2nd Semester

Well, we’ve been back on the road since the first week of January, and-at risk of sounding like a broken record-where did the time go? In the last four and a half months, we have been in Darlington, SC; Guyton, GA; Gulfport, MS; Deland, FL; Daytona Beach, FL; Cookeville, TN; Hattiesburg, MS; San Antonio, TX; Frisco, TX; Aquila, TX; San Angelo, TX; Cabot, AR; Spring Break; and now Eads, TN.

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO WATCH A HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO OF OUR TIME IN FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA!

https://fb.watch/cCZzIqQz9N/

Besides church events, we’ve also gone through the ministry’s yearly Vision Gathering conference, the team being in several places between events, a nasty cold/cough that made its merry way through more than half of the group, and various work projects that God had placed in our laps. It’s a mess, but it’s a mess that God has called us to, and we are so grateful for the grace and strength He has provided along the way; we certainly wouldn’t have made it this far without Him bearing us up. Next, we have events in Loganville, GA, and Somerset, KY; and, lastly, we go to Camp for the summer. We’ll definitely be needing more of that grace and reliance on Jesus!

In the meantime, our school teacher, Anna, has done a team member interview for you: This is Abbie.

Anna: (very formally) Please state your name for the record.

Abbie: haha. Abbie Shunkwiler

Anna: How old are you?

Abbie: I’m 21

Anna: And how long have you been part of this team?

Abbie: This is my third year traveling.

Anna: Alright, what is your main position on the team?

Abbie: Technically, my role title is Digital Content Producer, so I do photography and videography and social media. And this year, um, it’s new that I am doing on-stage art, so I’m also an “artist.”

Anna: Have you always been interested in art?

Abbie: I’ve always drawn, when I was younger, but in regards to the art that I do while traveling, it’s…very new. I’ve always been interested in art and artistic related stuff, but the charcoal art that I’m doing has been a new interest.

Anna: I would be so nervous to be on stage, that’s why I’m content to do myriad little background jobs, like do interviews for the newsletter; does the attention bother you?

Abbie: Um, when I first started, I was really nervous about it. That was probably the one thing holding me back, was being on stage and people watching me live. My biggest fear was messing up because everyone would see it or judge the art…now that I’m better at it and more confident with the drawings, it doesn’t bother me as much. I’ll still get nervous a little bit in bigger crowds, It depends on the day, and what drawing it is.

Anna: Which one is your favorite to draw?

Abbie: I like to draw the clock, which I’ve only gotten to do a couple of times since we only do it for four-days (conferences). For summits, I like doing the orange because it’s more well-known and memorable and people seem to connect with it more.

Anna: What’s something you have learned about Lori, or working with Lori, that not everyone knows? She’s not here, but she will read this…so speak at your own risk.

Abbie: uh, I don’t know if this would be a straight fact, but I’ll just basically tell you my life story with Lori. Um, I feel like when people get to know her- well I was very scared of her at first. And I still am to a degree, in a healthy way, but I think a lot of people can take that as judging her character based on an authoritative nature and will overlook the fact that she is very loving and very kind in everything she is doing. Learning about the difference between being nice and being kind. I think she really embodies that element of kindness that not everyone will see until they get to know her personally, and the motivations for why she does all the things that she does.

Anna: I love how you put that. I mean, I know exactly what you mean, but I have never been able to put it into words that well.

Abbie: Yeah, like, I don’t always understand why she does things, but I look back and see that …she does it for what is right and what is good, while people who are more on the “nice” aspect will do things for what will make you feel good in the moment and not challenge you and encourage you to grow, and that’s what she does, if that makes sense.

Anna: Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Thank you. Welp that’s all I have.

Abbie won’t brag about herself, but she’s an incredibly talented artist, no matter the medium she is using, and her work always tells a beautiful story of God’s goodness toward us. We have been so blessed to have her with us these last three years, and she will be sorely missed next year. She lives near camp, so we’ll at least be able to keep up with her on breaks, praise the Lord!

These are three of the drawings she does for us. Each one goes with a specific message and we auction them off at the end of the conference so anyone who was affected by that message has a chance to take home a visual reminder of what God taught them through it.

Prayer request going forward: We have had a variety of opportunities come up for this summer. We are praying thru what we should say yes to and what we should decline. As you know, every opportunity is not necessarily a calling.