Let's Lift Our Eyes Up

This weekend our family went for a walk at a local lake where there is a dam. We stood at the base of the dam looking up at this hundred year old wall.

As I looked at the wall, my gaze kept moving up, and up, and up. This wall is enormous, and standing next to it, I felt so small. As I gazed up though something happened, the beautiful blue sky above grabbed my attention. In that moment all I could think of was a something I heard on a podcast a number of months ago...

When you come to a wall in life, rather than staring at the wall, look up. Look up for the hand reaching out towards you over the wall to help you climb over it. - Christy Wright

I share this with you today because this whole situation may feel like a huge wall in front of us. Or maybe we had already been facing a wall in life and this has made the wall grow taller. When we look at the wall in front of us, we may feel small and wonder how we are going to ever get to the other side of it.

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

Yes, there is a wall standing before us. Yet we have a choice, we can stand gazing at the wall, entranced by its enormity; which, let’s be real, happens sometimes. Or instead, we can choose to direct our gaze up above the wall and seek what is above. May we seek God who is reaching out to help us in this time. May we extend our hand His way to receive wisdom to conquer this wall before us, and lead us to the other side.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.” - Psalm 121:1

LET'S STAY CONNECTED

Humbled By A Balloon

Yesterday I went to blow up a balloon for an activity for Matt, our youngest. As I held the balloon to my lips, I took a deep breath and blew out.

Nothing.

I tried again.

Nothing.

And again.

Same result, a deflated balloon.

Ugh. My obturator (aka my artificial palate). Sometimes I forget about it. And the reality is, when it isn’t suctioned right, things like blowing up a balloon, making a fishy or puckering up are simply not possible.

So I had to humble myself and ask our son to blow up the balloon for me.

I am sharing this with you today because we all have our limits. We all have areas where receiving help from someone else would benefit us. Yet it can be humbling and hard to admit our limits and to invite someone in to help us.

I invite you to join me today to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we be willing to accept our limits and invite someone in to help us when we need it.

As humbling as this moment was to ask our son to blow up the balloon for me, my hope it gives him permission to ask for help too when he has met his limit, and needs an extra hand.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“God is our refuge and strength an ever present help in trouble.” - Psalm 46:1

LET'S STAY CONNECTED

Stay Connected with Sam

Hi friends,
Today I wanted to say thank you.

Thank you for walking beside me, through the ups, downs and plateaus in life. I am honored you have invited me beside you.

I wanted to connect with you also because my past couple of posts were Sam related. I had a pull on my heart to remind kids, and their parents, teachers, grandparents, or whoever they were reading the book with, that they matter. In this unique time, I just don’t want any of you, or the kids in your life, to forget your worth and value, in your family, or in your community. Yet I know going between the adult and kids messages here may be a disconnect. So I wanted to invite any of you who would like to stay connected to Sam’s messages to follow Sam on Instagram at www.instagram.com/aplaceforsam or sign up to receive emails from Sam by going to www.aplaceforsam.com , and enter your email when the pop up appears.

Whether you join Sam and I, or not, I am thankful and honored to have you join me here. I look forward to walking beside you through whatever life brings, with God as our guide, His hope our anchor, and His truth as our light.

Stay well friends, inside and out💕🙏💕

With gratitude, love and hope,
Shawn

LET'S STAY CONNECTED

A Read Aloud of A Place for Sam

Hi friends,
As I have been thinking of ways to encourage others during this time, I wanted to be sure I also included a message for the children in your life. A read aloud of A Place for Sam is now available, as you see above! There are also fun printable activities on www.aplaceforsam.com for your child to do, including:

- a coloring page
- a family puzzle
- a printable to write someone they love a letter

Plus, there is a printable you can share with essential workers, and/or their families, to remind them their puzzle piece matters.

It is all free.

We hope you will join us in sharing Sam's encouraging story with others who need to hear that:

- You are beautifully unique
- You are valued
- Your puzzle piece matters in our family, our community and in the world!

Lastly, at the end of the book, and on the website, there are questions you can use as a conversation starter for you and your child. We hope your child learns it is okay to not be okay, and to hold on to hope and reach out for help when they need it, trusting they have a place and purpose in this beautiful world, just like Sam.

Stay well, friends and remember, your piece of the puzzle matters too!

