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Faithful and Good...

  SHANNON’S CORNER

I am in awe time after time of God’s faithfulness and goodness to me.  I would be lying if I was not a little nervous and anxious about going back to the Dominican Republic not knowing how my former colleagues would receive me.  But God’s hand was in it as I was warmly received and welcomed by everyone, and I did not feel any awkwardness or weirdness with how I left and now coming back in a new role and on a new team.  Being able to travel internationally for the first time in two years was sort of a “homecoming” even though there were a few differences in traveling than before.  Different sounds and smells also felt welcoming.

The Safe Place team of Bethann, Jenni and myself ministered to 17 missionary units plus two interns through a day long retreat and the rest of the week doing two-hour sessions with each one individually.  The retreat was a time of connection, collaboration, and celebration as this was the first time since the pandemic started that the missionaries had all been together in person.  The day was full of connecting and celebrating birthdays and the birth of a new little one.  Here are some of the takeaways the missionaries had from the retreat.


“Integrate our faith throughout the day.”  

“Connection is the base for everything – God/Self/Others.” 

“How do you experience me?” 

 “We cannot be spiritually mature if we are not emotionally mature.”  “Without connection, we are not going to have unity.” 

“Celebrating during suffering is powerful.”  

“Celebration opens up our spirit and heart again to receive more of Him.”


One of my favorite memories is when we were visiting one family and their 2 ½ year old daughter was singing on her microphone and Bethann asked if she could sing a song.  The girl gave Bethann her microphone and Bethann started singing, “Let it go!  Let it go!” and the girl said, “Amen.”  It was so sweet and adorable and how true that this should be a prayer for us to let go.  Let go of the things weighing us down or cluttering our soul.  Is there anything that you need to let go?

After traveling, it has been good to be able to travel virtually by meeting with a handful of people serving in various places around the world.  It is not the same as being in-person but still being able to meet their needs especially by being attentive in listening to their stories and asking good questions.  How are they perceiving God in their lives both during the good times and during the hard, messy, challenging, and difficult times.


I have been enjoying getting to know the women in my bible study as this semester there are 12 of us.  Being able to learn from these women and hearing their testimony of how God is working in their lives and their perspective on a verse or passage of scripture we are studying has been rewarding and encouraging to me. We are studying a book by Cynthia Hearld called, “Becoming a Women of Prayer.”  

My prayer life has consisted of being an up and down or on again off again kind of walk.  What I have learned so far in this study on prayer is first that God invites me to pray or be in communication with Him.  He delights in me and wants to spend time together, being present.  Because I am His daughter, I can come to Him boldly and confidently with the things on my heart.  He always answers with a “yes”, “no”, “wait”, or “trust me.”  What is my heart motivation when I am praying?  Am I willing to trust God in all things?




“The appearance of the brilliant light all around us

 was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day.”

Ezekiel 1:28 (CSB)


PRAYER REQUESTS

Praise the Lord for a great trip to the DR and the blessing I received!

Praise the Lord for spring!

Praise the Lord for financial provision!

Praise the Lord for His wisdom, leading, guidance in the debriefs and one-on-one sessions! 

Pray for wisdom as I meet with people either one-on-one or debriefs.

Pray for building community and relationships where I am living and the church I am attending.

Pray for an in person debrief the last week of April.

Pray for the 11 women in my Bible study.

Pray for the PK Parent training on March 31st.




                                                   Contact Information:


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  Marietta, GA  30061

  (Make a check out to WOM & in memo or in a note write Shannon Eaton #783)

 

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Shannon Eaton

5055 Stacey Drive Apt. 1604

Harrisburg, PA  17111

(724)967-1437

 

Email:  shannon.eaton76@gmail.com

Facebook:  Shannon R. Eaton


Comments

  1. kairos ichabod timesMarch 26, 2022 at 5:15 AM

    I loved how you were able to sum things up quickly to share how God is working and your praises. Thank you for your faithfulness to God and sharing what He is doing personally as well. Much love and continued prayers. Alice Jean

    ReplyDelete

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