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‘You Are Made in the Image of God’—Valedictorian’s Faith-Filled Graduation Speech Goes Viral for All the Right Reasons

A South Carolina high school valedictorian is going viral for her very faith-based graduation speech following a devastating tragedy.

High School Valedictorian Delivers Graduation Speech Hours After Dad’s Funeral

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. 

See the High School Graduation Trend That’s Making the Internet Cry

As the class of 2024 graduates and the school year comes to a close, there’s a new trend happening on social media that has all of us sentimentals feeling unwell over how fast time flies. 

Is it Okay to Be Angry at God?

Could it be that our sadness over a chemical attack in Syria or hearing that our child has been bullied or having to say goodbye to someone we love reveals something about who we are and how broken our world is?

Could it be that our anger reveals what matters most to us?

Could it be that our joy is a taste of the goodness of God?

Could it be that we need to pay attention to our tears because they are our unspoken prayers?

Could it be that all of our emotions are ways of allowing us to draw more deeply into God?

When we try to live as if our emotions don’t matter, or we dismiss them because we have judged them to be negative, we miss out on living as the whole people God wants us to be.

Our feelings don’t change who God is or what God has done to make us whole.  But part of being whole means giving our emotions room to breathe, to let them be part of who we are.

So. Go ahead. Tell God how you feel.

This article originally appeared at juliannegilchrist.com and is used by permission.

Julianne Gilchrist
Julianne Gilchrist
Julianne Gilchrist is a spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and mom to three. She loves creating space for others to slow down and (re)connect with God. She and her husband run a small business designed to help those in ministry rest, reflect, and grow. She spends her free time exploring the outdoors with her family, trying not to fall off her paddleboard, or taking her dog for long walks by the river. You can find her on Instagram at gilchrist_coaching or online at gilchristcoaching.com.

‘You Are Made in the Image of God’—Valedictorian’s Faith-Filled Graduation Speech Goes Viral for All the Right Reasons

A South Carolina high school valedictorian is going viral for her very faith-based graduation speech following a devastating tragedy.

High School Valedictorian Delivers Graduation Speech Hours After Dad’s Funeral

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. 

See the High School Graduation Trend That’s Making the Internet Cry

As the class of 2024 graduates and the school year comes to a close, there’s a new trend happening on social media that has all of us sentimentals feeling unwell over how fast time flies.