Swart Life Continues: 50 Years!!!

WOW - Unbelievable!! Only by God's grace and abundant blessings, have Jeff and I reached such a monumental milestone! 50 years of marriage!!💖💞💑

We went to high school together in Girard, KS all 4 years. However, we totally ran in "different" circles, so it wasn't until our Junior year in English class when our desks were beside each other that we first got acquainted. That summer, we happened to be in Pittsburg at the same time with other friends and got into one car and dragged the "gut" - riding up and down Broadway in Pittsburg.

When we began our Senior year, the attraction began to blossom when we were both working on our Senior Class float for Homecoming in September 1970. We "hung" together after the homecoming events that September weekend. Our first date was Saturday, October 3rd, 1970. We went to eat at Chicken Annie's and then to see a movie in Pittsburg (I always thought it was Love Story, but after Jeff did some researching that movie wasn't released til Dec. of that year, so it wasn't our first date--I do know we went to see that movie together!💗). We aren't sure what the name of the movie was that we did see.

We dated off and on that Fall. We didn't date after Thanksgiving to the end of January of 1971. We were back together by Valentine's Day. We didn't go to our Senior Prom together as Jeff had already asked someone else (he went with Joni Dent and I went with Richard O'Toole).

By May/graduation, we were in the "serious" cycle of our relationship and he had given me his class ring that Spring. Our GHS Class of '71 went to Temple Resort at Osage Beach for our Senior Trip (May 15-18) and there, Jeff told me he loved me for the first time (and I told him the same).💏

Late that summer, Jeff left for Washburn University in Topeka, KS where he had a football scholarship, joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and was pursuing a law degree. I still lived at home and worked full time at McNally's in Pittsburg and was taking a few classes at Pittsburg State University. We had agreed to take a break in our relationship and date other people to see if we had the "real" thing.....and we both did date others -- but just for a couple of months. We soon realized we only desired a relationship with each other.

I did go to Topeka on a few occasions to see Jeff. On April 22nd, 1972, Jeff invited me to come to Topeka and attend the Fraternity's Golden Heart Formal. He surprised me that night by "pinning" me which meant the college equivalent of giving your girlfriend your class ring in high school.

Jeff had a "come to Jesus" meeting on his way back to college one March day and surrendered his life at that time. He was saved as a young boy, but had not lived for the Lord since his salvation. But after that day, he became a committed follower of Jesus Christ and thus our relationship became much stronger! At that time, Jeff made the decision to finish up that semester at Washburn University and then come back to Girard and go to PSU to finish his education.

In September of 1972, we decided we wanted to get married. Originally, we had planned for a June wedding in 1973. But in October, we agreed together that we didn't want to wait that long and that we wanted to get married in December and set the date of December 22, 1972 as our wedding date.

This was the picture we used to announce our engagement in the local papers.

We had a small wedding at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, rural Girard, KS (my home church) -- with just family (and our best friends, Steve and Sheryl Williams as our attendants). My Uncle Marvin sang and performed the wedding ceremony.

Newlyweds -- we lived for a short time in an apartment in Girard, but after 3 months bought our first mobile home and lived in Pittsburg, KS.

I continued working for McNally's and Jeff worked for the city of Pittsburg and for the mobile home park where we lived (construction projects). He also took a full schedule of classes at Pittsburg State University graduating in 1974. We were very actively involved in the mission church, that became Meadowside Baptist Church in Pittsburg and were close friends with the pastor and family (the Mooneys).

Jeff surrendered to full time ministry at church camp in 1974 on his 21st birthday. In March 1975, we moved to Independence, KS were he would serve on staff at Highland Park Baptist Church. The intention was for him to become the Pastor as the Missionary/Pastor, Ernie Watson was planning on starting another church. However, after 9 months, Ernie decided he wanted to stay as Pastor. So that was the Lord's nudge to move us to Texas so that Jeff could attend the BMA Seminary in Jacksonville. We lived in Tyler, TX and both worked secular jobs while he did that (my sister, Beverly was living with us at that time). We attended New Harmony Baptist Church in Tyler while there. In March of 1976, Jeff was called to Crescent Heights Baptist Church, Malakoff, TX as Pastor (about 45 minutes from Tyler). That was definitely a "learning" experience for these two young kids (tough and short!). In August of 1976, we were called "home" when Jeff became Pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Garland KS. We enjoyed some sweet years there, made great friends and welcomed our first child, Josh in Sept. 1977.

In 1979, we moved to Bryant, AR where Jeff pastored Grace Baptist Church. We've always felt the reason we were in AR was so God could prepare Jeff's heart to become a BMA Missionary. While in Bryant, our second child, Andy was born (1980). Also in 1980, Jeff was elected as a church planter.

In May of 1980, we moved to Nevada, MO, where Jeff would plant Heritage Baptist Church. While in Nevada, our last child, Rachel Ann was born (1985).

In 1986, Jeff accepted the call to become Dean of Students at Jacksonville College in Jacksonville, TX, so back to Texas we went! We enjoyed being a part of FBC at Jacksonville. Bro. Grady Higgs was our Pastor.

From 1988 until 1996, Jeff served as pastor of two churches: Craft Baptist in Jacksonville and then Calvary Baptist in Mesquite, TX (both boys call "Texas" home).

1992--Disney (when we went with 3 other families from our church--great memories!)

In June of 1996, Jeff was elected as Asst. Foreign Missions Director for the BMAA which meant our second move to AR. We chose the town of Conway (even though Jeff worked in LR) because we knew the Youth Pastor at Antioch Baptist Church and wanted our kids under Jason Aultman's leadership. Our 8 years in Conway were good years (we never dreamed we would be back in Conway for the last season of our lives--but so glad we are!)

In 1997, Mom, Kaye and Bev hosted a 25th Anniversary Party for us while we were back in Kansas for Christmas (we were living in Conway at this time).

Jeff and I went on our first cruise that next summer to celebrate those 25 years!

During the interval of years from 2003 (when we left Conway) to 2014 (picture below), all 3 of our kids married, 2 divorced and those 2 married again and God blessed us with grandchildren!! Jeff pastored First Baptist, Red Oak, TX and then ten years at First Baptist, Galena, KS during this time.

Christmas 2014 in Branson