Something funny happened with one of my kids and I was tempted to post about it because I know so many people would be able to relate. My son laughed about what happened too but when I asked if he was okay if I posted about it he said no. So I’m not sharing the story.
But I am sharing this to say, before I post about my kids I ask them. Why? Because it’s their story too. Also, my relationship with my kids matters more to me than any amount of likes I could get.
Although I was tempted to post the story, I was reminded short term freedom (posting) can lead to long term struggle (my kids not trusting me) and short term discomfort (not posting) may lead to long term freedom (a stronger relationship with my kids).
I am sharing this today to invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
May we make choices with our words and actions that build our loved ones up, not tear them down, online or offline. May we begin with the broader picture in mind to give us wisdom to know what to say and do - or not say or do - in the short term. Temptation is real, yet God will always give us a way out, when we seek it - like He did by my talking with my son and choosing to honor what he was most comfortable with.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
- Romans 12:10
8 years alcohol free🙌
I am 8 years alcohol free🙌
I wasn’t much of a drinker to begin with but when I was diagnosed with cancer I made the choice to not drink alcohol again, and I haven’t looked back.
Here are 8 lessons I’ve learned since I stopped drinking…
1. Just because I enjoy the taste of something doesn’t mean that it’s what I need to consume or that it benefits me.
2. The more layers in life I take away the more I get to know the real me.
3. A fun time doesn’t have to include alcohol.
4. People who love you will accept and honor your decision, if they even notice.
5. When we make a choice for ourselves we shouldn’t impose it on others, instead meet others where they are with love.
6. Water, tea and coffee are enough for me.
7. I have never found in a drink what I experience in prayer.
8. I’m a cheap date😉
Cheers☕️☕️
Shawn
God will let you know
I hadn’t taped a podcast since October. I was debating to keep going or not and last week got back at it., even though it felt like trudging through mud. This season of the podcast is to encourage cancer patients. In the episode I taped last week, I spoke about two uncomfortable but healing steps to take when diagnosed.
One of the steps was to do what you need to do. And for me one thing I needed to do for myself was to video tape a message to each of my kids before my surgery. At the time Kate, Gavin and Matt were 10, 9 and 4, so in the message to each of them I also sang a specific song I use to sing for each of them when they were babies.
Thankfully my kids never had to watch those videos but it was something I felt I needed to do to have peace in my heart before surgery. And the funny thing is now the sound of my voice is likely more like nails on a chalkboard to them in this season of parenting, not soothing to them like they were when they were babies.
Anyways, why I am sharing this is the next morning after I taped the episode, I went outside and this was the sky I saw. And in Kate’s baby song I sang “cotton candy clouds against the blue, that’s the kind of day I wish for you.” Seeing this beautiful sky confirmed for me to keep going with the podcast- even if it helps only one person- I will finish what I started so that people with cancer can be encouraged through their diagnosis and through their treatments.
I am sharing this today in case you know anyone with cancer who needs encouragement, feel free to share my podcast with them (have them start at season 2). Also, if you feel lead to do something and it’s hard work and you feel like giving up like I do some days, I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
May we stay disciplined and diligent and trust God will let us know if we are in the right path, or not. May we rely on Him for what we need and trust He will use what we are doing, in time for good, whether we see the outcome, or not.
With love and hope,
Shawn
PS: HERE link to the podcast to the episode I mention above 💗
Only Light Can Drive Out Darkness
This morning on our walk in the darkness, the light of the moon and our headlights were our guides. It reminded me of the MLK quote, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.“
If I allowed the darkness to dictate my choices, I’d miss moments like this. Instead I am prayerful to not allow outer circumstances to dictate the posture of my heart and mind and determine my choices.
It’s not easy. It’s actually very natural for me to allow my emotions to lead me. But if I do that, I end up living with more fear, worry, regrets, etc. instead of living as a light as we are called to be.
Can you relate?
To be the light we must have the light within us to give.
“It’s the light in the lantern that shows the path, not the lantern.”
I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
May we make time to be with God today and allow God’s Word to fill us with light, love, truth and hope. May we allow that to be what dictates the posture of our hearts and minds so that we can be the light we are called to be.
And if the darkness feels overwhelming, I get it. May we guard ours hearts and minds and purposefully keep our eyes and ears on what will fill us with light and give us hope to anchor our souls. And if you’re having trouble, remember it’s a strength to reach out for help.
With love and hope,
Shawn
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. - John 1:5
The Cause Continues...
Yesterday I ran for Pat, one of my @bravelikegabe teammates, and her sister Sue. Pat was on our team in honor of her sister, Sue, an ACC warrior. Pat shared Sue’s story with us, and her heart and love for her sister was evident in all she said.
This week Pat shared with us that Sue has passed away. Another ACC family member gone too soon.
I share this today because the marathon has been over for months yet the cause behind it continues, to raise awareness and funds for rare cancer research so that warriors like Sue, and sisters like Pat, have more time beside their loved ones.
In memory of Sue, and all others we’ve lost in our ACC family, and those who are in the fight, our mission continues to raise funds for researchers to find viable treatments and a cure.
