Life

12 Years Ago

Good Morning☀️

Here’s what I shared four years ago—

September 22, 2014 written on September 22, 2022

Eight years ago, I wrote my first “purse note.” It’s the first of several notes I have kept in my purse to refer back to whenever I need encouragement or to be reminded of my dreams, goals and purpose. Yes.. I have eight year old pieces of paper in my purse.

So, I wrote this particular note during a pretty weird time in my life. I say weird, but truthfully, it was almost like an awakening. It was like my spiritual awareness was on 100. No lie! It was like I was connected to the universe and everything I could possibly think of or imagining was coming my way. I felt like a magnet. All I had to do was think of something and it was drawn to me. Y’all, I had never experienced anything like that before. It was pretty surreal!

Here’s a tiny snippet of what I wrote on that day–

“Out of my reach, but nothing is too hard for God.”

I ended the note with this:

Philippians 4:7 (Living Bible version)

If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.

It’s taken me a good seven to eight years to finally understand what it truly means to reside in God’s peace. No matter what I had to endure, God’s peace and love always kept my mind and heart stable and safe from harm. 

As for the snippet… Baby, I’ve learned that there’s nothing out of my reach. If I truly want it, I can have it. The catch is, I actually have to work for it. Yep.. gotta put in that work! Smiling 

I truly love my life. Y’all, God is so good. 

Grateful & Blessed


The military has a saying “Hurry up, and wait.”

One second everything’s moving a mile a minute. Then, the next second, nothing is happening at all.

For a few weeks now, everything’s been moving at such a fast pace that I haven’t had a real moment to take a good breather. Yesterday, I was both wired and tired. Had only slept a good 4-5 hours (not consecutive) in 24-36 hours. Nothing bad was happening. I just overcommitted. By yesterday evening, I was definitely operating on autopilot. Today, I have not one once of motivation in me. This engine has run out of steam…

I needed to see that post shared four years ago. I love my enthusiasm and optimism. At the moment, I really want to write about myself in the third person because that Shaun and the Shaun from 12 years ago are so different from today’s Shaun (at least, at the moment—maybe I’m just drained). They were younger and so eager to take on the world. All they talked about were pursuing their dreams and purpose (okay… I guess I haven’t changed much—Lol). They make me smile.

Truth be told, 12 years ago seems like such a distant memory. Four years ago, I could still feel the excitement. Today, it feels like someone else’s story than my own memory. I retired that particular purse note several years ago, probably after I made that post. I said it had fulfilled its purpose for that time and deserved to be placed in my box of memories. However, today I’m thinking I may need to go retrieve it and reread it because I want to feel that energy again.

Nah… I think I’ll find and read it later because this Shaun is a little too drained to get excited about pursuing dreams, goals, and purpose. Smile


This is all I have for today. Let’s chalk this up as a random ramble. I’m pretty sure none of it makes much sense and I have absolutely no energy or desire to go back and proof it. And if you’re wondering why I even stopped to write… Well, I’m 114 days into my new writing streak. I don’t care how much I try not to care about me not missing a day of writing, I care about not missing a day. Ugh…

My life.

Okay… I’m done.

I pray you have a wonderful day!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**Be sure to stop by Shaun’s Daily Inspiration and get your daily dose of inspiration. 

God’s plan, Life

Hello Sunday (294)

Happy Sunday☀️

I’ve been deep in thought this morning about life—life in general, and where I fit into the scheme of things.

Today’s Quote of the Day is a scripture, Jeremiah 1:5— “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…”

Yesterday, my elder friend, Ms. Raylawi, called and asked if I wanted to go to a college football game with her and one of her friends. Although I really wanted to stay home and work on a few things, I said yes. Before I could get ready, she texted me several changes to the plan. Before the last change, I threw a pork tenderloin in the oven and prepared toppings for sliders. Then, right before I left the house, she called to tell me that all of her plans had fallen through and she’d probably stay home. I told her it was okay because we were still going to have a great evening. I let her know I had already prepared our meal for the evening so we could just eat and hang out. And that’s what we did. We ended up watching the first season of LUPIN and talking until I saw that she could barely keep her eyes open. I told her she looked like a toddler fighting their sleep. It was way past her bedtime when I left.

