It started, as many bad decisions do, with a single thought: “I can carry it all.”
You know that heroic moment of delusion when you’re determined to make just one trip from the car to the house? Arms loaded with 37 plastic grocery bags—each finger a hook, circulation cut off at the elbow, and a watermelon tucked under one arm like you’re about to rush the end zone? That was me. A human-octopus-looking-vending machine, wobbling my way up the driveway.
Halfway there, the thinkable happened, a bag ripped. Apples spilled across the lawn like a fruity jailbreak. My dignity? Somewhere rolling under the bushes.
That’s when I heard her laugh—my neighbor, sitting on her porch with coffee in hand, taking in my chaos like it was the morning’s entertainment. She came over, helped me gather the rogue produce and, still chuckling, said, “Thanks. I really needed that laugh. It’s been a rough morning.”
I thought I was being efficient. Independent. Impressive, even.
But in that moment, God used my silly attempt at self-sufficiency to do something better: to connect us. What began as a minor disaster turned into a real conversation. After I finally wrangled the rest of the groceries inside—arms sore, pride bruised—we ended up talking longer than we ever had before. She opened up about her life, and I got to hear more about some of the tough things she and her family had been facing. Later that week, she knocked on my door and asked if I’d be willing to pray with her about something heavy on her heart.
That’s when it hit me.
Sometimes trying to carry it all doesn’t make us look strong—it opens us up. And sometimes, it’s in our dropped groceries and interrupted schedules that God does His best work.
Serving God isn’t always about stage lights, sermon notes, or scheduled outreach. Don’t get me wrong, these are all wonderful things, but sometimes it’s about being willing to stop in the middle of your mess, pick up some apples, and really see the person beside you.
As Galatians 6:2 reminds us, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Even if it starts with groceries.
By Danielle Salsgiver