“I’ve always been a rule follower. When they said not to chew gum, I didn’t chew gum. When they said not to use your cellphone, I didn’t use my cellphone. But today, in the spirit of defying expectations, and for perhaps the last time at this podium, I say..."
Early College High School valedictorian Alem Hadzic has gone viral after he took the stage at his graduation ceremony to deliver his speech—just hours after his father's funeral.
Rachel Ryan lives in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, with her four-year-old mini me, Olivia, and a fiercely stubborn Shih-poo named Bella. A freelance editor and writer for Christian publications in the Nashville area, Rachel maintains the blog A Hopefull Word, which shares weekly posts based on daily readings of God’s Word.
"I’ve made fun of her, calling her names—so many names. Fat. Ugly. Worthless...I was ashamed of her, ready to move on and live the rest of my life pretending she didn’t exist."
