Talk about it Tuesday.. serving others.

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Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people. -Ephesians 6:7

Hi everyone! I'm Sara, Alli's mom, & today I want to talk with you about something that has been on my heart lately.. what it means to truly SERVE others...

Our daughter, Bethany has severe asthma. This is something she has dealt with since she was a baby & she's now eighteen. It's hard, I'm not going to sugar coat it. Sometimes, when she has repeated attacks & can't get relief, the only option is IV steriods. When that happens, they place the IV in & then we go to the hospital every 12 hours for the medication. This usually lasts for 5-6 days. The first few days she's at home taking breathing treatments regularly, but once she starts to turn the corner, she tries to do as much as she feels up to as far as attending school & other events. As you can imagine, showering & washing your hair is a very difficult task with an IV in your hand that can't get wet.

I often think back to one of those episodes she had last year. She did not feel well at all & it was pretty miserable. Her sweet friend, Erin (who just happens to have a salon sink in her basement) offered to wash her hair for her & Bethany was so thrilled. That girl washed & massaged her hair & then braided it tightly so it would last a few days. It was the greatest gift of compassion, especially for a seventeen year old!

It got me thinking about the importance of seeing others' true needs & then doing what we can to meet them. How often in life, do we see someone struggling with something & take the initiative to do something that we might think they need without truly taking a moment to put ourselves in their shoes? Bethany's friends are so kind & compassionate to her. They've grown up with her & have a deep empathy for her situation. They're quick to offer their notes, help with homework or carry her books from class to class. This moment, was different though. Erin truly took the time to put herself in Bethany's shoes. She knew that going 6 days with unwashed hair would not be what any teenage girl would want to do. That night as Bethany was going to bed, she said, "I know my asthma isn't that much better, but I sure feel better." A simple act of service that made such a difference. Erin is a good hair dresser, she is just naturally talented at it. This was such an incredible example of Erin using her talent to bless another.

We have all been given talents that God intends for us to use for the good of others & to further His kingdom. As we enter this season of serving & giving, I encourage each of you (& challenge myself as well) to take a look at what you're good at & what you can do to truly serve others. You just never know the difference you'll make!

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