This news brought tears of joy to my eyes!
As a rare cancer survivor who fears having a recurrence, knowing there will be a place where people will be specifically working on treatments for these rare cancers is huge!
I am so grateful that @danafarber saw the need and took action to provide more options of care for these rare cancers. This is one of the first centers in the country dedicated to this💝
I didn’t think I could love Boston more, but I do💙💛
And although I pray it never comes back, just knowing this center will be there working towards specific therapies to help those who are fighting, brings a wave of gratitude and hope to my heart today.
💕🙏💕
With gratitude and hope,
Shawn
To learn more visit:
www.dana-farber.org/rareHNcancer
Celebrate Other's Successes
Today my youngest was sitting at the computer and I heard him excitedly say, “wow, level 37!”
I asked him what he was talking about and he said, “someone in my class is at reading level 37. That’s epic!”
(He slid humor in there as he always does as the program they used is called Epic👏).
He sat there smiling, happy for his classmate, no judgement towards himself or jealousy showed. He simply was celebrating his classmates success with contentment with where he is.
I share this with you today because it was a beautiful thing to witness and a lesson so important for us to practice; celebrating one another’s successes.
I invite you to join me today to...
pause. breathe. pray.
The next time we hear of someone’s good news, may we notice that judgement towards ourselves, or jealousy, may naturally creep in. Yet instead may we pray for God to take those captive and instead choose to celebrate their success with them, and feel the joy and contentment in our heart, as Matt did.
With love and hope,
Shawn
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence...” - Psalm16:11
Be Present with God
“God is with you wherever you go.”
- Joshua 1:9
#pausebreathepray #liveoutlove #livefromtheinsideout #actsoflove
The Calm of God's Truth
Are you carrying around tension more and more these days?
I was too to the point my doctors told me I was stuck in the fight or flight response. I have been working for months to get out of it, mentally and physically.
Acupuncture has been a tool to help me undo the tension physically and a space where I can lay and pray aligning myself back with God, releasing the mental tension.
Something my acupuncturist shared with me which has been helpful is to think about how “The strongest and most consistent energy will be the most influencing energy.”
I share this to ask you the same question I have asked myself, “whose energy is influencing you today?” Is it your kids, your significant others, a person outside your home, or online? Is it fear, worry, frustration, anger?
If so, I invite you to join me to...
pause. breathe. pray.
May we recognize that at the moment we are no longer attending to our own internal world, and allowing our relationship with God to be our strongest, most consistent and influential energy, we’ve given permission to allow other people’s energy to influence our internal world. May today we grow in awareness of this. Then let’s take a step away from letting other’s energy be what influences us. Instead, may we come back to the steady, calm of God’s truth, wisdom and love to dissolve the tensions within.
With love and hope,
Shawn
PS If you know someone who may benefit from this message today, tag them or send it their way💕
“He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they were quiet, so He guided them to their desired haven.” - Psalm 107:29-30
Recognize the Good Around Us
I was walking with Matt and some friends the other day. We were pushing our feet through the abundance of leaves that have fallen and were talking about how we didn’t like the withering leaves on the ground. We carried on in the conversation for a couple of minutes about things we didn’t like about the crunchy dead leaves.
Then I heard one of my friends say in amazement, “look at what we’d miss if we forgot to look up!”
Then we all paused and looked up at the beautiful leaves in the trees, the light shining through, and the beautiful fall day we were standing in the middle of.
I share this with you today because these days there are a lot of things that can capture our attention that we don’t like and we can get stuck there focused on those things. Our thoughts, and conversations, can circle around what is wrong.
If you can relate, I invite you to join me to...
pause. breathe. pray.
May we recognize if we are stuck in a pattern of focusing on what is wrong. May we choose to look up and see all that is right and that we have to be grateful for. Even in the most challenging days, circumstances and/or seasons, there is good to be seen. Today may we choose to give our hearts and minds a rest from what is wrong as we recognize the good around us.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. - Philippians 4:8
In Emptying, We Receive More
“You can’t have more unless you pour out.” - @annvoskamp
More. It seems to be a word associated with happiness and contentment in our culture. Yet what if our perspective around more is skewed.
If this cup of water sits here remaining full, it cannot receive more and the water is never used for its purpose; to nourish our bodies.
Yet when it is emptied, it serves its purpose and will be able to be filled again; being able to serve it purpose again, and again.
The more the cup is emptied the more purpose it can serve, to nourish those who drink from it.
The same is true in our lives.
We can seek to fill our cups and let them sit there. Or we can be like the second option, and when we have a fullness, we can choose to empty ourselves as an expression of love to others; serving our purpose.
In emptying, we are able to receive more.
I share this with you today as a reminder to you, and to me, to...
pause. breathe. pray.
May we be like the second option, and be willing to empty ourselves to serve our purpose in life, to love God through loving others. We can’t give if we are empty, so we need to be sure we are taking time to pour into ourselves so we have a fullness to give from. This doesn’t mean to accumulate more things, but to have a fullness of God’s love in our hearts in which we can give from. When we choose to use our fullness for its purpose, to share it with others, we will experience a true joy and contentment within; as we are living more aligned with who we were made to be💕🙏💕
With love and hope,
Shawn
“but emptied himself”
- Philippians 2:7
Tuesday Night Lights
Tuesday night lights⚾️
Enjoying the moments when the world seems right💝
Live Out Love
May we take a moment to...
pause. breathe. pray.
May we not just talk about being the change we want to see in the world, but may we put love into action. Even the smallest act of love, like Matt’s towards me yesterday, can make a big change in someone’s heart, including our own💕🙏💕
With love and hope,
Shawn
Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
- 1 John 3:18
Tell Someone You're Grateful for Them
Matt: I am grateful you are my Mom.
Me: 😳 Wow, Matt! I am grateful to be your Mom. Where did that come from?!
Matt: My Sun Chips bag told me I needed to tell someone I am grateful for them. You are the only one here, so I had to say it to you.
Me: 😂 🤗
Well, he didn’t have to say anything at all, so I’ll take it!
I invite you all to join me to...
pause. breathe. pray.
Let’s follow Matt’s lead and tell someone today we are grateful for them, even if they aren’t our top choice😉
With love and hope,
Shawn
Thanks @sunchips for encouraging my son to live out love today💝
Give thanks in all circumstances
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Prayer is the Bridge
“Prayer is the bridge between panic and peace” - Unknown
May we...
pause. breathe. pray.
And let the peace of God rule our hearts and minds today.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:5-8