Carry Each Other's Burdens

“Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” ~Galatians 6:12

After a long talk with Sarah on Tuesday about the season of waiting we’re experiencing, I decided to send her and Kathleen a card for encouragement (I totally could be spoiling the surprise if they haven’t received the card yet). The card I sent to each of them had Galatians 6:12 on it. As I read the verse I realized just how much Sarah, Kathleen and I are living out its words on a daily basis. We are all in a season of waiting – waiting to become mother’s, waiting for a referral, waiting to board a plane to go get our babies – and this season is sometimes really hard, really lonely and can seem never-ending. But the good news is we are all helping to carry one anothers burdens. Some days I am the strong one and help carry the heavy burdens that weigh Sarah and Kathleen down. Other times I feel like I’m drowning and Kathleen and Sarah are there to keep my head above the water.


As I pondered this verse I started to think about prayer. Praying for others is a way that we can help carry their burdens. Over the past six months I have had the opportunity (through prayer) to carry the burdens of several people. Some of these people I know personally, some of them I only know through Facebook and one I never had the chance to meet.


Of course there’s Sarah and Kathleen. Two of my closest friends, we met because we were all going to adopt from Ethiopia, but now our friendship is built on the solid foundation of Christ. I pray for these girls each day. For their adoption processes and for God to equip them for the wait.

Then there’s Erica Shubin. I only know Erica through Facebook and the blog world, but I consider her a friend. I have had the privilege to pray for her family as they traveled the long adoption journey to their sweet daughter Zahra. I have witnessed firsthand the amazing miracles that God performed so that Erica and her family could make Zahra a part of their forever family. Just this week they passed court in Ethiopia and met Zahra for the first time. When I saw the first photos of Erica and her husband with Zahra my heart swelled with emotion and tears flooded my eyes. God gave me a chance to be a part of this amazing journey through prayer.

Over the past six months or so I have also had the privilege of praying for a man I never had the chance to meet. Mike was the brother of one of my old editors and had to have a stem cell transplant. He literally went through hell on earth trying to recover from the stem cell transplant. I was heartbroken to learn that he passed away yesterday. I never met Mike, but from what Bob has told me he was an incredible man. I am thankful that I got to be a part of Team Doucette.

You may know someone who is going through some difficult stuff and you have no idea how to help. Prayer is a simple way that you can help carry their burdens. You're not only doing something that will change the life of the person you are praying for - but something that will change your life as well.