Hey, I'm Rach! I've been married 30 years this year to Jimmy. He's a wonderful, caring and loving christian husband and father. We have 2 children, Joshua, 27 and Meghann 23. Since they haven't had us some grand kids yet we've adopted two, Krista 5, and Caden 7. We are committed Christian Baptists and we are members at Victory Baptist Church in Burnet, Texas where the people there have become family to us.

We love our home, 'Twelve Acres'. We love animals and can prove it! We have 5 dogs, (children really); yorkies, Gracie, Grady, Gabby, and Gus, and Chance, just a mutt! A miniature donkey, Hank and a shetlon pony, Molly-Girl, a pet goat, Buttermilk, a cat named Hobble. 8 chickens and 7 roosters, and 4 geese.

I love sitting on my porch watching the birds at their feeders. I've placed the feeders right where I can see them feeding. It always reminds me of Brother J.D. Weido's sermon, 'The Birds are Still Singing'.

My porch was a place for special talks with Joshua and Meghann (still have them at times), and it's an absolute haven for Jimmy and I, especially on Sunday mornings! When I say I'm out on the porch, someone will answer back 'with Jim Swift'.

We renewed our vows on our 25 wedding anniversary and you guessed it, we decorated the porch and had it there. It was beautiful to me.

I have several life verses, but I'll just give a few:
2 Timothy 1:7; 'For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind'.
Isaiah 53:4,5; 'Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed'.
One that reminds me of my dear Mother, is in 1 John 1:5; 'This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all'.

My porch is where I have my best conversations with my Lord. I go out every morning and have my prayer time there and I'm reminded of Scripture. I go when I'm lonesome and I'm reminded of John 15:4; Abide in me, and I in you'.

I go to my porch when I'm happy and just giddy about life and I am reminded to 'Rejoice evermore' 1 Thessalonians 5:16.

I go to my porch when sadness comes and I pour out my heart to my Lord and Savior. HE reminds me of the Scripture in Isaiah 65:24; 'And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear'. Before I yet speak, HE will hear? What peace this brings me.

I even go to my porch when I'm mad, to cool off and I remember Ephesians 4:26; 'Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath'.

I go to my porch when I'm afraid and I feel the gentle breeze brush across my face, calming me and reminding me of Jesus telling the disciples, 'Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid'. Matthew 14:29.

When I feel hopeless and desperate I am reminded of
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 'But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words'.

If you come to my house and I ask you to sit on my porch, consider it a compliment! We can sit on the porch swing or in the wicker rockers and visit a while, and maybe you'll walk away with the feeling of peace and comfort that my porch gives me!