Cheer UP! Podcast
Cheer UP! Podcast
The Beauty Of Imperfection
In our latest podcast episode, we delve into the beauty of imperfection and how God uses flawed individuals to accomplish His purposes. 🎧#CheerUpPodcast #FaithJourney #FaithStories
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Hi and welcome to the Cheer Up Podcast. I am your host, Kara R Hunt, and with me is the beautiful and lovely and absolutely amazing Sherri Swalwell. How are you doing this morning, Sherri?
Speaker 2:I am actually doing fantastic. I am just loving just everything about today. I just feel blessed to be alive. How about you?
Speaker 1:Oh, I love that right Blessed to be alive, and it is wonderful so far this morning. It is just, you know, by that I mean it's going to be kind of like a. From what I understand, it's going to be kind of rainy, kind of cloudy and kind of dreary, and for the mood I'm in today, meaning a sleepy mood, that's what I'm saying it's wonderful. And it's awesome because it just looked like the perfect weather that will help entice me to perhaps get in a power nap or something today or something, because I just kind of feel like my body needs it. So, you know, it's almost like this day is just perfect for me, because it's like, oh, you need to sleep. This day is just perfect for me because it's like, oh, you need to sleep. Okay, we just tuck the sun away for a minute so that you know you could sleep and it's not all bright and shiny and everything like that. So how are you at taking naps during the day, sherry? Well, I'm pretty good.
Speaker 2:Scott and I we kind of started a system a few years ago where I lay down and if I'm not asleep within 10 minutes, then I realize I'm not as tired as I think I am, and so then I get up. Whether I want to get up or not, I get up, and if I am asleep within 10 minutes then I don't feel guilty because I knew that I really needed to sleep. And sometimes, if I'm waiting to pick up our youngest at school, sometimes I fall asleep, whether I mean to or not, and so I hear a tap on the window of can you unlock the?
Speaker 1:door Mom.
Speaker 2:It's time to go home.
Speaker 1:I actually think that's kind of cute.
Speaker 2:I actually think that's kind of cute.
Speaker 1:So basically, you're like in a carpool line or you're, you know, just waiting and everything else.
Speaker 2:You're so tired, you're so sleepy, you fall asleep and I'll even be reading, like I'll be reading a book, yes, and the book will be in my lap and it's knocked on the window. Open up the door.
Speaker 1:It's time to go home. Yeah, see, I'm. Oh my gosh, it's been decades since I had to do a carpool line. It's wow.
Speaker 2:I sound old when I say decades, but it's been decades so.
Speaker 1:But I remember some of the moms would like get out and chit-chat and, you know, catch up with each other and everything during the day.
Speaker 2:But I'm like you, I would rather be in my car and just read, but then sometimes you do fall asleep Well the funny thing is that when he was younger, when he was in elementary school, his best friends and me we became really good friends because our kids were friends and we would drop them off and then we would take a walk around. We'd do I don't know about a half an hour of walking in the morning before we would go home and I would start where we both start our days. I loved that. I was in probably the best shape of my life back then Because but we filled up our spirit while we were exercising our body. Oh, I really missed that. I missed that more than you know. And then when we were both in the line waiting, we would sometimes get in each other's cars and catch up. Like you said, that was always really fun too.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah yeah, that was kind of like the fun part. Right Like in the summer, everyone would want to get out, stretch their legs, enjoy the weather, and they'd just talk around the cars. But then, when the weather was kind of cool, you'd just get in each other's cars.
Speaker 2:Right Well, and you want to know something that when, during that period, during that time period in my life, that is when Adventures Invitation was born, because I was talking to her, I had just finished writing Journey Back Home, book two of the Redemption of Green Pine series, and I said to her I said I think people need to hear Holly's story because they aren't going to understand, they're going to think that she's a bad guy and she really isn't a bad guy. They don't understand where she's coming from. And so she helps me flesh out Holly and that's how Holly was born and that's how Holly and actually the funny thing about it, kara, is that her name is Holly too, but I named my character Holly long before I even knew her. Isn't that a hoot?
Speaker 1:Like, isn't that?
Speaker 2:hilarious, yeah, yeah, I didn't even know her. It's just like God winking, yes, yes, it's like God winking at you, and Holly became one of the most important characters in that series. So I always look back on those times with a lot of fondness, because that was a lot of fun in my life you know I've always liked the name Holly and I had a childhood friend whose name was Holly and she visited.
