Let's Imitate Jesus' Love

As joyful of a time of year this is, I am also hearing the heaviness of many hearts. I just want you to know, if you’re heart is heavy, it’s okay to not be okay. And if you’re also feeling stuck, please be sure you let someone know

And if you have someone share their heavy heart with you, or tells you they are stuck, may we make time for them and imitate Jesus’ love towards them. He wouldn’t be focused on getting his to do list done. He would make coming beside the heavy hearted his priority knowing all else that needed to get done would get done. So as much as there may be for us to do in this season, may we be sure take time to slow down to..

pause. breathe. pray.

May we keep our eyes and ears open to those who are heavy hearted. When able, may we be imitators of Jesus’s love by coming beside them and let them know they are seen and heard. And even though we may not be able to make everything better, may we be a bridge to care if/when needed and be a prayer warrior for them in this season.

And if you’re like me, sometimes we may see so many people going through things, we can be paralyzed and do nothing or think we can’t make a difference. Instead of being paralyzed or thinking we can’t make a difference consider this quote that helps me,

May we “do for one, when you want to do for all” - @andy_stanley

and/or choose to do at least one thing, when you want to do everything.

With love and hope,

Shawn

"Love each other as I have loved you."

- John 15:12

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Gift of the Heart

On a recent hike I found a birch limb in the woods. I had this idea to use it as a part of a centerpiece for our dining room table. I asked Stephen if he would build me a box out of extra wood we had around and turn the birch limb into candle holders for me.

I have a thousand ideas a day, and Stephen graciously listens to many of them, patiently waiting for me to lay many of them down. Yet this idea was one he could see I was excited about.

After an errand the other day I came home to the empty box on my dining room table and Stephen asking me how he wanted the birch tree cut

This is one of the reasons I love my husband so much; he listens to the things that may not matter to him but he knows they matter to me. And he could go out and buy me the box but the fact that he and Gavin made this for me - even while football was on - means so much to me.

I share this with you today because in these times of giving, sometimes a gift of love doesn’t require spending money. Sometimes it may cost us our time and energy. Yet whatever we give the most important thing is that it is from our heart to theirs.

As we enter this holiday season, I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

As we go to give gifts, whether they are homemade or purchased, may it be a gift from our heart to theirs. What I mean by that is that when we think of the person we are giving to, may what we give not be about us, but about the joy we know the gift will bring to them. May the gift speak to their hearts that we hear them when the speak. Even though what they like may not matter to us, like this box to Stephen, they know we are giving it because we love them and know how much it matters to them.

With love and hope,

Shawn

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like a shifting shadow.” - James 1:17

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Blessed are the Flexible

All three kids are back home this week remote learning. I know it’s an adjustment for our family when all three are home, as I am sure it is for any of you experiencing similar shifts this year has brought us.

Something that has helped me is to remember these words a friend gave me last year.

As someone who thrives on routine, the shifts in our schedules has definitely thrown me off of my desired path. Also, as someone who has practiced and taught yoga for well over a decade, I know the value of flexibility in the body. Yet the same truth holds true for our hearts and minds.

If we hold tightly to our plans and expectations, when shifts come, they may break us. Yet when we put our palms up to God and say, “these are my plans, but when you direct my steps, I trust your lead,” it provides enough space for us to be more flexible to His will over ours.

So if you are finding yourself growing more rigid with the changes this year brings, I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

These times are challenging and shifts in our schedules/routines does try and break us. Yet to help us from breaking may we choose to be more flexible and let go of our desired plans and expectations. May we instead practice trusting God as our steps are redirected. It’s not easy, and I am far from perfect at this; ask our kids. Yet these practices aren’t just about my peace, I also know my kids are watching. How I respond to these moments matters. I pray to point them back to God as the one who never wavers, in this ever wavering world.

With love and hope,

Shawn

We make our plans, God directs our steps.”

- Proverbs 16:9

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You are Able

This picture fell out of an old journal today. It made me pause. I love this picture for so many reasons, including the people in it who we haven’t seen in a long time.

What I also love about this picture is that it was taken after these kids did something they thought was impossible.

Every summer we go to the beach with Stephen’s family. Years ago we were walking along the beach when we saw this huge piece of drift wood in the water. I was determined to get it out and I asked this fun crew to help me pull this piece of drift wood out of the water. With a little encouragement, they eventually agreed. When we bent down to move it, we realized that this thing weighed hundreds of pounds. Rather than walking away, together we pushed, shoved, and rolled this huge piece of drift wood to shore.

Afterwards there was such a sense of accomplishment, we captured the moment with a picture.

I share this with you today, because in these unique times, we may feel like what we are being asked to do things that feel impossible. Or we may feel that we don’t have the strength, patience or endurance to get through. If you can relate, I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we remember that we are more capable than we often give ourselves credit for. One thing I have learned is that God will equip us with what we need to accomplish the journey before us, all we have to do is ask.

So whatever seemingly impossible feat is in front of us, may we remember to invite God into the equation to help strengthen us from the inside out, and encourage us for the journey. May we also do our part to remind others of what they are capable of, and encourage them along the way.

And I pray that when we look back at this time one day, our stories from this experience, and how we were able to do things we didn’t think we were capable of, will encourage others for their journey.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” - Philippians 4:13

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Be Your Authentic Self

Do you ever have moments that capture your heart and you know they will stay with you? This morning I had one of those moments.

I had the pleasure of meeting an incredible kid on a zoom call for a virtual author visit.

