Category: Life

Life

Just Believe

Shaun Bradford

“Just believe!” We say it all the time in passing. However, most of us never put too much thought into it, we just say it. As we all know, the action of believing is much more than a thought.

Question – How strong is your belief system?

Keep your belief system(s) strong!

According to last year’s journal entry (June 10, 2022), I was watching Bishop T. D. Jakes sermon, “Hurdles to Wholeness.” Think I need to rewatch it.

In his message, he spoke of faulty belief systems and how we will only rise to the levels of our beliefs. Hmmm

Here are a few more questions–

Do you believe in what you are believing for?

Or

Are you all talk and either, do not really want it… or… you do not believe you will receive it?

According to Bishop Jakes, however you respond to those questions will dictate where you go in life.

I guess you can say my Saturday has started off DEEP! Whew!! Wasn’t expecting an assignment for this morning. Time for me to reevaluate my belief system(s)–thought I was good–and make some necessary changes. Y’all, I am really serious about not taking baggage into the next half of my life, and part of that baggage is a faulty belief system. Either I want what I say I want or not!

On another note…

Two more weeks until Year 50 is here! Don’t have anything planned, but I am still excited. I actually feel like I’m getting ready to cross over into a new space in life. I used to believe I needed to bring in 50 by doing something huge. Something I could take pictures of and say, “I did that!” Now, it’s all about the big show that’s happening on the inside. I’m excited about where God is taking me spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Once those are in check, everything else will follow. Yeah… I’m excited!

Thank for reading! Praying you have a wonderful weekend.♥️

Shaun

Life

In God’s Hands

Shaun Bradford

Resist the urge to take the reins from God. Whatever it is… and I mean whatever it is… leave it in God’s hands. Allow Him to lead you through the process.♥️

Oh what a difference it makes when we release control and allow God to lead!

Y’all, I am so grateful my flowers were not lost. Tearing up again. I am very proud of the finished product. Stick around because the best is yet to come. Blessed

Shaun

Life

Every Praise Part 2

Shaun Bradford

I am really beginning to believe God enjoys me sharing my testimonies. Y’all, I am in tears! Like big tears. Just opened my app to attempt to redraw the flowers I lost this morning. Well… they are still here!!! I didn’t lose a thing! Listen, this has happened before and I still can’t recover what was lost. So yeah, I’m crying.

Here’s a glimpse of what I was working on. Will share the final product with tomorrow’s quote. Y’all, I am really crying!! I do not have to start over. Now it’s time to clean this one up and finish what I started.

As I said this morning– Every praise, every praise, is to our God! Amen

You do not have to start over. Build on what you already have.♥️
Life

Every Praise

Shaun Bradford

How about I have been singing Hezekiah Walker’s Every Praise for about the last hour or so. Little did I know I would actually need to send up a few praises for real. Laughing. Y’all… I just lost the artwork that was supposed to accompany today’s quote. Yep… it’s gone!

I had started working on it last night. Fell asleep in the middle of drawing one of the flowers, then woke up early this morning to finish them. When I tell you the flowers were so beautifully detailed… I actually felt like an artist. Well, just as I began working on the tree branches the app restarted. Although it auto saves, sometimes it doesn’t save everything. HA!! When I reopened the app the ONLY thing that was left were the branches. My beautiful flowers were gone. Talk about speechless.

Message–Every praise, every praise is to our God! In spite of what I lost, I will continue to praise God. Amen

We’ll just say I am fine tuning my craft. The extra work will be worth it.

Y’all have a blessed day!♥️

Shaun

Life

Just Had to Share

Shaun Bradford

My bestie is on a cruise right now and she’s been taking pictures and recording videos of gems she’s finding on the ship and excursions. Here’s one she just shared. It was too good to keep to myself!

Look closely…

Your life is unfolding according to The Divine plan.

If that caption doesn’t make you want to shout!!! Y’all… I’ve been sitting on something for over two years now. It’s my baby. When I tell you I needed this message. No, I’m not behind. Everything is unfolding according to God’s plan.

Y’all have a blessed day!♥️

Life

Follow Your Purpose

Shaun Bradford

Your purpose is unique and connected to something you do effortlessly. It’s authentic, never forced.

Advice–if you desire to live a happy, fulfilled life, follow your purpose.♥️ ~Shaun

I’m following mine, are you?
Life

Quick Testimony

Shaun Bradford

About an hour ago, I found myself in a dilemma. I could either respond the way I would typically or handle things differently. I believed handling it as usual would have been easiest, not the best move, but easiest. Well, I chose the more difficult and best way to handle the problem. Y’all, it was actually easier than I thought.

