Let's face it, if you are reading this right now you are most likely balancing school while working a full-time job, trying to be a good spouse, parent, citizen, church member, school board member, homemaker, lunch maker, bill payer, and no doubt the list goes on, all while hoping in the midst of it all to have a couple free minutes to catch your breath. Even then, those free moments are filled with raging thoughts of "what I need to be doing next!" Well, the last thing you need is another chore on your plate but if you have found this little corner of the SWU website then perhaps you may be seeking an article on maintaining proper life balance, making time for self-care or maybe just a word of encouragement.
Below you will find some helpful resources that may bring a bit of refreshment to your week. Our online chaplain is available to walk this educational journey with you and provide support in these challenging months. Feel free to contact Mike Shannon via email, give him a call during office hours 8:00am - 4:30pm at 864-644-5032. You can also access an online chat window at the bottom right of this page.
Blessings be upon you as you navigate this admirable pursuit of higher learning!
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Trail Mix - Nourishment for the Journey
Intercessory prayer is a bedrock principle of Southern Wesleyan University. Please let us know your needs or specific requests that we may lift them up to the Lord as we pray for you.
Emergency Services
Crisis Text Line – crisistextline.org/ | 741-741
Suicide Prevention - suicidepreventionlifeline.org/# | 800-273-8255
Suicide Hotlines for South Carolina by county - suicide.org/hotlines/south-carolina-suicide-hotlines.html
Veterans’ Transition Guide
Mental Health Services
National Alliance on Mental Illness – nami.org/Find-Support/Veterans-and-Active-Duty
Military One Source – militaryonesource.mil/ | 800-342-9647
Upstate Warrior Solution – upstatewarriorsolution.org/
Palmetto Warrior Connection – palmettowarriorconnection.org/
Mike Shannon came to Southern Wesleyan University as the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Student Life and one of the Campus Chaplains. He is currently a Co-Director of the Warrior CARE center and the Online Chaplain. Previously, Mike was the Air Force Special Operations Command Deputy Command Chaplain at Hurlburt Field, Florida before retiring in May of 2020. In this capacity, he advised and assisted the AFSOC Commander and the Command Chaplain on matters related to religious, spiritual, ethical, moral, and morale concerns and provided policies toward meeting the diverse spiritual needs of 19 thousand military members, family members and authorized personnel throughout the command.
As an ethical adviser and leader to the AFSOC Commander he was handpicked to represent AFSOC to the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to provide input and develop a top to bottom analysis of Special Operations in ethical training and better prepare warriors for conduct becoming of our formations.
Mike served the United States honorably for nearly 40 years in the Army (beginning in 1980 with the infantry) and Army National Guard prior to entering the Air Force. Chaplain Shannon entered the Air Force as a 1st Lt in January 2000. Prior to entering the Air Force Mike graduated from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity with Emphasis in Biblical Languages. Mike also served six years as a pastor in Hudsonville, Michigan.
Mike is married to Imelda Shannon; they have two grown children and four grandchildren. Besides spending time with his family and grandchildren Mike loves to read, study, think, hike, hunt, fish, and watch the Kansas City Chiefs.
(Current as of January 2024)
Nehemiah 4.3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”
What seems to be clear here in verses 1-3 is that Sanballat and Tobiah, not only lacked understanding, but lacked a theology of wall building, or a theology of excellence, or a theology of covenant promises; in other words, we could say, they lacked any good theology. For Sanballat did not understand YHWH’s personal interest in the children of Israel as stated in Jeremiah 29: 10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” —that is, even though they failed and years in captivity related to their sin against YHWH, their God, their promise keeping God would bring restoration related to their repentance, return, and a renewed obedience (allegiance) to His will and ways or commands. To me, this is a picture of enchantment (a worldview that embraces the supernatural). It is YHWH working within the cosmos to accomplish His good will and purposes. We can see this enchantment at work from the very beginning of Nehemiah when King Artaxerxes finds favor in Nehemiah and releases him from his responsibilities as a cupbearer to go to Jerusalem and then to provide him protection and supplies.
Now, we must use good hermeneutics here and note that this Jeremiah text was given specifically to Jeremiah and the Jews of Judah/Jerusalem. But we can say in our own day and age that the same God who cared for Jeremiah, Israel, and Nehemiah, is the same God who cares for each of us desires for us to have an abundant life, a flourishing or prosperous life, and when we fail—He desire for us to return to Him to experience real life and a truly human life in relationship with Him.