church Archives - The Swirl World

#123| Sunday School

May 3, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

“I take the kids to church and Sunday School. They love it. I really think it’s important for a child to feel that there are things that are bigger than your life out there.”

~Reese Witherspoon

Are you heading out to Sunday School?

If you’re a Sunday School attendee, we’d like to introduce you to Waynell Henson of ThatSundaySchoolGirl.com.

Head on over to her website and Facebook page now – we’ll be featuring her on a podcast in the near future!

The Swirl World Team is committed to sharing 365 days of inspiration in 2015. Our goal is to help you stay motivated and inspired by bringing you positive, uplifting images and corresponding thoughts.

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

If you have a small business, blog or other products and services, we’d be happy to consider featuring you in a future post. Send us an email and tell us more about you and what you do!

Copyright ©2015 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, The Swirl World Inspiration Daily™, Swirl Nation™, All rights reserved. Photo Copyright ©2015 Waynell Henson, used with permission.

How To Find A Wife At Church – Even When People Say You Can’t

February 26, 2014 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 4 Comments

Despite the seemingly endless barrage of news stories concerning “Church Leaders Gone Wild” (and that shameless, God-forsaken monstrosity of a reality show called “Preachers of LA”), many of us still believe in God.

Not only that, many of us go to churches that make sense and have Pastors who don’t make us ashamed.

Yes, despite the bad rap many individuals receive for going to or actively participating in church, many people still attend and enjoy a vibrant expression of their faith.

And you know what? Many people still DO meet their spouses at church!

In this week’s profile of “Ordinary People . . . Extraordinary Love,” we’d like you to meet Ian and Evoni Hochstrasser.

Ian and Evoni Hochstrasser enjoyed dating

They met – you guessed it – at church!

The Hochstrasser’s took a few minutes to respond to our questions, and share their beautiful story – and family – with us.

Where do you live?

We currently live in Idaho but are both from Oregon and hope to return there!

How long have you been together?

We’ve been together for over 6 1/2 years; married over 5 ½.

When did you know he/she was “The One?”

We knew we were in love when we had some time apart (not broken up; Evoni was away visiting family) and we realized just how much we missed each other and didn’t want to be apart again.

Ian and Evoni Hochstrasser’s engagement photo

Do you have any children?

We have two children (4 years & 4 months-both girls).

Where did you meet?

We met at a church activity (game night).

What do you like best about your mate?

Evoni: What I like best about my husband is he lets me be me and doesn’t try to change who I am (I’m kinda quirky) but tries to uplift me. He reminds me constantly how much he loves me and how beautiful I am to him (inside and out)!

Ian: What I like best about my wife is she the perfect combination of smart, funny and beautiful.

What advice would you give to others who want to date interracially?

Just love each other and ignore the naysayers (and yes there are still naysayers). Also, never stop laughing together–find the funny in every situation! (Ian and Evoni had the same advice).

An additional question, if you don’t mind: What made your husband approach you as a potential date, and how did he go about it? Was he shy and you let him know you were interested – or was he bold?

Evoni: Initially, we were just instant friends – we enjoyed a lot of the same things and found ourselves spending all our extra time with one another. One night he kissed me (pretty bold for him considering how shy he is!) and the rest is history.

Before the kiss he had said things about how much I meant to him. We had gotten really close fast-he was my best friend.

Ian and Evoni Hochstrasser met at church

So, how do you find a wife or a husband at church – even when people say you can’t?

Ian and Evoni already told you: “Ignore the naysayers!”

Till next time, Keep Swirling.

Join in the Fray: Do you believe church is a good place to meet a mate? Why or why not?

Want to be profiled here on the blog and on our Facebook page? Contact us via inbox at The Swirl World on Facebook or send an email to ASwirlGirl@TheSwirlWorld.com.

My Therapy

July 14, 2013 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 4 Comments

Some people find cleaning house to be therapeutic.

Unpacking had the same effect on me today.

I decided to take a break from everything and just about everybody.

No emails, no TV, no Twitter feeds and no Facebook.

Just church with my Dad, a good visit with he and my Mother, and then heading back to my new place to unpack.

Sometimes you have to get away from the clamour and just decompress.

Everybody seems to want to give their .02.

Today, I let them keep it.

Join in the Fray: What activity is therapeutic for you?

I’m blogging every day in the month of July in Blogher’s NaBloPoMo Challenge. Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment!

Wedding Bells Are Ringing!

April 17, 2013 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

I have occasion to drive by St. Genevieve’s Catholic Church in Lafayette, LA on a regular basis. On most days, nothing special is going on. Today was different.

As me and the other 1.5 million poor schmucks were inching along in 5:00 p.m. traffic, we were treated to the sight of a girl in a gorgeous wedding gown. The sunlight hit the crystals and pearls on her dress just so, and she was a dazzling vision of beauty.

She was standing on the stoop with a gentleman in a tuxedo who I’m guessing was her Father. St. Genevieve’s doesn’t appear to have a vestibule, because the Bride and her escort were standing outside the huge front door. Everyone else had evidently marched in, and there she was, clutching the man’s hands. In just those brief moments, I could tell that the young woman was giddy with anticipation of her entrance into the church.

Seeing her immediately brought a smile to my face, and I was smitten with curiosity about the people inside. How many girls were in her wedding party? What colors had she selected? Who was serving as her Maid of Honor – was it her sister, a favorite cousin, or maybe her best friend?

And, more important, what about the Groom, her soon-to-be husband? Was he short or tall, handsome or average? How long had they dated? Did they share the same ethnicity, or was she swirling? Did the gentleman standing with her, waiting to walk her down the aisle, approve of the man who would be waiting for her at the other end???

The traffic picked up, and we chugged forward. I didn’t get to see her enter the doors, and I’ll never know what awaited her inside. Wedding bells were ringing for her, and a new chapter in her life was waiting to begin.

How many other people got married today? I wondered. Despite the turmoil that composes our world, life moves on. Steps are taken and decisions made. This Bride got married; somewhere in the world, today marked an engagement, a promise of marriage, for hundreds, maybe even thousands of other couples.

There’s a flip side to that, of course: Somewhere in the world, others decided to end their marriages or relationships and call it quits. Somebody opted to stop trying, or felt it was better to walk away. Today was a day of supreme joy for some, and a day of bitter, disappointing sadness for others. And yes, life will go on.

I said a prayer for that unknown couple as I traversed down Evangeline Thruway. No one, me least of all, knows what challenges they will face or what heights they will reach. I sincerely wish them well, and hope their wedding bells will ring cheerily for the rest of their lives.

Join in the Fray: What “bells” are ringing for you ?

I’m blogging every day in the month of April in Blogher’s NaBloPoMo Challenge. Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment!

#123| Sunday School

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How To Find A Wife At Church – Even When People Say You Can’t

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My Therapy

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Wedding Bells Are Ringing!

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