This story reveals how to care effectively and how this blog and The Seven Essentials helped this woman experience a beautiful result.

"In the time that I’ve been reading through the Best Care Ministry content, I have become more convinced of the deep need for Christians to understand this essential part of living out our faith and displaying God’s character through care.

I’ve been so challenged personally in how I can better do this in every area of my life. Reading through “The 7 Essentials” I felt that I was given some really helpful reminders and tools to provide the best care. The most helpful for me was the extreme listening essential. There was an example of someone sharing about their hardship and then possible responses to that person. I am so prone to respond to someone with my own life experience instead of seeking to learn more about the person sharing with me. I can’t say that I’m much improved in this area, yet, but I have the constant reminder in the back of my head to provide the best care through extreme listening.

Here’s a story about how I adjusted the way I cared for a friend going through a hard season because of the tools from Best Care Ministry:

My friend was struggling with the challenges of newborn twins, a temperamental 3 yr old, and an unhappy marriage. She was deep into sadness and hopelessness. All I wanted to do was remove the pain and do something for her. I wanted to fix it and make life easier somehow. Obviously, I don’t have the power to do that. God had given her this hard season, and He would see her through. Was that truth a comfort to her? In the midst of it, not really. I could not find the right words to encourage her, so I decided to intentionally try another approach. I began to incorporate the 7 essentials to help care for her in the best possible way. I practiced presence by spending an entire day with her each week to just be another set of hands and a friend to listen to her, and to simply sit with her in her struggle. Some days we laughed, sometimes we got tasks checked off her to do list, some days we just sat and cried, some days we were just trying to get through the day. Whatever we did, I was there with her. It was such a sweet and special season to spend with my friend. I also wanted to focus on another essential for the best care, extreme listening. I tried to pause after she would share something to decide what to say. I tried to practice asking more questions and I learned that sometimes I didn’t need to say anything. She is an extrovert that processes out loud so sometimes I just listened to her process through her pain and grief, and I just didn’t interrupt her.

 I am still spending time with my dear friend these days, but she’s gone back to work and we don’t get to have those long days together like we had during her maternity leave. The season changed. After that particularly specific time together, my friend gave me a note with something that truly encouraged my heart. It said, “My dear friend, you have displayed Jesus in this time you’ve cared for me.”

We don’t always get to see the fruition of care ministry, but I am so thankful Jesus was seen through me. What a gift! I pray that others will also take this to heart and care for one person in their life. Can you imagine if every Christian cared intentionally for just one person? How much could our world change? "

I can't add a thing, except to say thank you for sharing and I am so happy you were there for your friend. Your presence to her was valuable beyond measure.

What is your story? Please share.