Picture it. It’s Wednesday night, right in the middle of the school year. My husband and I are sitting in the Fellowship Hall, eating dinner and trying to figure out what to do with our four-month-old. On Wednesday nights, I work with our pre-K and elementary kids, Ethan leads the Luther Ringers, and Owen hangs out in the nursery. But on this particular Wednesday, our nursery assistant was away on a much-deserved vacation, so we had to figure out a new plan.

After some discussion (and a few rounds of rock, paper, scissors), we decided that Owen would join the Ringers for the night. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but it was doable. As we stood to leave, one of our close friends, who had been listening to us talk, swooped in, grabbed Owen, and said, "I’ll see you after Ablaze!" as she walked away. And that was that. Problem solved. Ethan went his way, I went mine, and Owen spent the evening with an honorary aunt who loves him deeply.

At this point, you might be wondering, "Why bring this up? Why write a whole article about it?" For many of you, conversations like this happen every week, if not every day. They’re just part of the rhythm of raising a family. I bring it up because that moment, in the midst of the Wednesday night chaos, when a friend chose to step in and solve a problem without being asked—that was church. Or at least, that’s what church is supposed to be.

It’s supposed to be a place where someone sees that you need an extra set of hands and gives you a little relief—even before you ask for it. Especially before you ask for it. You see, if you’re anything like me, you might be stubborn and think you have to do everything yourself. Or you might be afraid of inconveniencing someone else, worried that asking for help will only make their day harder. So you muddle through on your own, trying to juggle everything life throws at families—childcare, work, illness, activities, and all the rest—while putting on a brave face for the rest of the world and holding things together by sheer force of will.

But the church is here to remind us that that’s not how we’re meant to live. We are not built to go it alone. Galatians 6:2 tells us, "Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." We are called to show up in the real and messy parts of life and dig in together to make those burdens a little lighter. What that looks like depends on the day—or even the hour. It could be as simple as clearing the table for a family that looks overwhelmed. It could be as complex as helping someone navigate the changed landscape that comes with bringing a child into the world. When our friend grabbed Owen and headed off with him, she wasn't just solving our childcare problem. She was bearing our burden. She was reminding us, without having to say it, that we don't have to carry everything alone. In that simple act, she showed us what the church can be—a community where Christ's love is made visible in ordinary moments. Praise be to God!