I'm Shannon Evans and my husband Eric and I have been married for 12 years and are currently "baking" our fifth child. (The first came through adoption and the rest have grown in my belly.) I'm a writer and speaker and am eagerly awaiting the release of my first book this summer—Embracing Weakness: The Unlikely Secret to Changing the World.
1. Cradle Catholic, Convert or Revert?
I joined the Catholic Church at 30 years old with my husband after a lifetime of devout Protestantism—in fact, we were evangelical missionaries in Southeast Asia just a few years before becoming Catholic!
2. What is the best way you find balance in your life (what are your ‘non-negotiables’ and how do you mange stress)?
I need lots of time for contemplation. Often, for me, this looks like writing time, because that's often how I process my world. As an introverted mama, I have learned through the years that I can get by without a lot of things, but quiet time alone is not one of them!
3. What is a skill you struggle with?
Cleaning the house—and yes, I consider that a skill! Probably because I don't have it.
4. What are some things you avoid personally, as a family or otherwise)?
We avoid over committing our time. Our family culture is one that really values a slow, simple life that is invested in our immediate neighborhood and gives our kids time to explore, play, get bored, and deal with boredom.
5. You write on your blog (shannonkevans.com) that at the heart of our humanity is the need for community and authenticity. (I agree!) How would you encourage others to cultivate these authentic communities?
It's hard because it takes vulnerability, which can be uncomfortable. We tend to want to present our best selves to the outside world, but that pressure keeps us from feeling fully known by others—and convinces them that they can't be fully known by us, in all their imperfections. Being open about your struggles and wounds feels risky, but taking that risk is the only real way to forge meaningful connection in community.
6. Tell us a little bit about your book Embracing Weakness; what’s at the heart of it and what prompted you to write it?
It's about re-centering our beliefs to be more in line with the message of Jesus through his incarnation and passion: that it is in our human weakness and sufferings that we can truly encounter God and one another, free of the pressures and bravado that come with trying to prove our strength and merit. I wrote it because I've always been the kind of person who wants to change the world—and I used to think that would come through my success and effectiveness. Through missions and motherhood, I had to embrace the truth that any positive impact I might have on the world will only come from accepting my own small and broken places.
7. What book/s are you currently reading? And/or podcast/s you listen to?
I'm reading The Ignatian Adventure this year to guide my prayer life, which has been really fruitful. I recently finished the novel Where the Crawdads sing, and am slowly making my way through the book Untie The Strong Woman, about our Blessed Mother.
8. Favorite children’s read aloud?
It's an unsung hero, but I really loved reading Because of Winn-Dixie to my oldest. I thought it did a gentle but compelling job of addressing heavy issues for a child.
9. Best parenting tip?
When your child is acting their worst, they need your compassion the most. Connection is always more effective than punishment.
10. Who inspires you?
Women who refuse to be put in a box or accept a glass ceiling!
THANK YOU SHANNON!!
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