Tag: God

Life

Only Two Weeks Left in 2023

Shaun Bradford

Y’all, we are only two weeks away from the glorious 2024! Yes, I am referring to it as glorious because 6/24 is my birthday month as well as my 51st birthday. How cool is that! Looking forward to every wonderful thing God has planned for me. It’s going to be a great year!

Here’s a caption from one of last year’s Facebook memories along with the Hello Sunday post I shared with it.

Facebook Memory: December 18, 2022

Only 2 weeks left in 2022!🎉

Whatever happened or didn’t happen this year, was meant to be. If you’re human like me, I know you celebrated your wins, even the small ones. But your losses, disappointments and setbacks… How did you cope – or attempt to cope – when things didn’t quite go as planned?

Me– I leaned on God a little more. I’m so grateful for His love, mercy and grace.♥️

Hello Sunday
There is nothing comparable to God’s love, mercy, and grace. He’s so amazing.

Y’all, self-love is everything, but God’s love will always, always, always reign supreme. I just love the way He loves me. If you do not already have a strong relationship with God, I suggest you build one. There is absolutely nothing like it—nothing like it! I cannot stress it enough, I am truly blessed.

Praying you have a peacefully, blessed week. Whatever goals you set for 2023 can still happen! Don’t let the countdown to the new year stop you from achieving as much as you can. You got this!

Love you!♥️

Shaun

Life

Hello Sunday

Shaun Bradford

Happy Sunday, y’all!

Since I began posting twice or more a day, I have not had much to write about on Sundays. Sundays used to be my spill day. Now I share all week long. Maybe I need to redefine what I share on Sundays. Maybe I will make it a theme day. I don’t know. We have two Sundays left in 2023, which means I have a little over two weeks to decide if I am going to give you a different “Hello Sunday.” Since I am switching things up for Year50, I might as well switch it up too.

By the way, I will be 50 1/2 (smile) next Sunday! Will give you an update on how the past month and last six months have gone. Just know that God is still working on me. Baby, I feel like I have been in some kind of spiritual boot camp. I guess this is what a jubilee year actually feels like. It’s the part no one mentions.

Anyhoo… here is a little something I wrote in my journal entry on December 17, 2014, which is quite indicative of my oh so wonderful jubilee experience. Can’t you feel the sarcasm? But hey, it is my world, right? Don’t know why I expected different. Laughing

Journal Entry: December 17, 2014

Remember God works in the supernatural! Facts vs Faith. Choose faith!

Guess I was hyping myself up! Laughing. Most of my life I have chosen faith over facts. Yes, way before I had the relationship I now have with God. Doing so has always drove realists and pessimists crazy. Y’all, I cannot help it. It’s in me. Not saying I do not have doubts—because I do have doubts—but faith always win. Always! So why change now? Nah…won’t do it. Cannot afford to. I must continue to choose faith, even if it seems like Crazy Faith, as Pastor Mike Todd calls it.

This is all for now. Thank you for reading. I pray you have a lovely Sunday.

Be Blessed♥️

Shaun

Life

Keep Smiling

Shaun Bradford

When I hear the phrase “keep smiling,” I instantly hear Dionne Warwick follow up with “keep shining, knowing you can always count on me for sure. That’s what friends are for.”

The song, That’s What Friends Are For, goes on to say—

“For good times and bad times I’ll be on your side forever more. That’s what friends are for.”

You are loved.♥️

Shaun

Life

Hurt People Hurt People

Shaun Bradford

Decided to include two Facebook memories in this morning’s post. Even though one is about healing from hurt and the other about love, I believe they were meant to be shared together.

Facebook Memory: December 16, 2018

Today’s message: “Hearing When You’re Hurting.” Bishop T.D. Jakes

Sometimes emotional pain is worse than physical pain, and it’s harder to heal. So many people are in pain. Some of it stems from years of hurt. But God is a healer. Amen

Facebook Memory: December 16, 2022

Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love is understanding.
Love ALWAYS wins.♥️

As I mentioned earlier, I thought the two memories should be shared together. Have you ever heard the phrase, “hurt people hurt people”? Well, I never bought into the idea until recently. I used to believe that the phrase only referred to people who intentionally hurt others. You know, the vindictive ones. I never considered the unintentional hurts.

I believe it is not until you are healed that you realize you hurt someone else because you were hurt.

Without going into too many details, that’s exactly what happened before I decided to divorce my ex. After 17 years of holding on to the pain of my daughter’s father abandoning me (and all the other craziness), I forgave him. Y’all, that was when everything changed. My entire outlook on life had changed because I was no longer in pain. Sadly, my eyes were opened and I began seeing all the damage I had caused. This included my marriage. Up until then, I honestly hadn’t realize I had married him out of pain. Little did I know, I was one of those hurt people who hurt people.

Now love…

I believe love is everything I had defined it to be—patient, kind, and understanding. However, I do not believe it is possible to fully love someone else while you are still in pain. Shoot…you don’t fully love yourself because if you did, you would let go of the pain. I still cannot believe it took me 17 years. I almost repeated the same mistake when my ex wouldn’t sign the divorce papers after almost 4 1/2 years. I had to let that pain go.

So, here is what I have learned from my experience. It’s not until you are healed from the pain that you realize—1) your pain can cause you to unintentionally hurt others and 2) fully loving someone else—including yourself—while you are still in pain, is impossible.

Life is definitely full of lessons.

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading. Wishing you a wonderful day. Love you.♥️

Shaun