembling out Lord and master, we will be used for the glory of God and the salvation of our fellowmen.
E.M. Bounds ON PRAYER

THE CHURCH OFFICE . . . where we pray!

Our first encounter with the people of ONE Chapel was to meet and pray with them everyday. What a great way to start a relationship with our new brothers and sisters here in Austin. We are able, from the beginning, to see the heart and minds of the people that we have come to be apart of. They are here for the glory of God in Austin and the glory of God to the Nations. Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful to us. We are thankful for the warm reception.

Marty (the one waving)
leads ONE Chapel
folks in worship.

The other guy,
Ross Parsley,
is the shepherd
of the folks
of ONE Chapel.

One of the first things that Dale undertook, besides meeting people, was to make a large cross for the Sunday service. Dale found some rough cut cedar and made a 12ft. cross that can be taken apart. The church service is presently meeting in a movie theater and everything has to be broken down after every Sunday service. I have posted a picture of the cross. Also, Dale is on the set-up and tear down team, and I am welcoming people at the door. It is a great way to meet people and find out who the first-timer's are.

ONE Chapel has interns from Colorado, Oregon, and Idaho!! This southern girl (me) has started teaching them a class on "hermeneutics and exegesis' (fancy words for how to study the bible). Next semester I will be teaching them the history of Christianity. They are a lively group!! I have also met with 2 wonderful women that head up the Pregnancy Resource Center and the Christian Women's Job Corp. The women of ONE Chapel will be partnering with these ministries, knowing that getting outside the doors of the church is what Jesus Commanded (Matt. 28:18-20).

We have found out since being here that a large percent of the population here in Austin is unchurched. So far of what we have seen, we like it. Even though Texas is very conservative state, Austin is a blue dot in a red state. It has been referred to as the San Francisco of the south. Austin's motto is "Keep Austin Weird." It is a city that is ripe for the gospel!!

some of the interns

Presently we are looking at houses in a neat little community in Kyle Texas called Plum . There are two houses that we like and we may know soon if we will have a place to lay our heads. . .

As many of you know, Dale and I are living in a camper in a campground in Bee Cave, Texas!! Stay tuned and we will add some pictures later on for your enjoyment. It has been cozy, but quite interesting during these very unusually cold days for Austin Texas (the coldest winter they have had in 20+ years--as I write this the wind chill is 10 degrees F).



THE POINT IS: life is an adventure and Jesus is alive!! May it count for the glory of God.

Dale helping to set up for Sunday Service. In 5 months there are about 400 people attending. Last Sunday was the first baptism and 14 people got baptized!

Wait on the Lord

Has it ever occurred that we spend a lot of our time waiting on God?

Because of our innate selfishness, we have trouble when we must suppress the need to control and allow someone else to take the reign. So it is with God. This life we live is a constant battle of surrender to the One who loves us and knows best. May this lesson from the picture of the Potter and clay encourage your heart to stay in a state of surrender:

After the potter forms a piece of clay by squeezing it into shape, he must carefully and painstakingly set the fragile but beautiful piece aside to harden. All moisture must be driven from its body, or else, when it goes through the fire, it will explode and the process must be started again. Even though the temptation to touch the newly formed pot is strong, it must be handled very carefully or else it will be marred. Even after the pot has dried to a leather hard state, and can be handled somewhat, it remains in a very fragile and not very useful state. It must be put aside on the shelf to completely cure. How long can it sit on the shelf? It can sit there for years, if necessary. It is the condition of the clay whether it is ready for the fire or not. Cooperation and 'surrender' of the pot is key. The potential is great, but the process cannot be skipped or else a useful pot will not result. Even in this process, the Potter never takes his eye off the pot. So it is in our lives, we must wait on the Potter to determine when we are ready for the next step. He knows what is in the heart of the clay.

In Eccl. 3:1 we read that there is an appointed time, which implies proper completion for everything. And there is a time--an appropriate time or the the right time--for every event or purpose under heaven: birth and death, planting and uprooting, killing and healing, tearing down or building up, weeping or laughing, mourning or dancing, throwing stones or gathering stones, searching or quit searching, keeping or discarding, tearing apart or sewing together, being silent or speaking, loving or hating, war or peace. The different activities mentioned (vs. 2–8) include 14 pairs of opposites in order to cover the widest range of activity and to represent every aspect of human activity. The implication is plain: if we cooperate with God’s timing, life will not be meaningless. Everything will be “beautiful in His time” (v. 11) even the most difficult experiences of life (cf. Rom. 8:28).

