The most rewarding part of motherhood is the miracle of life itself. Holding your child for the first time—tiny hands, little toes, so pure and innocent—is a gift beyond words. Then begins the journey. From their first step to the teenage years filled with both joy and growing pains, each moment is a blessing. The hardest part is letting them go. Yet even that is a gift—the quiet knowing you’ve done your job well, as they step forward in faith and love.

Being a mother reveals the most honest picture of who you are. One of my greatest lessons was learning to truly listen to my child’s needs without rushing in to fix everything. So often, we want to have all the answers—to make things right, to take away the struggle. But there is power in the pause… in allowing them to work through their thoughts, to wrestle, to grow. And then, gently, we step in—with wisdom, with love. That has been my greatest lesson.

I would surprise my husband by paying off the debt we have carried for far too long. When his business shut down during COVID, we both lost our jobs and were forced to sell our forever family home just to survive. That season left us with a financial weight we are still working to overcome. A gift of $20,000 would lift a tremendous burden from our shoulders and give us the chance to truly start over—rebuilding a stable and hopeful future together.