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Lynnette Sheppard

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Hi! I’m Lynnette. Welcome to my little corner of the Internet, where parenting with love, leadership, and common sense is the name of the game.

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Are you willing to lay it all on the line for the

Are you willing to lay it all on the line for the hope of something incredible?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This quote will not leave my mind, so I will leave it here.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Who is up for daring greatly? Show me with a 💯

Has life knocked you down this year?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Yeah, me too.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I do not remember a year quite so challenging, at least in my recent history, and the pandemic was not even the culprit.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It has been a flood of everything: health, family, personal challenges, life.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I have spent many hours in prayer and meditation lately, trying to make sense of the chaos. Here is what I am learning:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We all must face HARD things that sometimes feel insurmountable.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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But what if we could find joy in the middle of the mess?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What if we could see beyond the difficulties of the moment into a future of incredible possibility?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What if we could surrender the worry of "how will this ever work out?" to the only one who knows the end from the beginning?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What if we could choose peace instead, knowing that He has our backs?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What if we could STAND and SHINE when life knocks us to the ground, refusing to allow overwhelm and discouragement to snuff out our light?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What if we could teach our kids to do the same?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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That, my friends, is what I am on a mission to do and help you do. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I have a feeling that challenges will be abundant in the days ahead, and our kids will be called upon the lead the charge.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We need to SHINE through the darkness of HARD things so they can see how it's done.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Daunting? Yes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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But we were born for this, and so were they.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Together, we can STAND and LIGHT the world with JOY; come, what may.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Drop a 🙌🏻 in the comments if you will join me.

Look at us - we’re the kings of New York! (Name

Look at us - we’re the kings of New York! (Name the musical…it’s my all-time favorite!)

It’s been a wild week of seeing all the sights, walking 10-12 miles a day, navigating the subway like locals (except for the couple of times we got on the wrong train…😜), running from a homeless man who decided to follow us, singing in the rain, eating the best tacos and Thai food of my life (seriously…you must try these places if you visit), taking five million pictures (and can you take just one more, Mom?), watching my daughter soak in all the details in the 9-11 museum while really feeling something, walking the High Line to Chelsea Market (home of the tacos I’m still dreaming about and all the Food Network deliciousness), watching a Yankees game, getting photobombed, drooling over Kate Spade handbags and clothing, bartering with vendors in China Town, and making memories with a girl who is getting ready to leave home.

It was the adventure of a lifetime, and NYC has a tiny piece of my heart.

"WE NEVER HAVE ANYTHING TO EAT!!"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I got tired of hearing that (when the pantry and fridge were full), so I put my teenage daughter in charge of doing the grocery shopping.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We gave her a budget, did a couple of training runs, and set her free.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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She quickly learned what snacks she could afford and which ones she could not.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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She learned that processed food costs more than homemade options (and doesn't taste as good).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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She learned that there really would be nothing to eat if she didn't get to the store.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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For me, it solved two problems.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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1. She stopped complaining about the food we had (or did not have).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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2. She learned a valuable life skill.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Have you ever put your teen in charge of doing the grocery shopping?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If so, I would love to hear about your experience.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If not, I challenge you to give it a try.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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P.S. If you would like to print a copy of 40 skills every teen needs to know, you can do that with the link in my bio.

Last week taught me the value of small and simple

Last week taught me the value of small and simple things.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A few months ago, I was frazzled and overwhelmed, barely holding life together by a thread.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Nearly every aspect of my life felt chaotic.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I signed up for a coaching program with @iambrookesnow⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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For four months, she has been teaching me about the compound effect of small and simple things. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I have been prioritizing sleep, movement, nutrition, meditation, scripture study, and spending the first hour of the day without a screen. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Just two weeks ago, I noticed that I was feeling SO much more grounded. My circumstances had not changed, but I felt equal to the challenges.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Then, last week, my daughter graduated. She hosted a grad party on Wednesday until 1:00 am and a sleepover on Thursday. I went to bed after midnight both nights. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I was too tired to get up at 6:00 and exercise, so I slept later than normal and skipped hiking. I hike more for my mental health than my physical health and I felt the difference in a BIG way.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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My late sleep also meant I was rushing and didn't take time for scriptures or meditation/meaningful prayer. I grabbed my phone right after I awoke instead of spending an hour without it.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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My entire routine fell apart, and it was not long before I noticed how terrible I felt. I was irritable. My emotions were all over the place. Challenges that used to be manageable felt massive. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I was plagued by thoughts of failure in ALL areas of my life.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I wanted to run from things I was excited about just one week prior.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What was wrong? I had stopped doing all the little things that were supporting my progress.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Without them, I was a mess.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I have learned for myself that small & simple things bring GREAT things to pass.

"You were born with great momentum."⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I cannot stop thinking about those words from my Stake President to the seminary graduates last night.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What does great momentum look like?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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From where I stand, it looks like kids who are born ready to learn, especially when it comes to spiritual things.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It looks like youth whose eyes are filled with light.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It looks like young people who are anxiously engaged in goodness.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It looks like imperfect teens who make mistakes but dust themselves off and keep walking.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It looks like a generation of youth who were born to shine in the darkness of these days.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It looks like your kids and mine.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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How lucky are we to their parents?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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To teach them and learn from them.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I am a mom of teens and young adults, so I KNOW it is not easy work. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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But when I can step back and see them in the light of their potential - the way God sees them, I feel differently about raising them.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In that light, they are incredible.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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They are warriors.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Even in their imperfections, weaknesses, and mistakes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It's all about the momentum.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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How have you seen that in your kids?

“Do you want a laughing picture?” our teenage

“Do you want a laughing picture?” our teenage photographer asked.

Umm...sure. (Is that a thing??)

These are the results. (Swipe to see them all...they just get better!)

I think we nailed it!

Please try not to be jealous of our Insta-awesomeness.

And there she goes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀

And there she goes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Eyes forward⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Barely a glance back as she takes her first steps into a new life.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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She is strong. Confident.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Ready.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A little girl no more.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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She is locked into my heart.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Pigtails, baby dolls, and sass.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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But the world needs her light⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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and I must let her fly.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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My heart overflows with joy⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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and breaks a little with each step she takes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I will miss her⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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but she was born for this.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I will always be her biggest fan.

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