Today you will hear from my friend, Melissa Sasse. In 2007, her life changed forever when she suffered an aneurysm in her neck that caused three strokes. Because of the limitations that this left her with, she was in need of someone to drive her and her children to run errands and get groceries once a week when they moved back to Nebraska a number of years ago. I volunteered...and it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Melissa's own suffering has made her keenly aware of mine and she has been such a help to me in grief. She was one of the first people to show up at our door when Jackson died and she hasn't stopped showing up for me since.

No matter where you land on the political spectrum, please know that this podcast is not about politics...it's about friendship, and faith, and pressing on. Melissa leads by example in this fight for joy. She has a strong and deep faith that has provided such hope and gratefulness, but her story reminds us once again that faith doesn't make the consequences of this broken world hurt any less. I hope you are encouraged and inspired in your OWN fight for joy as you listen.