Shannon's Corner

  Have you ever traveled and had your toiletries explode or leak in your bag or suitcase? What a mess! You open your suitcase expecting to quickly settle in, only to discover shampoo coating your clothes, lotion smeared across your shoes, or toothpaste somehow finding its way into everything. Suddenly, what was supposed to be simple becomes frustrating, time-consuming, and inconvenient. Travel has a way of shaking things up. Life transitions can feel very similar. Many of us carefully pack our lives with plans, expectations, routines, and goals. We think we know exactly how the journey will unfold. Then suddenly something shifts — a job change, retirement, grief, burnout, a move, a relationship ending, a health challenge, or even an unexpected opportunity. And before we know it, the emotional “contents” of our lives feel scattered everywhere. Transitions often expose things we thought were securely contained: old fears, unresolved pain, disappointments, exhaustion, uncertainty, or ...

  While attending a retreat recently, the speaker shared the image of a chambered nautilus shell as a metaphor for growth. The shell is made up of chambers that spiral outward, each one larger than the last. As the nautilus grows, it does not stay in the same chamber. It moves forward into a new space while still carrying the previous chambers behind it. What stood out to me was the reminder that growth is often circular, not linear. In life transitions, it can feel frustrating when we find ourselves revisiting something we thought we had already learned. Maybe it is a familiar fear, grief, relationship pattern, or question about identity and purpose. We may think, “Why am I back here again? I should be farther along by now.” But perhaps we are not going backward at all. Like the chambers of the nautilus shell, each return may actually be an invitation to go deeper. The circumstances may look similar, but we are not the same person we were before. We carry more wisdom, experience, ...

  I was on a road trip to Arkansas recently, and it felt like construction followed me mile after mile. Some stretches were mild—just enough to slow the pace and make you pay attention. Others brought everything to a halt. Complete stop. Then inch forward. Stop again. Merge. Wait your turn. If you’ve ever driven through construction zones, you know the feeling. The frustration. The sense that you’re falling behind. The temptation to wish it all away so you can just get where you’re going. But somewhere along that drive, a different thought surfaced: What if the construction wasn’t the problem? What if it was the invitation? In life transitions, we often map out where we want to go next. We set timelines. We create expectations. We imagine forward movement that feels steady and productive. And then—construction. It shows up as a job change you didn’t anticipate. A relationship shift. A season of burnout. A door closing. A delay that makes no sense when you’re trying to move forward....

  Spring cleaning used to feel like disruption. Every year, as the weather softened and the days stretched a little longer, my mom would announce it was time. Not just tidying—but deep cleaning. Walls scrubbed. Rugs washed. Floors polished. Windows washed until they let the light in without resistance. Closets emptied. Drawers turned over. Piles made keep, donate, throw away. As a child, I didn’t look forward to it. It felt like everything was being pulled apart at once. But now, I see something different. Spring cleaning wasn’t just about the house—it was about making space. And that’s exactly what life transitions ask of us. When you’re moving from one season of life to another, it often doesn’t feel like a gentle unfolding. It can feel like everything is being taken out, examined, questioned. What used to fit no longer does. What once felt essential now feels heavy. What you’ve carried for years suddenly asks to be released. Just like those childhood closets, transitions invite ...

SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. The beauty my eyes have been taking in lately feels like a gentle invitation to notice new life—birds building nests and chirping, flowers blooming, and the many shades of green emerging all around.  Spring has a way of reminding me that growth is quietly, faithfully happening.   Recently, I had the privilege of attending two women’s retreats.  It was a sweet and sacred time.  I listened as women shared their stories—evidence of deep growth and transformation.  Some spoke of difficult seasons the Lord has brought them through, while others are still walking through hard places.  Yet, in every story, there was a steady thread: He is present in it all.  As these women opened their hearts, connections deepened, and fellowship grew richer.  Growth was not only personal, but shared.   Encouragement is putting strength into someone’s belly.  Three women at the ret...