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August Newsletter

SHANNON’S CORNER
August 2018

"Taste and see that the Lord is good…” (Ps. 34:8) is a verse I have recently been meditating on.  The Holy Spirit has convicted me that I have not been spending intentional time with God.  I had allowed many distractions to get in the way of my quiet time with Him.  Distractions such as sleep, reading books, which were on Christian living, watching decent movies and being with people.  I recently heard a message from Pricilla Shirer – Hearing God’s Voice from John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.”  In order to be able to hear God’s voice I need to spend time with God.  There are so many voices in this world that are also calling out to me but my desire is to only listen to my Shepherd’s voice:  the voice of truth.  God is a jealous God.  He wants my all, not having to share it with other things or people.  The Holy Spirit has been working in my life to de-clutter it.  I have tasted the Lord and He has been so good to me.  

I have been working on administration things, which isn’t always very exciting but important.  One aspect has been reading some of our policies in our missionary policy manual to first see if anything may need changed and then sharing new insight into some possible changes.  One policy in particular I have been working on is our dating policy. I have been trying to understand this policy because I have had missionaries who were in a dating relationship since I arrived to the Dominican Republic two years ago.  This year, there are three more missionaries who are in a dating relationship.  When they ask what are the standards, it is hard to give them a clear answer.  So I am polling you, ‘Should a first-term single missionary wait 6 months, one year or two years before starting a dating relationship?’  What would you suggest?  What is your reasoning?  I would be interested in your opinion, send me an email or message.

Culturally speaking the meaning of dating in the Dominican Republic is different than the meaning of dating in North America.  In North America dating is more casual whereas in the Dominican Republic if you are in a dating relationship it usually means you are going to get married. A word that best describes, “dating” in the Dominican Republic is the word courting.

This journey to bring more clarity to the ambiguity of our dating policy has led me ask questions to our missionaries, especially our cross-cultural couples; researching what other mission organizations do in regards to dating; seeing if there is a basic guideline that we can implement as a spring board for our single missionaries; and how to best advise our singles who are dating to be culturally sensitive and to use this opportunity in their dating relationship to further the gospel.

Throughout this journey God has taken me down several pathways.  I have read the book by Stan
Key, “Marriage Matters!”  How beautiful it illustrates our Creator God and his purpose for marriage as the Bible begins with a wedding, Adam and Eve and ends with a wedding the Lamb (Jesus) and his Bride (the Church).  God designed and created marriage to serve as a sign to pointing to the wedding of the Lamb and his Bride:  giving hope of salvation.  I have listened to podcasts and sermons regarding biblical manhood and womanhood, dating vs. courting, and marriage.  Needless to say it has been an interesting journey.  God has given me much food for thought.

Our newest member of the KAI family, Cory has arrived.  Cory will be serving mainly at our Caraballo School on the north coast as a team host and child sponsorship coordinator.  Occasionally, he will help out at our Monte Plata sites as well.  I have spent a couple of days with him to orient him to the Dominican Republic, expectations, organizational structure here in the Dominican Republic, goals, and getting some practical things, such as buying a phone chip and some housewares.  

I am looking forward with anticipation as the women’s Bible studies I am involved in will start back up again.  My women’s group at church will continue our study on “True Women 201:  Interior Design” by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  My women’s group with the missionaries, God has laid it on my heart for us to do a study on “Knowing God” regarding the names of God and his attributes. Hopefully in September our group of missionaries in Jarabacoa will start a study together on resolving conflict in a healthy and biblical way.  I have been preparing for the latter two groups as I will be helping to facilitate those two studies. I ask for your prayers for wisdom and discernment and for our hearts and minds to be open and receptive for the teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16) as God’s Word penetrates our soul and spirit and the attitudes of our hearts (Heb. 4:12). Please be in prayer as Vic, Leslie and I plan and prepare for our missionary retreat this fall, where it will be, what teaching we will do and who will facilitate it, who will lead our youth and who will lead our children.

Thank you for your prayers, your support, your encouragement and your financial gifts! 
What a Mighty God we serve!

PRAYER REQUESTS
Praise the Lord for missionaries returning to the DR!
Praise the Lordfor kids at the children’s homes have returned from summer vacation!
Praise the Lordkids are back in school!
Pray for wisdom and discernment as the missionary care committee meets Sept. 14th-17thin Indiana.
Prayfor safety and favor with TSA agents as I travel to the states Aug. 31st-Sept. 18th.
Prayfor wisdom and discernment as I help to look over some of our policies regarding dating and how to best make things less gray.
Prayfor our missionary kids who start college this fall semester.
Prayfor my spiritual life that I long and thirst for time with my Lord.

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