We Are All Connected

The other day we were on a drive and I was trying to make sure I knew where we were headed. Every time I set my phone up on the dashboard it would fall over. (I know, I forgot to use my phone holder thing😏)

I realized my phone was plugged into the charger, which was being shared by one of my children who was charging their phone from the back seat. Unbeknownst to them, when they moved their phone they were knocking my phone over, as the phones shared a common charger. I let them know what they did was impacting me. And then they accidentally did it again, and then again🙃

When I reminded them that our cords were connected and what they did impacted my phone, I saw the parallel.

Just like my child’s movements impacted my being able to see the directions or not, right now in society what we do, or don’t do, can impact others, whether we are aware of the impact or not.

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we recognize our choices have a ripple effect that will impact others, for the better or for the worse. May we make the wise choice to do what is in the best interest of others, and will have the least amount of negative impact. Let’s choose to wear the mask as a way to say, I don’t know your story and I don’t need to but I wear this mask in case I can help take care of you.

With love and hope,
Shawn

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
- Matthew 25:40

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The Beauty in Simplicity

Our boy and the sea. How I love the beauty in simplicity. 💕🙏💕

With love,
Shawn

“For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.“- 1 Corinthians 14:33

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See the Worth of What We Value

“You never know the worth of water until the well is dry.” - Thomas Fuller

Our power and water are back!
💧🙏💡

We are very grateful for the crews who worked all day in our neighborhood for our power to be back on💝

This experience definitely made me...

pause. breathe. pray.

And see the worth of what we value, that we so often take for granted.

With gratitude and appreciation,
Shawn

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Look Up

We are sitting here in our front yard this morning as we are on our fifth day without power, which for us means no water too, as we have a well.

Yes, it has been an inconvenience, yet I have to admit, somehow I function better when there is less. It’s like when I had cancer, and all that was insignificant was stripped away and I was left with who and what matters most. The same is true with this moment.

Yes, there are some things we don’t have, like power, running water and for days we were without WiFi yet there is so much we do have; breath in our lungs, one another, clothes on our backs, shelter over our heads, food on our table, access to clean water, showers and laundry at friends houses, etc.

When we choose to look up from what we don’t have and see all that we do have, and that others exist without some of these necessities on a regular basis, there truly is much to be grateful for. It can also be a time to grow compassion and empathy in our hearts for those who go without these basics on a regular basis, and nudge us to be a vessel of love their way.

I share this with you because whether you have power or not, there is probably something in your life that is challenging you too. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we take our eyes off the struggle and look up to see what we do have. Sometimes it takes that shift in perspective to move our thoughts from frustration to gratitude. It doesn’t mean the struggle has passed, yet gives us the ability to move through it with more peace and ease. Also, may we see the struggle as an opportunity to be be refined ourselves and come out on the other side more whole within💕🙏💕

With love and hope,
Shawn

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” - Philippians 4:12-13

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A Light to Our Path

Last night I was walking through my yard at 10 o’clock with my phone’s flashlight as my guide.

Why?

Because a storm that rolled through a few days ago has left us without power. So I was coming home from a friend’s house where I was doing laundry.

As I stepped across my yard in the dark letting this small light lead my way, it reminded me of a verse:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” - Psalm 119:105

This truth made me smile in the darkness because as much as I want to know when we will get our lights on the truth is, I don’t need to know. I just need to rest in the moment and take this new adventure one step at a time.

I am sharing this with you today because we are not the only ones facing uncertainty right now. We are all facing the uncertainty of when we will be on the other side of COVID, many of us are uncertain about what the school year will look like, others are experiencing unknowns about health, relationships, jobs, etc.

As much as we want to know, what if we aren’t suppose to know ? What if not knowing is the way for us to let go and lean into trusting God more?

The unknown and uncertainty of life is challenging yet there is hope. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we take time to reflect on the truth of this verse. May we be reminded that God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. May we consider that we don’t need to see more than what is right in front of us. Even though we are left not knowing may we trust in the one who is in the know so we can walk confidently towards the darkness with His word and truth lighting out way.

With love and hope,
Shawn

PS If you want to get to know God more and don’t know where to start, I’ve been there. Send me a note so we can connect💕🙏💕

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” - Psalm 119:105

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Mental Health Matters

I saw this picture years ago and have shared it over the years with friends going through tough times.

As someone who has struggled with anxiety and depression in life, these pictures beautifully show how sometimes the person struggling doesn’t know how to articulate what they are experiencing. Also, it gives a beautiful example of a caring response where the person isn’t trying to fix the other person or snap them out of it. Instead they lovingly choose to come beside them reminding them they aren’t alone.

I share this with you today because there has been a lot of conversations about mental health in these unique times. It is an important discussion to listen to or participate in in some capacity so we can better understand the struggle for ourselves or so we are able to better relate to someone we know who is struggling.

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we acknowledge that mental health matters. And if we are struggling, may we find the courage and strength to reach out to someone to let them know. And if we know someone who struggles, may we take the first step towards them to remind them they aren’t alone.

