Family without Bloodlines

These past 2 weeks have been rough for our little family. I started out with a week long fever and what felt like hacking up a lung, only to find out the next week that its pneumonia. Then Judah was sick with a cold, which sounds minor, but is still taxing. And now Joe is sick now that Judah and I are well! On top of it all, Joe's been pulling my weight as domestic support by doing dishes, cleaning house, caring for Judah while I was sick. And he's got finals and papers on his plate. All in all, it's been a rough trial. That said, praise God.

It's times like these that remind me time and again why I love God's people. It's not just our church, who were a great support in prayer and encouragement. But the Church, God's people, brothers and sisters in Christ. People went out of their way to make us meals, offer childcare (which I had to decline cause Judah was sick), etc. While we've always lived away from our blood family (mom, dad, sisters, brothers), we've never felt "without family". God has provided so wonderfully in that way. We are in one another's homes, we are helping whenever we are able, we are praying for every joy, fear, and trial, we are with one another in those times as well. God's adopted sons and daughters are my adopted brothers and sisters, as Paul says in Romans 8:12-17:

"So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

I pray that you too have a church "home" and church "family" that you can serve in and be nourished from. For those misreading this as, "Man... Maggie only wants to get stuff out of people." Please! That's not what I'm saying! I'm overwhelmed with gratitude from all the saints that served us this past week, and overwhelmed with joy in the Lord that His people act as Christ. I truthfully find it hard to receive, not that I'm the most gracious of givers either. But it's hard for me to say, "Yes. I need help. A meal would be lovely." So praise God for trials in which His people can thrive against the tempter and come in all love and service to an undeserving sister. 

It reminds me of Phoebe in Paul's final farewells at the end of Romans:

"1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well." -Romans 16:1-2

Not that I'm Phoebe, but God's people need to take care of one another. We are all builders in the kingdom, and if one falters or stumbles in trials, we, as those being sanctified to be like Christ, need to be there with nourishment and encouragement. Thank you to all who nourished and encouraged our small family these past 2 weeks. I pray that I can do the same for you in whatever trials you may face.