At the Summit, we talk about giving God the first and best of our time, talent and treasure. Because of God’s great abundance of blessing to us, we are able to bless others.

We’re used to that part.

But what about when you’re on the receiving end of that generosity?

Judith, a member of the Apex campus, has seen that flip side as her small group rallied around her as she was caring for her ailing mother.

Judith wanted to honor her mother with the best care possible.

“She was a wonderful, wonderful mama and a godly woman,” Judith said. “It was the hardest privilege I’ve ever had, to take care of her at the end of her life.”

As she served her mother, who needed 24-hour care, Judith’s church family served her. The meals began to come. So did the beautiful gift baskets, cards and visits.

“This is a shoutout to small groups and why everyone should be in a small group. They were so comforting during that time. They brought meals every other day. Women in the church would randomly stop by with gifts for Mom, even though they never met her."

“I’m so grateful. I feel sad for people who don’t make time to get into a small group. You have those relationships in place before crisis happens. It’s a real sense of family and a real sense of belonging.”

Friends prayed, laughed, cried and sang with Judith and her mom. They listened to her as she shared sorrow and joy, the mingling of the two. Friends’ children sang for her mom and painted pictures for her mother.

Her mother was an example of grace even in suffering. She loved to be around people. She wanted to hear about others, Judith’s friends who would visit. They always left encouraged.

“That was my mom,” Judith said. “She had joy in exercising the gifts that God gave her for as long as she was able.”

After Judith’s mother passed, her small group was unceasing in their care. The meals and visits continued. Especially meaningful to Judith was when a friend from her group stayed the night with Judith the first time her husband had to travel for work after her mother’s death, so that she wouldn’t be alone.

“The body of Christ was so beautiful, absolutely breathtakingly beautiful during that time,” she said.

As followers of Jesus, giving generously is a joy, and as Jesus said, "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).


Written by Mary Moorefield, volunteer writer.

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