Something important to note is that if someone we love is struggling, don’t try and fix them. Start by being with them, and offer to be a bridge towards their healing. Simply sitting there beside them to listen or just be there in silence is in itself a helpful first step.

As a woman of faith, I want to say that yes, prayer is beneficial. I pray all the time. Yet as someone who has benefitted from the gifts of meds and therapy myself when I went through my walks with anxiety, depression & cancer, I wholeheartedly believe those can add value in the healing process too. They are not the whole answer, but can be stepping stones to help us get better footing as we journey towards solid ground.

With love and hope,
Shawn

PS If anyone knows where this picture originated please lmk so I can give credit where credit is due. Thanks!

“Love one another as I have loved you.” - John 13:34

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What Can We Learn from the Quiet?

One day this week I was in a mood and rather than pouring it onto those around me, which I admittedly have done before and was tempted to do again, I went quiet.

For about four hours I chose to be silent, to benefit myself and those around me. I chose silence so I could pray and sort through my messy mind, and also because the words I would have spoken would have been more destructive than productive.

After those hours of silence I circled back to my family and we had a productive discussion and moved forward.

I share this with you today because in this noisy world, sometimes we need time to...

pause. breathe. pray.

And choose to be quiet and listen; to our own heart and to the hearts of others. May we also choose to incline our ear to wisdom of God to give us knowledge and insight on what words to speak, and to use words that will be productive, and not destructive, to those that hear them.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding” - Proverbs 2:2

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Bridge the Divide

Last night Stephen and I took a walk and along the way we met a guy and his dog. The guy had a Navy hat on and so I asked him if he served, which he had. He and Stephen briefly talked about where they were stationed and then we all continued on.

We had another brief conversation with a couple as they were deflating their stand up paddle boards. We have similar ones and they shared with me a piece of advice about them which I was thankful for.

I recognized on our walk last night is that we connected with these strangers because we saw a commonality with them. We passed many more people along the walk that we didn’t talk with. This made me see that sometimes we engage in connecting with others when the common thread is visible.

Yet what if we realized that we have a common thread with everyone, it just may not be visible?

I invite you to join me today to...

pause. breathe. pray.

When we walk through our day today, may we consider that there is something we have in common with those along our path. Whether it is visible or not, may we choose to connect with them, even if through a smile (or smiling eyes behind a mask😉) or saying hello. Simple acts of love like this is what we are needing more of these days to bridge the divide and create more unity.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”

- 1 Peter 3:8

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God Direct Our Steps

The other night Stephen and I went for a walk in a quaint town nearby along the river. Our plan was to walk for an hour or so yet we had an unexpected crack of lightning hit close by which caused us to detour from our original plan. As we headed back along the river to our car, these storm clouds rolled in. We thankfully arrived back at the car before the sky opened up.

This experience was a reminder that the best made plans need to be fluid. Also, it showed us how it is beneficial that we are willing to adjust appropriately for the unexpected circumstances that arise.

I share this with you today because you may be like me and seeking to establish plans for ourselves, our families, our co-workers, communities, etc., for the months ahead. If so, I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we make our plans yet remember no plan is concrete. Instead may we recognize that even the most thought out plans need to be fluid. May we be willing to detour from the original plan if/when needed and adjust accordingly to any unexpected circumstances that may arise.

As I was reminded on this walk with Stephen, we can make our plans and think we know where we are headed, yet often God redirects our steps. And although it isn’t always convenient or what we want to have happen, may we remember God doesn’t detour us without reason or purpose. May we trust where He leads.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“We make our plans, but God directs our steps.” - Proverbs 16:9

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Calm Our Souls

Do you ever have days where your mind is so busy you can be sitting alone yet the room still seems noisy?

Me too.

Yesterday was one of those days. I knew I needed rest, for my mind, body and my soul. So after dinner when the rest of the family went outside, I chose to stay in, light a candle to pause, breathe and be still with God.

I use to believe that sleep was the only form of rest. Although I love sleep and know it is essential, I have learned there is another way to rest that helps quiet the noise and give me peace; prayer. Taking time while awake to press the pause button and spend time with God gives a rest for the mind, body and soul that’s unlike any other type of rest.

I won’t pretend it’s easy to be still, especially when my mind is so busy. Yet part of the practice of prayer is fighting through the noise to get to the other side where there is the calm and clarity reside. (And I never regret that time spent getting me to that other side.)

I share this with you today in case your mind is noisy too and you are needing rest. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we choose to press the pause button in our day today to breathe and be with God, even if for a minute. May we quiet our minds and ask God to clear out the clutter of thoughts that aren’t serving us and leave us with the ones that will bring calm, clarity, perspective and peace.

I know it seems like there is not enough time in the day to do this. Yet what if we reframed that to say this is the most important thing we can do for ourselves, and those around us, today?

May we make and take the time to rest in prayer. So when we find ourselves sitting in a room alone, we no longer hear the noise of our thoughts, but the quietness and calm of our souls.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“My soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.” - Psalm 62:5

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