Amazing Friends Ask "How Can We Help?" An example to follow...

A close family member recently became very ill and my mother asked me to contact some friends. When I stopped by and shared the news, first they listened, then asked "How can we help?"

I didn't know how to answer that question in the moment, but the offer created peace. If we needed something, I knew where to comfortably go for assistance.

But the offer didn't stop there, they began to offer ways to help. This is a fantastic way to be of help - because someone is under stress or shock it's hard to think of what you need.

Here are some things they came up with: Pray and contact the pastor, e-mail friends (they took notes on the situation to make sure they got the information right), keep an eye on the house, take people to or pick up people at the airport.

In addition to asking how to help the people affected, they also wanted to know what they could do to help me personally.

What a fantastic example of how to be a true friend to someone in need.

My favorite way to help me in the moment: "Can we send you home with some 'Prozac"?" Code for double fudge brownies!

Thank you! For the brownies, for the offer to help, for thinking up ways to help even when I could not, and for a wonderful example to follow.

Heather