Twelve teens slept in the rain last night in cardboard boxes to experience what a homeless person has to do everyday. They have been fasting as well for 30 hours, uncovering a strength within themselves they may have not uncovered otherwise.
I am inspired by their dedication, patient perseverance and willing hearts.
I had the privilege of speaking truth into their hearts this morning. 12 more teens now hold a piece of this puzzle as a reminder that their piece of the puzzle matters.
I hope you will join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
That these teens grow into the people they were made to be and use their unique gifts to shine their light into this dark world.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Focus On What Is Important
My little guy asked to ride his bike to school today. It was drizzling. The old me thought, nope, another day. The new me thought nope, and then shifted to why not?!
So he geared up and I got Georgia and the umbrella and off we went.
About a 1/4 mile in, between helping him start riding once he stopped, holding the umbrella and keeping Georgia close I thought to myself I can’t do it all. Something has to give.
It can’t be the child, or the dog, so the umbrella rested against the fence while we continued on.
Isn’t that so true about life? We try and juggle a few things at once, we feel discombobulated and aren’t able to give our full attention where it is needed?
I share this with you in case any of you feel like I did today, taking on too much and not being able to focus on what’s most important.
I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we choose to lay down what isn’t necessary so we may focus our attention on what is necessary and important.
After patiently persevering, Matty, Georgia and I arrived at school. I am thankful for this memory and for this awareness. I hope to carry it with me moving forward, starting first by putting my phone down now and spending time talking with Stephen😊
With love and hope,
Shawn
Find Joy In The Ordinary
My five year old: “Mom, what did we do this weekend?”
Me: “We had a relaxing weekend at home.”
My five year old: “I need to write about something we did this weekend at school today.”
Me: “Okay, let’s go through our weekend together and see what you can write about.”
Together we can up with all the things we did...
- family pizza and movie night
- mulching and planting
- riding his bike
- family basketball game
- coloring
- game time with Dad
- listening to music
- family meals
- telling jokes
- Etc.
We laughed and smiled together as we remembered the ordinary events that made up such a joyful weekend together.
I share this with you because so often nowadays the ordinary seems to be not enough.
I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
And may we remember that it is the joy we find in the ordinary that make up our extraordinary lives.
With love and hope,
Shawn
She Is Determined
Today I spent part of the afternoon with my daughter and her friends outside the grocery store so their team could raise money for Relay for Life later in May.
When I talk about our struggles having purpose, this is an example of the good that came out of our family going through our walk with cancer last year.
Soon after I was diagnosed my daughter heard about the Relay for Life event and was determined to create a team with her friends and raise money for fight this awful disease.
Did I want cancer? No.
But am I grateful that my eleven year old daughter took the hand she was dealt and was intrinsically motivated to make a difference? Absolutely!
On the outside, my now 12 year old daughter, radiates joy and on the inside she is one of the strongest, most determined and resilient, caring, loving souls I know.
I have had people say that the money she raises doesn’t go to ACC and the percentage collected that goes to research is minimal. I hear that, but listen...I am not going to stop her when she is intrinsically motivated to make a difference in this world.
Instead I choose to stand beside her and encourage her. Why? Because when our kids choose to be a part of making a difference and want to be a part of the solution, they are on their path towards their greater purpose in life and I refuse to be a stumbling block on her journey.
I share this with you because at one point or another we are all dealt a bad hand. Yet I invite you to take a moment to join me to ...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
And like my daughter, may we see our struggles as an opportunity to be a part of the solution. Even if not for ourselves, for the next person in line. May we see where there is a need and go close to it. May we be intrinsically drawn closer to our greater purpose ~ to be the change we need to see in the world.
And as parents, even though we may see things from a different angle, may we meet our children where they are with love and walk beside them and support them while they do the work that is theirs to do to be a part of the solution to things like finding a cure for cancer.
With love and hope,
Shawn
The Manuscript is Off
Like all of us, this is a work in progress. I can’t wait to share it with you in June! I sent it off to the editor last night📝 This is the copy I will be working my way through to be sure I bring you the most significant lessons I learned that will enrich your life💕🙏😊
With love and hope,
Shawn
My First TV Interview!
CLICK ON PICTURE TO SEE THE INTERVIEW
Hi friends,
I wanted to share with you my first television interview😳
Thank you to my dear friend Melissa Cole for creating this wonderful story and sharing it today on Better Connecticut.
Here's to hoping that by being transparent with my story someone else may view their struggle through a new lens. May they too find a deeper purpose in their struggle.
And to learn more about my upcoming new book, Our Struggles Have Purpose, 50 Life Lessons from my Walk with Cancer, sign up below to receive the *Bonus Lesson* today!
Lastly, for any locals in the CT area, if you are looking for an ENT, I know a great one. Dr. Tessema has been a gift to our family and I am sure he will be one to yours too.
With gratitude and hope,
Shawn
It's In Great Hands
Where is the other half of this puzzle you may wonder?
It’s in good hands.
No, it’s in great hands.
This morning I had the opportunity to speak with 24 high school students. I was able to share with them that who they are today, is enough, inside and out. That they need to stop trying to change who they are and start looking to become who they were made to be. I was able to share that yes, they may have struggles within but that those struggles aren’t meant to weigh them down in life but they are there to help them rise up in life, refining them into their best self. I was able to speak truth into their hearts and let them know that they each are needed to bring their unique gifts into the world and that their piece of the puzzle matters.
Each one of those students now has a piece of this puzzle as a reminder that they are unique and valuable members of their families, our community and the world.
I know sometimes we worry about where the world is heading but when we choose to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
And empower our youth by coming beside them to let them know that they are needed and are valuable just as they are and infuse hope into their hearts, I wholeheartedly trust our future, and these puzzle pieces are in great hands.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Life Goals
There are a lot of goals I have for myself as I enter this new week. But may the most important goals I make be the ones that have me coming beside others, for when we aim to lift each other up, we rise up ourselves.
I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May the goals we set, and what we say and do this week, be a blessing not only to ourselves but to those around us.
With love and hope,
Shawn
ACC Unity Across the Miles
Tonight the ACC community is lighting up the world in memory of those we’ve lost to this disease, in honor of those fighting, in gratitude for those who have survived and for every family member impacted by it.
Whether we are close, or far apart, this community will always be near and dear to my heart.
I invite you to join us to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
And shine a light into the darkness wherever you are.
With gratitude, love and hope,
Shawn
Keep Moving Forward
Back in November Stephen gave me tickets to the Smart Conference in Boston, which is today. He knows the speakers inspire me and I am so grateful he continues to encourage me to move forward and he gives gifts that nourish my soul and put fuel in my tank...and I am also thankful this fuels him as well💞
The first presenter was @daveramsey and here was the quote he put in the screen💝
I share this with you in case you too are in the process of moving through, or forward from, an obstacle life threw your way.
May we all take a moment to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
And remember our struggles aren’t there to hold us back, but as a stepping stone to something new. And may we continue to move forward at whatever pace we can do today. It’s about progress, not perfection.
With love and hope,
Shawn
P.S. If you are looking for inspiration in life, in marriage, parenting, finances, time, etc., find the Smart Conference near you💕 Here are links to the speakers:
Marriage: @lesparrott
Finance: @rachelcruze
Finding your purpose: @kencolemanshow
Time: @officialchristywright
Retire Inspired: @chrishogan360
Parenting: @anthonyoneal and @megmeekermd
Boundaries: @thedailydrcloud