An old friend flew all the way to me for a weekend stay. I was three months postpartum and after a rocky healing journey for myself and my baby, the temptation to feel overwhelmed was great. This friend is one I normally would have wanted to go all out for by making the house spotless, creating a cozy guest space for her stay, and planning a lot of events that would make the time special, but this feeling was increased considering it had not even been a year since she experienced one of the greatest losses one could face in this life. However, the circumstances surrounding her visit and my season of life led to me having to release a lot of these pressures and simply do my best, focusing on making her feel loved and enjoying our time together.

After her visit, I was surprised at just how refreshed and fulfilled I felt. Why? Not because I had done anything special but because she had not only determined to love and enjoy her time with me, but she also served me well. These weren’t grandiose acts of service but small, silent acts that left me feeling seen and loved. Not to mention, these acts alleviated my daily pressures so much that I was able to feel fully present with her and this led to me enjoying our time together even more than I anticipated. She played with my two year old so I could get some chores done, she gave my daughter gifts, she went shopping with me and paid for my groceries, she cleared away dinner and cleaned up the kitchen without being asked, she treated me to a cup of coffee, she stripped her bedding and offered to run it in the wash upon leaving, she offered to fold my many piles of laundry after I expressed how far I fall behind on that particular chore, and she offered to do even more minuscule acts that, even though I declined, surprised me every time.

In reality, my biggest takeaway from this weekend was this—she taught me how to love a friend well. There was nothing showy about her approach and if I wasn’t so unaccustomed to this level of friendship, it may have even gone unnoticed. However, her love for me was something I could feel through this service and it left a mark on me.

I am determined to learn from my dear friend. She is carrying so much following the loss she has endured and yet, she is so like Christ, that she saw a newly postpartum mom in a busy and tiresome season of life and became lowly enough to serve just as her Savior once demonstrated.