hope

My Journey With God, No. 93

I’m built to stand on my own ten. So, I’m good. –Shedeur Sanders

I saw a snippet of an interview with Shedeur Sanders expressing how all his drafted teammates were drafted in pairs or more and had each other to lean on, but he didn’t. He’s in it alone. The clip ended with his quote above—basically, he’s saying he’s built to hold his own.

When I tell you I felt what he said to my core! I’ve spent my entire life feeling like I have had to do things alone—to hold my own. Not because I wanted to, but because I was raised to feel like it was expected of me. When you are the oldest and in charge of everything and everyone younger than you, there is no one else to depend on. You are it! So, you learn to stand alone. I believe this is one of the reasons I have a difficult time expressing emotions like sadness, grief, and even pain. Expressing them makes me feel vulnerable and as if I can’t handle them on my own. BUT… I’m working on it. Little by little, I am beginning to open up and express those feelings, not only in writing but verbally. I am slowly realizing and accepting that it’s okay to let others know when I am not feeling strong. I don’t have to hold my own if I don’t have to.

Y’all, I am so grateful that God continues to reveal areas where I still need healing and pruning. I look forward to meeting the woman I will be a year from now and even ten years from now. (Just another nugget of encouragement I’m leaving myself. Girl, you’re growing!☺️.)

God, thank You for loving me.♥️

Shaun

hope

Deserving

Guess what?!

You deserve a wonderful life.

May 10, 2022

Yes…

YOU!

Now, repeat with me—

“I deserve a wonderful life.”

And do.🥰

I pray you are enjoying your Self-Love Saturday. Remember to do something special for yourself.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

hope

When God Moves

Good Morning☀️

Over the past month, I have watched God move in ways I have never witnessed or experienced before. Last night, when I shared that my spirit was having its own praise and worship moment, I was still in awe of how God had shown up hours earlier. Even as I write, I can’t help but praise God.

Short story…

Almost a year ago, I received a direct message from someone asking me if I would share an event on my Mississippi Thriving Facebook page, and I shared it. About a month later, I attended a luncheon for women veterans, and the person who asked me to share her event was the guest speaker. Towards the end of the event, I introduced myself to her, and she invited me to have coffee (hot chocolate for me) the following week. She was looking for volunteers to sit on the planning committee for the event I had shared for her. Well, what was supposed to be a quick meeting turned into a two-hour conversation. During our conversation, she shared her vision of providing resources, services, and assistance to unhoused communities in Central and South Mississippi.

When I tell you our meeting was divinely orchestrated! I had asked God for a mentor to help me with my nonprofit, which had been sitting idle for three years, and He sent her. After a couple of conversations with her, I finally launched my nonprofit.

Since meeting my mentor, who is now my newest friend (as you can see, I’m not ready to share her name yet), I have made more connections with the community than I made while doing community-based research—nearly 20 years. I have also participated in more community events (participating in another in a few hours) in less than a year than I have in my entire career. When I tell you I am so in awe of God! I asked, and He moved.

Yesterday, I attended my first public hearing to support my friend. If you didn’t know, providing assistance to the unhoused community isn’t very popular with cities. Over the last several months, my friend has had to jump through hoops to renovate an abandoned hotel that she and her husband have planned to turn into a day/resource center for the unhoused. Yesterday was another hoop… BUT GOD!!! When I tell you I watched God work! Yesterday, when I shared “God has the final say,” I was sitting there watching Him in action. At first, things appeared to be going downhill, but at the last minute, it all worked out in their favor.

Listen, you can’t tell me what God can’t do! When He gives you a vision or dream, hold on to it. It may take years to come to fruition, but it will happen. Also, timing is everything. We both talk about this all the time. Them acquiring the hotel, which had been sitting abandoned for years, was all about timing. Even our connection was about timing, and my obedience. You see, I almost didn’t go to the women veterans event. Kept making excuses all that morning, all while hearing I needed to go. Talk about an opportunity that could’ve been missed!

I can’t say it enough—God is so good! I just love the way He loves me. I asked for this side of 50 to be different, and lo and behold, He’s making it happen. I am so very blessed.


This is all I have for now. I pray that you have a beautiful day. You deserve it!♥️

I love you always,

Shaun

hope

It’s Already Done On Earth AND In Heaven

Good Morning☀️

Matthew 16:19 says:

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.


“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.”

Binding fear, stress, sadness, hopelessness, loneliness, depression, anger, feelings of unworthiness, and anxiety.

Side Note: May is Mental Health Awareness month.

“Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Releasing love, joy, hope, peace, success, wealth, great health, mental stability, and emotional wellness.

Declaring—It’s DONE! Amen


Please feel free to add to either category above. Then, after you finish, declare—“It’s DONE!” And mean it with your entire being!

Amen


I pray you have a beautiful day and an even more lovely week. God’s got you!

Remember, IT’S DONE!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**P.S. Keep shining!✨

hope

The Best: God’s Best

Good Morning☀️

Even though it may be tempting, now is not the time to settle for anything less than God’s best.

Can’t you hear Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers singing “The Best Is Yet To Come”? Well, I surely can. Smile. The song says—

God’s gonna really blow your mind
He’s gonna make it worth your time
For all of the trouble you’ve been through
The blessings doubled just for you

Guess what?
The best
Is yet to come …

You ain’t seen nothin’
You ain’t seen nothin’ yet


Listen, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Hang in there. The best—God’s best for YOU—is worth the wait.♥️

I love you,

Shaun


**On another note, this was too cute not to share. It’s an excerpt from my journal entry written on May 2, 2015—

“I took one of those FB quizzes about “what is your gift?” I got music. It said that you can channel a song for any occasion. Lord knows that’s true! Every morning and all through the day, a song is playing in my head. I actually mean- ALL day long!”

Well… it’s true. My life.☺️

hope

Release And Receive

Good Morning☀️

Today is the day to release every negative thing that’s been holding your heart, mind, and spirit captive. You know those things that have been preventing you from fully enjoying your blessings and life. Release them so you can receive and enjoy every blessing God has for you. You will never be able to truly enjoy them until you do.

Release them TODAY!♥️

I love you,

Shaun