Greetings from Shanon's House,
Since our last newsletter we've had
guests from Florence, Boaz, Phil Campbell, Baileyton, Blountsville, Muscle
Shoals, Tuscumbia, Waterloo, Al, Nashville, Tn, and Columbus Ga.
During the winter months Shanon's house was an extra blessing to
couples with newborns. They didn't have to worry about icy roads because of
Shanon's house being right across the street from their babies. On the night it
snowed the young couple staying with us built us a snowman in the front yard.
We always enjoy the energy young couples bring to us. During this same time we
received a referral from the ministry of Manna meals. This guest was from
Nashville. While we enjoy young couples we also enjoy having guests who are our
age. We discovered while talking with this guest that we had mutual friends.
These two families stayed at the same time and enjoyed getting to know each
other.
We had guests with twins in the NICU recently. When I
gave them the quilts from the tree of life quilters they said "we will tell our
babies that Shanon's house was their first home." This couple called several
weeks later and needed Shanon's house again, one of their babies had been
admitted to the hospital. While we don't usually have small children at
Shanon's house, we made an exception for this family. This was a very caring
mother and father who didn't want to be away from either of their babies.
Getting to hold a new born baby that night was a special treat for me!
It's always a special time when a couple adopting a baby comes to stay
at Shanon's house. When this couple arrived the first thing the adoptive mother
said was "I want to hug your neck because you took care of my brother and his
wife when their baby was born two years ago." We remembered her brother and
still had their family picture on the refrigerator. This couple had waited a
long time for a baby and they were so excited. It was so touching to hear how
they were so concerned for the birth mother and father. They commented how they
have been given the most precious and unselfish gift from this birth mother and
father. While sitting in the kitchen eating one night they said " this feels
just like my Mom's house especially when I look over and see my brother's
picture on the refrigerator. " We laughed and talked about how Shanon's house is
everybody's house.
Here are a few of the notes we
received.
"Thank you so much for the kindness you've shown. Your Church and the family of Shanon are truly such a blessing to those of us in need. Such an awesome testimony to all believers in Christ. May God richly bless you for that you do and continue to do."
"Thank you so much for allowing us to stay at
Shanon's house while our son was in NICU. Your kind words and gifts and
prayers go along way. Thank you for being so kind and helpful during this rough
time. Please pass along our thanks to the Mayfair church of Christ for making
Shanon's house possible."
"Words cannot begin to express how
grateful we are for allowing us to stay at Shanon's house. This is a wonderful
ministry. Thank you so very much."
Recently we visited a church
in Florence where several of our guests went to church. They wanted us to tell
the Mayfair church thank you again for Shanon's house.
We had
a guest stay with us that was going to have surgery the next day. We didn't
have any other guests at the time and offered for her family to stay also. This
was a very sweet family. Usually we give the family the quilt from the Tree of
Life quilters but this time we were able to give it to the patient. I always
tell them that a quilt means they are covered in prayers. The Tree of Life
quilters have made such an impact on people's lives with the beautiful quilts
they make for each of our guests. Here's the note we received from this
guest.
"It's very hard to put into words my deep appreciation
of being able to stay at Shanon's house. Myself and my children felt very
comfortable there. It was as if we had known you for a long time. I hope to
return when I'm ready for my treatment. Shanon's house is a great ministry.
People at the hospital were amazed by my quilt and the story behind it. May God
continue to bless the Shanon's house ministry."
One of the
highlights of the year was the five year guest's reunion. The week before the
reunion it rained every day. I was a little stressed because we had planned to
have lunch served in the garden for the reunion. On the day of the reunion it
was a beautiful day! There were around 60 former guests and their children in
attendance . It was heartwarming to see the children playing and seeing former
guests, some of them who stayed with us five years ago. One father stood looking
toward the hospital and said with tears in his eyes " I still remember looking
out my window and praying for my little girl. We will always be thankful for
Shanon's house. "
One family that stayed with us 4 years ago
wrote a note saying "when I walked in the house that day at the reunion it was
once again like home to me. We will forever be grateful and feel that staying at
Shanon's house was laid out before hand by God."
Some of our
board members helped out with the reunion and seeing all the couples talking and
laughing commented how they all acted like they knew each other. I told them
that they were all part of the Shanon's house family. Several of our guests
refer to us as their Shanon's House Mom and Dad and this warms our
hearts.
The reunion was a beautiful reminder how God has
blessed this ministry and how Johnny and I have been blessed to be a small part
of this ministry. I asked God for a beautiful day and sweet memories for
everyone. God said "yes " to both of those requests. We had guests who came that
day that had left Shanon's house with broken hearts and there were guests who
came whose lives had been changed in an instant. Yet they didn't give up.
They have shown us what praising God in the storm looks like. They have
increased our faith. There were babies who were born so tiny and now were
running around playing and laughing. They were testimony to the world of how
every life is precious no matter how small.
When we moved to
Huntsville I asked God to send me friends. Through Shanon's house we have met
some of the sweetest families. They were our guests but now we call them
friends. We are so thankful for the Shanon's house Board of Directors, they
are our support system. We are grateful to Shanon's parents for carrying on the
legacy of their son, who while on earth cared for and served others. We along
with our guests are grateful to the loving brothers and sisters at the Mayfair
Church of Christ for making Shanon's house possible. Most of all we are
thankful to our Heavenly Father who takes our small requests and answers them in
the most amazing ways.
In Him,
Johnny and
Christy
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