Sometimes we make things more difficult than they are. Before I settled on my decision, someone liked a post that I shared last night, “We repeat what we don’t repair.” Her liking that post was the nudge I needed to change my habit. See, I don’t always receive my messages from YouTube. Smile

I’m so proud of myself for handling things differently. I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to do it. Could have been doing it all this time.

My takeaway–Acknowledge what needs to be fixed, then work on repairing it. You will never successfully move forward until you do. You might move forward; however, eventually, you will find yourself back in the same predicament if it’s not fixed.♥️

A new era is dawning.

Year 50 loading…

Life

Beauty for Ashes: Be Ready

Shaun Bradford

Happy Tuesday! It’s 4:40 AM my time. Woke up startled. Not sure what startled me. Maybe something in a dream. Anyway, after praying and making sure my two were okay, I went scrolling through my Facebook memories to find inspiration for today’s blog. Well, I found three posts that I really wanted to share; and since I could not decide on one, I am sharing all three. All three are representative of how God has kept and continues to keep me encouraged. When I say God is so amazing and that He just won’t let me stay down, this is part of what I am referring to. Y’all, He really does love me.

Here are my posts from Facebook starting with the order in which they were shared–oldest to latest–June 6, 2019 (2) and June 6, 2022.

Facebook Memory: June 6, 2019 No. 1

I love the woman I have become.

Happy Thursday! Here’s today’s social media find. As I celebrate my 46th birthday month, I’m still trying to figure out what I truly want to do. I just can’t see myself doing the same exact thing for the rest of my life.

Although that part of my life is forever evolving, the kind of woman I’ve always wanted to be hasn’t changed. I am the woman I envisioned as a little girl. I’m strong, loving, compassionate, empathetic, passionate, spontaneous yet cautious, adventurous, love challenges… The list goes on and on. I love who I am. I know 5 year old Shaun, would be proud of her 45 year old self. Yeah, she would love me!

Facebook Memory: June 6, 2019 No. 2

Stay Ready!

If you’re like me, you ask for things praying they come to pass. However, after facing numerous obstacles, you start doubting that things will ever work out in your favor. But in the back of your mind you’re constantly reminded that God is ALWAYS working behind the scenes. You’ve actually witnessed His work through others’ blessings. You don’t hate. You rejoice with them and tell yourself, one day that will be me. Well, while you’re watching, are you preparing? If not, you better be because when God starts moving, He moves fast! Be ready. God is working.

Facebook Memory: June 6, 2022

Smile, God’s got you!

Here’s a much needed reminder that God will give you beauty for your ashes.🌹

Well, that’s all I have for you today. I pray that my memories bless you as much as they have blessed me this morning. Remember, God is working. You may not see it, but He is. Trust Him.

Love you!♥️

Shaun

Life

Be Consistent

Shaun Bradford

This morning I heard the phrase, “be consistent,” while watching a video. I love one of Merriam-Webster’s definitions– to be marked by harmony. Here is what I have learned about consistency. If your head is in it and your heart is not, or vice versa, despite good intentions, you will not be consistent. Both need to operate in harmony.♥️ ~Shaun

Consistency matters.
Life

Hello Sunday

Shaun Bradford

Was looking through Facebook memories and old journals to find inspiration for today’s blog. I could not find a journal entry from this date 20+ years ago, so I decided to include my Facebook post from last year, June 4, 2022.

“Just me being me.🤷🏽‍♀️😁 Y’all, life is good and God is sooo amazing. I’m so grateful for His mercy and grace. And the way He loves me – INDESCRIBABLE!! Whew! Getting emotional just thinking about it.☺️ Twenty days until #Year49, and I’m going to enjoy every minute because I KNOW #ImBlessed! 🙏🏽♥️”

As I mentioned, I could not find an entry written on this date over 20 years ago. However, I did find several entries between 1991-2002 written either the day before or after June 4. Y’all, I weep for that young lady. She was so lost, hurt and broken. For years, even decades, she accepted any and everything that was thrown her way because she felt unworthy and unlovable. When I tell you her self esteem was shot. I can see now that she was punishing herself for that one decision she wish she had not made. That one decision caused her to enter a downward spiral that led to self hatred and mental abuse. She consistently punished herself by allowing others to misuse and abuse her. She felt she deserved the pain because she had not lived up to the dreams and goals she had set for herself. Y’all, she did not know she could recover. Sadly, it would be decades before she realized that one mistake did not define her and that all of her dreams and aspirations were still in tact.

Now, here I am 20 days before Year 50. As I mentioned last year, I am so grateful for God’s love, mercy and grace. Y’all, it is truly INDESCRIBABLE! Today, I can happily say that my life is drastically different than it was 30 years ago. That young lady is finally a woman who understands that that one decision was just part of her (my) story. Smiling

Year 50 is loading. Excited to see where this next journey takes me.

No more pain. I got you!♥️

Shaun