4 Years NED!

Four years ago today I had an appointment with an ENT. I almost canceled the appointment because, I figured the problem would go away and there were other things that were more important for me to do. Yet something inside of me said to go and I am forever grateful I listened.

It was this day four years ago the tumor was found in my nasal cavity and palate- and the following week when I was diagnosed with cancer.

This day brings with it joy because I am still NED and get to be with my family. It brings gratitude for the breath in my lungs, for my family, friends and for all the people who were there beside us during our walk with cancer, and since.

Yet it brings something else that I hate to speak of but it’s my truth. It brings up fear. I read something soon after I was diagnosed that caused me to close my computer and no longer read any more about Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.

The stat I read that day is that the survival rate for ACC is 40% at 15 years. I pray with all my heart and soul to be in that 40%, and I humbly ask, if you think of it, to also pray that I get to be too.

With most cancers, the further away you get from your treatment, the more in the clear you are. With ACC the reoccurrences happen further out from treatment. So as grateful I am to be four years out, there is also a fear I need to wrestle through today.

I know my story in written in God’s book and not found on Google. My head knows that yet the reality is I have had trouble erasing this stat from my memory. Most days I don’t think about it, yet it’s on my heart today.

Even so, I will choose to celebrate the gift of being here and these four years I’ve been given. Yet you may now understand why I stay so close to God in my days. I need His truth and wisdom to lead me, and not my own emotions. I need to trust what He says over Google. I need to let faith, not fear, rule my heart.

My hope each day is to live close to God so that every day I am given I live with purpose; loving others as He loves me. I pray that as time passes, my memory of this stat will pass too, and that there will be more funding and research to help find a cure for our ACC family.

To help put away the fear today I am going to live out love towards my ACC family. As a family we will continue our donations to ACCRF, Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation to help fund the research we need to find a cure for this rare cancer.

I wanted to reach out and ask if you would join me today in one of three ways to live out love towards our ACC family:

1. Donate to ACCRF at

https://www.accrf.org/donate/

2. To go to Amazon smile and choose ACCRF as the organization you donate to every time you purchase from Amazon smile

3. Do both

Our ACC family sincerely appreciates anything you are able to contribute towards finding a cure for ACC.

And before I go, I also want to add, that if you have been hesitating making an appointment, or have put your well being on the back burner, please remember that we don’t get two chances at this one life we’ve been given. Please make that wellness checkup for yourself today to be sure all is well

With love and hope,

Shawn

PS To hear more of my story watch video with my dear friend Melissa Cole at HERE

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

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Promises of Your Future

With love and hope,

Shawn

You have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

- Colossians 3:9-10

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It's Staying Lighter Later!

I took this at 5:15 pm which means...It’s staying lighter later!

Does anyone else get as excited as I do when you realize this?

Whether you do, or not, I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we go slow enough to see this change and give thanks for the extra light we get each day moving forwards

With love and hope,

Shawn

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. - John 1:5

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He Is the Light

With love and hope,

Shawn

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. - John 8:12

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16

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Give Thanks for This New Day

May we...

pause. breathe. pray.

And give thanks to God for this new day

With love and hope,

Shawn

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

- Psalm 143:8-10

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The Strength Within

It’s not the view I hope they remember, but the journey within that brought them to those heights

“Be strong and courageous do not fear or

be dismayed for the Lord is with you

wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

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What is Ruling Our Heart?

What is ruling our hearts today?

I ask this not for us to pass judgement or to cause shame, but for us to take an honest assessment of our hearts. For me, it’s often fear and worry that try and rule my heart.

If you don’t know, ask a loved one what they think rules your heart. How would they know? Often what we talk about most is what is ruling our hearts. For from the overflow of our heart our mouth speaks. - Luke 6:45

Whether we determine what is ruling our heart or not, the truth is what rules our hearts will determines our words and actions. And so I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

And may we make this verse our meditation this week. Why? Because when we allow God to rule our hearts, and not other people or our emotions,He will give us wisdom on what we really need to say and do with whatever comes our way.