Speaker 1:She didn't live across the street from me, she lived somewhere else, but during the summer she would like visit some of her relatives and stuff like that, so her and her brother would be there and her name was Holly or so I thought. Because everyone called her Holly, I just assumed that was her name, but it wasn't. Until we got older, I think, like teenagers, that I realized her real name wasn't Holly, it was Amber.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:And I'm like Amber. Well, why in the world do they call you Holly?
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:And I think her name was Amber Holly is what I'm thinking Her name is Amber. I think her name was Amber Holly is what I, if I what I'm thinking her name was Amber, I think her name's Amber Holly, and for some reason they just always call her Holly. And I mean for years, all through childhood, I just thought her name was Holly, but I saw something, schoolwork or something I don't know she had written her name on something. I'm like, well, who's Amber? She's like oh, that's me, because I always thought the name Holly and I'm like, okay, amber doesn't sound anything like Holly. It's not even like you take a name off of it, right?
Speaker 1:You know name people you know name is Elizabeth and they call you Liz or Lizzie or Beth or you know, or something like that. It's like, how did Holly come out of Hamburg? But that's always just one of the names I've always loved. I just think it's such a cute name.
Speaker 2:Uh-huh, it is a real well, and I must have loved the name, because that was the name that I, that I picked for my character back when our youngest was three, no, two, I think, he was only two, and I didn't meet her until he was six, five or six. So we're talking four years later, three years later. So, yeah, I just find that really fascinating. But she helped me come up with and figure out the backstory for holly, um, and, and that's how adventures invitation was born. But I just I love those little things like those are the kind of things that are just really cute.
Speaker 2:I remember too, um, when oldest, so our oldest goes by his middle name instead of his, his first name, and so I remember there was a substitute one time, and so he came home and he was telling us the story that and I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna use some random names, but so we'll just say his name is Tom Josephph, and but he goes by joe, and so, um, the substitute was doing the attendance, and they go um, thomas or whatever, and so this kid pipes up, and so of course, he answers because he knows that they're going by his first name, not his middle name, and so this kid pipes up and he's one of those kids in class. That's kind of like the class clown and he goes. But you pronounce it Joe.
Speaker 2:And so the substitute was like Tom, but I pronounce it Joe, right, it was just so funny. And then he went and he worked right after high school. He worked at a movie theater and he went by his given name. So he went by Tom instead of by Joe, and so he would have high schoolers come and, you know, go to the movies, and so they'd be like hey, joe. And so his coworkers are like what do you mean, joe? This is Tom.
Speaker 1:And he's like well, I'm kind of both, I know right. It is just so funny, especially when you come up with the double names and if you guys are like what in the world are you two talking about? What is Adventures Invitation? If you're new to the podcast and you're like what is she talking about? She's Sherry Swalwell, is a novelist and an author. She has nonfiction and fiction works under her name and if you just type her, name into any into your favorite search engine just C-H-E-R-I and last name S-W-A-L-W-E-L-L.
Speaker 1:You'll be able to see the many books that she has written, including devotions and novels. So that is what she's talking about, and you'll be able to see A Venture's Invitation. So there, and then now you have a little bit of the backstory on the Holly character, and that's for those of you who are just new to the podcast and you're like what in the world are you guys talking about?
Speaker 1:So, that is what we're talking about, and we're also here today to say thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for continuing to listen to our podcast.
Speaker 1:We are now in our fifth season and still going strong and we still have our loyal listeners and subscribers and we just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. And we also want to say thank you for listening to as we're wrapping up, and we're wrapping up a series and going to start a new one. We just want to say thank you for listening to the past series on the biblical figures we did in the New Testament. We are so hoping that you guys enjoyed it, learned from it, maybe took some notes, maybe just hopefully, you know, just it was imperative to your life, just knowing that, hey, I am not alone.
Speaker 1:All these characters, well-known characters in the New Testament of the Holy Bible, they went through some stuff, they did some things and God still loved them and in spite of them, he was able to use them. So we hope that you were able to be inspired and encouraged by the series we did with the New Testament biblical figures, just journeying through their lives and through some of their stories with them. Anything you want to add to that, sherri with them.
Speaker 2:Anything you want to add today, sherry? Just that I was reminded again about how God loves to use imperfect people. There's not one single person who is perfect. There's not one single person that lives on this earth that has it all together. And that just encourages me because I want to be used by God Like I want, and I'm even like.
