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September Newsletter

SHANNON’S CORNER
September 2018

I was blessed with being able to spend time with my family and especially meeting my newest niece, Alizah Gabriella.  Some family times that fill my soul growing up were around our dinner table as we shared about our day and played games or heard stories.  Other times were family activities such as game night; bike rides, being read to by Mom or Dad and family vacations.  It filled my heart to hear laughter from all my nieces and nephews even if our time was limited.  I cherished each moment I had with my family.  Many times I have taken these moments for granted but God has taught me to be intentional with each one and not to let distractions interrupt these special moments of togetherness.

A number of months before I realized when I would be making a trip back to the USA, I was asked by a couple of churches of when I would be back in the states and come and share at their churches.  Seeing God’s hand orchestrating these events to fall into place at the right time reminded me of what I have been learning regarding the life of Queen Esther in the Bible.  I had the privilege to share during the Sunday school hour at Black Lick UMC and during their luncheon.  I got to share at Dayton UMC during their Wednesday night prayer meeting.  I also got to spend time with some individuals who support and minister to me during my brief time back in the states.  These moments were encouraging to me as not only did I have the opportunity to share with each one what God is doing in the Dominican Republic and in my life but also received encouragement from a word someone shared, a prayer someone prayed over me or a hug I received.

The last leg of my trip in the USA was a weekend on the beaches of Lake Michigan with my
fellow missionaries and office personnel for a time of strategizing regarding member care and human resources.  This is an exciting event for us because it’s the first time Kids Alive has had a group of “official” member care facilitators.  It was a beautiful weekend of spending time getting to know one another and brainstorming about some big picture ideas and coming out with a couple of areas for us to focus our time and energy as we go forward in the weeks, months and year to come.  I have to say that the weekend challenged me greatly because honestly I had my own expectations and I am not a “big picture” kind of gal.  I like it when people can show me the big picture but what I’m not crazy about is the need to stay focused in the big picture.  I am a detailed, concrete person.  But what I learned about our team that most spoke to me is that we are all in alignment with what we believe God has brought us together to do.  God placed on our team with various gifts and talents – one body with many parts.  How we need each other and the gifts and talents God has given us for the ministry God has given us to do together.  God needed me to lay aside my expectations.  Later when asked, “where should we go from here?”  God used my gifting of being concrete and detail focused to share how I thought we could head in that direction from the big picture.

Our women’s Bible study is studying the names of God and his character and attributes.  The first name of God we studied is El Roi – “The God Who Sees Me” which is taken from Genesis 16.  God has revealed to me so much about himself in this passage of Scripture and the life of Hagar.  Are there times in your life when you feel so alone, hurt, anger, bitter, isolated, mistreated, etc. that you just wished that someone would see you for you?  God meets Hagar in the wilderness as she is running away.  God sees her and knows her circumstance.  Hagar had an encounter with “the One who sees me.”  God sees you.  He knows your circumstance(s).  God loves you so much that he meets you where you are and gives you hope that you can only find in God alone.

“She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her, ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’”
Genesis 16:13

PRAYER REQUESTS
Praise the Lord for my trip to the USA!
Praise the Lordfor time spent with family!
Praise the Lordfor our first member care strategy weekend!
Praise the Lord for safety in flying and traveling!
Prayfor Women’s Bible study.
Prayfor the study on Conflict Resolution the missionaries in Jarabacoa will be doing starting in October.
Prayfor wisdom and discernment.
Prayfor my spiritual life that I long and thirst for time with my Lord.

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