It makes no difference What you’re going through You’re going to make it God’s going to see you thru Hold your head up Put a smile on your face This is another test It won’t last always
Get ready for your blessing Get ready for your miracle Get ready for your blessing Get ready for your miracle
Smile and hold your head up! God’s got a blessing with YOUR name on it. That’s right! He sure does. And that blessing is called life, and it has your name all over it.
I know 2024 is coming to an end and you may not have achieved everything you wanted to, but this is not THEE end. Tomorrow’s a new day and a new year, and it’s filled with all kinds of blessings with your name on them. Listen, God’s got you!♥️
Leaving 2024 and entering 2025 singing Bishop Paul Morton’s song “Let It Rain.”
The song says—
“Open the floodgates of heaven. Let it rain. Let it rain. … I feel the rain. I feel the rain. I feel the rain. … It’s raining. It’s raining. It’s raining.”
Usually, I have more to say at the end of the year than I do today. Last year I wasn’t feeling well on New Year’s Eve so being in good health is a plus. Here’s what I wrote in my journal moments before midnight.
December 31, 2023: Shaun’s Journal Entry
“I am planning to ease into 2024 with love, peace, joy and gratitude. I am thankful for all that I currently have while looking forward to the blessings 2024 will bring. Not going to allow what’s happening around me to get inside me.”
That’s how I entered 2024 and it pretty much remained the same throughout the year. I entered it with love, peace, joy and gratitude. I expected blessings to come my way, and they did. Also, I didn’t allow what was happening around me get inside me. Since it worked last year, I’m just going to carry it over into 2025.
On another note… I will have a 30 year old in less than a month! I know, I’m saying it like she’s almost 30 months instead of three decades. Laughing. Y’all, it’s crazy! Where did the time go? Honestly, where did it go? And now, what do I do? I guess that’s been the real question lately, what do I do now, personally? I know what to do professionally, but I’m completely lost on the personal side. Y’all, I’ve been a mother the majority of my adult life and before then I was taking care of my siblings—since age six. I’m for real, I have absolutely no idea how to be a regular, single adult. Crazy, huh?! Just thinking about it is mind blowing. Well, I guess I’ll add that to my list of things to figure out or navigate through in 2025. Yes, it’s time I set some personal goals. Feeling excited!
Before I end, I would like to thank God for bringing me and my family through this year unharmed and healthy. I’m not sure what 2025 holds, but I do know God will be with me every step of the way, AND I am going to be obedient and remain covered.
Well, this turned out to be a hodgepodge of ramblings. Smile.
Y’all, God is moving and I’m moving right along with Him. I refuse to be left behind.
That’s all I have and I’m going to publish it as written. I haven’t had a good ramble lately. I pray your year ends with love, peace, joy, and understanding. May it also bring you clarity for the year ahead.♥️
Whew! When I tell you God knows how to keep the tears of gratitude flowing. I hadn’t expected to see this memory today.
Just thought I’d include the picture too.☺️
Five years ago, I created the social media platform Mississippi Thriving to help individuals, agencies, and organizations share helpful and healthful information with Mississippians. I also wanted it to serve as a resource hub for our communities and a place where people outside Mississippi could visit to see the positive things happening in our state. Statistically and politically, Mississippi looks pretty bad; however, in reality, we’re moving and making progress—slow progress, but progress. Maybe it’s not noteworthy to the world, but it means everything to us.
Y’all, God is so good. Only He knew how much I needed to see this memory today. I just love how He loves me.🥰
James Earl Carter, Jr., 39th President of the United States. Photo credit: WH.gov
Woke up thinking about President Jimmy Carter’s passing. I was going to write a post honoring him, and then I remembered I had already written one. I wrote it when he was placed in hospice care in 2023. At the age of seven or eight years old, he sparked a drive in me that remains today—to make the world a better, kinder place. A place where love, hope, and equity are the ultimate goals.
Today’s blog is dedicated to James Earl Carter, Jr., also known as our former President, Jimmy Carter.♥️
Yesterday, my heart sank as I read the following statement from The Carter Center –
“After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter today decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention. He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.”
Why did I immediately want to ask if I could also be by his side. If I could also care for him until he leaves us. Sounds weird, huh?
Y’all, he was my President. My first political memories were during his run for reelection against Ronald Reagan. I was just a little girl when he lost the race and vividly remember myself sitting in front of the tv crying my eyes out. He was my President.
I guess what I loved about him was everything many hated. He was soft spoken. He actually had compassion for humanity and expressed it, which was viewed by some as a sign of weakness. And lastly, he was from the South. I loved his southern drawl.
For me, President Carter represented kindness, hope and the possibility of a beautiful, peaceful and kind world. He was my hero! If you have not read any of my blogs about my favorite childhood song, well, it was, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony).” I am pretty sure it was Coca Cola’s adaptation of the song that I fell in love with, but either way, it became my theme song. I was dead set on making this world a better place.
Side note: Had to add this while I’m thinking about it. I also wanted “Chariots of Fire,” to be played at my wedding. Y’all, what was wrong with me?! Laughing. I was so into my own little world. Guess nothing’s really changed, huh? Smiling
Anyhoo… back to President Carter. I have watched him over the years remain humble and give to those less fortunate. I really wish that I could sit with him just to show my appreciation for everything he’s done and given.
What’s so ironic is, Friday I signed up to volunteer for a local hospice care center. I may not be able to be by his side before he leaves us, but I can be by someone else’s. A piece of his legacy will always live on through me through my service to others.
President Carter is a true servant leader and his presence and impact on the world will be greatly missed.
Sending him and his family prayers and love.♥️
President Carter’s presence in this world will surely be missed. However, his legacy will continue on through others like me.
This year has been some year! This year, I embraced and stepped into my role as a humanitarian, philanthropist, and advocate for global health equity (this was my mission as The Research Diva–RD). I am finally putting that spark into use. I’m not sure if I will be building houses at 90 years old (he and his late wife Rosalynn were unmatched), but I will be spreading love, hope, and kindness throughout the world, directly and indirectly in hopes of making someone’s world better.
Rest in peace, power, and paradise, President Jimmy Carter.🙏🏽🕊️♥️
It’s Shaun’s World 
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