What I Learned From "I Can Only Imagine 2"

Joy here and the new movie "I Can Only Imagine 2" is in theaters now!  I got to be on the red carpet and hear the hearts of the actors behind this amazing project.  

1. Even After Healing, Parenting Can Still Be Hard

I Can Only Imagine 2 continues the story of Bart Millard — but this time, we see him not just as the son who survived a painful childhood… we see him as a father.

After growing up with a harsh and complicated upbringing, Bart finds himself struggling to connect with his own son. And that’s what surprised me most. Healing doesn’t automatically equal ease. Breaking generational cycles is beautiful — but it’s also messy.

What I loved was the vulnerability. It would’ve been easy to tell only the triumphant parts of his story. Instead, this film shines a light on a hard parenting season. It shows that even someone who’s written songs about forgiveness and redemption can still wrestle with insecurity, distance, and not knowing how to bridge the gap.

That honesty matters to me.

Because so many parents quietly carry the fear: What if I don’t do this well?

This movie reminds us that struggling doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you human. And sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit you’re still learning how to love your child well.

2. Each Day Is a Gift

One memorable moment in the film comes from Tim Timmons. His character played by Milo Ventimiglia marks an “X” on his wrist every morning — a simple reminder that God woke him up that day.

It’s such a small act. But it carries weight.

In a world that constantly pushes us to rush, achieve, and move on to the next thing, the X is a pause. A declaration. I am still here. Today matters.

I won't spoil the movie by sharing more about how meaningful this is but trust me when I say it's one of the most powerful moments in the film. 

I didn’t expect a simple wrist mark to challenge me — but it did. I can easily forget that even opening my eyes and waking up is a gift from God to be grateful for. 

3. When You Can't See It In Yourself, Let Someone Else Hold the Faith

In the film, you can feel the weight Bart is carrying as he struggles relationally with his oldest son.  He didn’t want to repeat what he came from, but he also didn’t fully know how to do it differently. What moved me most was the steady presence of his wife. She didn’t shame him. She didn’t minimize the struggle. She saw both the broken boy he had been and the father he was trying to become, and she chose to stand in the gap. Sometimes the greatest gift in marriage isn’t fixing the problem — it’s holding belief for the person you love until they can carry it themselves again. She's one of the real heroes of this movie for me. So many women stand in the gap for those they love and hold out faith and hope for them when they need it most.