Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
—Proverbs 3:27-28 ESV

Once, when my wife and I were in dire straits, a man I only knew through a few posts on a Christian Web site sent me a check for $1,000. I hadn’t solicited that money, but when it showed up in the mail, it brought me to tears. To think that someone I didn’t know would do that for us…well that gift not only met a need, it changed my worldview. One gracious act enlarged my vision of who we are as the Body of Christ.

Thanks, Rick.

On the heels of yesterday’s post, “No ‘I’ in ‘Church’“, I’d like to feature two folks who could benefit from the Body of Christ at large in the Blogosphere.

Milton Stanley blogs at the Warnie-Award-winning Transforming Sermons. He also pastors a small church in Virginia. Because his church is just ramping up, Milton’s taken on additional work outside his pastoral role. Recently, he’s taken in his father, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. (Milton blogs about his situation here.)

I know how difficult it is to care for a parent who is slowly slipping away mentally. I also know what it’s like to be in ministry needing a little more than what’s coming in. In addition, Milton and I have shared similar career paths, so I’m keenly aware of issues surrounding employment.

I plan on giving monthly to support Milton’s ministry at his church. Though we’ve never met in person, I know enough about his heart for God from his blog to know he’s my kind of guy.

All this is by my prompting, not Milton’s. After hearing about the situation with his dad and work, I contacted him and asked to help.

If you would like to send a tax-deductible gift to help fund Milton Stanley’s ministry, you can earmark it in his name and send it to:

Closer to my own home, one of our dear Christian friends is fighting an exceedingly rare cancer. Julie was in our wedding party and was instrumental in getting my wife and me together. She’s single and is self-employed, so her resources are more limited than some people’s. Just a few days ago, I learned she’s coming up profoundly short on her medical bills because of the way her insurance company is handling her treatment regimen. In addition, like Milton, she’s also caring for elderly parents who have serious medical issues.

I’d like to create (and manage) some sort of non-profit fund to defray Julie’s medical bills. If anyone reading this knows the process for establishing this kind of fund, please e-mail me at the address in the sidebar. I’m terrible at navigating bureaucratic waters, and setting up a fund like this seems daunting to me. I’d be eternally grateful for any assistance I could receive.

Prayers are always needed! Please remember Julie and Milton in your prayers, too.

Thank you for being the Body of Christ.