“A ship in port is safe, but that is not what it is made for.” - John A. Shedd
This morning I read about the loss of more lives by acts of hate. My heart aches for all involved, including the people who were the cause of it.
Why would I be sad for them?
Because they weren’t well. Those who are well within, wouldn’t choose those type of actions.
“Hurt people, hurt people. Loved people, love people.” - @andy_stanley
I share this with you today because news like this can be crippling for us to hear. Fear can grip our heart. Yes, I could wrap my arms around my family, stay close to home and not venture out into our day.
But that is not what we are made for.
If you too want to stay safe at home, I understand and invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we choose to unwrap the rope from our dock of safety and take a step in faith today to be who we were made to be. We were each made on purpose, with a purpose; to love others.
May we not take lightly that purpose.
Yes, it is important to love those beside us and that may be where we need to be today. Yet we also need to venture out and love others who need it too. Our words and/or actions could be what plant the seed for a heart to shift from hurt/hate to love today.
We have a choice in front of us, to stay safe or be who we were made to be?
Let’s go be who we were made to be in hopes our words and/or actions will be part of the change we need in our world.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Post-It Love
Last night Stephen, Kate and a few cousins went on a bike ride. After a stop, they went back to their bikes and found these💝
We will never know who did this, but their simple act of love made our day.
I share this with you this morning to invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we seek ways to live out love towards others today. Whatever we choose to do doesn’t need to be big, expensive or unique. It can be as simple as sharing encouraging words on a post-it and leaving it for someone to see along their path.
Let’s go live out love today, friend. Someone along our path needs to be reminded they are seen and loved💕🙏💕
With gratitude and hope,
Shawn
Build Others Up, Even When It's Hard
On our walk to the park yesterday, my youngest would run away from me every time I came within a couple feet of him. When I asked what he was doing he said, “I just want to get ahead.”
When I thought about this, it made me think of how I can be in life at times. Sometimes I may be “trying to get ahead” that I miss opportunities to walk beside those who are beside me. I know that wasn’t the heart of my youngest but he showed me the importance of walking beside him and not “trying to get ahead” myself.
Then on the way home, he repeatedly asked me to give him a piggy back ride claiming he was tired. (If you know my youngest, you know he rarely tires.)
Rather than doing the work for him, I encouraged him that he was able, he was strong enough, and that he was growing stronger inside and out by challenging himself to walk home.
Needless to say, he was not amused by my encouragement. Yet as our home came in sight, he sprinted to the door.
As much as I wanted to give him a piggy back ride, I knew this moment was an opportunity to build him up and speak truth into his heart that he can do more than he thinks he can.
I share these moments with you today in case you are busy trying to get ahead and/or are growing tired of whatever walk you are on. I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we choose to be where we are and walk beside who is with us. May we trust the path God has for us and not try and get ahead of where He has us and miss out on the opportunities to be with who we are with.
And may we have faith that God has equipped us for this walk we are on. If we are growing tired, may we surround ourselves with people who will speak life and truth into us and remind us that God will equip us.
As we headed to bed last night, I gave Matty a piggy back ride just to make his heart smile. Because love makes us do hard things sometimes, and love can be fun too💗
With love and hope,
Shawn
Palms Up
Palms Up
While I was in treatment I shared with you the moment when I realized I was trying to control the proton beams of radiation. I found my hands gripping the sticks on the radiation table when had a moment of clarity.
The work was not in my control. What was in my control in that moment was to lay and pray.
I share this again with you today because I find myself in life sometimes again gripping my hands, and heart, as I try and control situations, circumstances or people🤦♀️. (It’s humbling to admit that, but it’s true😔)
Once I see what I am doing, I say to myself, “palms up.” And I physically and mentally release my grip and place my palms up. I pray to see what is out of my control and surrender it to the one who is truly in control, God. I also ask to see what is in my control so I know what is mine to do.
This isn’t an easy practice as I slip back into taking control subconsciously multiple times a day. Yet in those moments of clarity where I see myself gripping, I release my palms up, let go and trust God.
I share this with you in case you too are gripping your hands or heart around something that is not in your control. I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we release our grip and place our palms up. May we surrender what isn’t in our control to God and be prayerful to do what is in our control.
“Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls chasing after the wind.” - Ecclesiastes 4:6
May we let go, trust God and do what is ours to do so our hands and hearts have greater peace and less tension in our days.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Acts of Love Can Shift A Heart
Acts of love can shift a heart.
Yesterday I received a ‘no’ to speak at an event I had hoped to be a part of. This is not new for me as a writer and speaker, as the no’s you receive far outweigh the yes’s. Some no’s you can roll off your back easier than others and I was disappointed about this one. Yet when I arrived home these were waiting for me.
I am not a thing person. Yet for our entirerelationship Stephen has given me flowers in moments like these.
It is a small act of love that helps me take my eyes off the disappointment and see that I am still loved for who I am by who is beside me, and that means the world to me.
