Happy Birthday, Shaunti!

Today is Shaunti’s birthday (cue the Rachel and Phoebe jumping-up-and-down gif from Friends)! So, we, some of her long-running staff, have taken over her blog to have some fun, give Shaunti a week off, and celebrate the incredible woman that she is.

Below are thoughts from Eileen (staff and operations director), Amy (events and operations manager), Samantha (digital content manager) and Laurie (lead editor).

What Makes Shaunti Special

I (Laurie) completely whiffed on a missing verb in the first sentence of the first blog I edited for Shaunti. A verb. I had one job. I joined my first staff meeting that morning braced for uncomfortable feedback, and she said, “Oh, goodness, don’t worry about it. That kind of stuff happens.” She was as gracious about it as you all would hope she would be. She wrote a book on the power of kindness, and the good news is, she really does live it out. Watching her handle people, pressure, and press in an unpretentious and kind way has left a lasting impact on me.

Clearly a theme is emerging because I (Eileen) think my favorite thing about Shaunti is her kindness. She displays the kindness of the Lord in a way I have never experienced, especially in a working relationship. This is why we are not just co-workers. Shaunti is a dear friend. No matter what you ever say or do, she always—without fail—believes the very best of you and the situation. It has been a dream to work so closely with someone like that for so long.

Humility is also a key trait that makes Shaunti special. During my (Samantha’s) first year working with her, I attended a national conference where she was speaking. When I arrived, Shaunti called to say she was at the loading dock and could use some help unloading books and tables for her booth in the exhibition hall. As I approached, I saw her carrying heavy tables and chairs. She could have hired facility staff to handle this less glamorous part of the job, as many others did, but instead she got to work. What stood out to me was the humility behind that posture. I learned a valuable lesson that day: no matter how far you go in life, nothing is beneath a servant’s heart. That is how Shaunti leads her staff and serves the people around her.

Things You May Not Know About Shaunti

We (Laurie and Samantha) were surprised to discover that Shaunti sang and danced in musical productions in her younger years—and is quite the dancer still today. At her daughter’s wedding this year we all watched her line dance and let us assure you, she’s got skills. A lot of people say they like dancing, but their style is a little more like Elaine from Seinfeld. Shaunti actually has the moves. 

Also, I (Laurie) love it that she’s a Marvel junkie. She quotes Marvel movie lines with the best of them, like “On your left.” (Does anyone know without Googling which movie that’s from?)

Speaking of “on your left,” Shaunti can often be seen fast-walking through airports. She travels A LOT. As her Executive Assistant I (Amy) am responsible for booking her travel, packing the right books for each event, and making sure she gets from point A to B. Over the past four years, I have sent her on many flights and some of them have been quite adventurous (one flight was diverted then delayed six times for weather, and in the end, she decided to just rent a car and drive home). I am constantly amazed at how she takes it all in stride. Maybe she is panicking on her end, but I only see calmness and grace on my end.

At the risk of making our fearless leader mad—because she will not like all the accolades—Eileen may have summed her up best: She is crazy smart, the hardest worker in any room, always up for a laugh, and can belt out your favorite Broadway tune. Like, wow!

Now, it’s your turn!

We appreciate Shaunti (obviously, from the above), and we also are grateful to you for joining us in this space each week, reading and sharing her blogs, and, today, celebrating her with us. If you’d like, head over to shaunti.com and leave a comment on today’s blog to share a birthday message or some way she’s impacted you. We’ll make sure she sees them.

Thank you for inviting her into your churches, family discussions, and lives each week. She’ll be back next week with insights to help you thrive in life, faith, and relationships. (Teaser: Next week’s blog offers ideas on how parents can send their kids back to school with confidence. You won’t want to miss it.)

In the meantime, we hope she’s putting her feet up, although knowing her, she’s probably prepping a keynote, holding meetings about her next research project—and maybe even working on her dance moves.

Happy birthday, Shaunti!

If you are interested in having Shaunti bring research-based strategies, practical wisdom and biblical principles to your next event, please contact Amy Masaschi at [email protected]/.

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