I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
May we not only know this truth but may we put it into practice, especially in this season.
With love and hope,
Shawn
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Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time - Ephesians 5:15
As I waited in line yesterday to pick up Matty, I looked over and saw this bare scene. I took this picture because I realized how quick we are to capture the colorful moments of the season, yet these spaces exist too.
When I looked at this bare space it reminded me of a messy day I had recently. My mind was clouded and I was stuck in a negative thought cycle and I had a hard time shifting out of it most of the day. I had not had a day like this in a long time and I forgot how debilitating it can be to be so stuck in one's negative thoughts. Even with so much good around me, I had a very hard time - even after praying - keeping my thoughts in a healthy place.
Isaiah 9:6 is a verse I hold very dear this time of year, but one I truly need to call upon all year through. The verse reads,
“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
When I think about not only the struggle I had recently with my thoughts, but any struggle we encounter in our lives, it is comforting to know that we have a wonderful counselor available to us night and day. We are never alone. We have a mighty God who is for us, and wants to be invited in to help us fight the visible and invisible battles we experience. We have an everlasting Father who loves us unconditionally whether our lives - and thoughts - are tidy, or a mess. And we have the Prince of Peace who came into our lives so we can have peace in our souls, no matter our circumstances. Knowing this truth doesn't mean our struggles will always go right away, but it gives us a truth to help anchor our souls, and something we can meditate on to help us through. I share this with you in case you too can get messy minded, or are struggling in some way, and need to be reminded of who Jesus is in our lives.
I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
As we celebrate Christmas, may we not only see the baby in the manger, may we allow Jesus to be the light in our lives He came to be. May we open our minds, eyes, ears, hearts and hands to Him and receive what He is offering; to be our wonderful counselor, our mighty God, our everlasting Father, our Prince of Peace. May we allow His love for us to transform our hearts, minds and lives. And on those days, when we are feeling bare within, like this picture, may we remember we are never alone. And if God always brings spring after winter in nature, may we wholeheartedly trust He will grow something new and beautiful in our hearts and minds as well.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Today I saw love in action and it was beautiful.
I’ve mentioned to you before a local cafe, Beanz. It’s such a special place on so many levels. Beanz was started by two families whose daughters have down syndrome. As their daughters grew into adulthood, they recognized the options for their employment were slim. These two families came together and opened Beanz, a cafe where everyone belongs, and where they employ people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Meg, the daughter of one of the owners, works at Beanz daily and everyone who goes there knows her well, including one of their regular customers, and local artisan, Crystal.
Meg and Crystal discovered their common love of doing Peleton workouts. When Crystal shared with Meg she was going to New York to do the workouts in person, Meg was excited for Crystal. Meg asked Crystal if she would bring her favorite Peleton instructor, Matty, a Beanz shirt, that reads “Everyone Belongs.” Crystal was more than happy to deliver the gift for Meg.
While she was in New York, Crystal was able to meet Matty. She shared with him the gift Meg had for him. He was so touched by Meg’s gesture, he told Crystal they had to make a video for Meg to thank her.
Crystal was tempted to send Meg the video by phone but instead chose to wait and deliver it in person so she could see Meg’s reaction.
Today while at Beanz Meg shared with us the video Crystal had gifted her. To see them watch this together was just so heart warming.
Meg and Matty were gift givers, and receivers.
Crystal, the loving messenger, brought gifts of love from Meg, and Matty.
This is what love does, it gives and it receives.
I share this with you today, to invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
May we take a moment to absorb the beauty from these acts of love. May we recognize how love listens. Love gives. Love receives. Love bridges hearts. Love brings joy.
May this story inspire us to keep our eyes and ears open to others, so we too can be a vessel of God’s love when we are called to, as Meg, Crystal and Matty so beautifully were to one another.
With love and hope,
Shawn
A friend loves at all times - Proverbs 17:17
Recently my niece was in town and she told me she always wanted to try to embroider. I had always wanted to try as well so we spent one morning together sitting across from one another stitching, and it was lovely.
This project has been a work in progress for the two of us since, and we keep checking in with one another. Last night, I was finally able to send my niece my completed piece.
As I looked at it, I was reminded of something someone told me years ago. Life is like a tapestry, we see the back side of it, with all the threads messy and entangled. Yet God sees the front side, the picture beauitfully woven together.
I share this with you today to invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
Whatever is on our hearts today that have us feeling messy and entangled within, may we bring it to God. May we be reminded that we don’t always see the whole picture like He does, and may we trust He is weaving something beautiful together on the other side.
With love and hope,
Shawn
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And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28
(Cousins playing football at Thanksgiving)
The other night I overwhelmed with a couple of things I needed to complete that were time sensitive. Sensing my tension Matt came into the kitchen where I was working and said, “Mom, I’ll make dinner for you.” I thought he was joking but he wasn’t. He got right to work, and made the family a delicious meal.
I don’t share this to boast about Matt but more so to share what he taught me; if you see a need and your able to meet it, meet it.
I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
May we keep our eyes and ears open to the needs that are around us, at home and beyond. If it is in our ability to meet a need, let’s choose to meet it. I know sometimes there are so many needs that it can paralyze us from doing anything, or we think someone else will do it. Let’s make the choice to do at least one thing over nothing. For when we do, we will experience an inexplicable joy in our heart for choosing to help someone else just because we could, without the expectation of getting anything in return, like Matt.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. - 1 John 3:18
(Cousins playing football at Thanksgiving)
This weekend I was watching a football game. There was a punt return where the player ran 70-yards for a touchdown. As the players celebrated in the end zone, all I could think about were the two players who made great blocks that helped the player get to the end zone. They did what they were able to do to help their teammate, and team.
