Susan walking past the chiropractic office at the mall.

By Susan Shanklin

Most late mornings or early afternoons you will find Tom and me walking in an older style mall which used to house Pennys and Sears and other shops. The big name box stores are long gone and new businesses and offices abound. The very well cared for and CLEAN mall has a sign at one of the entrances that says if you walk all the halls and in-betweens twice, you have walked one mile. Now this is an excellent free, clean, heated-in-the-winter and cooled-in-the-summer gym for us.

This massive mall in the middle of a sea of a large parking lot also houses a small post office where Tom Shanklin Ministries rents its post office box. Each day we pick up the ministry mail and we then set out for our daily one mile walk.

After picking up our mail, we enter a side door of ministry (I mean mall) and the first place we encounter is an office of psychologists. We cross the path of many children, teens and adults using this door and my heart is drawn to pray for them and release the peace and power of Jesus to them. Many times I see people and know which office they might be heading to. Much pain and distress is displayed in their faces and mannerisms. As believers we think, “Is there not a cause?”

As we turn the corner at the end of the hallway we come across multiple offices for prosthesis and limb labs. How thankful I become that I have the independence and no constraints to pick up my pace, stop on a dime, or make a sharp turn. “Thank you Lord!” my heart says, and I release restoration and healing to their customers.

We head down the next hall and walk past a Vineyard Church office door. I will sometimes rap on the glass door and wave or Tom will stop in and chat with the pastor. Each time I walk by (if they are there or not) I fling my hand and release JESUS! “House be full!” I declare!

A sharp turn kind of takes you back into the bowels of the building with doors of unknown offices…kind of creepy back there. Ha. Another turn and we walk by Mayo Clinic Health System’s training rooms for nurses and techs. Mmmmm, laborers in fields of harvest among the hurting and dying?

Turn again and you will pass one of my favorite places—the dance conservatory! Many little girls in leotards and slippers, and moms, dads and grandparents scrolling IPhones. “Is there not a cause?”

Our steps will soon cross the entrance of a kidney dialysis clinic. “Oh, thank you Lord for my healthy kidneys.” Aren’t you thankful for your healthy kidneys too?

Keep walking and you pass the many doors for the pain management clinic. Fling those arms, Susan. Jesus is Lord over pain and suffering.

Walk, walk, walk. Stop at the ladies room, Ha, and turn the corner of the new chiropractic office. Fling that arm and release healing and business. I’m not against someone that can help people. Right?

One day I popped my head in as the good doctor sat at the front desk.

“How’s business?” I ask.

The doctor kind of looks at me sideways with an odd expression and says, “Fiiiiiine. Why do you ask?”

“Oh!” I stammer. “I pray for you every time I walk by!”

His eyes get big and then he smiles and says, “Why thank you!”

Like David said when he confronted the giant who was oppressing Israel, “Is there not a cause?”  Aren’t we here to release the love of Jesus and care for the hurting and dying of this world???????

Walking right along and you pass the newspaper shopper office and the beauty salon. Some ladies in the salon need prayer, too. Ha!

On we walk past a hearing aid and a mortgage management office and a sewing machine store.

I guess we have walked a quarter mile by now and hospice offices are next and then an insurance office. It’s good to be thankful for what you don’t need. Amen?

More mini offices go by and sadly a bridal shop which closed after many, many years in the same location. I so enjoyed flinging my arms at the future brides. Often I would give them a thumbs up as they saw my reflection in the mirror while they were trying on their gowns. Sometimes I would pray too that they would not buy “that ugly one”. Mostly they need Jesus to be the cornerstone upon which to build their marriage.

Continuing on the “Mall Mission,” we walk past more doors of medical offices, with many workers and nurses—people with a calling in life to help the sick and hurting. It’s about time to turn the corner again for an occupational therapist and an eye doctor and an employment office. Keep walking and you’ll be flinging your arm at the pysch office again! Oh the joy of being a Christian and caring for your neighbor.

As Tom is in Nepal right now, you can bet the farm I’m flinging my arms at those businesses, janitors, patrons, and OTHER mall walkers.  Now, this is a good time too to intercede for my beloved Tom as well.

“Is there not a cause?”

Your mission trip may not be so far away. Happy trails!

Women can bring down giants too!

The womens conference where I spoke in Hendricks was outstanding! Thank you for your prayers for this moving of the waters in those ladies’ lives. The morning session was filled with laughter. I spoke on “You Can’t Kill a Giant Unless You Know Who You ARE!” The afternoon session was on “Killing Giants” with more of a serious tone to it. You know, women can bring down giants too. Just saying, guys.  🙂

I gave it all—drama, laughter and nuggets. We shall never be the same. Ha!

Thank you for your prayers for Nepal!

Tom is in Nepal as you are reading this and he and I covet your prayers for safety and a good sowing of the Greatest seeds for the Kingdom of God!

Tom in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains near Nepal earlier this year.

Tom is gone for three weeks to the utter most parts of the earth doing what he loves to do, sharing Jesus. As he shares…you are sharing. As he lays hands on the sick…you are laying hands on the sick. He is there because you were there with your giving and prayers. You are there because Tom’s fruit is your fruit.

In life, many things are accomplished through a team effort. Last month a dear pastor friend and his wife invited us to pick of their abundant crop of apples. This was an answer to my prayer for more apples for sauce. Our own crop of apples was small this year, but we became partakers of someone else’s labor. They planted, we harvested. It’s the same principle that you have applied with this ministry. One sows, another reaps, but God gives the increase. Apples for apples. It’s a “win win” for Jesus!

I thank you for your support, giving, encouragement, love and prayers.

Pray for safety for Tom in Nepal and his ministry team.

Pray for lasting fruit and continued open doors in Nepal.

We serve the true and living God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that would have all men, women, and children to be saved. Is there not a cause?

Have a great today and tomorrow!