I immediately started crying and could not stop. This was the first time where I recognized someone else in the world has/had a parent with cancer. This was the first time I felt not alone.

was a corpse when I first came to Hard as Nails. He then added that I had gained JOY since being here. The staff and my fellow teammates could see a change in me that had taken place in the past six to seven months. They saw that I had joy.

My math teacher was a gorgeous, smart, tall woman. She was everything I wanted to be. Looking back, I realized I didn’t desire to be like her because of her looks or skills; it was her hope and how she knew she was loved; it was a hope I didn’t have and a love I thought I didn’t deserve.

I slipped into this dangerous cycle of maintaining control and creating future plans for myself. I allowed myself to continuously daydream and visualize about my future timeline which was nonexistent in that moment… I was pretty confident in the plans I had made, but something just felt a little off. Deep in my heart, I knew something just wasn’t right.

My parents thought that this would be the best way to receive my faith formation; but in reality, it destroyed it. I was taught textbook religion. Things were forced on me in a way that just drew me further and further away through the years.

A good takeaway that I learned, which maybe you can use as well, was to take a step back and watch what the people around me were saying, and observe if it was creating bonds or creating divides between them.

No matter if your Dad is at home or not. No matter if you get along with him or not. It is true. You have a Father in Heaven who loves you and wants to know you.

So Shockwave had to find something to focus on to remind himself why he shouldn’t let his anger take control of him. I made it be that he wanted to protect the innocent, his family

Leading by example is best done when you are living a virtuous life. If you lead others by your virtues not only will your virtue become stronger but those around you will be able to grow in their virtue as well.

Why do you constantly search for more than what your Beloved has already given you? Lift up your head, God is with you. Oh Lord thank you...

I felt like as soon as I worked through one wound, another would hit me, and I immediately would get discouraged and would say to myself “am I ever going to be healed?”.

As a Daughter of God, it does not mean I am called to be perfect, but to follow Him. At times, I will fall, but I get back up again because my eyes are fixed on him, who is the way, the truth, and the light.