Skip to main content

May Newsletter

SHANNON’S CORNER
May 2018

Beauty from Ashes
I recently had a conversation with someone who has gone through a very hard, hurtful and painful time for several years. This person shared with me how God has helped her to process through the hurt and pain.  Not an easy road.  But a necessary one in order to receive healing and restoration.  Yet, as she is sharing with me the various things that God has taught her and had her process and reflect on, I see a beauty.  I see peace.  I see Jesus. This is the part of my ministry that I love.  The part where I see Jesus reflected more boldly and brightly than before.  Jesus makes beauty from the ashes.

I got to hear four of our directors share their testimonies at our directors retreat.  It was awesome to hear how God had worked in these four directors’ lives since they were little girls.  Their childhood and upbringing were all different yet through the situations that they each had to face, the struggles and pain.  God brought all four of them to serve Him in our ministry working with children at-risk.  “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” (Rom. 10:15b).

I have been teaching Sunday school to the 4thand 5thgrade class more consistently recently. It has been a joy to be able to teach the various attributes of our Heavenly Father to them.  The majority of my class are kids from the Ark (children’s home) and I have a few who live in Jarabacoa.  Some Sundays it’s a struggle to get them to talk and answer questions and other Sundays they are in competition with one another of who will answer the question or read the passage of Scripture.  I have learned a lot from my class as well as getting to know them as individuals.

I have been participating in the trauma competent care training with the house parents, home directors, and some of ANIJA school staff as Kaela teaches us the various modules of the course.  The last couple of modules have taught me how important it is for a child to have a good connection with others.  This is how our Creator God created us – to be in relationship with Him.  How we respond to a child is also very important when they are not listening to us or not obeying.  These trainings have been not only informative but also challenging in how to implement them when this mentality is different that what we are used to doing or hearing or seeing.

This month we have had many celebrations.  There have been many birthdays both here in the Dominican Republic and I have many family members and friends celebrating birthdays and anniversary.  There have also been some baby showers and an adoption shower for our newest member in the Kids Alive Dominican Republic family.  It was fun to hear the story of how God placed adoption in the hearts of Paul and Marcie and after 10 years of waiting they have a sweet little girl.  

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”
Philippians 4:13

PRAYER REQUESTS
Praise the Lord for a wonderful time at our Directors Retreat!
Praise the Lord for Gabby’s time here in the DR serving as an intern!
Praise the Lord for placement of our summer interns!
Praise the Lord for how He carves out time in my schedule to visit with people!
Pray for wisdom and discernment.
Pray for the planning of our summer program and our summer intern program.
Pray for video conference meetings with our summer interns.
Pray for direction and guidance in how God wants me to serve our missionaries here.
Pray for my Sunday school class that they would really understand the truth and not just be head knowledge.
Pray for our schools, as they will be finishing on or around June 9th.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

March Newsletter

  SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. An unexpected and unplanned trip led me to see God’s marvelous and wonderful work at the Assist Pregnancy Center. I learned from the staff that this pregnancy center is unique and different in that the population they serve are women who come already with an 85-90% decision made of aborting their babies. The medical staff who are in the rooms with the women during their ultrasounds share Jesus with them and are compassionate witnesses to each baby as they are seen, valued, and loved. If the mother decides to have the baby the center walks alongside with the mother and family. I had the precious privilege to facilitate a training with all the staff of the pregnancy center to talk about the Wounds from the Work.  Listening to their stories of how the Lord called them to work at this pregnancy center and what the cost has been to them, and their families was sacred ground.  Creating a safe place for them to be seen and heard in thei...
Post a Comment
Read more

October Newsletter

  SHANNON’S CORNER The Saga Continues… The trip to Malaysia consisted of a two-day spiritual retreat with the theme of ‘Come Away With Me’ and a six-day conference with about 230 missionaries who serve in some aspect of translating the Scriptures. One of the many people who I met was a missionary who served in Cameroon for many years and now is in a new role. As he was sharing, most his words were very negative and depressive. I encouraged him to sign up for a time of prayer and care. At the end of the retreat, this missionary shared with me that he did have a session and I could see that his whole countenance changed, and he was hopeful. His new word he used to describe where he was now is ‘delightful.’ Our time there was creating a safe space for these missionaries to have a place to share what they are struggling with and to connect with Jesus. One missionary is at a crossroads in her life. Another finds himself in the midst of betrayal. A missionary is in a new role as a caregi...
Post a Comment
Read more

April Newsletter

  SHANNON’S CORNER Be still. Be present. Behold. The prayer labyrinth is a journey that draws us closer to the heart of God with every step.  It’s a path where we listen, trust, and follow, knowing that He is always guiding us.  As we walk this path of prayer, we learn to recognize His voice, to lean into His presence, and to surrender to His direction.  It’s not just about where we’re going—it’s about who we’re walking with.  Lent this year has been a journey of walking inward toward the center of the labyrinth. Along the way, releasing my burdens to Jesus who is my beast of burden (Zec. 9:9), the One who carries what I cannot.  Arriving at the center, I find a resting place for my soul (Mt. 11:28-30) and resting in God’s loving embrace as He makes room for the new to spring up within me (Is. 43:18-19).  Now I’m journeying out of the labyrinth with the anointing of His presence and with an overflowing cup (Ps 23:5). Such an honor a...
Post a Comment
Read more