Shannon's Corner

  Visiting my cousins one summer, they showed me a raft they had built. Some planks of wood tied around some barrels. I got to climb aboard with my cousin. Let’s just say, I do not remember us going very far before it tipped.   Transitions are a part of life—whether we’re moving, changing roles, ending a season, or shifting relationships. But how we  leave  matters just as much as how we arrive. That’s where the RAFT comes in: a simple yet powerful tool for saying good-bye with intention and grace so that we can have a healthy ‘hello’.   R – Reconciliation:  Before moving on, is there any unfinished business? Unspoken tension? Hurt that needs healing? Taking time to mend relationships can bring peace to both parties, releasing the weight of unresolved conflict.   A – Appreciation:  Express gratitude for the people, experiences, and growth this chapter brought. Say “thank you” to those who walked with you. Appreciation honors the past and acknowled...

  SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. I am always learning and growing because one of my core values is stewardship.  This is why I have decided to invest in my skills as a communicator, in raising support by getting around other missionaries and other leaders with being a part of Fully Funded Academy.   I am excited to share with you a newly created platform with the hope to serve you through creating a space where you are able to engage and be more integrated into our ministry.     This platform is a private group on Facebook called,   Shannon’s Support Team .     I will be sending out a separate email that will have the link to join.     If you do not receive the link or have any issues, please reach out to me. There were six ladies who participated in the Velvet Ashes Connection Group and who are serving in various countries in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Rim.  Why did you join a connection group? ...

Good-byes often feel like abrupt endings—full of emotion, sometimes rushed, sometimes delayed. But what if we reframed them as an invitation to savor?   To  savor  is to slow down, to pay attention, to allow ourselves to feel deeply connected to what we’re about to release. Whether it’s a person, a place, or a season of life, savoring helps us say good-bye with presence instead of panic.   We savor people by lingering in conversation, expressing unspoken gratitude, or simply sharing a quiet moment together. We savor places by walking familiar paths, noticing the sounds and scents, or pausing to take in the view we've seen a thousand times before. We savor things—beloved objects or routines—by holding them gently, honoring their significance, and letting them remind us of what we've cherished.   Savoring is not clinging. It’s a mindful farewell—a way of saying,  "This mattered to me. I was here. I was changed."   So, when good-bye comes—and it always do...

  At the tender age of nine is when I came face-to-face with the significance of saying good-bye. My parents told me about our family moving to another town that summer. My packing was not focused on our upcoming move but rather packing my suitcase (two months in advance) to go to summer camp for the first time by myself.    The week I was at summer camp was the week my family moved to our new home and started the moving in, unpacking process. My parents came and picked me up from camp and I shared with them all the things from my week. When we “arrived home” it was to our new home and not our old home. I was excited to explore the new house and see my new bedroom as I was not going to have to share, and I was sad and devasted that I did not get to say good-bye to my dear friend.   My mom had me write a letter to my dear friend as a way I could say my good-bye which taught me the importance of saying good-byes to bring closure. It was hard to sit and write a letter, ...

  Sitting at the kitchen table and gazing out the window as the day awakens, I am enjoying the tantalizing smell along with a bold, smooth taste of my morning cup of coffee. I laugh because 15+ years ago, this would not have been something that I enjoyed. Now, it is something I enjoy –  savor  – every morning to the last drop. My five senses are involved which helps me to notice and be present in the moment. God made our senses to be the means through which our bodies receive the present moment and communicate the present moment to our minds, our hearts, and our souls.    Savoring a life transition doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means gently noticing what  is —the small victories, the hard emotions, the tiny sparks of strength. It means giving yourself permission to be human in the unfolding.   Here are a few simple ways to savor your current season: Name what’s changing.   Saying it out loud (or writing it down) helps honor your e...