Today, we’d like to introduce you to Shayann Helm.
Hi Shayann, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a 22-year-old creative girl with a refined faith in Jesus. I love sharing my life on social media. I talk about life with my chronic illnesses, make vlogs, and do hauls. How did I get here? What happened that made me who I am today? When I was in second or third grade, a mom and her two kids from my dance studio moved in with my family so that we could help take care of the mom, who was dying. A lot of bizarre things happened.
We went on a Make-A-Wish trip for her that I now know was fake. The sick woman’s doctors were able to hear private conversations in our house, people claiming to be angels were calling my mom and me on the phone, statues would break in our home, and the doctors said it was because my mom wasn’t treating this sick woman well enough. They said I was going to die and that we would need the sick woman to cross the veil and bring me back to life. My dad found the Lord, and I saw him as a Jesus freak. My mom moved out with the sick woman and her kids. Then, my parents got divorced. The sick woman is still alive and still has my mom brainwashed to this day. That whole situation makes me value authenticity and having evidence for what I believe in. I started investigating the trustworthiness of the Bible and slowly began to put my complete trust in Jesus as my savior.
I have dealt with health issues for pretty much my entire life. Extreme pain that won’t seem to go away, stabbing cramps that keep you hunched over, debilitating nausea, dry heaving, fatigue, depression, anxiety, being so weak I can’t even shower on my own, screaming from the pain that won’t go away and nothing is helping… I’ve been there. Everybody seems to know cancer sucks, and it does, but at least with cancer, you either get better or you get to die. Having a chronic illness is this whole other ballpark of pain that nobody seems to understand. But I keep verses like Romans 8:18, which says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us” (CSB) in mind. God is just as heartbroken about my broken body as I am, and he will heal me one day.
So, I guess I love sharing my life on the internet for several reasons. 1. It is a creative outlet for me. It helps me notice and capture moments that I never would have thought about otherwise. 2. It gives me an opportunity to get people curious about Jesus throughout my life. People listen to actions more than plain words. If I were to shout at you, “Jesus is Lord!” You probably wouldn’t listen, but if I can SHOW you… that’s where the real magic happens. Even if the people who follow me don’t follow Jesus, I want to inspire them and show them they aren’t alone.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I post my life online through cute little pictures and videos. I advocate for my chronic illnesses, endometriosis, and gastroparesis, as well as depression and anxiety. I love making vlogs, skincare, outfit, and haul videos.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I was a 2020 graduate, which made me really appreciate the ways people tried to make graduation special, even though it had to be so different from what we all expected.
Covid-19 also made me further value my freedom and rights. It made me feel the need to be informed and not just believe something because someone told me to, but instead to use critical thinking.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifewithshayann/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100002233758754
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lifewithshayann?si=qQahrzcUEtMUj7D-
- Other: https://linktr.ee/Lifewithshayann
