Online CD Sales and Donations to Benefit Melissa’s Haiti Fund

March 21st, 2012
by Shannon Bunch

100% of Online CD Sales & 50% of all Donations to Benefit Melissa’s Haiti Fund. Visit the store today or simply make a donation.

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All CD’s Have Free Shipping

March 14th, 2012
by Shannon Bunch

Be sure to pick up some music for yourself or a friend in the online store today! Shipping is FREE until further notice! Still hoping to have the rest of my music on iTunes soon.

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MELISSA FOLLOWS HER PASSION

January 9th, 2012
by Shannon Bunch
Later this year Melissa will live out a desire she has had since we have been married.  She’s going on a mission trip to Haiti.  Exact dates have not been set but the planning is already in the works.  Fundraising, passports & spiritual preparation.  If you would like to financially support her go to http://www.gofundme.com/c1xn8.

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HERE YA GO!

January 9th, 2012
by Shannon Bunch
It appears another year has come & gone.  It seems every time I intended to give y’all a real update with some substance I pushed it off until the next update.  This cycle never ended….until now.  Let me first begin by saying that I will not try one year’s worth of updating in one email. Now you may relax for the remainder of my newsletter.
I can honestly say that 2011 was fast & furious (and I did not send guns to Mexico!).  It was the busiest & most blessed year for ministry I have ever had.  But I’ve also seen new challenges & familiar struggles in my life.  New challenges have included the ability to book enough dates to keep the home fires burning.  At one time I could sing 3-4 times each week.  Most weekends are Sunday morning and evening concerts.  But with many churches removing their evening services I am becoming more nervous about the future.  This places me in a “hard sell” situation.  While some churches won’t consider me I occasionally get a new pastor or music director to listen & learn about who I am & what I do.  When they do listen that gives me a 50% chance of booking.  So I need your help.  If you are a pastor or promoter let’s get something on the books sooner than later.  If you are a lay member you need to rattle some cages, namely your pastor’s cage, and then gently urge them to call me ASAP!  Over the past 6 months CD sales have dropped about 50%.  This has been a huge hit for my income.  However, and as always, God has been Faithful simply because that’s WHO HE IS!  While we may not have much if anything left over at the end of the month we have our needs supplied.  I made cuts during the last quarter of the year that saved over $1,000.  New cuts for 2012 will save another $2,000 for the year.  Now I’m beginning to sound like Congress without the billion and trillion dollar terms.  I’m trying to be a good steward knowing there is a business side to what I do.
New challenges have also included the usual stuff that goes along with parenthood.  For some of you, especially those with multiple children, this is second nature.  But the past year has been…how should I say this…Emme has been 2 years old all year…about to turn 3 on January 13.  It’s been interesting.
Now you’re probably wondering about the familiar struggles.  Here it is in an abbreviated version.  As most of you know and have heard my testimony I had a real battle back in the 90′s with manic depression (now called bi-polar disorder) coupled with anxiety attacks and some days with suicidal thoughts.  For the past 15 years or so medication has kept that at bay.  After my deep-brain stimulation surgery in November 2010 my muscle spasms (Dystonia) and pain became about 75% controlled. Praise the Lord!  Therefore I was able to reduce medications and eliminate others.  For the first time in my life my head was clear and pain was almost gone.  Then out of nowhere I spiraled into major depression and daily anxiety attacks.  Dystonia related medications were helping, rather intensifying my depression/anxiety meds, which at that time were baseline dosages.  Then I found myself with minimal dosages that were not working.  Early 2011 I returned myself to psychiatric treatment and counseling.  Two things I learned quickly, one is that what I had called manic depression for 15+ years was now called bi-polar disorder and secondly I was on the wrong medications.  So the pharmaceutical roller coaster would begin.  Thankfully I only the second medication presented was the ticket!  But that was only after the first medication induced a temporary rheumatoid arthritis that attacked mostly every joint in my body.  There was over two months of being barely able to walk, stand up, or sit down.  I never experienced pain like before.  I was virtually robbed of almost 8 months of 2011.  And yes, I continued my singing schedule and did not cancel one date.  Now that’s the Grace of God.
In closing, I must share with you a phone conversation I had just a few days ago with one of my dear friends about ministry and life in general.  As we talked about the ups and downs, the ins and outs of Christian faith I made a comment at which he laughed.  It was then I realized I was preaching to myself.  Sometimes if we will only recite and recall what we already know to be Truth, if we are listening the answer or answers may come from our own lips.

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PRAYERS FOR RUSSELL O’NEAL

January 9th, 2012
by Shannon Bunch
Jeff O’Neal, owner of Heritage Communications, has been my radio promoter now for several years. Jeff’s son, Russell really needs your prayers.  Russell has been battling what began as a brain tumor/cancer since August 2008.  Russell is a very young man whose heart for God has never dimmed throughout this whole ordeal.  Just the other day the doctors have said there is nothing else they can do.  But isn’t that when God can do His best?  Jeff has posted today, “…I know Russell will healed.  I just hope he is here with us when that happens.  If not, he will be healed…”  I can’t even imagine the emotional stress and pain they have endured. Please visithttp://www.caringbridge.org/visit/russelloneal/mystory to learn more and offer a prayer on this family’s behalf.

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Available Now on iTunes, My Sunday Best

November 5th, 2011
by Shannon Bunch

If you don’t have My Sunday Best, which is a collection of 10 most requested songs of the church, now is your time.  Log into iTunes and purchase one song or the album.  Best thing is the album can be purchased for only $9.99.  That’s $5 off the retail price.  I would like to get at least 1,000 downloads within the next 6 months.  This will also help my ratings within the iTunes store.

