When I was in College at Seton Hall, I was dating my (now) wife, Mary. We broke up for a period of time and I was absolutely crushed.

he stood up, hugged me, and said the words I will never forget as long as I am breathing... “I know this hurts, I know it sucks and I am sorry you’ve had to go through this feeling so alone. But I promise you, this is going to get better. It’s going to be okay; I promise.”

Growing up I loved the idea of superheroes and other fictional heroes who save the day and are recognized by the world for their noble deeds, and it was that love for them that made me realize how much of a hole I had in my heart to be known as an important and amazing person.

I miss my first-born daughter in a way no one else could possibly miss her. My relationship with her was unlike anyone else’s, and the void in my life and in my family feels so vacuous at times and it’s a very lonely and isolated place to be. The disbelief that the accident actually happened and resulted in Anna’s instant death washes over me again and again. How can it possibly be true?

There were so many things to look forward to in becoming a missionary, such as traveling, ministry, social skills, and job experience. But the thing that was always on my mind when discerning coming was being part of a community.

I learned to take the focus off me. I was afraid of messing up, stumbling, mispronouncing words, and embarrassing myself. I was standing up to read the Word of God and all that I could think about was myself.

Shame is not truth. Truth is giving it to God and accepting the mercy that He longs to give us. Truth is choosing to let go of shame.

If you work out, think about making your workout a Prayer Workout for someone who is struggling. If you want to work out but lack motivation, then try a Prayer Workout and do it for someone else.