Blog

A week of solo-parenting while my husband is traveling, rocky back to school rhythms, and constant demands tempt me to stay in bed just a moment longer, but I know what is good for my soul.

I need the daily reminder of the transformation from dark to light.

I need the daily reminder that God once again orders my day and my night.

I need the daily reminder that He is capable of illuminating the darkness in my heart and my mind.

How about you? Read this and be reminded of the miracle right in front of you every single day.

Shawna SullivanAugust 17, 2022 Comments

What Size is Your God: Remembering From Where Your Strength and Joy Comes

This sweet conversation between my husband and seven year old gifted clarity for me this week, and reminded me that where I place my greatest affections in this life will not only determine the path I follow, but determine the size of my God.

Are you feeling weary at the start of another month, a new season, or another day? Read this, remember who your God is, and find strength and joy again for your next step.

Faith, Education, ParentingShawna SullivanAugust 3, 2022faith, encouragement, parentingComment

Finding Clarity One Faithful Step at a Time

Do you feel like you are just going through the motions right now? Do you feel like your attempt to merely survive is leaving you discouraged and aimless each day? I get it. Wherever you are today, I wrote this podcast series on the Dawn App exactly for you. Click here to listen and gain more clarity with each faithful step.

Shawna SullivanJuly 13, 2022Comment

Tips for Travel on Planes, Trains, and Automobiles with Kids

After returning from a two week family trip overseas, I’m sharing all of my favorite tips, tricks, and gear to help you on your next family adventure. Check it out.

Parenting, TravelShawna SullivanJune 22, 2022travel, summer, tips Comments

10 Tips to Survive the Summer with Your Kids and Actually Enjoy It

Summer is on the horizon. My mind is equal parts planning and slowing down. It can be an uneasy time for parents when we sense the endless days without a consistent schedule or rhythm. If that’s you, here are ten tips to survive the summer with your crew.

How to Finish Strong When Exhaustion is Real

I am confident we are all in desperate need for a summer sabbath, so I’m reflecting on these questions today:

How can I finish the school year strong?
How can I enter into a restful summer that allows for an exhale of restoration and adventure?
How can I better prepare for the fall without wanting to give up right now?

Education, Faith, ParentingShawna SullivanMay 10, 2022resurrection, Easter, Encouragement, spiritual encouragement, perseveranceComment

A Holy Week Devotion: Who Is At the Center of Your Worship?

This week, as we journey toward remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus, I’m mindful of who is at the center of my worship. I’m reminded that worship is costly. I’m reminded that we are constantly given the option of who to place at the center of our heart’s deepest affections.

Faith, Education, ParentingShawna SullivanApril 12, 2022Easter, Holy week, Worship, Faith, EncouragementComment

The Secret to Persevering in Parenting

If you are like me, we have entered the mad dash to the finish line of the school year. Spring activities are in full swing and the calendar is stacked. The new post this week is reminding us all the secret to persevering through this journey of parenting.

Education, Faith, ParentingShawna SullivanMarch 28, 2022parenting, encouragementComment

Balm for the Brokenhearted: Affirmations to Quiet Your Anxious Heart

The Lord builds. He gathers. He heals. He binds.

I whisper in exhale, “Thank you, Jesus.” This is what my heart needs.

The beat in my chest rests, and I continue navigating the next seventeen verses of Psalm 147. Along the way, I discover five P’s of God that create a healing balm for areas that feel most broken in my life and in the world.

As if a healing balm, these attributes of God cover and calm.

Lenten Lessons: Three Questions to Prepare Your Heart for Battle

Every day is a battle. Our hearts wage war to find joy. Our minds fight to discern truth. Our hands wrestle to value work.

Do you feel it too?

Here I’m sharing three questions to ask as we prepare our hearts, minds, and hands for battle. The weapons might be different than you think.

Faith, ParentingShawna SullivanMarch 2, 2022Lent, Encouragement, Faith Comments

Chase the Fun

The cold wore my emotions and nerves thin. The dense grey skies defined my mental state most days. February became the most difficult month of the year for me by far.

In order to get through the never-ending days, I would pour every ounce of energy into creative outlets within those walls for fun. I recently heard the term “chase the fun”, and I can’t think of a better goal in February. How can you chase the fun? Here I share a few of my favorite ideas.

