The state that I live in has just entered a week of full lockdown restrictions in the wake of the Delta strain being found among local Covid tests. It was both annoying and stressful to receive the news just one day before school holidays were due to end but, in another way, somewhat timely. 

The small church plant family that we have been gathering with for a little over a year now, since lockdowns and restrictions became the new normal, meets on a Sunday night, walks through a Bible narrative and talks about one question. This week’s question was poignantly, “How can you offer help or hope?” As I sit here to write this, the question takes on new meaning as we begin this new period of limited activities: how can I still offer help or hope in our at-home learning, in our extended periods away from other people and in our immediate family?

Whatever you might be doing this week, whether it’s restricted due to Covid or it’s your regular routine, here are three ways you can try being a bringer of help and hope to those around you.

Prayer

This might seem like an obvious one, but praying for those around us is a huge thing for us to do as women of God. It’s not only important to be lifting others up in prayer, but it’s important to be in communion in this way with our Creator. “Sure,” you might think, “That’s all well and good, and I know someone I can be praying for — but I don’t know any specifics.” That’s fine, because in Romans 8:26, it specifically says, “A similar thing happens when we pray. We are weak and do not know how to pray, so the Spirit steps in and articulates prayers for us with groaning too profound for words.” (VOICE) 

You don’t need to know any specifics to pray for someone. You simply need to pray and let the Spirit fill in the blanks. The Lord will always know your heart and will always know what you mean even when you don’t, so you can rest assured that He has already made a way for that prayer to be received. When praying for others, sometimes it’s necessary to keep that prayer between ourselves and God, but there are times when sending off a text or giving a call to say “hey, I just wanted you to know that today I’m praying for you” can be so encouraging. Being acknowledged and thought of can often be exactly what someone else has been praying for themselves!

Offer your skills

“But I don’t have any skills” is usually where my own thoughts go when someone suggests offering them to others in order to help. I don’t specifically think that I have any skills that are worth sharing or that might actually help someone and not hinder them, but I am always proven wrong.

Are you a clean-freak or super organized? Maybe offering to help someone simply clean out their shed or their spare room is enough to put your skills to work. It might not seem like much to you, or that being clean is a skill, but to someone who has mobility or health issues and can’t do that themselves, it’s a big deal. Maybe you’re a whiz on the computer and someone you know is trying to get their resume up to scratch in order to apply for a new job — could you raise your hand and offer to help them collate the best about themselves to put down on paper? Or perhaps you’re really good with kids, have a few spare evenings here and there and know of a couple who just really needs to get out of the house — alone — and spend some quality time together. Offering to babysit might not feel like much to you, but it could make a world of difference to that family. You don’t need to be a professionally trained chef or a chartered accountant to have skills worth sharing with others; you might just be really good at making coffee and listening. Remember, it’s all a help when you’re doing it for the Lord.

“So no matter what your task is, work hard. Always do your best as the Lord’s servant, not as man’s…” -Colossians 2:23, VOICE

Send some hope

If you’re anything like me, the art of delivered flowers and packages or received snail-mail is not lost. In fact, it’s anticipated! I love when the postman can be heard roaring down the road on his yellow motorbike, his bags full of letters, because there’s a part of me that hopes he has something special for me.

Sending hope in such a physical and tangible way might be the perfect opportunity for you to offer some hope to someone else this week. It’s uplifting to receive something and know that someone else thought of you before you even opened it! Preparing to send something to someone else takes preparation, thought and organization, and this can speak louder than the gift or message itself. Perhaps today is your chance to offer hope and a reminder of the One who is most faithful and keeps His promises. It doesn’t have to be extravagant or expensive — it can be as simple as a postcard — but what counts is that you are directing the receiver to the source of their hope.

“Let us hold strong to the confession of our hope, never wavering, since the One who promised it to us is faithful” -Hebrews 10:23, VOICE

So this week as I get accustomed to at-home learning lovingly prepared by the teachers and grapple with what’s left in the pantry to create lunch with, I’m reminded to seek opportunities to offer help and hope to my family. Is there a moment for me to be totally present with my five year old as she practices her handwriting and help her with her letter formation? Can I offer the hope of a job well done in her Creator’s eyes even when she’s feeling frustrated at some of the requirements? Perhaps I can help my one year old feel a part of the big learning picture too, as he watches his favorite person practicing her numbers.

Wherever you find yourself, can I encourage you to consider the people in your world — work, school, family — and how you might be a bringer of help and hope? You might be surprised at the conversations that are opened up by your simple act of reaching out.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I'm Hannah - mama to two littles and dipping my toes into my next right thing as I learn to navigate this chapter God has called me to. I generally hover in that space between consciousness and coffee as I try to take each day knowing I need grace to get through it. I'm a lover of good words, strong conversation, a well-worn thrift store and a doughy doughnut.