I shared this story because this has been much of my life. As a child, I played with kids my age. However, I spent most of my time with older female relatives and family friends. Y’all, they had fascinating stories, and I sat and listened to them talk for hours. And sometimes we didn’t talk at all. We would watch the stories (soap operas) or their favorite shows together, then sit on the porch and people watch. When I became an adult, I did the same. I spent time with each of my childhood elders until they passed. Sometimes I was the only one who spent time with them before it happened. Now, here I am again. Not saying my friend is about to pass, but she’s been talking a lot about death lately and making sure everything is in order.

I often ask God if this is my life’s purpose. Many, many moons ago, I thought about opening a senior daycare. Then, a few months ago, one of my colleagues asked if I wanted to help her provide nutrition sessions to seniors at a few congregate feeding sites, and I said yes. So, every month I get to meet new seniors and hear their stories, while encouraging them to live their best, healthy lives.

I know this was random. Just got a lot on my mind about life and my role in it. Guess I should have made this one a “My Journey with God” post.

Anyhoo…

This is all for today. Oh… one more thing!

So, Ms. Raylawni told me she doesn’t sleep with her phone in her bedroom anymore because every morning before 5:00, it would ding. She said now when she hears it, she smiles and says, “That’s LaShaundrea.” Y’all, the smile on her face when she said it made my heart smile. Whew!

My life…

Okay… now I’m finish.

Thanks for letting me ramble. I have a few things to do to prepare for the week ahead, but I think I’ll take it easy most of the day.

Please take care of yourself and enjoy your day. May it be just as lovely as you are.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**Be sure to stop by Shaun’s Daily Inspiration and get your daily dose of inspiration. 

empowerment, Life

My Journey With God, No. 149

Good Morning☀️ And Happy Self Love Saturday!

Here’s a quote from Fave #4.

“Just try new things. Don’t be afraid. Step out of your comfort zones and soar.” –Michelle Obama

Quote of the Day – 9.19.2026

Comfort zone…

I believe these last three years have pushed me outside my comfort zone more than any other period in my life. I’ve already done more on this side of 50 (at 53) than I’ve done in decades at a time. I asked for my years beyond 50 to be far different from the last, and I’m so in awe of how God is bringing my ask to fruition.

While scrolling through my photos, I came across this text between my daughter and me. Y’all, all I could do was smile. It’s a testament of me asking and God answering.

This was October 2023.

I just love my baby girl!!💗

I was at home that day, reading tweets from colleagues attending our national food and nutrition conference (FNCE). For years, I lived for attending those conferences. They gave me the annual boost I needed to stay motivated, as well as sparked new ideas. You see, after I took my big leap of faith and resigned from my job, I could no longer afford to attend the conferences. I could barely afford to attend our state conferences.

Then, a year later…

Less than six months after my daughter texted, “You are preparing for the next level!!!!”, I said yes to serving as the president-elect of our state’s dietetics association. This didn’t take me outside my comfort zone (I had served years before), but I was at a stage in my life (or so I thought) where I just wanted to live the “retired” life. Smile

Here are more pictures from that day. Y’all, I really love our conferences.

Okay… So maybe I go for the food.😂 Always a good time!

I also attended last year’s conference in Nashville. This year, I’m planning our state’s conference, so it’s my main focus right now.

A few posts ago, I asked the question— “What do you want most [from life]?” And in another post, I wrote—

“Listen, if you want to truly live, sit and stay in God’s presence. He will give you experiences that will satisfy your soul. Yeah…His experiences are soul deep!”

I know what I truly want, and so does God. Attending the conferences may seem like a small experience, but for me, it’s one of those soul-deep ones. Yes, I love the food (I really think food is my love language☺️), but I love being around the people most. When I’m at those conferences—and that’s any conference or event—I talk to EVERYBODY! I even talk to the janitors cleaning the restrooms. I want everyone to feel seen, valued, and appreciated. Plus, it’s how you make connections. So yeah… it’s soul deep for me.