With love and hope,
Shawn

PS Jan, Sam and I wanted to invite you to join us to help kids in need get food right now. There are three options to donate; locally, in the US, or towards a global effort. To learn more, visit Sam’s website. We appreciate anything you can give. Thank you💝

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When We Fall, Let's Get Up and Try Again

Two years ago, we taught Matt how to ride his bike on this trail. As I watched him ride the other day, I watched him hop on his bike and take off, without a thought. It wasn’t like that when he first started.

As when any of us started riding our bikes, we hopped on, and pedaled once or twice before we fell off. We’d get back on and try again, and again, and again.

We patiently persevered to find our rhythm in this new routine.

I share this with you today because when I watched Matt ride the other day, I realized that I am the kid learning to ride my bike right now; except instead of riding my bike, I am learning a new rhythm in my daily routine. I am waking up each morning ready to go, yet I have moments when I fall off track, whether it be with parenting, school, work, etc.

Yet, I keep getting up each day, and trying again, and again; some days seeking to press a reset button, multiple times a day.

I know we will find a rhythm that will work, but as with riding a bike, it will take time, patience and perseverance.

I share this with you in case some of you can relate. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we give ourselves permission to fall. To be imperfect. Yet may we too have the patience and perseverance to keep getting up, and trying, again and again. It may not be easy but one day we will find ourselves, like Matt on his bike, experiencing less falls and more joy in the journey.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

- Romans 5:3-4

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Never Lose Faith

I heard these words yesterday and they captured my heart. What these words speak to me, and I hope they speak to you, is the truth that, what is seen as the end, is truly a new beginning.

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we absorb the perspective and truth offered in these words. May we never lose faith in the end of the story, which is truly the beginning of another.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.” - Colossians 3:2

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Pause. Breathe. Pray. Poem

When I woke up this morning, reality set it
I can’t believe this is happening
I see the world we knew changed before my eyes
I must shift my gaze up high

For God you are in this day
So I will pause. breathe. pray.
And seek your Way

Let me look for the helpers living out love
And your hand in this day from up above
Let me know what is mine to say and do
With my eyes fixed on you

When the darkness seems greater than the light
I will trust each step with you by my side
For you are the way, the light, the truth
My hope is in you

For God you are in this day
So I will pause. breathe. pray.
And seek your Way

Let me give thanks for the helpers living out love
And your hand in this day from up above
Let me know what is mine to say and do
With my eyes fixed on you

The uncertainty, the unknown, the doubt, the fear.
Will all wash away when you are near
Give me perspective
Remind me of your truth
Give me wisdom; what is mine to do
And surrender the rest to you...

For my trust is in you.

...................................

These words came to me a few weeks ago. I share them with you today in case they can be a comfort to you, as they have been to me.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” - 2 Corinthians 4:18

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The Deepest Work

Sometimes when things seem barren is when the deepest work is being done.

With love and hope,
Shawn

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Follow Loves Lead

This morning I am sitting in a broken space.

I woke up to learn two friend’s had loved ones pass on yesterday, one, a child to cancer and the other, a parent to COVID.

With this sad news I find myself brokenhearted beside them...

and I want to fix it.

I want to do something, or say something, to make it better for them...

but I can’t.

I can’t make it better.

So instead I sit here in my home, as they sit in theirs, and I will share in their grief and sadness.

Why?

Because this is what love does.

Love doesn’t push and it doesn’t pull. Love never leaves you alone, or leaves you to do it on your own. Love comes beside you, and me, and says, let me love you here, where you are; let me feel some of what you feel so I can better understand your heart, and we won’t move forward until you are ready to.

I share this with you today because we’ve all been faced with this moment, where people we love are hurting and out of our love for them, we want to say and/or do something to try and make it better; somehow in someway. Yet the hard truth is there are some things we can’t make better, except to let them know they are loved, and are not alone.

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we follow Jesus’ example of love and be willing to come beside one another in the tough times. May we sit beside one another, and take on each other’s hurts and love each other there. May we be...

Be present, and listen.
Be sad and broken-hearted.
Be prayerful.
Be love.

And when our loved ones let us know what they need, may we become love in action.

Please keep these families in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you🙏

With love and hope,
Shawn

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” - Psalm 34:18

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” - Matthew 11:28-29

“God is love and love is God.” - 1 John 4:8

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Enjoy the Perfect Moments

The past two days our teenager has asked me to go on walks with her.

On the outside, I calmly said, “Sure!”, while on the inside I had a dance party.

Not every moment during this time will be perfect, yet may we capture and enjoy the perfect moments this time gives us.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“I will give thanks to you, God, with all my heart.” - Psalm 9:1

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