Focal verse
“Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
Reflection
As soon as I woke my son to get him ready for school, I knew we were in for a rough morning. Placing my hand on his shoulder, I whispered, “Good morning.” His eyes opened with a squint, and he immediately began crying.
“I don’t want to go to school,” he protested.
“You have a little bit of time,” I whispered, “but you need to get up and ready soon.”
“I’m not going to school,” he told me defiantly, pushing his face into his pillow and pulling the covers over him. “I’m not going!” he repeated as tears fell from his eyes.
After heaps of patience on my end, more tears and a little time, I convinced my son that he did indeed have to go to school. The drop-off wasn’t any easier, but eventually he gave in and went to class.
After school, he smiled as he recounted his day. He told me that when his class gathered for a morning meeting, one of his friends noticed he was red-eyed. She asked what was wrong. He recounted his rough morning, to which she responded, “I have mornings like that.”
I wish I could have seen my son’s response when she shared those words with him. Perhaps he breathed a sigh of relief that someone saw him and felt similarly. I hope her words made him feel better. That’s what we all need: someone to see and acknowledge us.
You may have had mornings, or even full days, when the tears keep coming—when you want to stay under the covers and forget about the “to-dos” and problems ahead of you. As parents, we walk with our children through these mornings and days, being soft places for them to land.
We all need people in our lives who speak words of hope to us. This month, reflect on the moments when someone has seen you through a hard time and offered a word of grace. As a family, be on the lookout for a chance to truly see your neighbors and to say, “We’ve had days like that too, and you’re not alone.”
Practices
- Send cards to people in your community who are going through a hard time. A simple “We’re thinking of you” can go a long way in making someone feel cared for. If you’re looking to bring joy to someone you don’t know, the organization The World Needs More Love Letters is a great resource for learning about how to mail letters to people in need around the world.
- Read The Just Love Story Bible (Beaming Books, 2025) as a family. Through retellings of thoughtfully selected Bible stories, the book recounts how people throughout history have asked big questions about God and the answers they received. It urges readers to cultivate their own ideas about God, to ponder their experiences and to keep on wondering.
Prayer practice
As a family, talk about the power of intercessory prayer. Commit to praying for people throughout the month of November. Make a list of friends, family and people in your community who could use your prayers. Take time every day to pray for them.
