Tag: authenticity

hope

My Journey With God, No. 103

Shaun Bradford

I spent the last week at one of my sisters’ houses dog-sitting. It was planned months ago. However, little did I know I would need that time to sit and unwind. I needed the solitude. While there, I rarely turned on the television or watched anything on social media. It was just me, God, and Pepé (her dog).

It was there that I realized I have been blessed with a life that I continuously try to complicate by making this or that venture happen. The hustle and bustle that needed to happen happened on the other side of 50 including helping raise my siblings, raising my kids, and taking care of my mom until she passed. Yes, all of that happened on the other side of 50. So, now is my time to just be and care for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have the same aspirations and dreams, but I don’t have to neglect my well-being or peace to have them. Just like everything else God’s given me, they’ll come with time. I now understand that being able to enjoy life at my own pace is a gift, a gift that I am humbly accepting.♥️

Shaun

hope

Seven Days

Shaun Bradford

Good Morning!☀️

I’m hoping all is well with you.🌸

The final week of my birthday countdown is here! Seven days until Year52!

I smiled when I saw this Facebook memory. I remember how excited I was. I couldn’t wait to celebrate my 50th birthday, my jubilee year. Smiling because that was some year! Whew! Little did I know that my jubilee year would actually be my “tried in the fire” year. Soooo… did I come out of the fire as pure gold?

Hmmm… I’m still being refined.☺️

That year, I learned I needed to take better care of myself. I needed to put myself first to become a better, stronger version of my former self, especially if I wanted to live fifty more years. It was so necessary! I’m smiling because the pruning I went through had to be done. I needed to let go of so much of my former self to fully embrace the person I am today. Y’all, I like this version of myself better. This version of Shaun even breathes differently. As I said in the memory above, I am truly blessed.

I pray you have one of your best days yet! You deserve it!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

Deborah, if you’re reading this today, HAPPY 69TH BIRTHDAY!!! Thank you for your unwavering support, kindness, love, and prayers. May your day and year be filled with an abundance of love, joy, peace, and laughter.🌸💕🙏🏽

hope

Season Of Grace And Favor

Shaun Bradford

Good Morning!☀️

I pray you had a wonderful weekend and restful night.🌸

I woke up this morning singing William Murphy’s song, “It’s Working.” The song says—

“This is my season for grace, for favor. This is my season to reap what I have sown. …

Everything is working together for my good.”

Yes… This is my season of grace and favor, and my time to reap every good seed I’ve sown.

But I’m not alone. This is also your season! Continue to put God first and allow Him to lead. He’s taking you somewhere beautiful.

I pray that you have a magnificent week. May it be filled with lots of love, laughter, and joy.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

Eight Days… Year52, I see you!🥰

hope

There’s So Much More

Shaun Bradford

Never stop creating. There’s so much more to your story. So much more God has in store.

Keep creating.

Keep going!♥️

I love you always,

Shaun

hope

My Journey With God, No. 102

Shaun Bradford

Sitting here reflecting on when my life took a major shift around 10-11 years ago. I was entering my fourth decade of life, and was in the process of getting a divorce. Looking back, I can’t believe I went through and overcame as much as I did. God is so good!

On June 13, 2015, I wrote in my journal that my house was about to be foreclosed on, and I didn’t know where I’d get the money to save it. Well, I never got the money, and it went into foreclosure. That was a difficult year—probably one of my most difficult ones—but I made it.

I started that entry with—

“Thank you Lord for all you’ve done and continue to do. Lord I thank you for grace. I thank you for loving me. So many times I don’t see a way, but you make a way.”

Well, God didn’t make a way in the way I wanted Him to. I lost the house. However, I’ve gained so much more since that loss. The knowledge and experience I’ve gained from multiple setbacks and restarts over the years have only made me stronger.

I ended the entry with a self-discovery that has shaped who I am today. I wrote—

“I’ve tried to be like others, but it didn’t make me happy. Now I’m embracing the true me, the forever evolving me, and I love it, but some don’t. They liked the fake Shaun. Well, I’m me!”

I love how I picked up on and embraced the “forever evolving me.” Because that’s who and what I am. I am forever evolving. Who I am today will not be who I am next week, next year, or ten years from now, and I’m okay with that, because I love being me!

God, thank You for making me, ME!♥️

Shaun

hope

Hello Sunday

Shaun Bradford

Good Morning☀️

How are you?

I pray that you’re well.🌸

By the way—Welcome to my Birthday Month!😌🎉

For those who don’t know, I LOVE celebrating my birthdays, and I usually celebrate the entire month of June. So, if you don’t like people being extra, you may need to mute me because I tend to celebrate any and everything. Lol. Listen, if a butterfly happens to cross my path and I smile (all it takes is a smile), baby, that’s God’s gift to me and ONLY me.☺️ Yeah… prepare to be sick of me.

I love life.

I love my birthdays.

And I absolutely love my God.

Now that I’m getting older, every day and every year I’m alive feels more and more special. Just knowing that I am still here, and that I am surrounded by love, makes my heart sing praises to my God. Father, I thank You.🙏🏽

The theme I chose for Year51 was “Beyond Blessed,” and I am blessed. I am truly, truly blessed. I’m not sure what this coming year’s theme will be. I still have a few weeks to come up with something. Until then, I hope you’ll stick around and celebrate my month with me. And to everyone celebrating a birthday in June—Happy Birthday Month to YOU! Let’s celebrate!!🎉

I pray you have the most amazing day! May it be filled with pure, unconditional love, indescribable peace, and an abundance of joy. YOU deserve it!♥️

I love you,

Shaun