Shannon's Corner

  Harvest is the evidence that something has been growing all along. A harvest is the result of a process. A harvest is the result of planting, tending, waiting, and sometimes weathering unexpected challenges. In transition, we can become so focused on what is next that we forget to notice what has already grown. Maybe you have gained clarity. Maybe you’ve learned to set healthier boundaries. Maybe you’ve discovered strength you didn't know you had. Maybe you’ve learned to trust, rest, grieve, or begin again. These are harvests, too. When we're in transition, it's easy to focus on what we haven't figured out yet. Instead, pause and ask: What has this season grown in me? What have I learned? What has changed? What wisdom am I carrying forward? What can I celebrate? Not every harvest looks the way we expected. Sometimes the outcome is different from what we imagined, but we discover that we have become different along the way. Don't Rush Past the Harvest Before asking...

   SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. This month has reminded me again that we are doing this ministry together.  When I sit across from someone for a debrief, when I meet with someone for coaching or a care session, when I prepare to travel to care for ministry workers and TCKs—you are part of those moments.  You may not be sitting in the room with me, but your prayers, encouragement, and financial partnership help make it possible for me to be there. And this month, we have had some meaningful opportunities to be present with people in the midst of their stories.  I have had the privilege of providing two individual debriefs, one family debrief, four care sessions, and three coaching sessions.  Each conversation has been different, but there has been a common thread: people need space to slow down, process what they have experienced, and listen for what is next. One of the individual debriefs especially stays with me.  She came to the debrief f...

  There is another important part of gardening: Pruning. It can feel counterintuitive. Why would you cut something that is growing? Why remove a branch that looks healthy? Why let go of something that has been part of the plant for so long? Because sometimes growth requires making room. Transition often brings an invitation to prune. Life transitions have a way of revealing what is no longer working. A role may no longer fit. A relationship may need new boundaries. A routine that once served you may now leave you depleted. An expectation you carried for years may no longer align with who you are becoming. Even good things can sometimes need to be released when they no longer belong in this particular season. And that can be difficult. We can become attached to the familiar simply because it is familiar. We may hold onto commitments because we said yes years ago. We may continue carrying responsibilities because we don't know who we will be without them. We may fear that letting go ...