Friday, October 15, 2010

October Update.

Dearest Brothers and Sisters,

I hardly know where to begin this month.

These past few weeks have been filled with ups and downs, hope and despair, anticipation and frustration. We are in a waiting season here at the Hope House and waiting seasons aren’t my favorite… not even close. The most obvious way this has manifested itself is that we are still waiting for residents. I know that I know that God is using this time to refine us and prepare our hearts for the work that lies ahead, but it is hard to rest and trust in that truth. We all know how much of a need is out there for these young ladies to be safe and have a place to thrive and grow in, but for some reason the Lord doesn’t have those girls here right now. We are reaching out to the community through other agencies, law enforcement, and social service organizations but yet… waiting is what we do. This waiting is especially difficult for me and feels so foreign after leaving Doulos, the land of hustle and bustle. This transition has tested me in many ways and it has been extremely difficult to refrain from questioning God… and myself. However, I am learning and growing, and He is sovereign over it all.

We have been using this time in many ways. We have first and foremost, thrown ourselves into our relationships with Christ. I believe wholeheartedly that God is using this time to prepare the soil of our ministry so that, in His timing, He can use us to glorify Himself through ministering to the victims He plans to bring to us. We have also had an incredible opportunity to evaluate, process, and seek His guidance in areas our ministry needs to grow and change in. We have been able to work together to nail down policies that will help us bring those changes to fruition and I am excited to see how they play out day to day. Awareness has also become a huge focus of ours during this time. We held a benefit concert with Joy Whitlock, Lara Landen, and Carolina Story which was absolutely incredible. All of their music is inspired and encouraging and if you have a chance to check it out, it will bless you! This weekend we hosted a mission team from a local university and today we organized a peaceful protest with them at a truck stop in Spartanburg, SC. We partnered with the R:12 project and Defenders USA and displayed signs with facts and information about domestic minor sex trafficking and passed out flyers to truckers passing through. It was an amazing day and it was exciting to shed some light into the darkness of this issue and to get to know some other fellow brothers and sisters. The next few days we have multiple staff members speaking at different conferences and throughout the next few weeks there will be many more to come!

Personally, the Lord has been growing a yearning inside of my soul for Him that I have never experienced before. This time is difficult for me, but He is constantly reminding me of His faithfulness and His sovereignty. I grow inpatient, but He remains steadfast. I know that He is up to something incredible; beyond anything I could imagine and I cannot wait to see more and more of Him and His plans for this ministry and for my life.

Thank you all so much for all of your love, prayers, and support.

Covered by His grace,

Shannon


Monthly Supporters:
Don’t forget to send in your support for the month of October!
Check to: On Eagles Wings PO Box 9737 Asheville, NC 28815 (“Shannon support” in Memo Line)
OR
Online: @ hopehousenc.com (“Shannon support” in box for extra information after you submit your donation)

Prayer Requests
:
Victims that the Lord would have to come to Hope House!
Continued discernment/direction for this ministry
Trust in His timing
Wisdom in how to utilize this time He has given us
Softened hearts for awareness of the issue


Contact
:
Facebook – www.facebook.com/shannonfromwelcome
Group – Shannon’s Ministry Partners
Blog - http://saoshano@blogspot.com
Email - saoshano@gmail.com
Phone - 336-596-5898