Speaker 2:I'm not talking about big, huge life-changing, you know people will always remember my name being used by God. I just want to be used by God. I care about the people that God puts in my life, being used by him for them. Like that, that, in and of itself, if I could die knowing that those that I loved and loved well knew that I loved and loved well, that I made a difference in their life and that they in turn then made a difference in somebody else's life and they in turn made a difference in somebody else's life, I would consider my life a success. I want to live the kind of life, kara to, where it's an adventure, like I wake up and I just say, okay, god, what are we going to do today? Like, how are you going?
Speaker 1:to use me.
Speaker 2:Help me to have eyes and ears and a mind and a heart that is open and ready to do whatever it is that you want me to do. Like that, and that's kind of, I think, what I got from the new testament biblical figures, because I mean, we we talked about so many and it was, you know, god, just like gideon. He was just grinding grain, hiding in the wine cellar because he didn't want them to steal his grain, and bud said hey, buddy, I got a job for you. Come here, you know, like that, that's the kind of adventure that I want to have. And I know that david is from the old testament, not the testament, but we did the old testament too. And david was out tending the sheep and God said hey, you're going to be king someday Not yet, but you're going to be king someday to get ready and I love that's the other part.
Speaker 2:Like I could go right into it, that I love that God prepares people. Like he doesn't just say, oh hey, by the way, you're going to be today, so, so get rid of the sheep, find somebody else to take care of them. You're going into the palace right now. No, he loves us so much that, even though we want to be in the palace yesterday, he's like well, hold up, hold up, hold up. We got some stuff we got to learn first, Like do you want to be a good king, a great king, or do you want to just be a king?
Speaker 2:Like I want you to be a king, and so that's. The other thing that we need to remember is that God's timing is always best and always perfect, even though we tend to want it to rush ahead. So those are just a few of the lessons and the encouragement that I got from reading the Bible, but I'll tell you what, kara. Of the lessons and the encouragement that I got from reading the Bible, but I'll tell you what, kara.
Speaker 2:I would encourage everybody to continue to dig into your Bible to continue to find a plan that works for you, because, no matter how many times we read the Bible, god's going to give us different insight and he's going to take us deeper and deeper and deeper and that's the other part. That's so exciting. I could just keep going, but I'm not going to.
Speaker 1:And I think that's why the Bible is just one of the it's still the number one best selling book in the world, right, and because it's no matter where you are in life or if you read it when you were five and then you read it again when you're 10 and then you read it when you're like, no matter what age or what you're going through in life is so relevant, it is so full of peace. It is so comforting to know that God is there. And one of my favorite biblical, a couple of my favorite biblical figures that we did in the New Testament, is Paul and Silas, and especially Paul, because I think what I have just learned from him is that you could be in a cell, in a sewer cell filled with rats and who knows what else, probably getting bit by things we don't even know, with water dripping and sewage and it smells, and you're chained and you can't go anywhere. It's like a dungeon, like one of the worst ever dungeons, but you can still praise God. Dungeons, but you can still praise God, and that's what I love about some of the biblical figure stories that we did. It's like that, no matter where you are, you could be in the worst pit of all time mentally, physically, spiritually of God as a son of God then we know that our Heavenly Father is not going to leave us, he's not going to abandon us, and that's that hope that you have when you're in that pit, right Is that my father sees what's going on, he knows what's going on and he's not going to leave me here. And if I'm here it has to be for a reason.
Speaker 1:Little did they know that centuries later, centuries later, that people will still be teaching and talking about a lot of the things they did and how they just praised God through it all and how they were delivered, you know, and the chains were broken, right, it's centuries later. I don't even know what a thousand years is called. I know 10 is a decade, 100 is a century, but centuries later they are still being talked about the trials and tribulations that they went through. People are now learning from. That is the legacy of the trial that they went through. That is the legacy of how they handled it went through, and I can almost just see that God is looking at them in those prisons, all chained up. Some of the apostles were even and our disciples were even martyred.