Whether we know the struggles of someone else’s heart or not, today I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we choose to do a small act of love today for someone. Maybe it’s someone we know, or for a stranger. Whoever we choose to do it for, I pray that the small act of love transforms their heart, and our own, so more love grows within us all💕🙏🌷
With love and hope,
Shawn
Be a Builder
Yesterday I walked by construction workers with our kids. As we passed by them, I said hello to one of the construction workers and thanked him for what he does every day.
My youngest looked at me confused and said, “Why did you thank him? He isn’t building that building for you.”
I let our son know that just because what the construction worker was doing didn’t impact me directly, doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate what he does. Also, I added that it never hurts to thank people for their contribution to our community.
He shrugged off my response like any 7 year old would but hopefully a seed of truth was planted in him🌱
I share this with you today in case I don’t get to pass you like I did the construction worker yesterday. I want to take a moment to thank you for your contribution to our community. Whether you are a parent, a CEO, a writer, farmer, musician, cashier, librarian, teacher, administrative assistant, fireman, custodian, nurse, volunteer, lineman, etc. Whatever you are doing today that impacts others in a positive way, please know you are seen, valued and appreciated. Whether you hear these words of gratitude on a regular basis or not, I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
Please plant this truth within your heart and mind and reflect on it in the hard moments of your work. May this truth be fuel in your tank for the day, and days ahead.
And may you join me and share this truth with others you pass today by expressing gratitude for the work of others.
There is nothing better than speaking the truth in love to another person and seeing their eyes light up when they know they’ve been seen and their work is appreciated.
May we build one another up in our homes, in our communities and beyond💕🙏💕
With gratitude and hope,
Shawn
Why Not?!
This weekend my little guy was playing on his slip ‘n slide when he said, “Come on Mom, try it!”
At first I just sat there beside Stephen on the front stoop and then I thought, “why not?!” So I went over in my clothes and stood there on the edge of the slip ‘n slide. I paused because I didn’t know how to slide.
Yes, I was overthinking a slip ‘n slide🙃
Our youngest showed me a couple of techniques to use. After considering my options I finally took a step back then ran forwards and awkwardly slid on my stomach to third base.
It was so much fun!
I share this with you today for any of you who too are standing on the edge of something you know you need to do, for yourself or someone you love, but are overthinking it or the fear of not getting it right is stopping you.
I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we find that playful, fearless kid within. The one who sees life as an adventure and isn’t afraid of failing but embraces it as part of the experience. The one who isn’t worried about what is to come but is fully present where they are and who they are with. The one who goes to bed at night with no regrets, as they had given their all throughout the day.
May we get off the stoop and go experience life. Even if it doesn’t look pretty, at least we know we gave it a try. And maybe by simply trying, we end up blessing someone beside us along the way too.
With love and hope💕🙏💕
Shawn
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” - 2 Timothy 1:7
Inhale, Exhale
Have you felt yourself inhale and exhale today?
Have you felt your feet make contact with the ground?
This week I had another mri which thankfully turned out fine🙏
Yet when you walk to the edge of the unknown, suddenly the little things become the big things.
I share this with you today because I don’t want you to have to walk to the edge of the unknown to experience beauty in the little things. I invite you today to join me to...
Pause.
Breathe...inhale...exhale...
Pray.
May we find gratitude for the simple blessings today, like our breath and putting our feet on the ground.
It may not seem like much but when we can ground ourselves in those simple things and give thanks for them, the big stuff that has stolen our attention suddenly is seen with a new perspective.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Make the Time
🎉Yesterday we celebrated this fun-loving, clever, and creative guy’s 7th birthday🎉
One thing I am learning as we raise our kids is that time isn’t going to slow down. It just keeps ticking on and on and they keep growing and growing.
If you are feeling the same way, I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we be intentional and directional and slow down ourselves. May we make the time to be present beside our loved ones and enjoy the time we have with them.
We won’t regret it.
With love and hope💕🙏💕
Shawn
Make New Memories
The past couple years have been very transitional for our family. From cancer, leaving our church and my parents moving out of state, we have had to start over in many ways and move through hard emotions. Along the way I have had many trigger moments.
For example, when I walked into a store a few months ago, I was triggered by the memories of visiting that store often when I was going throughtreatment. My daughter, Kate, was with me and saw my eyes tear up. She asked if I was okay. I explained to her I was revisiting a memory and would be okay. I just needed to move through it. Her response to me captured my heart. She said, “Mom, we are making new memories.”
The wisdom in her words has resonated with me ever since. I have had many more trigger moments, including passing my parent’s old home in our hometown.
This morning, rather than reliving the old memories, the boys and I made new ones on the old dock at the beach by my parents old home. It was a first time we had been back in almost a year, and it nourished my soul, and theirs, in so many ways.
I share this with you in case you too have trigger moments where memories from the past flood you and can get you stuck in what was, whether it was good or bad. I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we take the wisdom in Kate’s words, and make new memories in their place and may those new memories be healing for our soul.
With love and hope,
Shawn