Luci Swindoll - I Married Adventure: Looking at Life Through the Lens of Possibility

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR

I MARRIED ADVENTURE

I know of no one who drains more energy and derives more joy out of each wakingmoment than my sister, Luci. As you will discover in her book, she and adventureeloped many years ago and have been happy partners ever since. As youtravel with Luci through these pages you will understand why her marriage toadventure has lasted a lifetime.

CHUCK SWINDOLL, Pastor and author, Radio host, Insight for Living

Warm, funny, vibrant, dear, and wonderfully invitingthis is vintage Luci.It draws you in and inspires you to live life with the honesty and zest she does.

OS GUINNESS, Founder, Trinity Forum, Author, The Call

Luci colors outside the lines... and invites us to join her! Count me in! My life iswider and deeper because of this womans rich reservoir. Dont miss the adventure!It will rattle your complacency and illuminate your destiny!

PATSY CLAIRMONT, Speaker, Women of Faith,
Author, Mending Your Heart in a Broken World

With exuberance Luci SWIND OLL shares her heart with readers, letting them feelher excitement as she enters into the abundant life Jesus promised. No matter whatthe challenge, her question was never Why but always Why not? After readingthis book you will ask yourself Why not me?

J. DWIGHT PENTECOST, Distinguished Professor of Bible
Exposition Emeritus, Dallas Theological Seminary

Lucis book is best approached with a full stomach and a well-rested body. Why?Because you wont be able to put it downnot even for pizza or a nap. Luci is vulnerable,wise, fun, inspiring, and leads us to consider Spirit-directed adventurewith the reading of every page. If you dont agree, Ill buy the pizza.

MARILYN MEBERG, Speaker, Women of Faith, Author, The Zippered Heart

This is a remarkable book by a remarkable woman. Every page is full of adventure!What a thrill to come alongside Luci on the road to the Serengeti to the roadto Agra and see life through her colorful lens.

STEPHEN ARTERBURN, Founder, Women of Faith,
Co-Host, New Life Live!

This book is Lucis life wrapped up in a map of the world, tied with her provenexpectations that life is an adventure, and sealed with her love for every cultureGod created. Experience this great adventure with my dear friend Luci as you readher book.

THELMA WELLS, President, A Woman of God Ministries,
Speaker, Women of Faith

Luci has a rare gift. She can hold a moment in her hand like a snowflake so thatsuddenly you see things you might have missed. In this beautiful book she sharesthe map of her own life adventure and invites us to fully live our own.

SHEILA WALSH, Speaker, Women of Faith,
Author, All That Really Matters

Luci SWINDOLL didnt marry adventure on a whim; its obvious they dated a longtime. Now theyve been together for so many years, its hard to tell them apart.

NICOLE JOHNSON, Dramatist, Women of Faith,
Author, Fresh Brewed Life

I never cease to be amazed at Lucis prodigious memory as well as her broadacquaintance with so many fields of the arts and literature. But the most impressivecharacteristic of her books is her contagious enjoyment of life. And, as her olderbrother, I bear witness to the fact that she has been this way since childhood. All ofher books are delightful, but this one takes the cake! Reading it has been a realadventure!

ORVILLE SWINDOLL, Missionary, South America

I MARRIED ADVENTURE

LOOKING AT LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF POSSIBILITY

LUCI SWINDOLL

Copyright 2002 Luci Swindoll

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotation in printed reviewswithout the prior permission of the publisher.

Published by W Publishing Group,
a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee, 37214.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the The Holy Bible,
New International Version (NIV). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society.
Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Other Scripture references are from the following sources:
The Message (MSG), copyright 1993. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication
Data Swindoll, Luci, 1932
I married adventure / by Luci Swindoll.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-8499-1743-3 (hardcover)
1. Single women--Religious life. 2. Christian women--Religious life.
3. Swindoll, Luci, 1932- I. Title.
BV4527 .S877 2002
277.3'082'092--dc21

2002012815

Printed in Singapore
02 03 04 05 TWP 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Photographs and drawings throughout the book by Luci Swindoll.

Pablo Picasso, Weeping Woman, 1937, 2002 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Art direction and design: David Riley + Associates
Newport Beach, California

Dedication

With sincere gratitude, this book is dedicated to

my maternal grandparents,
Orville and Jessie Lundy

my parents,
Earl and Lovell SWINDOLL

my brothers,
Orville and Charles SWINDOLL

From my earliest childhood, they encouraged me to love God, enjoy life, and look for beauty and meaning in everything. In effect, they set eternity in my heart.

[God] has made everything beautiful in its time.

He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;
yet they cannot fathom what he has done
from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

CONTENTS

meglio vivere un giorno da leone che cento anni da pecora.

It is better to live one day as a lion than one hundred years as a sheep.

Benito Mussolini

kai ta pro bata th V fwnh V autou akoeui kai ta i[dia pro bata kalei kaj o[noma kai ejxavgei aujtav The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

John the Apostle

Since childhood the Lord has been my Shepherd and his goodness has neverfailed. Being one of his sheep is the best adventure of my life.

Luci Swindoll

Introduction
LOOKING AT LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF POSSIBILITY

When I was a young teenager, my father and I were in a little boat on the bay when a squall came up. Daddy was in the back of the boat working the motor, guiding us through uncertain waves, while I sat very still, trying to act unafraid. I remember thinking we might not make it to shore, which could be seen in the distance, when my smiling father said in a calm voice, Remember this moment, honey. Well be able to tell everybody about it at dinner. There was something about his calm and playful demeanor that assured me I would be all right as long as I was with him and he was in charge of the boat. We made it to shore, put the boat in the slip, ran to the house hand in hand, and told that story to our small but wide-eyed audience.