On February 8th, some of our Brave Like Gabe team will gather again for @cycleforsurvival in Boston to continue our mission to raise awareness and funds for ACC research.
If you would like to contribute to our mission, please visit HERE. As always, no amount is too small as every dollar makes a difference and I wholeheartedly trust one day, with your help, there will be a cure for ACC. Please keep Pat and Sue’s family in your prayers. Thank you🙏
With care and hope,
Shawn
The Power of 'Yet'
Tonight after Matt’s guitar lesson he said he was trying something new but didn’t get it down.
I followed up with “yet, you didn’t get it down…yet.”
He smiled and agreed. “I didn’t get it, yet.”
This moment reminded me that the things we need to know, we will get -often in time and with practice. And the things we don’t need to know, may be things we never get. And I have no doubt Matt will get the new thing he’s trying because he is dedicated to practicing.
I share this with you today in case you may be like me and Matt and have a new skill or habit you don’t have down…yet.
I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
May we trust we will get the new skill or habit down in time - not by sitting around hoping - as hope is not a strategy. But by putting in the time and effort. And if we aren’t intrinsically motivated to put in the time and effort, may we pray for what we need to push through, if we need to at all. And may the power in the word “yet” give us hope, as it did for Matty tonight.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Time is Precious
Unfortunately Kate is already heading back to school. This month with her home flew by and it was lovely having our whole crew back together.
Time together is precious.
Whether we get a month, a week, a day or an hour together, may we give thanks for the gift of time beside one another. Not everyone gets it, and I’m seeing that over time, as our kids follow their paths in life, our time together will vary. My hope and prayer is to never take time together for granted and to give thanks for, and absorb, the time we do get with one another.
With gratitude and hope,
Shawn
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom - Psalm 90:12
Begin Within
One of my kids was sick recently and I brought him to the doctor. While we were there I saw this picture on the wall and it really resonated with me.
As we begin this new year, often we seek to make changes and set goals for ourselves. Yet often when we seek to make these changes, we are looking at them from the outside in rather than from the inside out. The character qualities written as the titles of the books are ones - when we put them into practice - can help us accomplish the changes we seek.
But when I think about it, then the changes we seek have less to do with what we are doing and are more about the posture of our heart and our mindset within.
Whatever we are seeking to accomplish, it would first benefit us to…
- be determined (James 1:12)
- be disciplined (Timothy 1:7)
- have hope (Hebrews 6:19)
- persevere (Romans 5:1-5)
- remain focused (Psalm 119:37)
So that we then take consistent action. (Matthew 7:24)
These inner qualities, along with others, are usually what need refining, not our actual goals. And each one of these qualities, are ones in God's Word He speaks to. And in Matthew 7:24, we are told to not only know God's Word, but to put it into practice.
God is not concerned about out goals so much as He is concerned about our character and if we are living aligned with Him or not. Yet making goals are a tool that can help us live out His Word, and refine ourselves within.
So as we start this new week, and think of what you want to do, I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
What is one of the words above that is a character quality you need to refine and put into practice more? For me it’s to be disciplined and remain focused.
Whatever our answers, may we prayerfully take God's Word and put it into practice to help us grow more aligned God, and grow into who He made us to be, from the inside out.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Happy New Year!
🎉Happy New Year!🎉
I thought I’d share a few lessons learned this past year in case any of them encourage you as we enter the New Year…
1. Let someone else say no, let’s not close the door on ourselves.
2. Sometimes we have to do the things we don’t want to do to get the results we seek to have.
3. Small deposits over time add up.
4. It’s amazing what we can do when the purpose is beyond ourselves.
5. Silence and solitude are great teachers.
6. Letting go is hard but essential.
7. Don’t compare ourselves to others, or expect others to be us.
8. We need to stop resisting what is good for us.
9. Growth is on the other side of what is comfortable.
10. When we’re tired we need to learn to rest, not push harder or quit.
11. Ruminating on negative thoughts is destructive, prayer is productive.
12. What God calls us to, He will help us through.
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, healthy and joyful New Year🎉🙏🥳
With love and hope,
Shawn
The True Meaning of Christmas
In the midst of the shopping, wrapping, cooking, cleaning, driving, gatherings, and more, may we take time to…
pause. breathe. pray.
And turn our eyes, ears, hearts and minds to the true meaning of Christmas. For when we do, we will see that life wasn’t easy for Mary and Joseph. Their days were challenging as well, in a different way. Yet despite their challenges, they chose to trust God’s Word, ways and will over their own. And at the end of day, they had Jesus, love in human form, before them.
In the midst of our busy days - and minds- may we make space to remember that Jesus was born to show you and me what love in action looks like and sounds like. Also, he came to remind us that our true worth is as children of God - not in what we have, not in our titles, not in our bank accounts, not in our accomplishments, not in our doings. Yet by simply being we are His children, who are seen, heard, loved, and welcomed as we are, flaws and all. And the question Christmas asks us is will we see, hear, love and welcome Jesus into our lives too?
The choice is ours.
How loving is that?
May we find rest in this truth and may it help fuel us the rest of our days.
With love and hope,
Shawn