Ms. Shanell R. Burwell is a native of Durham, North Carolina. She has a BS in Psychology and minor in Biology, MS in Medical Science and MBA in Health and Administration. She has been involved in several ministries such as President of the Junior Ushers, Secretary of the Sunday School Department and President of Single’s Ministry. Currently she is a coach and mentor of youth STEM and Robotics Ministry. She is a daughter, sister and aunt of a nephew and niece that she loves to spoil at times.

From the Author:

​My biggest source of inspiration for this project, Greater Works, came from challenges I have faced in life along with a strong inner desire to help others. I have had obstacles in my personal and professional life which I could not have conquered without God. Facing and overcoming these challenges have made me stronger, wiser and brought me closer to God. So, for me, my inspiration came from every day and everywhere and I wanted to share prayers that I felt would help others connect with God. For example, I recall how God got my attention in December of 2013 while scrolling through my social media page. Among all of the works and posts, my attention was drawn to “The Prayer Project”, a challenge in January 2014 that was created by @Saunyaaa www.aloveperfect.com. The instructions were to select an individual and anonymously commit to composing one prayer-a-day for thirty days. I was inspired to go beyond the call and therefore, chose three people to send God's message of hope, encouragement and healing on behalf of God. At the end of the challenge, I presented the prayer journal as a gift to each individual to be blessed with their own personal message from God. During this intercession, I could visibly see and feel God’s presence through people, nature and objects. I felt connected with the spirit and longed to get back to that space and environment. God further prepared me for this journey by allowing a special conversation to occur with a friend which further motivated and inspired me to help others. So, when the call came to participate as an author in this project, it got my heart pumping and creative spirit working. It was an inspiration and confirmation that God had opened the door for me to continue in my mission to share and bless others. While I was initially hesitant to take this project on, I knew the Holy Spirit would strengthen me and I would find inspiration from my everyday life experiences that would help others. Ultimately, this experience has taught me how humility, understanding, and a selfless act of love for another can be a personal benefit, as well.