I want to share something personal, and while it may not resonate with everyone, it’s meaningful to me. In the past, I had a mindset of “I have a right.” During that time, I was dating a wonderful girl named Hannah Presley. I remember many of my peers and some wise adults advised me to wait before getting married—encouraging me to have fun and meet other girls. However, one older man gave me different advice: he said I would not find anyone better than Hannah and that I should marry her. I took his advice, and I’m grateful I did. When we married at the young age of 21, my life expanded in ways I never expected. Today, I am grateful for over 20 years of marriage!

Friend, as our family grew, our house was too small, and the neighborhood wasn’t ideal. As the head of the family, I realized I needed to earn more, which involved becoming more valuable in the marketplace. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I needed to become a more valuable person. I set out to develop new skills and improve myself. This experience pushed me to grow, and I now regret not taking the initiative to grow sooner. You don’t need to have a family to strive for self-improvement, but embracing responsibility is essential.