three pieces to the puzzle

I have come to realize that building a testimony is like putting together a puzzle that you get one piece at a time. This week I found three pieces and I wanted to write them down so I wouldn't forget them. And I wanted to share them because I wanted to talk about them with someone and since it has been to cold to walk in the morning, I haven't had the opportunity to really put them together.

First, my brother and sister in law have adopted a third baby. This means that they have three children two and under. This is a hard hard thing that they have done, but it is an amazing blessing and I have seen the hand of God work in their lives. I have also seen the way people have rallied around them to make this possible. I am reminded of the phrase "bear one anothers burdens that they may be light"

Second, I watched a web cast of a friend on mine in Florida who donated her kidney to her brother. She was giving a sermon at her church (Crossroad Methodist in Jacksonville) and she talked about how she didn't share what her family was going through for a long time until she had a witness that she needed to let people know. She started telling people about how sick her brother was and let her friends and her church community know what was going on. She talked about how the church is the community of Christ and that she needed them to know so they could support her and pray for her.

Third, I had a good talk with someone who has gone through a very rough year. Her husband has been out of work, her children have been diagnosed with some frightening mental illnesses, they have huge medical bills and there were some unfortunate rumors going around about her kids that hurt the family deeply.

So when I put these pieces together, the picture I see is one of community, working together to lift each other up. We are here to help each other, but we can't help if we don't know what is going on.

I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from my mission "If you think you can do it alone, God will let you".