Here’s what I’ve learned while trying to parent in that cramped reality—the one where your joy is tied to your child’s pain.

Has this wild question ever kept you up at night: Will my kids be okay? It’s the question that tugs at your heart during every school drop-off, bedtime story, somber-toned phone call, and hard day.

Happiness is not the same as joy. One is based on your circumstances and outward influences. Joy is a choice. Joy is a decision.

No matter what my circumstances, I am always tied to the one who controls my world. He has me in his grasp, and I can never fall further than his hand can catch me.

In March 2015, Harvard released a study saying that every child who winds up doing well has had at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive…