Susan Switalski:  

LIFE My life is a continual proving of God's faithfulness, even when I have been unfaithful. He called me to be part of His family at 11, just months before my family moved from the childhood friends I'd known since I was 3. He "raised me" in His family by placing me in strong churches and giving me friends to grow alongside. When I asked Him, as part of our Senior yearbook quote, to give me "His lovingkindness in the daytime and in the night His song..., a prayer to the God of my life," (Ps. 42:8) I began to have songs from Him on my heart each morning and through the day. After graduating from Warren, He called me to join First Baptist and taught me to lead. All this time I had followed Him closely, but there was a pride - both the insecure "I can't measure up" type and the flip side of the coin, the arrogant "I measure up better than others" type - growing inside. As the Word says Proverb 16:18 "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Does He always have to be right?) I stopped trusting Him in one key area, and started to rely on myself instead. 4 years later I remember telling Him "I know how bad I can screw up, now I want to know what You think about this." He had allowed my life to "crash & burn" in the meantime but faithfully made sure I was secure in His love for me first. I had always "known" in my head that He loved me, but it was through this Ps. 23 "rod & staff" (instruments of direction & correction) type comfort that I first experienced His love deep within my heart. Then He placed a new call on my life with titles like intercessor, wife, homemaker, mother, homeschool mom! And in all this, the past 20 years, it's been that love of His that has secured me through some of life's most destructive storms. One day, maybe we'll talk about that! When I have a need or problem, I'm learning to look for an aspect of His character that I've not known before, or at a depth not known before, to meet that need, because "He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Heb. 11:6) And I know His faithfulness. Deut. 7:9 says "Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is the faithful God" and Rev. 19:11 calls Jesus "Faithful and True," so from the beginning to the end of The Book, He is faithful. And from the beginning to the end of our lives, He is faithful, whether we are unfaithful or not. SCHOOL If I was in trouble in school, it was for talking (who, me? use too many words?) Elementary right through High School. I still have the report cards to prove it. One exception to this was for chewing gum in Mrs. (Burkacky's?) in 2ND GRADE. But Mom pulled me out of her class and had me placed in Mrs. Mabye's class the very day I was supposed to write, like 1,000 times, "I will not chew gum." Whew! Mrs. Mabye was one of my favorite teachers for alot of reasons, not the least of which was she took us to Disneyland as a reward for being top spellers. (Is your spelling deteriorating, too? Maybe it's just stress, but if you are, too, let me in on it. Sure feels great when you know it's just age!) She and her husband Jerry took us to the Rose Parade & went camping with us, too. I really loved her! Miss Miller was another favorite. Got to have her 3RD & 4TH GRADE. She gave me a serious love for books. She picked the best read alouds and was so animated in her read...Expand for more