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Join The B-List & Nearly 2,000 Readers

May 31st, 2011
by Shannon Bunch

The technology which we use to communicate is always evolving. And I thought when MySpace came along that would be one of the means to stick around. BUT, then came Facebook. FB revolutionized the way we connect & communicate. With the introduction of FB came Fan Pages, Figure Pages, Band Pages, etc. Well as many of you know I have a “Fans of Shannon Bunch” FB page. You will note at the top of that page “facebook will be archiving…” I am reluctant at this stage to create yet ANOTHER page or profile. So my suggestion is that you sign up for The B-List today. This email is sent usually twice per month. Almost 2,000 people have already subscribed. Join today Facebook will soon close my Fan Page. If you want to receive Shannon Bunch updates please sign up for The B-List. This email is already being sent to almost 2,000 subscribers twice per month. http://ymlp.com/signup.php?id=gujhywegmgs. Tell your friends to join too!

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Where Does the Time Go?

May 26th, 2011
by Shannon Bunch

I suppose if I had a dime for every time I heard that question I wouldn’t be writing you this email. I’d be on a beach somewhere watching the sun come up and go down over the ocean’s horizon. I can’t believe I hadn’t sent a B-List for over a month. On top of that I have not given y’all any kind of update. I’ve been quite busy with dates & ministry but there has not been any major developing news from that front. Family, on the other hand, gets busier with each passing day & week. Emme is practically 2 1/2. Oh my! It seems but a few days ago we were teaching her how to stand up while she wrapped her little hands around our fingers. Now those same hands can do anything they well please to do.

Melissa & I recently participated in the Music City Marathon. Actually we did the half marathon, 13.1 miles. We did so in 3 hours, 22 minutes. We ran about 2 miles of that. It was nice to cross the finish line and know that TOGETHER we made it. We, like all do, have our marital relationship ups & downs. But those 13.1 physical miles encourages me to go emotional & spiritual miles. Knowing that TOGETHER we can make it! I’ve always said that Melissa & I have NEVER had an argument rather moments of intense fellowship!

Recently, I have been sensing God pushing me toward something greater. What is it? Not sure. Something great no doubt is in our near future. I don’t have to see it, just believe for it! With each gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit I realize there is a greater plan for me & my family. I have been challenged to once again set my affections high. Honestly, for a long time I have been very complacent with where I am in life, career & ministry. That takes a lot to publicly admit but it is just the plain truth. As long as I can maintain the status quo I’ve been content. No longer do I want to settle for mediocrity. When I was younger my dreams & aspirations could not be dampened by anyone or anything. When I was told that I had set my goals to high then I just raised the bar even higher! On Monday I tweeted this quote “Too low they build who build beneath the stars.” This has spoken volumes to me and now I’m ready to live it! If I’m not reaching, growing, expanding, & sharing every day I’m missing it.

Okay, my sermon is over for now. Please know that my family & I appreciate each of you. As each of you have given to us in your own way, one way is no greater than the other. Prayers, time, money, cards, letters, phone calls, emails, Facebook & Twitter messages are all precious to us. May the face of God shine upon you in these last days and His blessings be more than you can receive!

I am working right now on getting new photos uploaded to my website by early next week. Keep watching for those. My photo organizing skills are horrible. But I’ll get there, soon.

Many of you are Facebook Fans of Shannon Bunch. Facebook is now retiring & soon archiving Fans of Shannon Bunch due to a new group plan they have. I’m debating on what to do. I’ll keep you updated over the next few weeks. And there’s always Twitter. Follow me. If you don’t have an account now is a good time to set one up. It just takes a few minutes.

I promise to keep you updated a little better in the future.

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DBS is ON!

December 3rd, 2010
by Shannon Bunch

As of last Wednesday the implanted device has been turned on & already seeing some improvement. The battery in my chest is connected to the probes that are now in my brain. This battery is basically a mini-computer. It will take several visits to program and maximize its ability. I return to Dr. Michael Mayron, my original neurologist in Henderson, KY on Thursday. Dr. Todd Shanks feels that Mayron is better suited & “in tune” with patients when it comes to programming. Speaking of Dr. Todd Shanks, he is perhaps one of the best surgeons in the country! From personailty to professionalism to patience, Shanks will always have my utmost appreciation. I say this too because he reads the website & blogs!

My family & I would like to thank each of you for your prayers. And to those who offered financial support, we would not have made it without you. Missing 3 1/2 weeks of work tends to put the self-employed person on high alert. We still have a ways to go but God has proven Himself Faithful AGAIN! I shared with my mother-in-law recently about how sometimes our faith walk is overshadowed with MY anxiety & MY stress. But it is when God sends you unexpected & undeserved blessings that makes this walk the most rewarding.

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Third Surgery Completed

November 19th, 2010
by Shannon Bunch

Although my DBS surgeries are over I can honestly say…oh my goodness! Some of the pain that I went through was horrific! But now the day I’ve been waiting for is fast approaching. On Wednesday before Turkey Day Dr. Shanks will turn on the DBS & let it do it’s thang! With dystonia patients the release is sometimes instant but sometimes takes a few days. This varies from patient to patient. Then I have to be concerned with air travel. Now that I have devices implanted getting through TSA will be a bit more challenging. I hope the doctor gives me an ID card stating this. Could be very interesting?! All in all I am doing well & really appreciate your continued support.

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