Interview #1

It's finally starting to sink in...I will be moving. The details are not worked out, the job is not retained, an apartment has not even been considered...but I feel like I just KNOW. How strange, now time is precious and I have so many loved ones to think about before I leave.

The interview went well. I have a test tomorrow on my lunch break, then hopefully another phone interview with one of the employers in Seattle.

The Hope of Nations

I just got back from church and the need to write is so great! As I was worshipping this morning, I kept hearing the words "the Hope of nations" again and again. Barry, the worship leader, asked us to tell God who He is to us, to call out His names. In between songs, I began to say the usual, "Jesus. Redeemer. Creator. Mighty One. Beloved. Awesome. Powerful. My hope and my joy." But then I got stuck, "The Hope of nations." Over and over the words came into my mind and swelled into my heart. The One who holds my heart, the One who gives dreams is the perfect solution, the ultimate conclusion, the best the world will ever find. Jesus is desired by the nations, and the nations are longing for Him, whether or not they know it.

Lord, water the earth and the dry ground. Let your people blossom and grow in the soil. Bring workers to your harvest. Call those dry bones to life! Birth a love for the nations in my heart. We call to the North, the South, the East and the West...Jesus is the hope of the nations! He has come to bring life, true life and that more abundantly!

Without Faith it is impossible to please God

Many family members and close friends have responded to my email. One that stands out to me is from my very dear roommate from my first year at ORU. Thank you, Marsh Marsh!

Hey Shannon! Thanks for including me in the update!! It's so good to hear what God is doing in your life! You are definitely in my thoughts and prayers as you step out to do what God has called you to do!

I understand what you mean when you talk about wanting to do what God has called you to do but not knowing how to start or feeling equipped to start. God never makes small plans for his children, based on what they can do in their own strength. He doesn't go find a billionaire and ask them to do things for Him because they actually have the money to do it (although He will use billionaires, too, if they will allow him to). He asks those who are willing to obey and to do, no matter how ill-equipped we may feel we are for the job. But the great thing about it is God never intended for us to do it or even be able to do it on our own. He has already been working in advance to get everything lined up that you could ever need to accomplish the task; He has it all planned out to arrive just on time and be exactly what you need. God always knows the end from the beginning.

I finally know what I am supposed to do with my life, but it is so huge that I can't even begin to imagine how to make it happen. So I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not going to be the one to make it happen, God is. I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and taking steps, do the little things here and there that He shows me to do, and trust Him to work out the rest.

I'm also going through the same feelings of wondering if I'm really heading in the right direction. But the good news there is that I don't have to get everything perfectly right all the time, and I'm most likely not going to. But it's ok, because God still loves me, and will let me know when I make a wrong step, will guide me back onto the right path and forgive me. He's not going to give up on me and take my dream away from me just because I mess up. I've found that the most important thing is to take a step. Even if you're not sure if it's in the right direction, at least your moving. It's a whole lot easier to steer a ship that is in motion to turn it onto the right course. But a ship that is stagnate in the water is impossible to steer. If you allow fear to keep you from stepping out, you stand there paralyzed by fear, you will never get anywhere. So if you think that you are supposed to go to Seattle, then why not? At least you're doing something about it! God will work everything out and make everything fall into place. And once you're there, you'll be able to tell if it was the right move or not. If it wasn't, then you'll know, and God will help you to get to where you need to be. What do you have to lose?

Faith is the key. It is impossible to please God (and to serve him) without faith. Use your faith to trust God to work everything out and provide everything that you need. Confess with your mouth that you know the will of God for your life, and that you make the right decisions as He guides you with his Holy Spirit. Confess with your mouth that God is working everything out, is preparing everything beforehand, and will provide all of your needs according to his riches in Glory in Christ Jesus!

You can do it, girl! I believe in you! God won't let you fail, even if you make mistakes. You are the only one who can cause you to fail, and the only way to do that is to give up and stop trying to do what you've been called to do. No matter how many mistakes you make, you will still get there, you will still achieve the goal, as long as you continue to press on toward the mark of the high calling that God has placed on your life. I am so proud of you for having to courage to step out and attempt the impossible, to follow the plan God has for your life. Remember, you can do all things through Christ which strengthens you!

I love you! ~Marcia :o)

(Love you, too, Marsh!) I love hearing from different people about their walk with God. He has put big dreams in all of us, and He provides the means and the inspiration...why do we think He can only do the small and mundane?

I have already had one interview...which didn't work out so well. No problem, though! I have a different interview for a consulting company in downtown Seattle on Monday morning. If Jesus is calling me out of the boat, I'm going!!! I don't care if the waves are high and they are crashing all around me. If He has called me, He'll make sure that I don't sink.

Mustard Seed Faith

This is the letter I sent out to several respected friends and family members.

Hi friends, I am sorry that I am sending out a group email instead of talking to each of you individually (that would of course be my preference). The reason I am sending you this email is because I respect your Godly counsel and I covet your prayers.

