Being Lifted Up

For about 2 1/2 years, S and I attended another church other than the one where we had been raised. After that, we returned to our home church to work--literally. (S became the part-time youth minister and I began working with the children's ministry...and later became the church secretary.) But those 2 1/2 years at the other church....ah they were wonderful.

It was like a breath of fresh air to us. We walked into the young marrieds class the first week (even though we weren't entirely sure we were young enough to qualify) and found a group of folks who were fun and serious. Fun to be around and serious about their faith. What a great mix!

Little Bit was born while we attended that church. Another couple had a baby boy around the same time. Their names were Brad and Jenny and they were just neat folks. Brad often taught our young marrieds Bible class and played basketball with S (it was a few years ago!). Jenny and I shared some time in the nursing room together with our little ones and she had the best smile ever. They were just one of those families who were neat to be around.

We haven't seen them very much since we left that church, but a few weeks ago we got an update on them. It seems that Brad has been battling cancer. He and Jenny are currently in Germany while he receives alternative treatment for his cancer as there were not many choices of treatment here in the United States. You can read more about their story here.

You know I've been thinking a lot lately about how the body of Christ is so much bigger than just the ones at our church that we worship with each week. Well, at the time we attended church with them we were also friends with another family. The wife in that family was from Germany and when Brad and Jenny arrived in Germany they were greeted by that friend's sister and fed dinner by her mom. Just imagine how God works things out! I'm sure Brad and Jenny never thought they would be traveling to Germany to receive cancer treatments, and yet years before had made friends with a sister in Christ who hailed from that country. God's family is world-wide and I think sometimes we forget that....but I am reminded of it today.

Brad and Jenny are being supported by their family and their church--and it's a great group of people to be supported by. But if you think about it, could you lift them up in prayer too? I have been so encouraged as I have seen pictures of folks repairing their fence for them while Brad recovered from an earlier surgery--people that I happen to know attend another church. The body of Christ....I can't quit thinking about it...and the opportunities we have to lift each other up wherever we are.