Tue, 4 Jul 2006
Hello…I’m Clyde Swalls’ youngest daughter and I have some interesting news to pass on to you.
After reviewing your website, it seems all is well with your family. I just wanted to let you know that your name came up this week with some people from the church my husband and I attend. My husband (Beau) separated from Air Force in November 2005, and he’s felt a calling to be in the ministry since he was about 15 years old. Through God’s working, Beau was hired on as full-time pastoral staff at our church, Calvary Chapel of Melbourne, FL. He is leading a young adults group (20-30 somethings) and really enjoying it. Anyway, the pastor who has really been influential in his life over the past six months, Dave Folkerts, was discussing street preachers the other day with my husband.
He talked about how he was at Iowa State University (1981) not walking with the Lord. He said there was a campus preacher saying that people were searching to fill the void in their lives with drugs, alcohol and sex. He said those words haunted him. He did finally become a Christian and that is a big part of his testimony. Beau just happened to ask if the “campus preacher” was Jed Smock and, with a surprised look, he said yes. Beau told him of the correlation between you and my dad. What a small world! Dave and some students he went to church with actually started some street preaching of their own. Anyway, he’s now in Melbourne, FL as one of the associate pastors at our church and his wife has an incredible testimony as well. Dave just wanted you to know that you had an impact on his life, and indirectly, in ours.
We just thought it was so interesting how your influence circled around to us. I was pretty proud that we knew you and your family! Thanks for keeping true to the gospel and to your family. If you’re ever in Florida, we’d love to see you.
Love in Christ, Sharalyn
PS. Just a note here from the webmaste: For those who do not know Jed's testimony, Sharalyn's father was the man who led Jed to the Lord in the parking lot of a Burger King.
