Tag: purpose

empowerment

Purpose And Gifts

Shaun Bradford

Another found in my “Drafts”!

**Originally published on October 30, 2026.**

Good Morning☀️ and Happy Friday!

“The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.” –David Viscott

Created For Purpose

Your God-given purpose is specific to you and only you, just like your gifts. Someone needs what you have, and they need it from YOU.

So, keep showing up and always show up as YOU!

The song I’ve been hearing since I woke up is “Trust in You” by Anthony Brown. It’s unrelated to the message above. Had to share it so that it would stop playing over and over in my head.

Side note: If you’re the reason I’m hearing the song, then I’m fulfilling my purpose by sharing it. Smile.

“Trust in You” by Anthony Brown

This is all I have for now. I pray you have a wonderful day and weekend!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

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

hope, Life

Hello Sunday (299)

Shaun Bradford

Hello Sunday!☀️

Mara Brock Akil (television producer and writer) posted a video about how the television and film industries are changing, just as the world around us is changing. She believes this change is a good thing and necessary, and so do I. In the video, she says the old ways of doing things are slowly dying, giving us the chance to shape the future we want to see. And I couldn’t agree more!

I believe we are here in this time and space for a purpose. It’s not to sit, watch things happen, or complain, but to shape and create the future we want to see. We’ve been tasked with doing what no other generation could do, and what future generations need us to do. If you’re unsure of your task, assignment, or purpose, ask God to reveal it to you. From experience, it’s associated with something you’re already passionate about doing, or that lifelong dream you just can’t shake.

On another note…

The song that’s been playing in my head since I woke up is the Winans “Everything You Touch Is A Song.”

As God’s children, I believe everything we touch is a song, and we have been tasked with creating something meaningful and beautiful. What we create today will not only enhance our lives but also sustain future generations.

Sooo… Are you on board with shaping our new future—with shaping the world you want to see?

This is all I have for now. I pray you have a relaxing day. May it be peaceful and filled with joy.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

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

“Everything You Touch Is A Song” by The Winans

empowerment, Life

When God Places Something At Your Feet

Shaun Bradford

Happy Wednesday!☀️

Thought I’d share another glimpse at how God works in my world. How He loves on me!

In yesterday’s post (see Clyde Kennard and JET Magazine), I wrote that after attending a lecture on Clyde Kennard, I was inspired to find my copies of JET Magazine. I said that I would take a moment this week to begin reading them. Well, I began yesterday, and here’s what I found! Y’all, when I tell you God knows exactly how to make my heart smile, dance, and sing.☺️

JET Magazine, March 22, 1999

This article highlights the work of the late nutritionist Dr. Alvenia Fulton. As a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN)—a Black RDN—I’m curious to learn more about her story and journey to becoming a nutritionist. You see, her story matters to me because when I began my undergraduate degree in 2003, Black dietitians made up less than 3% of registered dietitians nationally. Now here we are, over two decades later, and this percentage hasn’t changed (2.6–3%).

In graduate school, I wrote my thesis on the importance of multicultural counseling competencies in our profession. I remember mailing over 600 surveys and receiving nearly 300 fully completed returns. Although the return and completion rates were great (yes, this is beautiful in the research world), only 5% of respondents were Black, while 92% were White. Sadly, the majority of the respondents who had never received any culturally competent counseling training (~70%) did not believe cultural competency was necessary to counsel people of different races, ethnicities, or cultures. Back then, our state had, and still has, the highest Black population by state in the U.S. (~38–39%), and also one of the highest rates of health disparities (America’s Health Rankings: Mississippi). In 2016, I became the first Black president of our state’s dietetics association. It’s not something I ever mention. It’s not something I ever wanted highlighted. But now, after learning about Dr. Fulton and seeing that the national percentage of RDNs hasn’t changed, I think it’s worth mentioning. Our association was founded in 1948. In 2016, I became the first Black president, and in 2025, I became the second.

I have to explore Dr. Fulton’s story further. God didn’t drop that article in my lap for nothing. We can’t move forward and grow as a profession if we don’t start addressing the underlying issues and challenges behind the lack of growth in the number of Black RDNs nationally. There’s so much to explore… I have work to do!

