Tag: prayer

Life

Hello Sunday

Shaun Bradford
Final Sunday of 2020

Well y’all, we have finally made it to the final Sunday in 2020. Woohoo!! I’m not going to lie, it is a little bittersweet. Seems like I was just getting used to so many unexpectedly, weird things happening– good and bad. Now we are moving on.

So we say we are ready for 2021, but are we? Just to be sure we are somewhat prepared, I am going to end this Hello Sunday with a prayer for 2021:

Lord, please prepare us for whatever lies ahead– good or bad. Open our hearts and minds so that we are receptive of every blessing you have in store for us; and give us the strength to reject any- and everything that might cause us harm. Lord, shower us with your unconditional love, mercy and grace. Drench us with so much love and peace that we forget about the pains and heartaches of 2020. Lord, please give us the boldness to embrace our worth and walk in our purpose. Let others experience your love through us. Last, but not least, please heal our nation. We need You. Amen

I love y’all! Looking forward to celebrating a prosperous 2021 together.

Shaun

Life

Hello Sunday

Shaun Bradford

We only have two Sundays left in 2020. Talk about mind blowing! Where did the time go? Maybe it’s just me, but this year seemed to pass by a little faster than past years. It’s like tomorrow is Monday and two days later it will be Friday! No joke! Y’all, time is moving much too fast. Perhaps that’s a good thing. God knows what He’s doing so I’m going to stop worrying about it. It’s not like I can slow it down. Lol!

Anyhoo.. I set out to write about one thing but now I’m writing about something else, something that’s currently on my mind. If you have been reading my blogs for a while you will know I have songs playing in my head all day. I rarely go a few hours without hearing a song. I wonder if everyone experiences this. I remember my great-great grandma humming all day long. So maybe it’s more common than I think.

Anyway.. got sidetracked.. the song that is currently playing in my head is Already Getting Better by William Murphy. The song says,

It’s already getting better
It’s already getting easier
God’s already moving on my behalf
He did it for me. . .
Yes, God did it

One of today’s Facebook memories was a quote by Trent Shelton from 2015. Here’s what he posted:

Sometimes we have to experience things we don’t understand just so God can bring us to a place where He needs us to be. Never doubt the season He has you in.

Trent Shelton, RehabTime 2015

William Murphy’s song and Trent Shelton’s quote are reminders that no matter where we are in life, or what we are experiencing, God is with us. At this very moment, we are where we are for a purpose, for His purpose. Like my issue with the speed of time, some things are not meant to be understood. They just aren’t. Our job, and really, our only job, is to trust God. Trust Him. Period. We may not understand the reason why things are happening, but He does. Maybe He’s preparing us for future endeavors. Or maybe He’s protecting us from harm. Whatever the case may be, we just have to trust Him. As William Murphy said, which is something we must remember, God is moving on our behalf. He’s got us!

Praying you have a wonderful Sunday and blessed week!

Shaun

Life

Thanksgiving

Shaun Bradford

Today I am giving thanks for every blessing God has bestowed on me. I’m alive. I’m well. My kids are here with me. My parents, siblings and their families are well. Y’all, I’m blessed.

With that said, I am also thankful for the small blessings I often take for granted like breathing freely. At this moment there are millions suffering from the side effects of COVID-19, one of which is labored breathing. Last week I watched my uncle struggle to breathe while urging us, his family and friends, to take the virus seriously. His Facebook Live from ICU was very emotional and difficult to watch. Watching him weep while telling God why he wasn’t ready to die was heart wrenching. It is not something I ever want to experience, or wish upon anyone else.

Two other things many of us take for granted are shelter and having access to food. How many of you actually wake up thinking I could be homeless right now or wondering how you will feed yourself and/or family? Unfortunately, there are hundreds of thousands who woke up last Thanksgiving oblivious of what was to come. Like you and me, they never imagined being homeless or food insecure. However, now they are homeless and have no idea of how they will eat tomorrow or next week. Just imagine being a parent trying to figure out how to provide for your children and you can’t even provide for yourself. Again, it is something I never want to experience. Prayers for those who are.

Y’all, this pandemic has really made me more aware of my blessings. It is so important that we stop and thank God for the blessings we have today because it is not promised that we will have them tomorrow.

Before I end, I would like to say I am thankful for each one of you. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blogs. It is something that I do not take for granted. I really do appreciate you. Wishing you peace and many blessings.

Shaun

Life

Smile

Shaun Bradford
Smile.

The birds are awake and chirping.
Today is going to be a wonderful day.
Speak it.
Claim it.
Keep smiling.
Know that God is still in control.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26 NIV

Be Blessed

Shaun

Life

Hello Sunday

Shaun Bradford
So grateful to be alive!

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 (ESV). Quoted in the voice of every preacher or pastor who have ever said this on a Sunday morning.

All throughout last week, as I cleaned, worked, showered, etc., I thought about different topics for today’s Hello Sunday, like– my love/hate relationship with Twitter (the struggle is real), Charlene (another hair chronicle), and my brother (tomorrow would have been his 47th birthday). However, this morning when I woke up the only thing I wanted to focus on was the fact that I am alive. Yesss.. I’m ALIVE!

Y’all, it is such a wonderful feeling to be alive. I feel like we often take the fact that we are actually living and breathing for granted. As if it is something we are owed. Every morning I wake up and thank God for waking me. But.. do I really mean what I say? Or, are they just words flowing from my mouth? I cannot lie, it is pretty much a ritual. As with the scripture mentioned above, pastors and preachers say it, but do they really mean it?

You know, from this day forward, every morning when I awake I am going to put meaning behind my “Thank You, Lord, for waking me up this morning.” Y’all, being alive is a privilege. A privilege I will no longer take for granted.

Life is so precious. Make sure you cherish it.

Shaun

Rell, I am so grateful for every moment God allowed me to spend with you. I’m going to live for you and me, both. I miss you, baby!

Life

I Trust You, Lord

Shaun Bradford
Hopeful.

Laying here thinking. The first of three scheduled presidential debates happened last night. No, I did not watch it. I already know who I am voting for. The debate would not have changed my mind. Even with knowing who I am voting for, some would say I should have watched the debate anyway. But why? Only to feel as hopeless and discouraged as those who did watch it? If anyone has followed the two candidates over the past several years.. not months, but years.. you would know their character. Their character has not changed. Then you add age. I believe as a person ages their true character surfaces even more. It is as if the older a person becomes, the more prominent their “I don’t give a ______” attitude becomes. Am I right, or am I right? If you have ever spent time with older adults, you know what I am referring to. Sometimes they are very amusing. However, when it comes to leading our country, amusement is the last thing we need.

So… the reason behind the title. As I was reading headlines and social media posts, I began to feel hopeless, and even fearful. I felt like what was the use of even hoping for a better outcome when this is all we have. Is our country doomed?

Then God reminded me that He is still in control. He is hope. You see, the goal of the enemy is to create fear and chaos. To get us to take our focus off God. Once we have done this, he has won. Y’all, I refuse to let him win. Hope will win. Love will win. Kindness will win. Peace will win. God will always win.

Therefore, I trust You, Lord!

Amen