Well, hello, my friends, and welcome to the Live Inspired podcast Monday Morning Moments with

John O'Leary.

You know, it's difficult when a chapter that once felt

endless suddenly comes to an end. Have you had that experience in your life? Maybe it's a moment that you

loved, a relationship, that you loved, a place, that you loved a job, that you loved a season,

that you loved. It's difficult when a chapter that once felt endless suddenly comes to an end.

Well, 16 years ago, Beth and I stood nervously outside a little school in St. Louis called Holy Redeemer Catholic

School. Beth and I were young parents then. We had a five-year-old, a three-year-old, a one-year-old, yeah, that's a lot, and another

child on the way. To say the least life was chaotic and, like most parents, stepping into something

new, about that I wondered if we were making the right decision. When our little one, his name

was Jack, would he make friends? Would he feel safe? Would he belong?

And if I'm being honest, we carried our own quiet fears to. Would we fit in? Would we find community?

Would this place become our home? Well, little Jack made friends. And believe it or not,

this might surprise some of you, so did his parents.

Our school became far more than a building where children learn math or spelling or religion.

It became a sacred little community where families celebrated together, where they cried together,

where they prayed together, where they supported

one another, and where they grew alongside each other in life. Before long, Patrick followed Jack

through those same doors, and then little Henry, and then along came Grace. And suddenly,

our lives became a blur of first days of school, class, parties, field,

trips, fish fries, parent teacher conferences, recitals, father-daughter, father-daughter, dances,

first communion, sporting events, science fairs, forgotten lunches, missing backpacks, and chaotic

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