This Living Eulogy post is going to be a little different than most posts I will be sharing. This is to a woman I've met once or twice. A woman that I wouldn't know if she was in a crowd. A woman that I've never held a conversation with that last longer than a minute. A woman that I don't even have a picture of to show you.
This woman is Dianne Swenson.
This woman has changed my life.
Dianne isn't someone who is famous, or has written any sort of life changing book (that I know of). She isn't someone who has spoken at some conference that I attended. She's never even said anything to me that impacted me. (Again, this goes with the fact I've never held a real conversation with her.)
When I was 8 years old I moved to northern Minnesota, to Detroit Lakes, with my family. We began attending a church called Lakes Area Word Fellowship. This church was located in a tiny little town called Vergas. This church is lead by an amazing man of God; Larry Vosika.
My family became a part of this church and I spent the next 8 years attending Sunday and Wednesday services, prayer nights, drama team, youth group, special speakers, the list goes on. If the doors were open, my family was most likely there. Our pastor though, he was there all the time. If he wasn't there, he was out with someone from the church. He has devoted his time, love and self to the members of his church. Larry has changed the lives of many, MANY people. I'm included in that.
"Jenny, you were talking about Dianne."
Yes, yes I was.
Dianne is Larry's sister.
Every so often, you'll hear Pastor Larry talk about his sister. You'll hear him talk about how, when he was in a TERRIBLE place in life, she prayed for him. You'll hear him give credit to her for the fact that he came to know Jesus. You'll hear him talk about how she was the one who brought him to God. She was the one who showed him the love of God and loved him to Jesus.
If it wouldn't have been for Dianne, Pastor Larry would, most likely, not be the pastor at Lakes Area Word Fellowship. He would, most likely, not have impacted the hundreds and hundreds of lives that he has with the love of God. He would, most likely, not have brought so many people to God.
Dianne prayed. Dianne loved. Dianne prayed.
So often, I don't feel like prayer is enough. I think to myself, 'Well, I guess all I can do is pray.'
What?!
I'm learning that prayer is so much more powerful than I've ever imagined. I've begun to see, more and more, how prayer is THE ANSWER. It's never the final straw. We should be doing everything prayerfully! Philippians 4:6 & 7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Prayer makes such a difference. And then going that step further. Not only praying TO God, but listening too. Not only saying words to Him, asking Him for things, but allowing Him to show you what to do! Its out of those instructions that you will begin to impact the right people. You'll be love to everyone. You just might change the world.
I've recently been learning about a man named Barnabas. I was listening to an AMAZING sermon by Kris Vallotton from Bethel Church [click here to hear it yourself!] and he began talking about Barnabas.
Barnabas believed in Paul (at that time, Saul). Barnabas saw the potential that God had placed in this man named Saul. This man had killed tens of thousands of Christians (Kris compares him to a modern day ISIS), and one day Jesus appears to him and he turns from his ways, wants to get in with the apostles, and become one of them! Could you imagine the confusion? The worry? These apostles had no idea of Saul was sincere or not!
Barnabas knew.
Barnabas knew that God had a plan for him. He went with Paul and traveled with him, bringing him to the apostles and standing up for him, showing them that Paul meant what he said about his life change.
Barnabas never wrote one chapter in the Bible. However, there are 13 books in the Bible that wouldn't be there, had it not been for Barnabas.
Dianne is a Barnabas. Dianne has impacted and changed hundreds, maybe even thousands, of lives because of the belief that she had in Larry. Dianne is a world changer.
I frequently think about the people who are Barnabas'; the person that led Billy Graham to the Lord, Smith Wigglesworth's wife, the words spoken to Kenneth Hagin Sr., the love shared with Todd White. All of these people have impacted hundreds of thousands of lives, because of the one person they touched.
What a testimony. What an amazing story. What a beautiful thing.
Thank you, Dianne. Thank you for praying for your brother. Thank you for showing him the love of the God that you know so well. Thank you for seeing something more in him. Thank you for changing the lives of hundreds and hundreds of people. I know you give God the credit, but He needed a vessel to work through. Thank you for being obedient. You have made an impact.
Love,
Jenny
