Attempting to express what happens within a person that brings them to the point of making a significant decision is challenging. One can focus on the details surrounding the situation or the feelings evoked throughout the process. One can describe the conversations that contributed the most, or the moments that most impacted the decision. I would simply like to share my journey of God guiding my heart.
More and more over the last few years, the Lord has been growing in me a desire to create a space for a community. This community would be made up of people with united hearts to build a place of safety and love rooted in the Lord Jesus. The home would open its doors to neighbors, teenagers, homeless, wealthy and poor, dirty and clean alike. This home would be a place where Jesus would be lifted high, where every cup of cold water offered to one in need would answer Jesus’ cry from the cross, “I thirst.”
When I heard about Word Made Flesh, the lifestyle celebrations, and the core focus of Beloved Community, my immediate response was, “This is how I want to live my life.” I wasn’t sure that this was the context and specific medium I was to do it in, but I immediately resonated with the ethos and mission. However, I knew this was a serious commitment. I wanted to be absolutely sure if I was going to sign on for this. Urban ministry is tough no matter how you spin it. Urban ministry in a city like LA is….overwhelming at best.
Coming to a decision was a slow journey of many months and lengthy conversations with family, friends, and WMF community members from all over the world. There were no lightning bolts or audible voices, but a slow, steady, deliberate yes that formed inside of me. My head would often fight back – “Shannon, this is crazy.
You’re 26, your white, like REALLY white, AND you’re blonde… no one is going to listen to you! Besides, what can you do to change or (cough), bring hope?”
And yet, it was in moments of silence and stillness that the Lord gave me his gracious assurance. If I were willing to take this step, he would make good on the promise to do. So here we are. Stepping out, predominantly uncertain of what we are stepping into, yet fully expecting, hoping, and believing that He who has called us is faithful and will carry his work to completion.