A Blessing for You

The other night I heard one of my favorites songs in person and it was so powerful. As I stood there listening, my heart was fueled with joy, to be beside friends and strangers singing these lyrics to this beautiful blessing together.

“The Lord bless you
and keep you
Make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you,
The Lord turn His face toward you, And give you peace*
Amen”

I share this with you today as a blessing over you in case you are needing peace in your soul.

I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.

May we take a moment to sit back and absorb the words.

I pray this blessing brings peace to your heart, as it does for me. And if you know someone who could use some encouragement, pass along the song their way.

Imagine what a difference it could make in hearts, homes, communities and beyond if we chose to send love and blessings to one another each day💕🙏💕

With love and hope,
Shawn

*Song is based on
Numbers 6:24-26

To listen to the whole song, look up The Blessing by Elevation Worship.

Your Puzzle Piece Matters

In 2016, one of the talks I gave was to a hundred teens. At the talk, the teens were divided into ten tables with ten kids at each table. I gave each table ten puzzle pieces, one for each teen at the table. Each teen took their puzzle piece and with the people at their table, completed their section of a larger puzzle. Then I went to each table and picked up each section of the larger puzzle. I brought all the parts of the puzzle together to the front of the room and put the puzzle together. I wanted to show each teen that their puzzle piece mattered and the puzzle wouldn’t be complete without them.

Later that week I had a bunch of words come to me and I sat down at my kitchen table and wrote A Place for Sam in thirty minutes.

When I wrote A Place for Sam I believed it was a timeless story to encourage kids that their puzzle piece matters.

Nine years later, I am so grateful that the message continues to resonate with children, parents and educators. And I am so grateful for Yolande Spears and The Bushnell for believing in the message and adding A Place for Sam to their Horace B. online Library for educators. It was a gift to be invited twice recently to share the book at a homeschool conference The Bushnell held.

I share this with you today because it’s so important we speak truth into kids hearts and remind them that they are unique, valued, loved and their ‘puzzle piece’ matters- no matter their age. Also, I am sharing because I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had the adult reading the book to the child reach out to me and say, “I needed to hear that too.”

So in case you too needed to be reminded, I want you to know - and believe - that you are beautifully and wonderfully made, you are valued, you are loved and your puzzle piece matters too.💕🙏🧩

With love and hope,
Shawn

How to Get Our Head Above the Noise

This weekend I went to pick up a table from a friend's home. When I went to pop my trunk, it wouldn't open. Not only that, my trunk starting beeping, a high-pitched continuous beep. I tried locking and unlocking the car. I tried turning my car on and off. I continued trying various ways to get the beeping to stop but nothing was working. I realized I had to go and get Matt from school so I drove away from my friend's house with my trunk beeping all the way to get Matt.

When Matt and I arrived home, I googled options and tried them yet nothing was working. After a little while Matt said, "I need to get away from this noise." I found myself replying, "we need to get our heads above the noise."

After an hour of listening to the beeping and exploring every option we could find, I ended up bringing the car to the dealership. As we drove up to the dealership I laughed and said to Matt, "this won't take long because no one else wants to listen to this beeping for long."

Thankfully the people were quick to help us and find a solution to make the beeping stop.

I share this with you today because in life there is a lot of noise but unlike the beeping of my trunk, sometimes we can't make it stop. So what can we do?

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

We need to find a way to get our heads above the noise.

How can we do that?

Four things we can actively do are:

- unplug and sit in silence and solitude
- breathe deeply
- pray
- meditate on God's Word

Practicing these four things isn't easy or a light switch that will immediately flick off the noise. Yet over time, and with practice, there is a quieting within that will happen. When we access this quiet space within, we will get closer to God's peace ruling our hearts and minds rather than the noise.

May we put these into practice so that even if the noise doesn't stop, like the beeping of my car, we are able to have greater peace within and gain wisdom on how to navigate the noisy circumstances.

With love and hope,
Shawn

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts
-Colossians 3:15

"There will be valleys to fill and bridges to build"

Recently when our family was in Nashville we visited the Johnny Cash museum. While we were there, we heard some lyrics that really captured my heart so I wrote them down...


“There will be valleys to fill and bridges to build.”

These lyrics caused me to pause because there are so many hurting hearts right now, from personal loss to what’s happening in our world.

These words reminded me that God is with us in the valleys of life, sitting beside us with compassion. And not only that, He is the one that can bring comfort and peace - or whatever it is we need - and “fill the valley” for us, in time.