Three Ways to Manage Your Appetite in the New Year

I’m not a huge fan of resolutions. To me it feels like they are made to be broken, but I do love reflection questions and growth goals to work towards each year. So, this year, I’m evaluating my appetite:

How can I acquire an appetite for the new?
How can I enhance my appetite for that which is truly valuable?
How can I regulate my appetite so that it is sustainable?

Education, Faith, ParentingShawna SullivanJanuary 5, 2022New Years, Resolutions Comments

Maybe It's Not Just a Tree After All

“I have always wondered if I could put up a tree, and just use blue and silver decorations instead,” she explained, wanting to honor both her Jewish heritage and her husband’s Catholic background.

“Of course!” I exclaimed. “The tree has little to do with Jesus,” I told her confidently at the time. “It’s just a secular expression of the season.”

But, what I didn’t understand until the last few years is just how much our trees actually do set the stage for the redemptive story of Christ and put in perspective our greatest longings. Allow me to share more.

Over the years, however, I’ve been reminded how little I understood the tree those fifteen years ago.

Faith, ParentingShawna SullivanDecember 8, 2021Christmas, Encouragement, spiritual encouragementComment

Three Reasons To Give Thanks Even While Serving

Ready or not the holidays are upon us. Opportunities to serve, host, cook, and clean will become plentiful. After an exhausting year, how can we make it through “the most wonderful time of the year”, and have even an ounce of joy left? Here are a three reminders to get you through the coming months with your joy in tact even as you serve those around you.

Faith, ParentingShawna SullivanNovember 5, 2021Food, Hospitality, Holidays, spiritual encouragement, Faith, Parenting, ServingComment

Trick or Treat: Three Reminders When God's Blessings Feel Painful

We have all been there, the moment when the gift we thought was going to be there forever was instead lost forever: a relationship, a child, a spouse, a raise, a job, a house, you name it. We like the part of God that gives, but not the part that takes away.

How can a loving God give and take? If you have ever had that question, this post may be of encouragement to you.

Faith, ParentingShawna SullivanOctober 27, 2021Halloween, Encouragement, Faith, grief Comments

Do You Tend to Inquire or Simply Proceed?

God’s timing and our timing are rarely in perfect cadence. After some reading the past few months, I’ve been more mindful of whether I tend to inquire of God’s direction in all areas of my life or whether I simply proceed.

Here’s what i’ve learned.

Faith, Education, ParentingShawna SullivanOctober 13, 2021Bible, Faith, Encouragement, DecisionsComment

The Blessing of Sibling Rivalry

It has always existed and it will always be apart of our life on earth: conflict. The past few weeks have been peppered with more incidents of sibling rivalry in my home and it’s drawn us more deeply into a conversation of creation than I would have expected.

Here I share the one truth that has helped provide perspective and wisdom in this area of rivalry.

Faith, Education, ParentingShawna SullivanSeptember 29, 2021Parenting, Encouragement, Faith, Sibling RivalryComment

How To Make Time For Celebration

With so much collective pain and tragedy of late, it’s difficult to give ourselves the permission to simply celebrate. Yet here we sit on the dawn of holidays with its myriad of traditions, and I wonder if it’s possible for the grieving to lead us into a place of celebrating.

Here’s now.

Faith, Education, ParentingShawna SullivanSeptember 15, 2021Holidays, Celebration, Encouragement, Joy Comments

Abundance or Scarcity: What To Remember When You Feel Depleted

When you feel depleted, do you default to a mindset of abundance or scarcity?

After a challenging few weeks, I’m sharing a few thoughts and helpful reminders so that you can live the abundant life you were called to live.

Faith, Parenting, EducationShawna SullivanSeptember 1, 2021Comment

The Breaking Through and Pouring Out

This sacred moment of church tradition often caused my eyes to swell with pools of tears. As I greeted each sister and brother, I recognized the hearts before me represented a failed marriage, a devastating miscarriage, a joyous engagement, or a recent promotion.

FaithShawna SullivanAugust 22, 2021Faith, EncouragementComment

You know how sometimes it feels like we are just going through the motions, and don’t really know why?

My desire is to help women gain a clearer vision of God’s plan for their lives by learning to say YES to their intended purpose one decision at a time.

About

connect

featured publications

speaking

contact

privacy policy