Shannon's Corner

  SHANNON’S CORNER God’s goodness, beauty, and truth… Safe Place Ministry did a field trip to the Dominican Republic for nine days to serve the 20 missionaries serving with Kids Alive International and one intern.  I was a little apprehensive in wondering if I was the right person to be on this team because I believed that Bethann would be carrying most of the load because of the dual relationships I have with the missionaries.  But God assured me through Bethann’s words of wanting me to be a part of this team and the privilege of being asked to join in conversations that pleasantly surprised me in an honoring way.  How amazing to grow deeper in connections with these missionaries. We started our time with a one-day retreat studying John 14, especially looking at verse 18.  Jesus is speaking to his disciples in this passage, and he tells them, “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.”  We looked at how we see orphans and how they...

  SHANNON’S CORNER God created me to know Him intimately by delighting in Him as my Source of Life so that the streams of Living Water flowing within me will draw others to Him – Shannon’s biblical purpose statement.    This 20-day Focused Leader class was intense and so very rewarding in the end as it brought me focus through the various exercises to help bring insight and clarity in forming a biblical purpose statement, life-ministry values, vision statements, personal and ministry roles I have that leads to action steps.  Does what I do fit into how I was created (being)?  These are some foundational pieces for me in staying on course according to God’s purpose of my life. A client was sharing with me about contemplating the idea of stepping out of ministry which to her seems like such a foreign concept.  She was raised up in ministry – parents being pastors and doing camp ministry and as a young adult to now has been in full-time min...

  SHANNON’S CORNER Happy New Year! Starting off this new year I am taking a 20-day member care class called,  Focused Leader . The instructor is having us develop a biblical purpose statement that reflects our being in why God created us versus our doing.  The DOING can end at any time, but the BEING will not end.  In Jeremiah 1:5 God already had a plan for Jeremiah’s life before Jeremiah was in his mother’s womb and set him apart before he was even born.  In Psalm 139, we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God has ordained all our days before one came to be.  God uses all things – people and experiences, to form and shape us towards His purposes which He continues to develop and transform us over our lifetime (Rom. 8:28). Looking at the photo to the right, which direction does he row towards?   He looks into his past to find orientation and direction for his future.  Many of us make goals for the new year. ...