Shannon's Corner

  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...

  Every spring in Pennsylvania tells a different story. One day brings sunshine and warmth, the next returns with biting wind or an unexpected chill. Just last week, temperatures climbed into the upper eighties—nearly ninety degrees—only to fall back into the forties days later. It can feel disorienting. Almost like the season can’t decide if it’s ready to move forward. And if you’ve ever walked through a life transition, you know this feeling well. There are moments when everything seems to open up—clarity comes, energy returns, and hope begins to rise. You start to believe you’re finally stepping into something new. And then, just as quickly, things shift. Doubt creeps in. Progress feels stalled. You find yourself revisiting old patterns, old emotions, or unexpected setbacks. It can feel like one step forward and two steps back. This back-and-forth is one of the most discouraging parts of transition. It can make you question everything—your decisions, your direction, even your ab...

 If you’ve ever driven through a landscape of rolling hills, you know the feeling. One moment you’re climbing engine working harder, vision narrowing to what’s immediately ahead. Then you crest the top, and suddenly the world opens. You can see where you’ve been. You catch a glimpse of what’s coming. And for a brief moment, everything makes a little more sense. Life transitions often feel like those hills. But when we are  in  them, we rarely experience them as scenic. We feel the incline. We feel the resistance. We feel the uncertainty of not knowing what lies just beyond the rise. When you’re in the middle of a life transition, your perspective is naturally limited.  You’re navigating loss, change, and often an identity shift all at once. Your energy is focused on getting through the day, making decisions, holding things together. It can feel like: “Why is this so hard?” “Why can’t I see what’s next?” “Will this ever level out?” From within the hill, it’s easy to a...

  Traveling this past weekend, my eyes delighted in the beauty of spring all around me. Everywhere I looked there were signs of life awakening. Trees covered in buds and some already flowering. Tulips and daffodils standing bright against the earth. Grass turning a deeper green. Even calves in the fields, wobbly and new. Spring has a way of catching our attention. Something about it invites us to pause, even if just for a moment, and take in the beauty unfolding around us. New life is emerging. And yet, spring is not always gentle. It can be a hard season. The weather shifts back and forth between warm and cold, sunshine and storms. The ground is still recovering from winter. New growth pushes through soil that has been frozen and hardened. It takes resilience for new life to emerge. In many ways, our life transitions mirror the rhythm of spring. After seasons of loss, change, or uncertainty, we often long for clear signs that something new is beginning. But renewal rarely arrives ...

  Every transition carries the possibility of renewal. Not a return to what was — but the emergence of something new. Renewal rarely arrives suddenly. It grows slowly, often unseen at first. Small shifts. New energy. Gentle clarity. A sense of readiness. A small step that feels aligned. When we move through awareness, release, waiting, and listening, we become prepared — not just for change, but for transformation. As this season continues, notice what feels alive within you. Notice what feels possible that once did not. What signs of new life or new direction are beginning to appear?

SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. YOU are amazing, encouraging, and generous and I am deeply grateful for you and what you mean to me.  Because of your partnership, this ministry of member care continues to reach people in meaningful ways.     Since December,  78%  of our 2026 budget has already come in—that’s  $65,500 !    This is a beautiful reflection of God’s goodness and the faithfulness of this community.    As we look toward the remainder of the budget, would you prayerfully consider partnering with us to help close the gap and reach our full goal by  May 31, 2026 ?   One-Time Gift Opportunities Would you prayerfully consider filling one of these giving slots? ·        1 partner at $10,000 ·        3 partners at $1,000 ·        1 partner at $5,000 ·        4 partners at $500  ...