Joshua Neal

Hello Friends,
I wanted to share something personal with you. Recently, an AI app kept prompting me to bring old photos to life. At first, I was hesitant—but I finally decided to animate one of the only two photos I have of my dad. (Pic 1 caution ⚠️ when you press play)
The moment I saw it, I broke down. That experience made me realize there was deeper healing I still needed to do.

Many of you know my dad was killed before I was born, and in recent years, I’ve really begun to feel the weight of that loss. During a session this week, I was encouraged to write him a letter (pic 2) -something that allowed me to release, reflect, and move forward.

Part of the letter not on pic
(There’s something else I want to share with you, Dad — something that’s part of who I am. I’m a gay man. And I hope that doesn’t disappoint you. I like to believe that if you were here, you’d love me just the same — that you’d see how much good I try to bring into the world, how much love I give, and how true I try to live to who I am. I’ve come to understand that being honest about who I am is part of God’s purpose for me, too — to live with love, truth, and compassion.)

I share this to remind anyone navigating grief: it’s just love with nowhere to go. But when you face it, honor it, and do the work, that love can transform—you can find peace.

Thank you for holding space and walking this journey with me. 💛 (full letter is in comments)