This is all for now. I’ll keep you updated on whatever I find about Dr. Fulton. I was gifted a copy of the book from the lecture, “Mixing: Race, Higher Education, and the Case of Clyde Kennard,” and can’t wait to begin reading it.

Wishing you a wonderful Wellness Wednesday! Please take care of yourself.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

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

My thesis: Multicultural Nutrition Counseling Competencies Among Dietitians in Mississippi (LaShaundrea Bradford Crook, 2009)

Found this picture from when I received my Bachelor’s degree (2006).😊

gratitude, Life

Clyde Kennard and JET Magazine

Shaun Bradford

Last night I attended a lecture about a local civil rights icon, Clyde Kennard. Clyde Kennard was the first African American to attempt to enroll at what’s now the University of Southern Mississippi. Although he became part of civil rights history, he wanted to enroll for the same reason as everyone else—to get an education.

Clyde Kennard’s story is one of segregation, mistreatment, betrayal, imprisonment, illness, and unwavering hope. Until his death, Mr. Kennard hoped to see a world where everyone was treated fairly, equally, and had the same educational opportunities.

Here’s a short documentary about Clyde Kennard— Measure of Progress: The Clyde Kennard Story. Produced by Dr. Alysia Burton Steele and Bobby D. Steele, Jr.

Research on Clyde Kennard’s story was conducted by Dr. Sherita L. Johnson, Dr. Loren Saxton Coleman, Dr. Cheryl Jenkins, and Dr. Rebecca Tuuri. Their latest project is the book “Mixing: Race, Higher Education, and the Case of Clyde Kennard.”

So, you may be wondering why I included JET Magazine in the title. Well, much of the information gathered for the book came from the scholars (mentioned above) following the work of journalists and photographers who documented Clyde Kennard’s story in JET Magazine. Last night, they explained how Jet Magazine was the only national publication that humanized Mr. Kennard’s story.

From their lecture, I also learned that JET Magazine was one of the few national publications that conducted extensive research to present African American stories. For me, learning this was one of those indescribably beautiful moments. You see, I still have copies of JET Magazine. I look through them from time to time, but rarely stop to read the articles. I’m pretty sure I read a few of the articles when I purchased them, but I never considered the work that went into presenting those stories. This week, I plan to take a moment and read a few articles with this thought in mind.

I also have copies of Ebony, Essence, and Sister 2 Sister magazines.

Y’all, I truly love my life! If you only knew what I’m feeling right now. The only way I can describe it is Forrest Gump-ish—I’m surrounded by and standing in the midst of history.

My life and MY GOD! I can’t express it enough, I just love the way He loves me. I am truly blessed.🥰

This is all I have for now. Thanks for stopping by and reading. 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.

empowerment, Life

Happy Monday

Shaun Bradford

Hello!☀️

How are you? 

Me: I’m good.

Just dropping in to wish you a wonderful day and week.

Here’s today’s message—

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” –Arthur Ashe

Stop Waiting

Don’t wait until tomorrow to do what you’ve been longing to do. Do it today!

The song of the morning is Norman Hutchins’ “God’s Got A Blessing (with My Name on It).

Listen, God’s got a blessing with YOUR name on it. Hang in there!🌺

This is all for now. Have a beautiful day!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

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

Life

Hello Sunday (298)

Shaun Bradford

Happy Sunday!☀️

“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” –George Addair

Face Your Fears

I’ve been thinking a lot about my fears lately. Yes, I’m human. I have them. Smile. As I did when I came face to face with that snake almost a week ago (see It All Works Out), I must do the same with other fears. As George Addair said, “Everything [I’ve] ever wanted is on the other side of fear.”

How about you?

Are there fears you need to face?

What’s possible on the other side of those fears?

This is all I have for now. Wishing you a wonderfully, blessed day! May it be filled with lots of love and joy.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

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

hope, trust God

Seven Years Later

Shaun Bradford

Hello and Happy Monday!☀️

For a few days now, I’ve been dreading this day because I didn’t know how my emotions would be when I woke up. Would I be sad? Would I grieve? Would it just be another day? Well, today I woke up feeling neither sad nor grieving. However, after scrolling through my Facebook memories, I decided to share my experience from seven years ago.

On October 5, 2019, my brother celebrated his 46th birthday. Several days later, he was admitted to ICU, and about a week or so after that, he was gone.

