Tag: writer

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

Thank You

Shaun Bradford

When was the last time you thanked God for just being God? For being who He is? Y’all, He’s so amazing. So powerful.

Be sure to take a moment and acknowledge God for who He is. He’s so good.♥️

I love you always,

Shaun

hope

Everything You Touch

Shaun Bradford

This morning’s worship song is The Winans’ “Everything You Touch Is A Song.”

The song says—

Everything You touch is a song
You touched my life one day
All my burdens, they just rolled away, they rolled away
You wrote a song that even the bees could hum
Everything You touch is a song …

Y’all, God is so good. Everything He touches is a song. How beautiful is that!♥️🌸

Love you,

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

Trust Your Journey

Shaun Bradford

Trust God.

As long as He’s leading the way, you can also trust your journey.♥️

Love you,

Shaun

hope

Just Be YOU

Shaun Bradford
♥️

Love you always,

Shaun

hope

It’s Already Done On Earth AND In Heaven

Shaun Bradford

Good Morning☀️

Matthew 16:19 says:

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.”

Binding fear, stress, sadness, hopelessness, loneliness, depression, anger, feelings of unworthiness, and anxiety.

Side Note: May is Mental Health Awareness month.

“Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Releasing love, joy, hope, peace, success, wealth, great health, mental stability, and emotional wellness.

Declaring—It’s DONE! Amen

Please feel free to add to either category above. Then, after you finish, declare—“It’s DONE!” And mean it with your entire being!

Amen

I pray you have a beautiful day and an even more lovely week. God’s got you!

Remember, IT’S DONE!♥️

I love you,

Shaun

**P.S. Keep shining!✨

hope

You Can Handle It

Shaun Bradford
Found in my saved photos—May 4, 2019. Photo Credit: Unknown

As we know, life will always be lifeing. Just know that you can handle any and everything thrown your way. And when things become a bit too much for you to handle, release control and pass them on to God. He’s got your back. You’re covered!♥️

Love you much,

Shaun

hope

Hello Sunday

Shaun Bradford

Good Morning☀️

As much as I have been trying to avoid the subject, it’s not going away. On this day two years ago, I spoke to my mom for the last time while she was awake—not coherent or even alert, but awake. She had talked for two days nonstop. When I say nonstop, I mean for the entire 48 hours. She had had conversations with people who had passed away, people who were in the room who I couldn’t see, and every now and then, she’d talk to me. I didn’t ask the nurse for anything to help her sleep because, for the first time in decades, she wasn’t in any pain or uncomfortable. She was just talking. So, I let her talk. I still remember her asking for breakfast almost every hour during the last night of her conversations. It was like talking to a toddler who wouldn’t go to sleep—“Go to sleep, and when you wake up, your food will be here.” She’d be quiet (but whispering, I could hear her😂) for 15-30 minutes before she would ask again, “Is it time to eat breakfast?”

While looking through my photos this morning, I found the last picture I took of her while she was awake. I remember sending it to my sisters to show them she was okay and had finally stopped talking. The more I look at it, the more I can see that she was actually gone. Her body was still functioning, but she wasn’t there. The time stamp was 8:37 PM on May 4, 2023. Here’s a TikTok video I shared that evening at 9:48 PM. I had no clue that only a few hours later she would have her second seizure of the week and never regain consciousness. She died on May 9th, a few days before Mother’s Day.

Here’s a photo taken a few weeks after she had me. Y’all, I can’t believe she died before my 50th birthday.💔

I miss her.

A few days ago, her stepmother passed away. When I tell you it felt like losing her all over again. I can’t believe they’re actually gone, and I’ll never see them again.😔

I’ll end here.

I pray that you have a wonderful day filled with love, peace, and happiness. You deserve it.♥️

I love you,

Shaun