When he first got on the call he noticed his hair was a little messy. I could see his desire to try to make it neat. Yet I told him I loved his hair as it was and shared that my son often shows up for his calls in a similar way.

I felt this was a moment I needed to let this boy know that he was welcome to this meeting, as he was, no matter what his hair looked like. I wanted to just get to know him, beyond the surface, where his truth resides.

And this caring, courageous kid did just that. He let go of the need to be perfect and just showed up for the conversation. He bravely shared his heart with me which lead us to having an authentic, rich, heart to heart conversation.

I share this with you today because this boy taught me something today that I wanted to pass along to you. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we learn from this remarkable boy that showing up for others isn’t about how we present ourselves on the outside. It is about being willing go beyond the surface and present our authentic self to others. When we can do that we will have richer conversations, and connections, like he and I did today.

And may we not only being willing to follow his lead, but may we also welcome others as they are too, just as God welcomes us

With gratitude and hope,

Shawn

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. - Romans 5:7

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A Renewed Perspective

This morning on my walk with Georgia I had a breakthrough. As I am sure you have figured out by now, I get scans for life, with my next ones in February. This is something that doesn’t seem like much when you hear someone has to do it, yet as the person whose life every 3-6 months has to pause for a moment to see if the cancer is back, is not as easy as I thought it would be. I am growing to see how cancer is part of my path for life. Not that I will ever have it again, but the question will always remain, especially with ACC, “will it be back?”

Yet on my walk this morning a light of love shined into my heart and lightened the heavy.

What if having scans for life are God’s way to keep me close to Him? What if being reminded that time isn’t infinite, and is the most precious thing we have, is God’s way of helping me live a fuller, more purposeful life?

I share this with you because maybe you too have a thorn in your side. One we all have in common right now is COVID. I wanted to invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we consider that God may be using these thorns in our sides to help us live a more purposeful life; a life closer to Him.

I read recently that God didn’t take away the Red Sea for Moses but gave him a path through it.

What if the same is true for you and me?

What if God does not remove the thorn but promises to be there for us to help us through it?

I am planning to move forward today with this renewed perspective, and I pray that by sharing this it may renew some of your perspectives too

With love and hope,
Shawn

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
- 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

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A Heart of Gratitude

It’s not about seeing what we don’t get to do, but finding gratitude in everything we are able to do

With gratitude and hope,

Shawn

Finally, brothers and sisters, 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

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A Blessing

A huge blessing that came our way the past few months is that my parents are officially back home in Connecticut💝 Their faith, love of one another, family and others have inspired me my whole life. Something just feels right in all our souls to have them back home.

When they moved two years ago from our hometown, it was an adjustment. Yet these two years apart taught me how often I leaned into my parents, instead of God, and this time apart helped me grow my faith.

I am so excited to have them back! Even though they won’t be back in our hometown, I am so grateful to have them a quick drive away.

I share this today as a reminder that we never know what the future holds and to invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

When we encounter unexpected seasons may we learn it can be a time we use to refine our faith. And on the other side of that season, there may be a joyful celebration waiting for us, when we can look back at what happened and see how God used it to grow our faith and our relationships stronger.

With gratitude and hope,
Shawn

“See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” - Isaiah 48:10

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Focus On the Strong Light

“A dark shadow fell across my road, but I passed through it. I hardly realized it was there. Why? I had my eyes fixed on the strong light beyond.” - C.H. Spurgeon

Although the cloud of cancer has lifted, it doesn’t mean that life is all roses everyday. We are living in unique times and there are layers of fog that I am sifting through, as I am sure you can relate.

For example, the other day Stephen stated the number of cases out loud and without any choice, my face had a wave of heat rush through it.

Anxiety sometimes isn’t a choice but an ingrained reply of our mind and body have. I have learned through my years of working through anxiety, that yes, sometimes meds and therapy are helpful, yet those may be part of an equation but it isn’t the answer.

What has helped me the most is having “my eyes fixed on the strong light beyond” the anxiety; Jesus.

I share this with you today in case any of you experience anxiety too. I want you to know you aren’t alone. Also, I wanted to invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

And let’s choose to not focus on the fog before us, but choose to fix on eyes on the strong light beyond. May we bring our anxiety to Jesus and ask him to calm the storm of thoughts in our minds, and help us sift through lies from truth. May we ask him to renew our minds so we remain focused on His light, and not on the fog before us, and receive the calm He can bring.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves,

“Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” - Mark 4:39

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Express Gratitude

Yesterday we watched church online and the topic was about the importance of expressing gratitude to others.

This message made my heart smile since, after my surgery in Boston last Friday, I had written thank you notes to the care team at Mass Eye and Ear. That smile soon started to fade as I realized that the people I hadn’t expressed my gratitude towards were those sitting beside me in the room, my family. Yes, we had celebrated the good news but I hadn’t written them notes, or verbally thanked them, for their part in all of it.

Its humbling to admit this - but it’s true.

Why is it that the ones we love the most may be the ones we express gratitude towards the least?

If this makes you pause at all, I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we take the time to express our gratitude towards others; including our loved ones. Even if we think the person already knows how grateful we are for them, it never hurts to say it. And maybe once you say something, you will see the appreciation on their faces, like I did😊

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." - Colossians 4:2

PS The sermon we listened to was
https://northpoint.org/messages/give-thanks
by @andystanley @northpointcommunitychurch and is worth a listen💕🙏💕

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