Shanna Nelson

I'm Colby Hendrix. Football Legend. Notorious Playboy. Sarcasm Extraordinaire. I had everything you could ever want. The career some would die for, friends that always have my back, and an unmatched level of charm. I never planned on settling down. There wasn't ever a reason to. At least, that's what I thought until she came barreling back into my life. With long brown hair and hazel eyes, she has the ability to disarm me with a single look. The little girl attached to her side? She's the shock I never knew I wanted.

When it comes to the “hard seasons” of life—the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of a job—transformation seems impossible when grief and uncertainty dominate your days. Especially when, as Didn’t See that Coming reveals, no one asks to have their future completely rearranged for them. But, as Rachel Hollis writes, it is up to you how you come through your pain—you can come through changed for the better, having learned and grown, or stuck in place where your identity becomes rooted in what hurt you.

I crawled into Ryan Jensen’s bed that first night by accident. I barely knew him. I thought it was his sister’s bed - her room. It took seconds to realize my error, and I should've left... I didn’t. I didn’t jump out. I didn’t get embarrassed. I relaxed. And that night, in that moment, it was the only thing I craved. I asked to stay. He let me, and I slept. The truth? I never wanted to leave his bed. If I could've stayed forever, I would have. He became my sanctuary. Because - four hours earlier - my twin sister killed herself.