Speaker 1:I can just see God looking down over all of that and be like you have no idea how this is going to bless so many people down the road, you know, for years to come. You know because sometimes it's just not about us. Sometimes the trials we're going through is about somebody else and God is saying you're strong enough, you're going to be able to deal with this, and you have no idea how this is going to bless somebody else. We don't know that, we don't get that information and I think that's why. But I think Paul, all of them knew that when they were like in this prison, like we don't know why God has us here. But we're going to praise God anyway Because we know for one way or another, he's using this for his good, for his glory. We probably can't even think about the scope of how far this is going to go, but because of that and we know our Father is good we're going to praise him anyway. And that's one of my favorite parts of all of the stories of, just like different biblical figures, they persevere, because I don't like to use the word endure, but they persevere and they keep walking by faith, right, and they just keep praising God, especially in the New Testament, but they just keep praising God all along the way and that has just always ministered to me. And, like you said, sherri, we could just keep going on and on and on and on. But if this is your first time listening to the podcast and you're like, hmm, I haven't went back and listened to those excuse me, I haven't heard those episodes that you guys did, just go back You'll see where we did Old Testament figures and talked about their stories, their trials, their tribulations and how they overcome them. And then after that was the New Testament biblical figures in the New Testament. So if you want to go back and just pick one and be like I think I'm going to listen to Silas today you know journeying with Silas then we just pray that you'll be blessed. But you can always go back and listen to them and download them. But we are now wrapping up with the New Testament biblical figures and we are going to do an encore presentation for the next couple of weeks of the Screwtape Letters.
Speaker 1:And the Screwtape Letters is a novel by CS Lewis published in 1942. It is a collection of fictional letters written by a senior demon named Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, who is a junior tempter. The letters provide advice and guidance on how to effectively tempt and how to effectively corrupt a human being, and in the book, in the letters, I should say, the human being that they are trying to tempt and corrupt is referred to as the patient in the letters and their whole goal is to prevent him from becoming a Christian and their whole goal is to prevent him from becoming a Christian. And Sherry and I read this book and it's like 30, 32 letters, right, sherry? And each letter is a different letter from a demon named Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, about how to get the quote-unquote patient, the human being, to prevent him from becoming a Christian. And we did several podcasts on that. And so we're going to do an encore presentation of that because the Screwtapes Letters is highly.
Speaker 1:It's the Screwtapes Letters by CS Lewis, if I did mention the author's name. It's widely regarded as one of his most original and thought-provoking works and it offers insight into the nature of temptation and the importance of faith, the importance of faith and virtue in the face of evil, and that is why we're doing this encore presentation for the next couple of weeks. So if you've never read the book, the Screwtape Letters, or if you want to know more about the book the Screwtape Letters? Or if you want to know more about the book, the Screwtape Letters or the topics that was covered in the book, in the Screwtape Letters, and how the demons work together to try to effectively tempt and corrupt humans, ie you, me and everybody on earth, then we just encourage you. Encourage you to listen to the following upcoming encore series of the Screwtape Letters. Is there anything you want to add, Sherry?
Speaker 2:The only thing I want to say is, with the way that the world is right now and the way that there are so many things pulling us in so many different directions, and even, honestly, in some churches, the gospel is being watered down or completely ignored and disregarded this is a perfect time to re-listen to this. And if you're like, oh, do you even know how busy my life is? So you're telling me you want me to read the Bible. You're telling me now you want me to read the screw tape letters too, and you're telling me that I need. Did you not know that I have to do this and this and this? I get it, I do, but the screw tape letters?
Speaker 2:Each chapter is so short and we cover a chapter Very short. We cover a chapter a week, so there is plenty of time. We're talking like five minutes, maybe 10 minutes max, to read one chapter, and then you can tune in to the podcast and you can get our insights, and not that we're, you know, major scholars or experts on it by any means, but I personally love to read books, nonfiction books, the Bible, even fiction books. Kara and I have started reading fiction together. Oh, I'm so excited. So, like it's doable is what I'm trying to say, and I love getting other people's perspectives and opinions because it just helps open up my thought process and it's like, oh, that's what you got from it, because this is what I got from it. So, speaking of that, as you listen to the encore presentation of Screwtape Letters starting next week, write or comment down below. Make comments so that we can hear your perspective on what you thought as well, because it's not just about us by any means. We don't just want to hear ourselves talk, we want to have a conversation with you. So, as you're listening to it and as God is downloading ideas and thoughts into your head, comment so that we can have a conversation. So either comment there or start a thread in the Facebook group, and the links for the Facebook group I'm sure are somewhere by the podcast as well. So, yeah, I just want to encourage everybody that it just takes a little bit of time and it's so worth it.