Listen, there are so many soul-deep experiences outside of your comfort zone. Be open to saying yes to new opportunities and doing something new.


This is all for today. Have a wonderful self-love Saturday. Celebrate it by doing something new!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**Be sure to stop by Shaun’s Daily Inspiration and get your daily dose of inspiration. 

hope, Life

Hello Sunday (293)

Happy Sunday☀️

Guess what?!

Like clockwork. As soon as I opened my eyes I heard, “This is the air I breathe…” Smile

So you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to let the song (“Breathe” by Byron Cage—details in past posts) be. I’m not going to wish it away. Instead, I’m going to embrace it and allow God’s holy presence to surround me and flow through me.


Today, I encourage you to do the same. Breathe in God’s presence. Allow it to surround and flow through you. Believe me, there’s absolutely nothing like it.

Breathe…


Wishing you a wonderful day. May it be filled with lots of love, laughter, joy, and peace.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**Be sure to stop by Shaun’s Daily Inspiration and get your daily dose of inspiration. 

God’s Timing, Life

Happy Thursday!

Good Morning☀️ and Happy Thursday!

This morning, I spent a little time traveling down memory lane (scrolling through photos on my phone😊). It’s incredible how quickly time passes when so many experiences fit into certain timeframes. What I once considered “passing time” was anything but passive. Even though I couldn’t see it then, life was always moving. I was always moving. Now I see how different events and experiences shaped who I am today. It’s truly amazing. God was definitely working in my life.

Here’s a post I shared five years ago. Looking back, I can truly say my best days have far outweighed the bad. Feeling blessed.


I know sometimes you may feel as if you’re standing still and life just isn’t moving. But it is definitely moving, and in your favor (I truly believe this). Just take a scroll down memory lane and intentionally look for the good, only the good. I promise you, you’ll see how life, in some shape, form, or fashion, is so much better than before.

Remember—only look for the good.


This is all I have for now. I pray you have a wonderful day! May it be filled with lots of love, peace, and laughter.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**Be sure to stop by Shaun’s Daily Inspiration and get your daily dose of inspiration. 

empowerment, Life

True Forgiveness

“Forgiveness” September 9, 2024

I shared the message above on this day two years ago. I wrote about how my life changed after I forgave someone who had really hurt me. Even though I said I had forgiven them, part of me hadn’t. For years I held on to the pain, but it wasn’t until I forgave them in my heart that my life began to change. Y’all, it was the release I didn’t know I needed.

Today, I encourage you to forgive those who have hurt you. Release the pain and them to God. Once you do, great things will begin to happen. Listen, true forgiveness does set great things in motion.

As I said in 2024, “Try it!”


On a lighter note…

Who’s tried WordPress’ new podcast feature?! It popped up after I made a post for Nutrition with LaShaundreaB. After trying it there, I decided to try it with my posts under Shaun’s Daily Inspiration (links below). Although you can edit conversations, I’m not brave enough to try it with the posts I share here because I don’t know what that conversation would look like.🥴🤭

Here are the mini podcast episodes. Both are under four minutes. I really like this feature!

Podcast: From “Baby Cabbages” to One Of My Favorites: Brussels Sprouts

Podcast: Becoming Your True Self


Before I end, I would like to invite you to watch Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Again? on Netflix. We have been waiting for the final movie for years. Side note: I’m not sure why the movie was released on a Wednesday, but hey, that’s above my pay grade. I’m just glad we got one more movie. Can’t wait to watch it!😊


I’m going to end here. Wishing you a wonderfully blessed day.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**Be sure to stop by Shaun’s Daily Inspiration and get your daily dose of inspiration. 

🎶 By the way, I’m still singing “Air I Breathe” by Byron Cage. I can’t express it enough, I’m so grateful to be surrounded by God’s presence.

hope, Life

Hello Sunday (292)

Happy Sunday☀️

I pray your weekend is going well. I forgot that it’s Labor Day weekend and most people are off work tomorrow. So, please enjoy your extended weekend!

