About me

This isn’t my primary blog. But the writings still have some value, so I’m leaving them here.

The reason I called this blog Levite Chronicles is that in Israel, the levites were the people responsible for cleaning and singing and moving and counting and guarding and guiding and helping. We read about them in the Old Testament. They were also responsible to praise and thank God at the beginning and end of every day. They were named after Levi, one of the sons of Jacob, also called Israel. (Joseph (with the multicolored coat) was Levi’s little brother). I’ve been learning how to do the same things–praising and praying and working. And this blog captures some of my thoughts.

I talk about lots of things here, but mostly I’m talking about faith, about family, about productivity, about relationship, and about looking at normal things in odd ways and difficult things in simple ways.

Once upon a time, I thought I would use my PhD in Rhetorical Theory and Criticism to teach college students how to analyze speeches. Instead, I started helping people read the Bible. I’ve been doing that for more than thirty years. In small groups and conversations, I try to listen to the text, listen to people and connect the two in ways that are practical and often unexpected.

Recently, I’ve been writing about changing our routines. I wrote readers for Advent and Lent, and then gathered my comments on the Sermon on the Mount to give practical examples. My most recent book, “A Great Work“, is a conversation with Nehemiah which, in the words of one reader, “offers the gift of allowing people to feel they can understand without having to be scholars.” Someone talked about the literary device of imaginary conversations. I don’t think they were imaginary, but I understand.

I was a communication prof, college administrator, and, since 2000, an associate pastor. Currently, I’m the executive pastor at Grabill Missionary Church. (My published writings do not necessarily reflect the positions of that church.)

Nancy and I have been married since 1983 and have two children (one married). We walk at least two miles a day, conversing the whole time. We’ve been doing that since 2006. It’s been a stabilizing element in our marriage. And it was one part of what helped me lose 45 pounds in a year and keep them off since. In 2014, I started running and have completed a 5K and two 10Ks.

I have been blogging since 2005. In 2009, I started 300wordsaday.com, where I try to write in simple language about following Jesus, 300 words at a time.

Follow me on twitter as @jnswanson. And email me at jnswanson at gmail dot com. Thanks to Frank Reed, you can learn more about being a social media chaplain and thanks to Dr. Lee Warren, you can hear us talk about social media, Nehemiah, and struggles: You Start Today Episode 23: Pound on God’s Chest with Jon Swanson [PODCAST].

And find my books on Amazon by following anewroutine.com.

Thanks for stopping by.

Jon Swanson

jnswanson at gmail dot com

I’m at LinkedIn and Facebook and twitter as well.