We can be a vessel of truth and peace but it begins with what we give our heart to. So may we choose to give our hearts to God each day and trust where He leads us

With love and hope,

Shawn

W.O.W: Peace

V.O.W.: Let the peace of Christ rule our hearts. - Colossians 3:15

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What if there is purpose in the pain?

The other night I while skiing, I witnessed someone get hurt. The details of this story are not mine to share. I will say I learned this person is on their path to healing which I am so grateful for. I have spent the past 24 hours reflecting on the experience. I saw hurt and pain yet I saw something else too; love come by their side.

I saw preteens, moms, off duty EMTs, and a firefighter pause from their path of leisurely skiing to come over and help the hurt person - and call for help. I witnessed the ski patrol, police, and EMTs help get the injured person where they needed to go.

I saw each person do what was theirs to do and then back away for others to step in to do their part to get the person the help they needed. I saw people coming together and work towards a common goal; to help this person towards their path to healing.

I saw people living close to their God given purpose; to love one another.

I share this with you today because today there are people in pain, with visible or invisible wounds. Maybe that person is you. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

If you are in pain, inside or out , please reach out to someone and let love in today to help you on your path to healing. And if you are well, please consider opening your eyes and ears to see who along your path today may be in pain, inside or out. May we choose to be the love that pours their way, and be a bridge to care if they need it. There may be many we see, if so may we do for at least one, when we may want to do for all.

It is easy to assume that someone else is already helping, or will step in. Yet what if no one does? As uncomfortable and unfit for the role we may feel, may we choose go close - and extend love their way. Even if it doesn’t make sense and you don’t know what to say or do. Pray, and allow God to give you the words to speak, if any, and wisdom on the next best step.

Pain is hard & something we so often avoid. Yet what if it is being close to where there is pain that will draw us closer to God & our greater purpose - to love one another and be the love by someone’s side?

With love & hope,

Shawn

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

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Be A Builder

When I was a PE teacher, there was a game I had the kids play called “Builders and Bulldozers.” I’d have a bunch of cones of various sizes around the gym and I’d divide the class in half; half of the kids were builders and the other half were bulldozers.

The bulldozers would knock over the cones with the assigned body part I gave them, like their elbows. The builders goal was run around and stand all the cones back up.

It’s a fun game to play with kids. Yet sadly it seems we’re still playing this game in life as adults, not with cones, but with our words and actions.

I share this with you today because we have a choice as we enter this day if we will be a builder or a bulldozer.

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we choose to be a builder today, within our homes, in our communities, states and our nation. May we choose to say and do what will benefit one another. Yes, there will always be bulldozers but may we pray there will always be more builders than bulldozers, and some of those bulldozers have a change of heart and too become builders.

With love and hope,

Shawn

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. - Ephesians 4:29

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Be in the Thin Space

A few months ago a friend shared with me an idea that will always remain with me. She spoke about being in the “thin space.” I had no idea what she was talking about and she shared how the thin space is when it’s you and God, nothing in between.

I love this idea and know the times I am in the thin space yet if I am honest with you, I spend a lot of time in the thick space- when I have allowed life’s layers to come between God and me.

Today, as I drove by my favorite local lake, I saw this. I had to pull over and sit with this beautiful visual. I had to ask myself, are these layers of ice on the lake growing or are they melting?

The same question is significant between me and God. Are the layers between God and I melting, or are the layers growing between us?

I share this with you today in case you want to be in the thin space too. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we take a moment to absorb this picture. Let’s be honest and ask ourselves what the layers are that are between us and God right now. May we “be still to know God” so He can help us melt those layers away to get back to Him being the primary layer in our life. From this thin space is where God will be able to help us better get through the thickness of life .

With love and hope,

Shawn

W.O.W. (Word of the week): Be

V.O.W. (Verse of the week): “Be still and know that I am God” - Psalm 46:10

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