This morning, I’ve been scrolling through the photos on my phone, looking at what I saved or captured on this date over the past ten years. Life is so interesting. I have had so many different looks and experiences. Time has really flown by. Grateful to still be here.🙏🏽

Not sure what I’ll do today—what memories I’ll make. Think I’ll just go with the flow…

Here’s a short video of the quotes I shared on September 6, 2022:

Y’all take it easy and enjoy your day!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**Be sure to stop by Shaun’s Daily Inspiration and get your daily dose of inspiration.

hope

For God’s Glory

Good Morning☀️ and Happy Friday!

Since I’m wide awake, I thought I’d go ahead and share a post. The song of the hour is Tasha Cobbs Leonard’s “For Your Glory.” The song says—

Lord if I
Find favor in Your sight
Lord please
Hear my hearts cry…

For Your glory
I will do anything
Just to see You
To behold You as my King

Several posts ago, I posed the question “What do you want most from life?” Well, my answer is for God’s glory to shine through me. I’m not asking to be perfect, nor do I ever want to be, but I do want God’s glory to shine through me and everything I do. I want others to feel what I feel when I think of my experiences with God. Sometimes I stop and think, “I know people think I’m crazy or losing it.” Laughing. But y’all, my experiences with God are truly indescribable. I’m forever in awe of Him! This doesn’t mean I don’t ever feel down, get hurt, experience pain, or cry, because all of this happens. However, it’s how God shows up not only in bad times but also in the most wonderful times that amazes me. I want everyone to have these God experiences.

I can’t express it enough how good God is, and how truly blessed I am.


I pray you have a wonderful day and weekend. May you experience the presence of God’s glory. May it rest upon you and shine through you.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**Be sure to stop by Shaun’s Daily Inspiration and get your daily dose of inspiration.

hope

Something Beautiful Is Happening

Hello and Happy Thursday!☀️

Something beautiful is happening in the atmosphere. This week alone, I’ve witnessed people step up, walk in their callings, and receive blessing after blessing. Y’all, it’s been so beautiful to watch. The testimonies alone have left me smiling and sometimes weeping happy tears. God is so good! Be careful not to miss the good things happening around you and in your life as well. Believe me, the blessings are there. You just have to be open to recognizing and receiving them.

Again, God is so good!

This is all I have for you today. Have a wonderfully blessed day. May it be filled with lots of love, laughter, peace, and happiness.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**Be sure to stop by Shaun’s Daily Inspiration and get your daily dose of inspiration.

gratitude, Life

My Journey With God, No. 147

“I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.” –Louise Hays

Quote of the Day – 9.02.2026

Yesterday evening, I had the pleasure of celebrating my friend Ms. Raylawni’s 85th birthday with her. Y’all, she had so much fun! I am so grateful and blessed that God brought us together. I’m so thankful for divine connections. I love my friend.

This past Sunday, we spent the day together laughing and reminiscing about the “good old days,” which was actually me listening to her tell stories about her amazing life. We also watched the Roberta Flack documentary. Y’all, Roberta was a fascinating human being! I was so in awe of her story. Did you know she produced music under the name Rubina Flake? They described Rubina as her alter ego, saying she became a bolder person as Rubina.

I can’t express enough how grateful I am for life. I’m so grateful and blessed that God’s allowed me to live it as I have. To have witnessed and experienced all I have through the eyes of others.

Y’all, life is meant to be lived!

Sitting here thinking about one of Ms. Raylawni’s friends, Ms. Cee, who I spent an evening with last week. Now, her story is one for the books. She was a professional dancer in her younger years, and later a studio owner. The way she described her life was like that of a Hallmark and Lifetime movie. A little love and lots of drama.


Please allow me a moment of gratitude:

God, thank You for loving me! For allowing me to witness Your greatness in real time. I do not take Your love, goodness, or kindness for granted. I know that I am blessed—truly blessed🙏🏽


This is all I have for now. Listen, if you want to truly live, sit and stay in God’s presence. He will give you experiences that will satisfy your soul. Yeah…His experiences are soul deep!

Have a blessed day!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**Be sure to stop by Shaun’s Daily Inspiration and get your daily dose of inspiration.