I started thinking about my life, and if getting to the end of each day was my end zone, how many people help me throughout the day? From my family helping around the house, school staff with my kids, the admin assistant at the doctor’s offices, the cashier at the store, the mailman, my family and friends, etc. Throughout our day, there are many people who are helping us, in small or large ways. Are we aware of their help along the way, and if so, do we take the time to acknowledge their contribution?
I share this with you today to invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
May we be intentional and directional to see the people God placed beside us each day to help us. May we not only see them, but recognize their help with a smile, a thank you, a note, or engage in a conversation with them. When we live this way, we are choosing to live not just for ourselves, but for others, which is what we are called to do. And like the player who did what he was called to do on the football field to help his teammate, may we live as we are called to by letting others know they are seen and appreciated. May we not only be seeking those helping us along the way, may be also be a helper to others too.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Love others the way I have loved you. - John 15:12
A part of myself I don’t discuss much is my love for being active. After my prayer time in the morning, I go to the basement to exercise. In each video I watch, there is an instructor, and beside the instructor there are always a few other people. One of them is a modifier, and another one is a person who intensifies the exercises. These options are provided we can follow the person who will best meet us, and lead us, where we are physically.
I am someone who loves to challenge myself in my workouts and for the majority of my life have tried to follow the person who intensifies the exericises. Yet something I have had to learn about myself is that even though I may be able to intensify my workouts, often when I do, I lose the integrity of my form; which has contributed to injuries over the years. The past couple of months, I have chosen to be honest with myself about what I really need, and that is to go at a pace in the workout where I can maintain integrity in my form. When I teach classes I say this, but the reality is, I haven’t always practiced this.
It is not easy for me to know I can do more and not do it. I am learning that just because I can do something, does not mean it is beneficial for me to do.
I share this with you today, because often in our lives, we are presented with various options or paths to take, offline or online. Some lead us to having greater integrity, and others lead us away from living with integrity. I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
Just because we are able to do things does not mean it is beneficial for us to do. May we pray and ask God to take away any pride in us that is in our way from seeing the wisest path for us. May we choose to humble ourselves to the reality of what we really need to do, and then choose the path that will lead us to living with greater integrity. When we do this, as I have done in my workouts more recently, it will not only benefit us now, but will benefit our future selves too.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely. - Proverbs 10:9
A few weeks ago I went to purchase makeup. The person helping me was very nice. As we were talking he said, "I can help you fix that if you'd like," while pointing to my cheek.
What he was pointing at is what many think is a dimple on my cheek, but when you are close enough to my face, as he was, you can see it is not a dimple but a wrinkled indentation in my cheek that was caused by radiation treatments. Without disclosing my whole story, I told him, "No, thank you. This is a memory mark that is not something I plan on trying to cover up or fix."
In a world that tells us not to have wrinkles, why do I not want to hide mine?
This visible scar is a reminder to me of God's love for me. God has been there for me in the darkest moments of my life, including when I was walking with cancer. I have never felt as close to God, or life, as I did during that season of my life. I don't want to hide my scars but instead I pray that when I see my scars, that they will always be a reminder to me to thank God for helping me through those times in every way, and that they also are a reminder to me that He is here to help me through today too.
I share this with you today, during this week of thanksgiving, to invite you to join me to...
pause. breathe. pray.™
This week, with all we are giving thanks for, may we also consider giving thanks for the tough times in our lives that brought us closer to God, which may include our scars. And if this is a challenging ask of you, please know I want to honor where you are. Instead of looking at our tough times, may we consider looking to Jesus and the cross, and choose to be thankful for His scars, that show us His deep love for us.
Whatever we choose to give thanks for this week, may we remember that we are seen, heard and loved by our wonderful God who is beside us today, and always, through the good times and the bad - and everything in between. And that is truly something to be thankful for.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends!
With love and hope,
Shawn
Enter his gates with thanksgiving & his courts with praise. - Psalm 100:4
Recently I saw this cute creation by the coffee pot. It made my heart smile to see this little gift Matt made for Stephen.
May we remember the little acts of love often are what make the biggest impact.
I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
One of the greatest humans needs is to know you’re loved. May we choose to live out love towards someone today, without excepting anything in return. May we pray the heart of the recipient knows they are seen and loved. And may we experience that inexplicable joy that comes when we purposefully choose to live out love, as Matt did when he gifted Stephen this Lego coffee maker he made.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Live a life of love. Love others just as Christ loved us. - Ephesians 5:2
Today was one of those days where I know someone experiencing a day filled with pure joy while at the same time I know someone experiencing unimaginable sorrow.
Last year I shared my heart with a wise friend on a day like today. What my friend shared with me that day will stay with me forever. I am sharing his wise words with you today in case what he shared may help you, as they have helped me.
What he said to me that day is, “what you are describing is the cross; the intersection of where joy and sorrow meet.”
Let me pause for a moment.
I know a number of years ago I would have said, “what?!” In my head and then just nodded my head politely to someone saying something like that to me. So please know I completely get it if that’s what you want to do right now. And some of you may be nodding your head in complete agreement with that statement. Wherever you are on your faith walk, I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.™
What my wise friend was sharing is that the cross, where Jesus died, is where joy and sorrow intersect. In the moment Jesus died, there was great sorrow for his death yet that same moment was also filled with immeasurable joy for his selfless sacrifice for you, and me; life.
When I have a day like today, I now look to the cross. For at the cross, I see that Jesus gave us a gift; the knowing that days like today would exist, and that joy and sorrow will have to exist together for us to truly experience the fullness of life.
With love and hope,
Shawn
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. - John 10:10
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