You know, blind fate would be a terrible consolation, BUT how comforting it is to know that the events of the universe are ordered by a compassionate, gracious, longsuffering, and faithful God.


Our lives are not in the hand of some invisible force or blind fate
They are in the hands of God—our Creator
He is our Father and has personal concern for our lives
HE IS THE POTTER AND WE ARE THE CLAY

Wait for the Lord. Be strong and let your heart take courage; yes wait for the Lord. Ps. 27:14

THAT'S THE POINT!

Back in Alabama!!

Dale and Kim in the bush . . .

After 36 hours of traveling, we arrived home on Friday, April 23. Needless to say, we were exhausted and spent sleeping most of the day on Saturday. We are so thankful for the safe travel that the Lord granted us and the new friends that we have made.

We can't thank enough those who gave so unselfishly to make the pottery workshop a reality. I am amazed by the way the girls picked up the art of pottery and their desire to work at it. Those who have taken a class in wheel throwing know how difficult it is to get the hang of it. The Lord has a plan for those girls, and after being there, I realize the necessity of teaching them a trade. It was a joy to share with them the Love of God and what He can to do make beauty and purpose out of an ordinary lump of clay--us! If the Lord brings them to mind, please pray for them.

We are also thankful for the opportunity to dig wells to provide clean fresh water. A total of five wells were dug. At present only 2 were successful for water, and the verdict is out on one. As for the Himba people, we pray that the Wilkins will be able to get a bigger rig to help them dig deeper. By Provision is working tirelessly to bring water to several countries that are in desperate need. Please pray for them as they continue to go to the people with the Living water that only comes from Jesus Christ through this act of love in bringing them water. If you would like to give to this worthy cause, go to www.byprovision.org. We saw first hand the responsible way in which they handled the gifts given to bring water to a desperate area and show the Love of God through their actions.


Thank you all again for praying for us and for those who were able to give. We may not see the rewards in this lifetime, but I know that what you have done will reap benefits in these lives even if we may never know about them. As it says in II Cor. 4:7, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves." So we stand back and watch what the Lord does with what we have given--and that is the point, the surpassing greatness of the power of God.

Water!!!!!

Today we went back to the place that Dale had gone to when we first got here. We were able to set the pump and get water!!

Sunday Services

"Oh Lord, You are our Father and we are the clay; You are the Potter and all of us are the work of Your hand." Is 64:8

On Sunday morning with the children and Sunday evening with the adults, I shared the message of the Potter and the clay. God formed man from the dust of the earth--the word 'formed' meaning to squeeze into shape. The analogy of God as the Potter and we as the clay is a telling picture of meaning and purpose in each ones lives if they will only succumb to the loving hands of the Potter to mold and make a vessel of honor and glory to God. Even though the vessel has been marred by sin, God destined all of us to made in the image of His son Jesus Christ. For that image to be realized takes surrender on the part of the clay and a commitment to be shaped, formed and used by the Potter Himself. This picture allows us to see the importance of having Jesus as our Savior and Lord.

In the children's service, about half of the children responded to the message by giving their lives to Jesus or renewing their commitment to Jesus for the rest of their lives. For the adult service, I later heard that the message pricked their heart and that several recommitted their lives to Jesus anew with humility and fervor. I thank the Lord that He can take a simple message and demonstration, and impact lives for eternity. May He be glorified and may we realized "that we have this treasure in earthen vessels, sot hat the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves." II Cor 4:7

Meet Meke

This is Meke. She is from the north part of Namibia and is apart of the bush people. Her family lives in a hut and has to get water from wherever they can find it. She tends to be very shy & quiet. While growing up she never had enough to eat. She is in 12th grade and gets no support from her family. She has a very sweet spirit and a grateful heart. For her to be in her 12 year of school is a great accomplishment. Many young women don't make it beyond 10th grade.