One of the best parts of being a member of the Body of Christ is that we live in community. Scripture is full of references to teach us this principle, such as the passages above.

As I have slogged through various health related crises on top of my usual daily adventure with Spina Bifida, burdens have been heavy.

In December of 2018, I had major abdominal surgery. In the summer of 2019, I battled non-cancerous cyclical neutropenia. In the summer and fall of 2020, I underwent bilateral carpal tunnel surgery. Then, in January of this year, the biggest challenge of all arrived: metastatic breast cancer.

Members of All Saints stepped up to bring meals, walk my dog 'Annie Oakley' when Tony was working, and to just be present. These were all wonderful things and greatly appreciated. One burden, though, was harder to lift, and I was amazed in the way that God provided.

When we moved to Chevy Chase from Bloomingdale, we moved into an apartment building that had a communal laundry room. While it may not seem burdensome, hauling the laundry down the hall, riding the elevator, loading the machines that are not exactly accessible to me, and then reversing the process can be overwhelming on the best of days. People volunteered to help as much as they could with this unenjoyable task.

Then, I got a call; two calls, actually. The first call came last summer when I was dealing with bad wrists. The second call came a few weeks ago. The offer was the same in both instances. The voice on the line said, “Melissa, God has blessed me with resources but no time. Still, I want to help with your laundry. I am going to pay someone to come to your apartment to do the laundry until you are well. Don’t stress about it anymore and don’t let Tony worry, either.”

This is how we bear one another’s burdens. This is how we love each other practically. Willingly offering up what God has blessed us with - time, talent, finances - to support another member of our Body.

Whose burden can we bear today?

God bless you!

Melissa