RichDrama - Blog #IllinoisRichDrama - Blog #Illinoishttps://www.richdrama.com/blog/tag/IllinoisSun, 12 Apr 2026 00:34:30 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Love bade me welcome]]>https://www.richdrama.com/blog/post/love-bade-me-welcome

This is one of five poems by George Herbert that I performed at The Kennedy Center in 2002.  It was hanging on the wall in the room where I stayed while in Chicago with the father of Melissa Lorraine, who performs the one-woman play,  Juliet: A Dialogue About Love.

Wheaton College Church, where I  miraculously performed that night, had asked Melissa's parents if they'd host me. Later he realized Joyce and I had hosted Melissa in '07. I had met her at a speed networking session at a  Christians in Theatre Arts conference, there in Chicago. We had two minutes to share about our work. She said, "I'm going to perform at the Fringe Festival this summer."

"So am I!" I bellowed. "I'll see you in Edinburgh!" Turns out she was performing at the New York Fringe Festival the same weeks we were performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. So we let her apartment sit.

So her folks returned the favor.  I asked Melissa's father about the significance of the poem, and he shared that after many years of rejecting the love of God and her family she wrote out this poem and framed it for her father's birthday present, to let them know that she had accepted Love...

"Love bade me welcome, but my soul drew back
Guilty of dust and sin. 
But quick-eyes Love, observing me grow slack 
From my first entrance in
Drew near to me, sweetly questioning
If I lacked anything.
"A guest," I answered, "worthy to be here."
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? Ah, my dear, 
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply, 
"Who made the eyes but I?"
"Truth, Lord; but I have marred them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.
~George Herbert

On the Christmas card Melissa wrote, "Please forgive the five-year-old quality of this gift...I wish it was just a little bit prettier.  But know that the reason this is your gift today is because I finally and fully know Him and I have at long last pulled my chair up to His feast...."

Melissa's dad invited me to read a chapter she wrote in  Mere Christians: Inspiring Stories of Encounters with C. S. Lewis. I was sobbing after Melissa's profound retelling of how she found Jesus in a very secular theatre company commune in Hungary by reading pages from C. S. Lewis' book,  Surprised by Joy, which her sister had selected for her.
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]]>Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:12:00 -0500<![CDATA[More miracles]]>https://www.richdrama.com/blog/post/more-miracles









Just before boarding my flight to Chicago on Friday I got a call saying that there was a chance that my Saturday night performance would be switched to Sunday night so we'd have more time to prep.  So I got on the phone with the airline and explained that the only reason I was flying to Chicago was for that performance, so if it was switched to Sunday night, could my Sunday morning flight to NYC be moved to Monday morning.  The woman said that I'd have to pay to make that change.  I prayed and called again.  The next attendant gladly made the switch without hesitation or fee.

So here were the divine appointments that happened on my leisurely Sunday and Monday that wouldn't have occurred had the weather been nice on Saturday:

I got to attend a great Sunday school class and two marvelous sermons, all three of which I blogged (6/13 and 14).  And all three of which inform the devotions and sermon I'm going to share at MasterWorks on our identity.

I got to spend more time with Norm Kapp, sharing my experiences in the extra decade I've had touring like his daughter is.

I got to visit the wonderful Billy Graham Center Museum, where there's a display by Timothy Botts, who I performed with in St. Louis years ago.  He speaks as he creates his calligraphy.

When I got to the dinner for the Summer Celebration that brought me to Chicago I walked up to the tent full of strangers and prayed that the Lord would lead me to the right seat.  Within seconds a fellow from Romania hailed me.  I shared what little Romanian  MasterWorks student Krisztina Fekete had taught me, and then the gentleman introduced me to Herbert Carlburg, pictured here.  He was withdrawn from the Cheefoo School, founded by Hudson Taylor, a few days before the Japanese took over the campus and declared everything and everyone there the property of Japan.  Later, they shipped all the students off to the Weihsien internment camp, where Eric Liddell spent his last years.  Herbert's family took him further west until the Japanese eventually pushed them to India.  Since Hudson Taylor came into our conversation someone said, "One of his great-granddaughters attends our church."  Before we knew it, Ruth Kerns, pictured here, came over and explained that she prayed from afar for her four cousins who were interned with Eric Liddell, two of which have spoken after performances of  Beyond the Chariots: Rev. Dr. Jim Hudson Taylor, III, who passed away last March, and Mary Previte.

While telling some folks after the evening sermon how much I appreciated the Billy Sunday display at the Billy Graham Center Library one of the women I was talking to said, "I'll never forget hearing him preach."  She remembers that he put one leg up on a chair...until he threw it for emphasis.  It landed quite near her, which terrified her.  But I have the impression she's walked with the Lord ever since. :)

Today's flight home to NYC was also filled with divine appointments, including a fascinating O'Hare to Port Authority conversation about, among other things, this truly remarkable and miraculous weekend.
]]>Tue, 15 Jun 2010 01:22:00 -0400<![CDATA[Tracking the miracles]]>https://www.richdrama.com/blog/post/tracking-miracles
Eventually the Facebook thread will submerge, so here's the backward chronology of the prayer requests and answers for tonight's performance...