Since April earlier this year, I have felt that the Lord is moving in my life, preparing me for a new season. At that time, I could not say what it was, but I felt it strongly enough to put my studies on hold (I had just finished with all of my preparatory classes and am now cleared to begin an MBA program without having to take any BA level courses), and seek the Lord. After fasting and much prayer, I sensed that the next season of my life was one of equipping and ministry -- a passion and calling that I had put on the farthest back burner. The next couple of months I continued fasting regularly and praying. I grew frustrated with myself and could not understand how I should minister when I felt so ill-equipped and clueless. It was on a road trip to Seattle when a friend asked me about what was going on in my life that I was able to express how I wanted to serve the Lord in a ministry setting, but I had no idea how to do it. I wanted to be discipled, to be mentored. She was in the same boat and mentioned how her church was starting a year-long Discipleship Training Program (DTP) that would both disciple, equip and mentor men and women for ministry within the church and outreach in the communities. She sent me the information and I went back home to California.

The DTP kept coming back to my mind -- Seattle resonated in my heart long beforehand as a place that felt like home (reminds me so much of Norway...and the rainy cold weather delights me), the opportunity to work in a bustling city (but without the painful baggage that I have from living in Oakland), and the promise of guidance and mentoring every step of the way -- I applied at the very last minute on the day of the deadline.

I did not hear from Mars Hill for quite a long time and I wondered if they had lost my application or disqualified me based on personality, distance, or any other number of factors. Finally, on August 2nd, they sent me an email requesting references and letting me know that they would notify participants of their acceptance on August 9th and that the Program officially begins on August 16th.

I got an acceptance from West Seattle's campus of Mars Hill Church on Sunday, the 9th. I have to admit that I freaked out just a little -- a week til start-up and me in the Bay Area surrounded by looming responsibilities and commitments. After exchanging several emails with the leaders and my mentor team, they granted me an extension on starting so that I could honor my commitments and transition up to the Northwest. Ideally, the goal would be to have everything settled so that I could move by October 1st.

My prayer has been that the Lord would continue to keep the doors open that I am supposed to walk through, and firmly close those that I was never meant to walk through. So far, the door for Seattle has been open. There are still so many things that need to fit and fall in place before I can move, though. The reason I am writing you this email is both to let you know what's going on in my life, but also to ask you to keep me in your prayers. The Lord can use me anywhere, it does not have to be in Seattle. I want to be sensitive to the Lord's leading -- whether that is to the Northwest or it is to stay in the Bay Area for another stretch of time. There are practical matters at hand, too. I have to have a job if I am going to live up there (the DTP takes place on evenings and weekends), and a good housing situation.

Thank you for all of your encouragement, exhortation and friendship over the years! Thank you for praying for me and wanting the best out of life for all of us! We truly can change the world around us, one person at a time. =)

Love,Shannon


The past two weeks I have scrambled and have been striving (in every respect) to find a job and find housing. No job...no call backs...nothing. I ask everyone for prayer, and I pray for myself, as well. Gina, my assigned mentor at Mars Hill, sent me an email earlier this week and asked what kind of work I am looking for. I said that I was looking for a full-time administrator position. Her question, why do I need to work full-time? Puzzled, I considered. I spoke with friends who admonished me and let me know that I do not need as much as I think I need to live on; I must change my mindset. Amazing! They were all correct! Then I opened my mouth and inserted my foot. I expressed that I did not want to go from an executive administrator to some low-level job, I wanted something that would look relatively good on my resume. No one said anything, but later the words clanged inside my head. What was I saying? In essence, I was saying I still want to hold onto my career, and this ministry thing is just a short stint in my life. I felt awful and repented.

Today as I prepared myself to hang out with friends after work, I prayed that the Lord would provide the job for me, that He would help me to stop striving so that His grace would be so perfect and evident in my life. What did He say? You have to have faith in me. You ask people to pray for you all the time...but YOU have to trust me.

I need more faith!!

Update

The Discipleship Training Program at Mars Hill Church in Seattle (West Seattle Campus) has accepted me! They sent me an email a couple of weeks ago asking me to have 3 references complete some online information about me. Their email mentioned that they would assess the candidates, send out acceptance emails on August 9th, and the Program would start on August 16th. August 16th!!?! In case you're wondering, that's in 3 days.



I was on a road trip this past weekend and was not available to check my email at all on Sunday. Before I went to bed, I considered checking my email and finding out what the verdict was, but decided that I needed to sleep well and be rested for work in the morning. As soon as my alarm went off, I sprinted out of bed and checked to see if I had gotten a response from Mars Hill. Sure enough, there it was -- a letter of congratulations and acceptance!!!



Mars Hill has been kind enough to grant me an extension on the start time until October 1st if I need it, and have connected me to the online community so that I can begin to work on finding a Christian roommate or community-living situation. A couple of people keep asking me, "so are you going to do it, Shan?" My answer? I am doing everything in my power to walk through this open door. If all of the pieces do not come together, I will know that this is not the time, and I will be okay with that." What's the hold up? I want to honor my committments here in the Bay Area. Not only must I find a job to support myself up there (the DTP encourages the participants to work full time), but I need to give my job and roommates adequate notice. This suddenly became a lot more complicated! It costs money to move and to rent an apartment! God is good. He knows what He is doing.



For the first time in a very long time, I have a short-term (1 to 2 year) vision for the Bay Area and for Seattle. If I stay or if I go, I know that God will provide and direct me. This next season in my life is about discipleship. I am going to reproduce Christ followers!!