Tag: growth

hope

Here Is A Nugget Of Encouragement

Shaun Bradford

Good Morning☀️

May 13, 2024

Be intentional about encouraging others and yourself. Leave little messages for yourself here and there so you will see them when needed. I found the following in one of my posts from 2023.

“It always amazes me how God has me leave nuggets of wisdom and encouragement for my future self. Nuggets that are always relevant for when they are needed. Forever grateful. I’m blessed.”

In the same post, I wrote about finally becoming comfortable with sharing my works and ventures on all my platforms. That I was no longer intimidated or worried about being judged. I used to feel the same way when sharing my writings here. My heart would drop whenever I found an error after publishing my post. No lie. I would literally become sick and dwell on it for hours. Today, I don’t have that problem. If I see an error, I correct it and keep pushing. The anxiety I used to feel is gone.

So, I said all that to say that this reminder was a nugget of encouragement I needed today. Where I was a few years ago compared to where I am now is like night and day. I’m so grateful for how far I’ve come. Even where I was a year ago is nothing compared to where I am today. I’m growing, evolving, and becoming, and I love how it feels. God is so good.

Today, I would like to encourage you to reflect on your growth over the years. Look at how far you’ve come!

I’m proud of you. Now, keep going!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

hope

Who Are You?

Shaun Bradford

When was the last time you took a moment to ask yourself, “Who am I?”. I recently attended an event, and that was one of the questions. Who are you outside of your relationships with others? Who are you outside of your career? Who are you outside of social media? Who are you when no one else is around? What are your innermost dreams and ambitions, or your deepest hurts and fears—you know, the ones only you and God know about? Who are you?

Once you discover who you truly are, embrace and nurture the attributes that bring out the best in you and heal the parts that need healing so you can become the best version of yourself.

God has so many blessings waiting for the true you. Discover who you are!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

hope

I’m There

Shaun Bradford

Good Morning☀️

I shared the following on May 12, 2022—

Thank You, Lord for hearing my prayers and making this side of 50 different. Amen

That was God’s word to me three years ago, which I so graciously shared with you. Smile. You’ll never get to where you want to be if you can’t see or feel yourself there. It’s all about mindset.

Same questions as before:

– Can you see yourself there?

– Can you feel yourself there?

– Are you already there?

Me, I’m already there.

I’m there (here), fully immersed in and experiencing it all.

Y’all, God is so good! When I think about where my life and mindset were three years ago compared to where they are now, all I can do is praise God. I’m so thankful that He never gave up on me. So grateful that He kept nudging me forward when I felt like giving up and when I wanted to settle. I am so very blessed.

I pray you have an exceptionally wonderful week. Remember to keep God first and keep shining!✨♥️

I love you always,

Shaun

hope

Embracing EVERY Good Thing God Has For Me

Shaun Bradford
May 8, 2024

Last year, I shared the following in my post, “Embracing All Good Things”—

“Today, I am embracing all good things. Embracing every single blessing God sends my way. I am so thankful for His love. I can’t say it enough, I am truly blessed.”

And nothing’s changed. I am seizing and embracing every last good thing God has for me. Taking nothing for granted. Nothing! I am so blessed.

I pray you are doing the same.♥️

Love you much,

Shaun

hope

The Final Say

Shaun Bradford

That’s the message!

God has the final say.

Hang in there.

He’s got you!♥️

Love you,

Shaun

hope

Stronger And Braver?

Shaun Bradford

Good Morning!☀️

Three years ago, I wrote that the complexities and experiences of life and love made us stronger and braver and were worth experiencing.

Question—

Have the complexities and experiences of life and love, particularly love, made you stronger and braver?

My answer…

“Yes” on the strength part. The complexities and experiences of life and love have made me stronger. However, “No” on the bravery part. Well, only in the case of love. My experiences with love and its shenanigans have always made me retreat. I have yet to become brave in this area; however, I am working on it. One day I’ll be a love warrior-Queen! Smile

Anyhoo… On a softer, less complex note.

Last year, I celebrated the tenth anniversary of my dreams being revived. I wrote about how an invitation to a culinary experience had changed my life ten years earlier (May 2014). I said it had awakened childhood dreams I had buried in my early 20s. Well, at 51, those dreams are still alive, and this time, despite the “complexities” of life—because life is going to keep lifeing—I plan to keep them alive. Just call me the warrior-Queen and protector of my dreams!

That’s all I have for you now. I do want to know your thoughts on the question above. Are you stronger and/or braver because of your experiences?

I pray you have a fabulous day. You deserve it!♥️

I love you much,

Shaun

hope

The Best View

Shaun Bradford
Image saved on May 6, 2020. Photo credit: Unknown

“The best view comes after the hardest climb.”

If you haven’t seen it yet, keep climbing! It’s coming.♥️

Love you much,

Shaun

hope

My Journey With God, No. 92

Shaun Bradford

Last year I wrote—

“Heal so you can grow. If you do not heal, you will never grow to reach your fullest potential.”

Now, you’ll grow, and grow well in certain areas of your life, but you’ll never reach your fullest, God–ordained potential. At least, that’s what God told me, and I passed the message along to you. Smile.

When I turned 50, I asked God to allow me to live out my next 50+ years differently than my previous, and one of His answers was that I needed to heal. As much as I wanted to reset my life, I still had baggage I never fully unpacked or addressed—shame, guilt, disappointments, heartbreaks, and other hurts. I had to address them first so I could begin healing.

At first, I felt like my world had been turned upside down. Nothing was the same. My mom had just passed the month before. Then, God kept revealing the areas where I needed to make changes. I called it my pruning season because baby, I was being PRUNED! I was being pruned in all the places I needed healing. So, it was necessary.

Now, here I am, almost two years on this side of 50, and I can honestly say my life has changed—for the best. Not only do I feel it, but I’m beginning to see it, too. Although it’s all new, and I’m still working through some things—healing is a journey—I love my new life over 50. I’m determined more than ever to reach my fullest potential before I leave this earth. I want to see every God–given dream from childhood until now manifested. My recent experiences with so many second chances only prove that I’m not too old or too late for them to come true.

God is so very good. I’m blessed.♥️

Shaun

hope

The Best: God’s Best

Shaun Bradford

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

God’s Patience

Shaun Bradford

I am so very grateful for God’s patience with me. This journey has been long, tedious, and exhausting. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I have wanted to give up—BUT GOD!

God, thank You for being patient with me.🙏🏽

Shaun♥️