Speaker 2:More we're grounded in truth nowadays, then the less apt we are to be able to be pulled away from the truth, the less apt we're able to be deceived because we know the truth. So studying the truth and studying God's word is the best way to combat. You know, satan loves to throw a little bit of truth with all of his lies. That's one of his biggest ways to deceive people. So when we know the whole truth, then we're able to pick out the lies and we're able to say, okay, yeah, what he's saying there is true, but everything else that he's saying is hogwash. So I just want to, I just want to throw that out there too. None of us want to be deceived, and the best way to not be deceived is to study God's truth, and to study the genuine article, and the Screwtape Letters is a great way to kind of hide that truth in our heart in a fun, fictional way. So there you go.
Speaker 1:That's what I wanted to say it is, but it's not really fictional, because you'll see that a lot of what Wormwood tries to teach his nephew to try to corrupt his human being is also found in Scripture. Not what he is writing per se, but how the enemy operates. The enemy roams about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. None of us are exempt from that. He is looking to devour and devour only, and he especially don't want people becoming Christians and those who are Christians he's always trying to lead them straight down a garden path. So it's best to know your enemy, so you know who you're dealing with, and study the Bible so that you know how to counteract that.
Speaker 1:So again, we want to thank you all for continuing to listen to the Cherub podcast. If you've been blessed by any of the New Testament biblical figure episodes we did, please feel free to share. And if you go back and listen to it, please feel free to share with that one person who you think, just someone may just really be wanting to hear more about that particular biblical figure right now and or what they were going through or their particular challenges I'm so sorry challenges and stuff that they were going through and just share it with that one person who comes to mind while you're listening to the podcast, and please remember to also like and subscribe so you'll be notified every time a new episode comes out. And that's all I have to say for this episode, sherry.
Speaker 2:Well, I want to remind everybody of our key verse, and that is John 16, 33. These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace In the world. You will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. There's nothing better than that when we deal with all of the uncertainties and all of the unknowns that that plague us. But, um, you know what it? Nothing is new under the sun.
Speaker 2:Um, when we read the Bible, we realized that people back then had to deal with issues and they had to endure and persevere, as you said. And it's really no different now. But the more that I read the Bible and the more that I soak in God's word, the happier and the more excited I get about eternity in heaven. And you know, eternity in heaven is not, it's not, the default, it's really not. It's a choice that we have to make. And if that's a choice that you are interested in making, or if that's a choice that you've thought about and you just aren't sure, Like if you were to die today, do you know with certainty that you would go to heaven? And if you don't, do you want to? Because it's as simple as making a choice and the choice is just basically saying well, the choice is just praying and asking, receiving Jesus Christ into our heart, and if that's something that you want to do, then we can do that. Right now, you can just repeat this prayer after me oh Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus' name. I believe you died on the cross and that you rose again and you're seated on the throne. Jesus, forgive me for all that I've done wrong and I choose to forgive all others. Come into my life today and forever. I am yours In Jesus' name, Amen. If this is your first time making that decision and praying that prayer, we want to say welcome to the family.
Speaker 2:Um, there is so many different ways that you can connect with your faith, that you can grow in your faith. Um, first off, we would love it if you would email us at cheeruppodcast at gmailcom and let us know that you made that decision so that we can celebrate with you. And then we would encourage you to get into a Bible-believing church. If you're interested, you can join the membership as another way to learn and grow and deepen your relationship with God. But we just want to say welcome to the family. We're so glad that you're here and come back next week for the encore presentation of Screwtape Letters.
Speaker 2:In the meantime, go to KaraRHuntcom. That's Kara's website and you can find out all that you want to about Paper Dolls. That's the series, the fiction series that she wrote, and I'm telling you what those books are. Amazing. I love getting biblical truth in fictional stories. I just absolutely love that. That's kind of the way the Screwtape letters are is. You're getting biblical truth through the fictional character of the patient and screw tape and wormwood. And I'm telling you you will be hooked if you check out Kara's book the Habakkuk series and Paper Dolls is the first one but you won't want to just read one. It's just like the Lay's commercial. Is that the one? You can't just eat one? I think it's Lays. Her books are the same. You can't just read one. You got to read them all. Once you read the first one, you're hooked. So have a great rest of your day, have a wonderful week and come back next week for the beginning of the screen tape letters.