While checking my Facebook memories to see if I had made a birthday post on that day, I saw the post below and decided to share it. Y’all, this particular post drove my anxiety level through the roof! I logged off social media afterward because I was so overwhelmed. You know how you can feel something is about to happen, but can’t pinpoint what? Well, that’s where I was. The caption in the post kind of explains what I was experiencing.

October 5, 2019

The confusion and tears were so real.😔

Here’s what I shared in my journal entry on the same day:

Oh, today and sometime last week, the “Everything happens for a reason” popped up on social media. When I mentioned it today, I only referred to this particular time period. About an hour ago, I remembered that this year started off with the song by Zhane, “Reasons.” For about a month, it was my theme song. I couldn’t get it out of my head. Now, here I am, close to the end of 2019, and I’m hearing it again. God is working.

In the post, I used the hashtag #GodIsWorking, and as you can see, I ended my journal entry with “God is working.” Even though I was experiencing anxiety like crazy, I still believed that everything that was happening—and, unbeknownst to me, would later happen—was still under God’s control. I trusted whatever God was doing.

Now, here I am seven years later…

A lot has happened in seven years. Y’all, I’m sooooo glad I stopped hearing Zhané’s song “For A Reason.” Talk about traumatized every time I heard it after my brother’s death.

Oh, and I had forgotten to mention that my mom (not my brother’s mom) was admitted to the hospital the day before. What a crazy time that was!

My thoughts are still the same today as they were back then— “Rest assured, God’s got you [us]. He already has everything worked out. Just trust Him.”

The other hashtag I must mention before I end is the last one in my post— “Your purpose is too great to give up.” Whew! Talk about powerful! I had no idea what was coming. I’m so grateful I didn’t give up!

Today’s going to be a beautiful day because God is in it and still in control. Despite everything that happened seven years ago, I still trust God and His plan.

I pray you have a wonderful day and week. May both be filled with love, joy, and peace.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

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

empowerment, self love

My Journey With God, No. 150

Shaun Bradford

YOU are your priority. Not another task. Not another goal. Not another mission. Not another person. YOU, my friend, are your only priority. Everything else is secondary.

Your Priority

My kids have been telling me for the longest that I am my only priority. The last time my daughter was here, she kindly told me that although she’s glad I still consider her and my son when making decisions, they should no longer be a factor in whatever I choose to do. She said that I need to reimagine my life not centered around them.

So what did I do? I started taking on tasks and putting other people’s needs, goals, and interests before my own. Not like I hadn’t been doing it before. Smile. But yesterday was my breaking point.

Yesterday, by noon, I had become so overwhelmed by everything I had taken on that I could literally feel my blood pressure rising—plus I was having hot flashes like CRAZY! Y’all, hot flashes are no joke!! Then, yesterday evening, I saw a post about one of my step-cousins passing from an apparent stroke. He was only a year younger than me.

After finally taking time to sit and breathe, I remembered what my daughter said, I am my only priority.

Today, I need to focus only on myself and what I want to achieve. I live to help and be there for others, but who’s here for me? Who’s helping me? Umm… no one besides ME! So I need to make sure I put myself first and do it daily, not just today. I’m not being selfish. I just want to live a long, healthy life. I have at least 50 more years of life to live.😊

This is all I have for now. Thanks for allowing me to share/ramble. I pray you have a beautifully blessed day!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

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

empowerment

Your Future Is In Your Hands

Shaun Bradford

Good Morning☀️ And welcome to another Self-Love Saturday.🌸

Today’s quote is—

“The future starts today, not tomorrow.” –Pope John Paul II

Quote of the Day – 9.26.2026

Your future starts today, not tomorrow. God’s already equipped you with everything you need to begin working towards your goals and dreams, today. All you have to do is start.

If you’re like me, with hundreds of ideas floating around in your head and unsure where to begin, ask God for clarity and guidance. Then, allow Him to walk you through the process. From experience, it may not always be the process you’d like to go through, but in the end, it will be worth it. I’m sure of this.

Again, it’s Self-Love Saturday! Do something that makes your heart smile and future self proud.♥️

I love you,

Shaun

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

By the way, the song that’s currently playing in my head is Marvin Sapp’s “You Are God Alone.” God is good.

You Are God Alone by Marvin Sapp

Life

12 Years Ago

Shaun Bradford

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.