I recently had one of the best conversations with my brother, Jason Swindle. He has brought together some of Carrollton, GA’s brave warriors to raise awareness in the autism arena. I told him that I would use my gifts to help support this effort that God has led him to undertake with starting the West Georgia Autism Foundation.
We also discussed his new church: Southern Hills, located just a stone’s throw from his home. I felt like we really connected on our church environments and how our new church homes are different from the ones we grew up with: legalistic and, at times, nonexistent.
We shared stories about our pastors and our church communities. It brought me such joy to see how God is working in my brother’s heart and how we could share that together. One of the most profound realizations that stopped me in my tracks was the similar goals of our churches: making disciples.
The goal for Southern Hills present on their website
A program from Church of the Holy Spirit with similar language
(also some sweet little disciples - including our son, Carson)
This message has been penetrating my heart ever since I started reading the Bible a year ago but has been especially vibrant to me this week.
In a church service just last week our pastor said, “Do not hoard the Gospel (the ‘good news’).”
One of my mentors asked, “Why does God bless us? He blesses us so that we can BLESS other people.”
One of my mentors asked, “Why does God bless us? He blesses us so that we can BLESS other people.”
With all of this in mind and a desire in my belly, I’ve asked God how He can use me and my gifts to help bring more people into this bright light.
Over 12 years ago, my dad, Buck Swindle, founded a faith-based organization called Pathfinders. This is a group that meets every Friday at 7:00 a.m. to discuss prayer requests and listen to a guest speaker. My dad is very passionate about this group and sharing it with others. They desperately needed a web presence, and since I’ve recently struck out on my own as a freelance marketing consultant, I offered to create a website for them. Check it out here: www.pathfindersministry.org.
Keeping the “making disciples” idea front of mind, I knew my dad needed some more tools for doing this in addition to the website. I suggested that they create business-card-size invite cards for when they are out and about in town and feel led to invite someone to a Pathfinders meeting. It was a pleasure to create and design the cards for them.
Pathfinders letterhead and invite cards
Pathfinders is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and partners with other organizations, so naturally, letterhead was something they needed as well and I was happy to provide that for them.
As I sit here and share this, I have to say how sweet it is to sit in God’s light. I simply want to share this light with others.
My prayer is that the tools I created for Pathfinders will be shared with those who are lost, hurting or simply curious.
I also want to encourage you to think about and ask God how you can use your own gifts to help bring more people into His light.
Sending you Love and Light,
Saralyn