THURSDAY

Romans 5:3-5

• How has your life been shaped by the hard things you’ve experienced? Are you thankful for anything?

I’m now a father, and life feels different in the best way possible. But before I became a dad, I had to heal from my relationship with my dad— how he wasn’t around while I was growing up, how he was distant emotionally, how he wasn’t someone I could lean on. It has taken years to be in a healthier place today in light of my father. And now, I can look back and say I’m thankful for the way my life has been shaped because I feel this deep desire daily to be present for my daughter, because I did not have that growing up. I don’t take my time with her for granted, and I prioritize opportunities to be present with her. I can look back with gratitude because I have a standard I want to achieve because of what I was missing. Suffering will always hurt in the moment, and it takes time to heal, but when we look back, we may then know what we want to give back to the world.