Val (Persinger) Webster

Jersey Girl now in NoVA | @SetonHallAlumni | previous @RapidCityRush & @ECHL | #sportsbiz #dogs #animalrescue

[Andrew Daub @TheResoluteLife]

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” - Romans 5:3-4

Last week a story went viral that says a difficult life isn’t worth living. I want to offer a different perspective:

The Hard Road Is The Point.

There’s a growing lie baked into modern culture that life is supposed to be smooth. Convenient. Perfect. That if things are difficult, something’s gone wrong. That suffering is a malfunction, not a feature.

So people spend their lives optimizing for comfort. Avoiding friction and inconvenience. Looking for the shortcut, the hack, the easier path.

And they miss the whole point.

The beauty of a life well-lived isn’t found despite the struggle - it’s forged inside it. Character doesn’t grow in comfort. It grows under pressure, strain, stress and adversity. Gratitude doesn’t come from ease. It comes from having walked through something hard and making it to the other side.

The ancient understanding - the one we’ve traded for comfort - is that suffering carries meaning. That the valley isn’t a detour. It is the journey.

Truth is, when you strip away the hard parts, you don’t get a better life. You get a shallow one.

Because the rough road isn’t a sign you’re doing it wrong.

It might be the surest sign you’re doing it right.

My son Iron Will has Down syndrome. He spent his earliest months in a walker just to build the strength to stand. Every step was a fight. Every inchstone and milestone was hard won. And watching him work, really work, for things that come effortlessly to other kids didn’t break my heart. It expanded it. Because what I saw wasn’t limitation. I saw determination unencumbered by societal expectations. I saw joy that doesn’t depend on easy. I saw a little boy who gets up every single time, grins, and goes again on his own terms, at his own pace.

My brave little son didn’t teach me about suffering. He taught me what it looks like to pursue life fully - without fear, without shortcuts, and without ever being told what he can’t do.

When we decide a life will be too hard before it begins - based on the inherent limitations of our mortal understanding - we end a story before it ever has the chance to be written.

We will never tell Iron Will, or any of our children, that the hard road isn’t worth it.

Because the greatest stories ever told involve suffering that produces endurance that produces character that produces hope.

And hope changes everything.

#TeamIronWill #DownSyndromeAdvocacy #IronWill #SayYesToPossibility

[Val (Persinger) Webster @Val_Webster22]

@KATVChrisMay Hi Chris. Yes, you may use the two photos in the is thread for your story. Please credit my account and please share the story once it’s live, thank you!

[Val (Persinger) Webster @Val_Webster22]

@Pithy_Galore @SharrellAnne2 I missed it earlier, thanks for calling that out!

[Val (Persinger) Webster @Val_Webster22]

This is so amazing!!! What an impact!

[Gino Hard @GinoHard_]

P.K. Subban has fulfilled his $10 million commitment to Montreal Children’s Hospital — the largest donation by an athlete in Canadian history ❤️

A decade-long promise kept, with approximately 100,000 children helped. Respect 🫡

[Washington Wizards @WashWizards]

Inject this into our veins 🥶

#ForTheDistrict | @TheTraeYoung

[Under Secretary of War Anthony J. Tata @USW_PR_HONTata]

Data shows that the unemployment rate for military spouses is ~20%, nearly 5x the national average.

Hiring military spouses is smart business and the right thing to do for our warriors & their families. That is why we have directed senior leaders throughout the @DeptofWar to begin maximizing the use of military spouse employment flexibilities. This immediate change will make it easier for talented military spouses to secure opportunities in the Department.

For example, up to this point, our DoWEA schools could not extend job offers to highly qualified spouses with teaching licenses until 30 days prior to their PCS move, creating economic insecurity for our military families and unnecessary vacancies in our schools. No more. Now, these talented men & women can apply and be hired upon receipt of official orders.

@SecWar @PeteHegseth & the @DoW_USW_PR team will continue to prioritize and invest in military spouse employment.

[Utah Mammoth @utahmammoth]

This is what it’s all about 🩵

Michael Carcone and teammates arrived to the game wearing socks designed by Carcs in collaboration with the NHLPA and For Bare Feet in honor of #WorldDownSyndromeDay.

[Val (Persinger) Webster @Val_Webster22]

“Haven’t eaten in a week” & the Pirate logo… get it on a tshirt stat @SHUAthletics @SetonHallMBB @SetonHallAlumni

[College Basketball Review @CbbReview]

Rick Pitino kept it honest about Seton Hall😂

[Tony Patelis @TonyPatelis]

America is rooting for Seton Hall today.

[Travis Akers 🇺🇸 @travisakers]

Military pets are in need of volunteer Boarders ASAP!

If you're a registered DoD Boarder, please log in to see pets in need in the Hero Pet Boarding Network. These pets are counting on us!

Want to help but not a Boarder?
Sign up & support military pets in your community: https://t.co/SC5RrbqIQj

[Val (Persinger) Webster @Val_Webster22]

Love this call out & action, well done PWHL👏🏼👏🏼

[PWHL @thepwhlofficial]

24 hours? Not this year. 🤷‍♀️

International Women’s Day comes up one hour short this year. So today, PWHL players who wear 24 are wearing 23 — a reminder that when women get less, the answer is to give women’s sports more. This International Women’s Day, donate $23 to help girls get in, and stay in, the game.

CA ➡️ https://t.co/iy5yEippLG
U.S. ➡️ https://t.co/lC1WTLlIaW
#23HourPlay

[New Jersey @NJGov]

shoutout to all the jersey girls

[Cons @CaptainCons]

Remember - our troops don’t decide where they go, they go where they’re ordered

Pray for our brave men and women in harms way and God bless America 🇺🇸

[Connor Griffin @RealCGriff]

“For all the young people out there, those dreams are formed now. Go chase them and go get them, because our country loves sports and it brings us together unlike anything else. And if you didn’t know that…you saw it in Team USA Hockey”

What a signoff from Tirico just now🇺🇸

[Val (Persinger) Webster @Val_Webster22]

@jmals24 @TeamUSA Hahaha so good!! Thank you!

[Val (Persinger) Webster @Val_Webster22]

A gold medal W in OT on my bday is quite fantastic, thanks @TeamUSA women!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

#USAHockey

[Val (Persinger) Webster @Val_Webster22]

@AnnasBBburner @TeamUSA Thank you!!

[Val (Persinger) Webster @Val_Webster22]

@bendignan @TeamUSA Thanks hope all is well, Ben!!