Rich Swingle: I forgot to report another miracle: there was no slow
traffic...through Chicago...on a stormy day...at rush hour.
about an hour ago via Email · Comment · Like
Tom P and Bill L. B like this.

Bruce W: With God, the absolutely IMpossible is possible!
about an hour ago ·

Pamela K: wonderful news!!
about an hour ago ·


Rich Swingle: Tonight's performance started on time! Thanks for your prayers!
about an hour ago via Email · Comment · Like
Preventemail Stalkersmoor, Brandon Joel Langeland and 2 others like this.

David W: Praise God!
about an hour ago ·

Chris HP: AMEN!
20 minutes ago ·


Rich Swingle: Just touched down in Chicago. The volunteers that got off opened a seat near the front. I'll warm up for the play en route to the baggage claim. Pray my costume and props beat me there and that my ride's out front.
5 hours ago via Email · Comment · Like
Audrey Cornett, Chris Henley Poppelreiter and Rob Plaster like this.

Lois W: Still praying.
4 hours ago ·


Rich Swingle: Finally a forth volunteer! We should take off soon! Praying for really strong headwinds for tonight's 7pm CST performance.
7 hours ago via Email · Comment · Like
Laura J Drexler, Lois Wilder, Bill L. Behrendt and 2 others like this.

Claude C: Praying!!!
4 hours ago ·


Rich Swingle: They may have to remove 4 more people! Pray for volunteers so I
can get to my 7pm CST performance!
7 hours ago via Email · Comment · Like
Renee' Carper Adams likes this.

Chris HP Poppelreiter: I know God is really going to use your performance tonight in Chicago - 'cause Satan is trying really hard to keep you from getting there. Praying that HE will be glorified through you no matter what happens!
7 hours ago ·


Rich Swingle: We were overweight, and they were going to force off the last person who checked in, and that might have been me. Someone volunteered to take a later flight. PTL!!!
7 hours ago via Email · Comment · Like
Pamela Knox and Renee' Carper Adams like this.

Carla S awesome!
7 hours ago ·


Rich Swingle: Finally boarded. Praying for a strong headwind to Chicago for tonight's 7pm performance, someone up front willing to switch with me for the last row on the plane, and for my bag and ride to be waiting for me!
7 hours ago via Email · Comment · Like

David W: Go Rich! We are praying.
7 hours ago ·

John F: excellent -- PTL...
4 hours ago ·


Rich Swingle: The upload of my Off-Broadway play can't be uploaded before I take off. At this point I may be reciting the play by phone in the car if we don't land on time!
8 hours ago · Comment · Like

Kristina R: Praying!
7 hours ago ·


Rich Swingle: I heard from the venue, and they cannot change my start or stop time for Beyond the Chariots. I'm going to upload the Off-Broadway performance in case I'm not there and ready to go. I'll interrupt the DVD with the live performance if need be.
10 hours ago · Comment · Like


Lois W: God knew about all of this yesterday. He is still in control and we are all praying for you.
9 hours ago ·


Rich Swingle: My flight to Chicago, where I'm performing tonight was just cancelled.
The guy behind me just heard on his phone that the next available flight is tomorrow morning, but after that I was rebooked on a flight this afternoon!!! It will get me in an hour, 45 min. before my performance, and I usually like 2 hours to set up,...
See More
11 hours ago · Comment · Like
Renee' Carper Adams and Pamela Knox like this.


Chuck N: I made it! Time to spare! Hoping you do too! Thanks for your prayers Rich and Chris!
5 hours ago ·

Blandina RO: He works everything for your good, you'll see!!!
2 hours ago ·


Rich Swingle: Thanks so much for all your prayers for tonight's ON TIME performance!!! I was uploading them from my phone all day, but I wanted to conserve batteries, so I'm just logging on now to see all of your prayers and supportive wishes! Thanks so much for being a part of my team today. Here's the report: http://Blog.RichDrama.com/.
about a minute ago ·
]]>Sun, 13 Jun 2010 03:39:00 -0400<![CDATA[Miracle after miracle]]>https://www.richdrama.com/blog/post/miracle-after-miracle
My flight was canceled today when Chicago O'Hare Airport was shut down due to thunderstorms. The guy behind me in line was on his cell and discovered that the next available seats were on a flight tomorrow morning. You can follow the blow by blow account of miracle after miracle on www.Facebook.com/RichSwingle. I did miraculously get there with very little time to spare, and I changed in the car and what I allow two hours to set up was done in 15. I even had 10 minutes to warm-up and pray...well I've been doing that all day. Now I'm praising!!!

After the performance I told them about all the miracles and then said, "God really wanted at least one of you to hear this story tonight: assume it's you, and ask the Lord what He wants you to take from it."

Thanks so much to those of you that were praying! Now pray that He'll seal the work He wants done!
]]>Sun, 13 Jun 2010 01:23:00 -0400