The second part of this verse, that there are “bridges to build,” was really potent to me as it is something that is needed in our lives. Whether that is building a bridge between ourselves and God, building bridges between our hearts and the hearts of people in our lives, or maybe we are to be a bridge between others and God.

I share all this with you today to invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we remember when we are in the valley that God is with us, He is for us and He will help “fill the valley” and get us back to solid ground, in time. May we remain close to God, even if it challenges us to do so, trusting that He sees us, hears and and is there for us to help us through.

Also, may we seek to build bridges, between ourselves and God, between our hearts and others hearts, and may we be a bridge for someone to get to know God a littler better this week by living out love towards them.

I know lyrics are powerful and impactful, yet God’s Word is transformative. So let’s make the time to be in God’s word - whether it is for a minute or an hour - to help equip our hearts, minds and souls for what is before us.

With love and hope,
Shawn

Making Good of What Wasn't Good

I am grateful to the @csz_foundation for a fun night Friday night at the Wolfpack game and for what this foundation is creating for the youth in our community!

CSZ is a local non-profit that is focused on empowering our youth. CSZ stands for Connor Scott Zieky, the founders of CSZ’s son. Sadly their family tragically lost Connor to an accidental overdose when he was in his 20’s. They are harnessing their family’s story and have created the CSZ Foundation and a community center for kids in our town. The center is aimed to make a difference in the lives of other kids in town by having a place for youth to come to have fun, have in-person connection with peers, while also having engaging activities and mentors to support the kids.

I love the heart behind their mission and what they are doing for our youth, including for Matt.

I am sharing this because the Zieky’s family story is tragic…and powerful.

I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.

Each one of us has a story. May we be encouraged by the Zieky family and how they are making something good come from their heartbreak. May we be prayerful about our own stories and when the time is right, let’s be willing to share our stories to help others, whether it is in a one-time conversation with someone, or by creating something to bless others, as their family has done.

With gratitude and hope,
Shawn

Cycle for Survival

Thank you @bravelikegabe for this wonderful opportunity at @cycleforsurvival Boston to raise awareness and funds for @memorialsloankettering and rare cancer research.

Thank you also to all who donated and helped our team raise $5000🙏

Also, thanks to this amazing team, and to all those with us in Spirit💙🙏🎗️

And for those who pray, please pray for Pat’s family who recently lost her sister, Sue, to ACC and for Sue, Greg and Jen who have new treatments starting soon, and for all those in the fight and their loved ones beside them. Thank you💕🙏💕

With love and hope,
Shawn

World Cancer Day

Today is World Cancer Day. Even though cancer has been behind me for 8 years, it will always be apart of my life - as I walk beside others and do my part to raise awareness and funds for research for rare cancers like ACC, Adenoid cystic carcinoma.

On Saturday I get to participate in @cycleforsurvival in Boston. And in recognition of World Cancer Day, donations made to my Cycle for Survival page are being matched dollar for dollar. Rare cancer research is underfunded, and people diagnosed with these diseases often have limited to no treatment options - which people like Sue, Greg and Jen on my team know first hand.

That’s where we come in.

Together we can help the researchers and scientists at @memorialsloankettering have the resources they need to uncover new cancer discoveries that lead to lifesaving breakthroughs. 100% of every dollar raised goes to research within six months of the close of Cycle for Survival fundraising.

If you’d like to join me in this mission to beat rare cancers, and double your impact on World Cancer Day, you can donate HERE until March 1.

Whether you send prayer or dollars our way, we appreciate what you are able to do in this fight against rare cancer.

With love and hope,
Shawn

8 Year Cancer-versary

8 years ago today (1/25) a tumor was found in my nasal cavity that was growing into my palate. Later that week I was diagnosed with an incurable rare cancer, Adenoid cystic carcinoma. I am beyond grateful to be here 8 years later and am considered NED, no evidence of disease.

I am sharing this because I made a commitment to myself to use my cancerversaries for good. I wholeheartedly believe our stories are meant to be shared so that we can help those next in line.

Below is a list of available resources I’ve created to help those with cancer, and the loved ones walking beside them. The link to them is available in my bio.

- FREE pdf with 30 tips for people newly diagnosed with cancer
- FREE pdf with 25 ways to support a friend with cancer
- Pause. Breathe. Pray. Podcast season two is encouragement for cancer patients.
- Our Struggles Have Purpose 55+ Life Lessons from my Walk with Cancer book

Feel free to pass these resources and links along to anyone who needs encouragement on their cancer journey.

Be well and God bless.

With love and hope,
Shawn

Honor One Another

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