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Equipping The Saints

 SHANNON’S CORNER

May-June 2021

Equipping my fellow believers and workers this past month has been one of my joys and highlights.  These trainings give knowledge and practical tools for them to be empowered and resources available for them as they serve on the front lines.  The end of May, I presented member care foundation class with three missionary families who serve with BCM Peru.  Talking through scripture together through the lens of member care and through the lens of a different culture context that I too learned and received great insight as well.  One of the missionary couples, Ricardo and Karina are preparing for the arrival of their firstborn son.  Please keep them in your prayers.

I did a webinar training on medical agility when serving overseas.  Starting with a holistic approach but then focusing more on the physical aspect of our health and how to prepare before going overseas, some practical tips when serving overseas and when re-entering their passport country.  One of the ladies who attended, works in a mission agency headquarters, and attended the webinar to learn how best to prepare their missionaries for living and serving overseas.  She shared that this was a great starting point for her as well as very practical.  In June, my co-worker, Mark, and I led two trainings with an organization in the state of Washington that works with the homeless population and has a free medical clinic for anyone in their region who cannot afford healthcare.  In hearing the staffs’ stories and their love for those whom they serve was food for my soul.  I saw scripture again through a different set of lenses as Mark presented how Jesus managed or navigated through the demands of ministry.  One demand of ministry was in making big decisions as we see in Mark 6:12-13.  Before Jesus chose his 12 disciples, he went away to a solitary place and prayed the whole night to the Father.  Did Jesus and the Father wrestle over Judas Iscariot, knowing he would betray Jesus?  Was there a list of candidates to choose from?  Food for thought.

Ricardo & Karina

I have been asked by Safe Place Ministry to help develop three more trainings for them:  Re-entry, Singleness and Pre-Departure.  I am looking forward to being able to bring my experiences and knowledge into developing them.  I am working on my next training for the BCM Peru missionaries on transitional stress, which hopefully we will meet in this coming month.

 

A couple of months ago I sat with a mom who shared that she was struggling with her daughter who identifies as a trans*.  As I sat and listened to her story, her struggle not only with her daughter’s decision but also how it impacted her beliefs on her parenting and even her faith in God.  How her daughter’s decision has impacted their family, their extended family (some who have rejected her daughter), their church family and even friends in the community.  My heart broke for this mom.  God gave me compassion for this mom and her daughter.  Knowing that I may have more similar conversations with people, and I want to be a safe person that people can share these difficult conversations with me, then I need to work on myself about my own beliefs with the LGBTQ+ community.  God has led me on a journey to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community to see His heart for these marginalized people.  


I do not know what your beliefs are about the LGBTQ+ community but I want to share with you what God has taught me so far on my journey.  First, I grew up believing that being a homosexual is a sin, yet we are to love the person not what they do.  I thought that and even would speak that but how I interpreted it in my mind without stopping and realizing it, was this, I was judgmental of them and condemned them.  Sort of being one of the ones ready to throw the first stone like the Pharisees were ready to stone the adulterous woman.  I was threatened by this group since it went against what I believed.  Thus, I really avoided any confrontation in the matter if I am honest.  Therefore, I believe God is chiseling away some of my biases so that He can equip me as I equip the saints for ministry.


I have been reading through the four gospels for my devotions to understand more who Jesus is, how he loved and had compassion for people, especially those who were marginalized in society.  How he treated the Pharisees, Sadducees and teachers of the law was quite different than the demon-possessed, tax collectors, children, and the adulterous woman.  Jesus had a high ethical standard, yet he excessively loved those who fell short of it.  He cared more about heart versus rightness.


I have learned more about Jesus and more about myself in this journey these last couple of months.  One question I keep going back to is, how am I emulating Jesus in giving dignity, worthiness, value, and love to each person I encounter?  As Paul tells us in Philippians 2, “…but in humility consider others better than yourself.”  Jesus did this for us by taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness…being humbled and obedient to death, even death on the cross.  I know this is a process a journey.  But I am confident that He who started a great work in me will carry it out to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  I do not have it all figured out yet.  So, I am pressing on and leaning into learning so I can better understand and better love just as Jesus loves me.  Jesus loves you!


“…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” ---Philippians 2:12b-13


PRAYER REQUESTS

Praise the Lord for time with nieces and nephews!

Praise the Lord for celebrating another year of life!

Praise the Lord for my Core Team!

Praise the Lord for sharing at Rimersburg UMC!

Praise the Lord for good webinars trainings!

Praise the Lord for personal growth!

Pray for my broken foot (Jones fracture) – quick healing

Pray for church community.

Pray for development of new trainings.

Pray for wisdom and discernment as I meet 1:1 with people.

Pray for Cherry Run Camp – July 31st to Aug. 8th.

Pray for single missionary debrief retreat Jul. 12th-14th.


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Shannon Eaton

5055 Stacey Drive Apt. 1604

Harrisburg, PA  17111

(724)967-1437

 

Email:  shannon.eaton76@gmail.com

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