5 true things about your spiritual life:
- I grew up with a “salvation by works” mentality. Grace reached me.
- I discovered the value of diving into the whole Word of God.
- Small group accountability is crucial for being transparent with and in the Body of Christ.
- Godly counseling has helped me flesh out truth vs. lies and to grow in faith.
- I need dedicated time for prayer, study and reflection.
4 things that have helped your spiritual development over the years:
- The ground work of dedicated, loving, and sometimes confrontational local officers
- Asbury College revival — experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit to bring a body of people to repentance and love.
- Precept Bible training
- Memoirs and biographies — Hannah Hurnard (until the end book), Amy Carmichael, Elisabeth Eliot, Henrietta Mears, E. Stanley, Jones, Brengle … and the list goes on. These have helped me see the unique work of God in individual lives.
3 things that keep your spiritual life on track:
- Dedicated prayer and study time
- Journaling in the style of the moment for me
- Walking
2 good news things you see happening in the Army right now:
- Being at the altar with beautiful people who are humble before the Lord
- Wednesday nights at my home corps, where I see women, men, children, generations, community coming together. And I get to be embraced and included!
1 final thing you would say to encourage someone else on their spiritual journey:
- Keep open to God through His Holy Spirit. Pray for the journey, be accountable to another human being on the journey, don’t be scared of fears and doubts, be full of faith. Be constantly filled by the Holy Spirit.
Commissioner Sue Swanson is the divisonal director of women’s services in the Metropolitan division.