Shannon's Corner

  The Christmas season can be beautiful… and it can be a lot. We often think the answer is to push harder, organize more, or power through.   But the truth? Margin begins with noticing. Not hustling.   If you’re craving a little more breathing room in this season, here are the first steps I guide clients through: ✨  1. Notice what’s draining you. Where do you feel rushed, tense, or stretched thin during the holidays? Pay attention without judgment. ✨  2. Identify just ONE crowded area. Is it your calendar? Your emotional capacity? Your commitments or expectations? Start tiny. ✨  3. Honor your current capacity. This season holds its own weight. Your limits aren’t a failure—they’re wisdom. ✨  4. Add one gentle boundary. Maybe it’s a slower evening, a buffer between events, or giving yourself permission to respond later. ✨  5. Release one holiday “should.” Let go of something that doesn’t belong to you this year. Margin always requires release. ✨...

  For most of my life, I wore availability like a badge of honor. If someone needed something, I said yes. If someone had a crisis, I rearranged everything. If a request came in last-minute, I made it work—even if it meant sacrificing rest, rushing through my own responsibilities, or pushing past what my body and heart had capacity for. On the outside, it looked like kindness. On the inside, it felt like depletion disguised as service. As a lifelong people-pleaser, setting boundaries didn’t feel natural—it felt selfish. Irresponsible. Even unkind. And the idea of scheduling margin? That was almost laughable. Why would I intentionally leave empty space in my calendar? How often do you feel the angst of constantly rushing, being behind, overcommitted, disconnected, or living out of alignment? When margin is missing, life doesn’t just feel busy—it feels  tight . The body tightens, the mind races, and the heart carries a low-grade ache that we often ignore because it’s become norm...

  When I first sat down and wrote out my core values, I half-expected something dramatic to happen—some clear sense of direction or a feeling that everything would suddenly “click.” But honestly? I just sat there looking at the list thinking,  Okay… now what?   What I’ve learned over the years—both in my own life and walking with others—is that naming your values is just the first step. The real transformation comes when your values begin to quietly shape your everyday rhythms… your choices, your boundaries, your relationships, even the pace at which you move through life.   For me, it started really simply: a note on my mirror, a gentle “no” to something that wasn’t aligned, paying attention when my body felt off. Those tiny cues helped me see,  Oh… this is what it feels like to honor my values. And this is what it feels like when I don’t.   So, if you’re sitting with your list right now wondering what to do next, here’s what I’d invite you into: 1.  ...

  SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. BELONGING.  What does belonging mean to you?  It was the focus of our Chai Chat with students in TCK Connect this month, and the conversation was powerful.  Here’s a little glimpse into what came up in my group. What are the places that you think about, when talking about belonging? My house. – boy student   America and where she is living in her host country. – girl student   Not sure. – girl student   What helps you feel like you belong in an environment or place?   My family’s support and my cat. – girl student   Routine, more specifically school routine. – boy student   Consistency and having an item that I’ve crocheted. – girl student   How do you engage or not engage with the culture you are living in?   My family and I participate in some of the cultural festivals, one is where you go from house to house and you eat and there are so many people that it is overwhel...

  We often hear the phrase  “live by your values,”  but many people quietly wonder:  “ How do I actually know what my core values are?”   Values aren’t chosen at random. They are discovered, clarified, and strengthened over time. They are the principles that shape your decisions, direct your energy, and define what matters most in how you live and lead.   Here are some meaningful ways to identify your core values: 1.       Values often reveal themselves in your emotional responses. Know what fills you and what drains you. 2.       Reflect on peak moments in your life. Think about times that you felt deeply fulfilled or proud. 3.       Strong uncomfortable emotions can be a compass too. Pay attention to what grieves you or makes you angry. 4.       Your choices reveal what matters to you. Look at your patterns of decision-making.  5.    ...

  Have you ever found yourself drifting—maybe in your career, your calling, or even your personal life? Not a dramatic detour, but the kind where one small decision at a time slowly pulls you away from where you intended to go. It’s subtle. It’s gradual. And sometimes, you don’t realize how far off-course you’ve gone until you look up.   Recently, I experienced a simple but profound lesson—while driving. My new car has a feature called  lane-keep assist.  If I drift too far left or right, the car senses it and gently nudges me back to center. It’s not jarring, but it is firm enough to remind me:  You’re drifting. Come back to your lane.   Wouldn’t it be helpful if life had something like that? In many ways, it does—our  core values . When we know what we stand for, what matters most, and how we are called to show up in the world, those values act like lane guides. They remind us when we’re drifting from: Who we are What we believe in What we’re uniquel...

  Boundaries are not barriers that keep us small—they are guides that help us stay aligned with who we are and what we are called to do. In seasons of transition, growth, and decision-making, clear boundaries are essential to living with purpose and capacity.   When we understand our core values, mission, and vision, we gain a compass for navigating choices and commitments. These anchors remind us where our energy is meant to go—and where it is not. They allow us to move confidently in our lane, rather than drifting into roles, expectations, or responsibilities that don’t align with our purpose.   Healthy boundaries protect our time, energy, and emotional space. They help us honor our limits, steward our strengths, and recognize that we are not meant to do everything. Without them, we risk burnout, resentment, and losing sight of what truly matters.   Saying “yes” only to what aligns with our values and mission is not selfish—it’s faithful stewardship....

  SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. The breathtaking Himalayas greeted us each day—rugged, vast, and full of awe.  Their majesty reminded me of the greatness of our God, and yet this same God longs for an intimate relationship with each one of us. How good and amazing He is. From the moment Kristi invited us to join the team, she emphasized the importance of flexibility—because in South Asia, plans rarely go as expected!  One teammate called it “organized chaos.”  Yet even in the many shifts and surprises, God moved in powerful ways. During our time there, we: • Debriefed two couples and three third culture kids. • Shared meals with other missionaries and families. • Enjoyed coffee with several of Kristi’s local friends and the guest house owner. • Facilitated a mini-retreat for a missionary and our team. • Hosted a retreat with about 25 missionaries and nationals. • Offered eight prayer appointments during the retreat. Many nationals shared that t...