Bonjour Reader,

There’s something you probably don’t know about me.

I desperately want to be the mom who gets compliments on her daughter’s hair. It’s not a pretty emotion, but there it is.

So you can understand why, let me share a little backstory…

Ten years ago, my husband and I adopted our daughter from central Africa. She has the most glorious head of hair I have ever seen—piles of beautiful, jet black 4C curls.

Her hair is basically the exact opposite of mine. And it requires very special care. I have stick straight, fine, brown/blonde hair.

Here's a picture of us, both with updos, at my birthday lunch in August:

When she came home to us, I had no idea what to do with her hair. I didn’t want to be “that mom” (you know, the one incapable of properly caring for her child of a different race). I wanted to look like I knew what I was doing. But most importantly, I wanted my daughter to feel proud of her hair.

I had so much to learn. Products. Accessories. Brushing. Braiding. Twisting. Maintenance. The list went on and on.

At first, I took her to the salon. It took hours. She’d cry and cry. It was so hard to watch. Then I tried to do it myself. It took days. I’d cry and cry. It was so hard to get the hang of.

But eventually, I did get the hang of it.

Here’s the #1 takeaway my quest to manage 4C curls can teach us:

Life hands us all challenges we feel unequipped for. But it’s in those moments that we discover our strength and capacity.

As a general rule, I don’t let things get the best of me. I was bound and determined to master 4C curls too.

• I watched YouTube videos.
• I asked Haitian women at church to help me.
• I took braiding classes in a town 2+ hours away.
• I tried all the methods and all the products.
• I practiced endlessly—on a mannequin and on my daughter.

Eventually—and I do mean eventually—I got quite good at it. I still can’t cornrow very well, but I can twist & bead like a boss.

What started as a tearful struggle turned into a bond between my daughter and me—learning to care for her beautiful curls was a journey of patience, understanding and, eventually, pride.

Life hands us all challenges we feel unequipped for. But we can figure it out.

• It doesn’t matter if it’s hard.
• It doesn’t matter if it takes a long time.
• It doesn’t matter if it makes us uncomfortable.

We can figure it out.

So, think about your own journey:

• What challenge are you facing that feels overwhelming?
• How can you approach it with patience and persistence?
• What small step could you take today to move forward?

Whatever challenge you’re facing, remember: it might feel impossible now, but with time and effort, it will become a part of your story. And that story is worth telling.

À bientôt,

Sara

P.S. Hit reply and let me know what challenge you're facing right now. I’d love to pray for you and encourage you!

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