EDITOR'S NOTE: My LopeLife is a feature in which GCU students, staff and alumni share enlightening experiences. To be considered for My LopeLife, please email a synopsis of your suggested topic to [email protected] with “My LopeLife” in the subject field. This story was originally published in the November issue of GCU Magazine.
Story by Riley Swedberg
In high school, I thought I had my future mapped out perfectly.
My dream job seemed clear, even though I was just a teenager. But do any of us truly know what the rest of our lives will hold?
Looking back, I can see how naïve that confidence was – but also how beautifully God redirects us when we least expect it. His ways are mysterious, yet always intentional.
It was a childhood dream of mine to flip houses with my sister, in true Chip and Joanna Gaines fashion. The thought of transforming broken-down spaces into something beautiful made my heart race, and I was convinced this was my purpose. With my eye for interior design and my bold ambition to tear down walls, I truly believed I knew exactly what my life calling was.
That dream was tossed aside in a single day – Dec. 1, 2021.
My aunt was working for Concerned Women for America, a Christian policy group dedicated to issues close to my heart, especially the sanctity of life. She invited me to come with her to Washington, D.C., since I had shown a small, almost casual interest in government. Compared to my passion for house transformations, policy hardly crossed my mind.
But that day changed everything.
I found myself standing outside the Supreme Court, shoulder to shoulder with thousands of incredible women, praying for the overturn of Roe v. Wade. The cold December air bit at my skin, but I remember feeling a fire deep in my soul. I had never experienced such a powerful moment where faith and public policy collided so clearly.
God used that day to show me something I had never fully understood before: Faith is not something to check at the door when you enter the realm of politics. Faith is meant to inform every part of our lives – the way we act, the way we think, the way we lead.
From that day forward, the fire inside me only grew stronger. My childhood dream of house flipping had been replaced with a greater passion: to pursue the intersection of faith and policy, and to dedicate my life to shaping a culture where life is cherished and biblical truth is not silenced.
When my senior year of high school came, I knew it was time to find a place where I could grow in both knowledge and faith. After visiting several universities, it became clear Grand Canyon University was where God was leading me.
GCU’s government program was close-knit, leadership opportunities were abundant, and the foundation of faith was woven into everything. Choosing GCU has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.
Looking back now as a college senior, I can see God’s hand guiding me through every step of my time here.
In my freshman year at GCU, I started a Young Women for America chapter on campus, a branch of Concerned Women for America that allows me to walk alongside young women as we navigate culture and politics through a biblical worldview. Leading that chapter taught me not only the importance of mentoring others, but also the joy of standing boldly for truth together.
Through YWA, I was introduced to Canyon Civic Institute, a respected group of students committed to servant leadership and civic engagement on campus and in the local community.
That opportunity changed my college experience.
By graduation, I will have served as co-chair for two years, helping launch the institute’s first trip to Washington, D.C. – a program that will be an annual event and one I pray will impact students for years to come.
But God didn’t stop opening doors there. For the past two summers, I’ve had the privilege of interning in Washington, D.C.
Last summer, I worked on Capitol Hill for Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI). Not only did I get to learn the legislative process up close, but I witnessed faith in action in one of the most influential places in the world.
He hosted Bible studies in his office for other Congress members. To sit in those meetings, hear Scripture taught and prayers lifted in the heart of our nation’s capital, reminded me again why I am called to this path.
My experience on Capitol Hill was surreal and an experience I never will forget.
I am reminded daily of the story of Esther in the Bible.
She was an ordinary woman placed in an extraordinary position, not for her own sake, but for the benefit of others. She risked everything to speak up for her people when silence would have been easier. That kind of courage challenges me every day.
D.C. has become more than a place to me – it’s where my calling was stirred, where my passion has grown, and now, where one of the most meaningful moments of my life has happened.
On a recent trip back, my now-fiancé surprised me with a proposal in front of the Washington Monument. He knew how deeply the city’s history and its mission had shaped me.
In that moment, surrounded by symbols of faith and freedom, I said yes!
As I head into my final year of college, I know the future will hold challenges. But I am leaving GCU knowing I want to spend my life building a society that values truth, life and family – a society where faith isn’t hidden but proclaimed boldly.
ABOUT RILEY SWEDBERG
Riley Swedberg, who is from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, graduated this December as a state and local public policy major with a prelaw minor. She worked as an assistant in the GCU Government Relations department. She dedicated much of her time to leadership positions with the university’s Young Women for America and the Canyon Civic Institute. She enjoys hiking, discussing theology and playing pickleball with her fiancé. She is joining the Badger Institute in Milwaukee as its operations associate.
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